Damaged and the Outlaw (Damaged #4)

Using the butt of the gun, I slammed it into his face. The first strike caught him telling me to fuck off. The second landed as he choked on his shattered teeth. Hitting him again and again, I tossed the gun aside and used my fists.

His bones shattered under the impacts, but it wasn’t enough. I knew on some level he was dead long before I stopped hitting him. Logic meant nothing until he was a stain on the floor.

I only stopped pounding when I saw Judd moving towards Raven.

“No,” I growled. “Don’t touch her.”

Crawling to Raven, I begged for some sign of life. As if sensing my desperation, she reached out for me and tried to sit up.

“Don’t move, cookie,” I said, taking her bloody hand and running my fingers over her already swelling face.

Seeing her bloody lips move, I leaned down to hear her.

“I knew you’d come,” she gurgled.

“I’m here,” I whispered, wanting to apologize for failing her.

Her eyes already swelling shut, Raven turned her head and spit out a tooth. Blood was everywhere, making me fearful to touch her.

“We’ve called an ambulance,” Judd said, leaning down next to me as I held Raven’s hand.

“Don’t,” she mumbled, “tell Lark it’s bad. Protect her.”

“We won’t, baby. It’ll be okay, sugar. I promise, darling.”

Raven laughed at my excessive terms of endearment then whimpered in pain.

“We’ll have them turn off the sirens,” Judd said, placing his hand on my shoulder. “We’ll clean up the trash.”

Noticing Cooper and Tucker at the door, I knew their faces said it all.

Raven was bad off.

Judd patted my shoulder again. “You got here in time. It’ll be fine.”

The way he said the words helped me believe the lie. I needed lies more than anything. Raven wasn’t a delicate girl, but I didn’t see my woman on the ground. I saw a bloody and broken stranger.

I leaned forward to whisper in her ear and Raven exhaled at the feel of my breath. She sighed the same way in the morning when I’d wake her by whispering naughty ideas. Raven always smiled after she sighed, but she couldn’t now. Her lips were busted and I couldn’t imagine her smiling ever again.

“I love you, peanut. Baby doll, don’t leave me, candy.”

“Nickname overload,” she mumbled with great effort.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, fighting my panic and rage. Wanting to cry and scream, I really wanted to kill Caleb a million times. Instead, I begged, “Don’t leave me.”

Raven tightened her grip on my hand. While I sensed she wanted to speak, it was too much effort.

“We’ll protect Lark,” I promised, calming myself. “She won’t see you until you look like yourself.”

This was the biggest line of bullshit I ever told.

Raven arrived at the hospital where they did x-rays and gave her pain medicine. I stayed with her whenever I could and paced around like a caged animal whenever they made me leave her.

Two cracked ribs, a broken nose, and a break in both her right leg and left arm. With time and care, Raven would recover. Once they cleaned her up, added a cast to her leg and arm, and settled her into a room, I took my post at her side.

Despite my promise to keep Lark from seeing Raven until she was healed, the pixy wasn’t taking no for an answer. I knew she wanted to be brave, but seeing her sister beaten so badly sent her into hysterics. A sobbing Lark only calmed when Aaron hugged her and whispered something. Soon, she was merely teary-eyed as she caressed Raven’s swollen face.

“You’re so strong. So brave,” Lark said.

Raven mumbled something then giggled.

“She’s really digging her meds,” I explained and Lark gave me a weak smile.

“We’re going to take care of you. I’ll cook your favorites.”

Raven made a humming noise then fell asleep. Long after Lark and Aaron left, she remained quiet. Nurses came in, checked her, and smiled reassuringly at me before slipping out of the room. Raven needed rest and the medicine would keep her out for a while, but I needed her to tell me that she was okay.

As the sun set, I ate a hospital meal and watched TV. Every few minutes, I glanced at the girl on the bed and tried to see Raven. I struggled to remember her smile and laugh. With her face so swollen, she didn’t seem like my love. I worried I’d lost her because I brought Caleb to Ellsberg.

Eventually, the nurse showed me how to turn the chair into a pull out bed. I thanked her, but the thing was too damn small for me to fit on. Besides, I didn’t want to sleep until Raven woke up. Finally, I gave into my weird little urge to kiss the sleeping beauty. I needed to know she was okay. Know she wanted me to stay because she still loved me. I felt nervous until her swollen lips twitched into a smile after my kiss.

“Tell me a story,” she mumbled while gripping my shirt with her good hand and tugging me into the bed with her.

I adjusted our bodies just enough for me to rest next to her. While the position wasn’t comfortable, I finally relaxed at knowing my woman wanted me close.