Page 124 of Blake

No.

He couldn’t be dead.

He was Blake Savage, dammit. The man who’d helped her believe she was stronger than the fear that had controlled her life for so long. The man who’d made her laugh when she’d forgotten how.

The man I love.

And she’d left him bleeding on the floor.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The first thing Blake became aware of was the pain. It was a deep, relentless ache that radiated from his left side.

Every breath he took seemed to intensify the unpleasant sensation. He tried shifting away from it, but the movement sent a sharp jolt through his lower abdomen.

“Easy, Savage.”

He knew that voice.

Blake forced his eyes open.

The ceiling above him was white. Too white. Harsh fluorescent lighting illuminated the room, and somewhere nearby, a machine emitted a steady series of beeps.

Hospital.

He turned his head, finding Lucas Mercer standing beside the bed.

Echo Team’s medic looked like he’d been awake for three days. His thick, dark hair was disheveled, and the expression on his face was grim.

“Welcome back.”

Blake frowned. “What happened?”

The question came out rough against his dry, scratchy throat.

Lucas glanced at the monitor beside the bed. “You got shot.”

A rush of memories slammed into him.

The farmhouse. Gunfire.

Devon.

He remembered pushing her toward Gwen and telling her to go. A masked man had appeared near the mudroom.

The pain had come to him, then. White hot and searing. That’s when he’d heard Devon screaming his name.

Devon!

Blake tried sitting up, but Lucas immediately placed a hand against his shoulder.

“Devon.”

“Careful. You don’t want to bust open your⁠—”

“Where is she?”

Lucas’ hesitation was brief, but it was enough.