Week 169 – He bent down to gingerly lift her from the bed when they heard a door opening behind them

Pain.

She was floating on a bed of pain.

Something cool blotted at her face, and gentle fingers stroked her cheek.

“Honey, can you hear me?”

The voice was worried and she didn’t want anyone to worry about her, so she tried very hard to open her eyes and reassure them.

“Honey, I could really do with some help right about now.”

Jax.

It was Jax’s voice.

Since she didn’t want to disappoint him she managed to force her eyes open. “I’m awake,” she croaked weakly.

“Do you remember what happened?” Jax asked, his worried eyes watching her like he was afraid she might leave him again at a moment’s notice.

“Sarisa was here, and the man who raped me, they shot me.”

“They knocked me out and put us both in your bedroom. I raided your bathroom when I was getting a wet cloth and something to used to wrap your wound, and I found two pairs of scissors. I know you’re weak and hurting but I’m going to give you one, you get a chance you don’t hesitate to take it.”

He pressed the scissors into her hand and she managed to curl her fingers around it. She wasn’t sure she’d have the strength to use it but she would do her best, she wasn’t going to leave Jax to handle this alone.

“I’m going to put you in the bathroom, the best thing we have going for us right now is that they think I’m tied up. I heard sirens earlier, the cops are here but they’re barricaded themselves in here. Once you’re safely tucked away I’ll wait and make my move as soon as they come back in here.”

“”Kay,” she whispered.

“You just hold on, okay?”

“I’ll try.”

“You’ll do better than try,” he reprimanded firmly. Then he smoothed a hand over her hair, leaned down and kissed her. “You have too much to live for, so you fight okay, you don’t give up.”

Mackenzie could read the promise of their future in Jax’s eyes and it was enough to strengthen her. “I won’t give up,” she promised.

He bent down to gingerly lift her from the bed when they heard a door opening behind them.

Jax moved at lightning speed. He set her on the floor on the other side of the bed, and then he was gone.

She could hear him collide with another body, the sounds of a scuffle, grunts and groans, and then the sound of a gun going off.

Something fell to the floor with a thud.

A shadow fell over her as someone rounded the bed.

Mackenzie clutched the scissors Jax had given her and waited to see if it was Jax or one of their attackers who was coming towards her.