Bailey looked in the mirror as she finished getting dressed, she smoothed her red lipstick over her lips and then applied her mascara and eye liner, she put the final touches on and then stared back at her self. She didn’t look like Bailey, she looked like a woman who was going to make some guys fantasy come true.
This was going to be the last time she danced; she wasn’t going to strip anymore. She couldn’t believe she actually dressed up like this everyday, she hadn’t realized she looked like this, not until now, when she wanted to be more. She was right, this was just for fun and now the fun was over.
She braced herself against the counter and looked down at her tiled floor, tonight she was going to dance in front of Howards and maybe even Benson. She didn’t think her brother or anybody else knew that they were two Lieutenants that raped her. They were both dying tonight, if one showed up, like Bailey knew he would then he would die and the other she would hunt down.
She looked up at the door as she heard Cody approach; she knew he hesitated as she waited, then finally after waiting a minute he knocked.
She straightened and looked at the door handle and then took one last look in the mirror before opening the bathroom door.
Light blue eyes met her stare; they never roamed her body but concentrated on her face. He was trying to get a read from her; she wasn’t going to let him. Bailey controlled herself and gave him a shy smile only he didn’t return the smile.
She didn’t let it falter as he continued to look at her, how long was he going to stand there and look at her like this?
“You were in the bathroom for quite a while.” Cody pointed out.
Is that what this was about? “It’s my bathroom besides a woman needs time to get her self ready.”
Time to get ready? She wasn’t just getting ready in there. She was hiding something, he was sure of it, the past few hours she’s kept to herself, she kept quite which meant a lot of thinking and it’s what the old Bailey used to do.
How much did she remember now? How much would it get her in danger?
“When are we leaving?” Bailey asked as she moved around him and fetched her black leather jacket.
“We leave now,” Cody watched as she put on her jacket, she wouldn’t meet his eyes, but he noticed that she kept looking at the door. She wanted him to leave.
Cody took the hint and started walking towards the door and took another glance at Bailey, she was tucking something into her leather jacket. She was carrying, where’d she get the gun?
He looked away and continued to walk and then descended the stairs, hearing Bailey right behind him.
“Stay close Bay.”
Bailey grabbed his arm, her hand tightened on his bicep while wanting to let out a moan. She felt it flex as his body went rigid. She could tell he didn’t like this one bit but there was no other choice.
“Wait,” she whispered, she turned him and pushed him up against the door and slammed her lips against his.
Cody gripped her hips and slammed them against his. He cupped her rear and lifted her, her legs tightened around his hips as he turned and pushed her up against the door.
Heat boiled within her, her breasts became sensitive and the heat between her legs was burning higher as he thrust his tongue into her mouth.
“Cody enough,” Blake demanded.
Cody ignored the voice that was coming from his ear piece and grinded against Bailey.
“Let her down or I’ll have Fallen shoot your hip, no more thrusting after that.”
Cody pulled back and let out a low laugh, “I’ll let Bailey ride.”
Cody heard Blake’s disgusted remark and then heard, “Keep your hands off her for a few more hours.”
“Ass,” Cody murmured as he placed soft kisses against Bailey’s cheek and jaw.
“Douche.”
“Pussy,” Cody softly laughed.
“Bitch.”
“Bastard,” Cody eased Bailey down and then placed a soft kiss on the tip of her nose and pulled her behind him as he gripped the door knob.
“Go or no go?” Cody asked before he opened the door.
“Go”
Cody opened the door and kept Bailey behind as they moved towards her black truck. After getting her secured he got into his own truck and pulled out and followed behind her.
He kept a distance from her truck and almost lost her, he got stuck at a signal but didn’t worry because he knew Blake was in front of her and beside her was Stiles.
Cody wondered if Howards was already at the club and waiting for her or out somewhere and staking her house out.
Bailey took deep breathes as she parked her truck behind the club, where was Matty? He was supposed to be going in with her. She looked around the dark parking lot and then behind her, the alley was really dark too.
She took out her pistol and stared down at it; she couldn’t take it in, wanted to but knew she couldn’t. She had no where to hide the damn thing. She sighed and slipped it underneath her seat and looked around once more before easing out of the truck.
Her heels clicked against the ground as she slowly walked to the back door, her body tensed as she walked through the narrow hall way and up the stairs. There were eyes on her and she had no idea how, no one was around her. She continued walking till she got to the lady’s locker room and felt a feeling of relief run through her body.
How was she going to do this? She eased off her leather jacket and shoved it into her locker and slammed it closed. She sat down on the bench and braced her elbows on her knees and squeezed her eyes shut.
She was going to see the man who raped her, she was going to dance in front of him and she had to act sweet and innocent because ‘she didn’t remember anything’ even though she did. Could she handle it? She needed to, she sudden thought. It was the only way.
“Bailey?”
Bailey’s head whipped around at the sound of her name. Crystal was behind her. “Yeah?”
“Boss wants you in the show in ten.” Crystal smiled and retreated to the rack of costumes.
“What theme is up for grabs?” Bailey asked as she sighed and stood, she walked over to Crystal and grabbed the costume she offered her.
She mumbled things under her breath as she changed into it, she didn’t want to do the show, usually she couldn’t wait for these and right now she wanted nothing to do with it.
After getting her costume on she went down stairs and waited beside the stage, the show was already going on and she was up after this one, so Crystal said.
Bailey took deep calming breaths, and tried focusing on the fact that the club was surrounded, the men were armed and they were in the club, watching, watching her. God they were all going to watch her strip right now.
It’s their job, Bailey told her self. She almost fell forward as someone pushed her.
“Bailey hurry up they’re waiting.” Crystal pushed her forward again.
The music sound as Bailey took a deep breath and walked up the steps and began swaying her hips as she walked the stage. The men were crowded around the stage, wooing her and giving her sweet comments, only it made Bailey sick hearing those.
She always looked forward to her little dances, loved the men looking at her and cheering her as she danced for them and now she just……hated it.
“Where’ve you been honey?” Someone yelled at her.
She been away hiding, hiding for her life and falling in love with a guy she just met, that’s where she’s been. She ignored the men and toned them out as she danced to ‘Fire’.
She worked her hips as she slowly made her way along the edge of the stage. She hated that they changed the song, it was a minute longer then the original song, and how the boss managed it who knows, all she knew was she hated it.
She almost fell, someone grabbed the corner of her coat, she looked down as the eager middle aged man.
“Let the fuck go.”
Bailey panicked as Fallen gripped the man’s arm, she didn’t know what to do; she didn’t think someone was going to do this. The man let go and stared back as Jeremy. Ah shit, this was not what she wanted.
Jeremy wasn’t someone you messed with, she remembered that. She remembered going out with him, he took her to a bar and a man had hit on her while she was sitting right next to him, he provoked Jeremy and even tried forcing her to dance with him even though Jeremy already told him that she was his. The guy ended up with a black eye and a swollen mouth that was bleeding.
What was he going to do with this guy? She didn’t want violence, not with this man at least. She sighed and felt relieved as she saw two bouncers coming to the rescue. She continued walking and slowly untied the yellow leather belt.
The shiny red coat departed baring her costume and revealing what bare flesh wasn’t covered. She made her way back to the erotic metal pole and let the coated slip off her shoulders and down her arms, revealing even more.
She smiled the smile the men loved as they called out to her; Bailey gripped the pole and slowly swayed her hips as she slowly walked around it.
“Take it off!”
“Come on honey quit teasing!”
Cody hated that he had to stay in the dark, Howards was here and he was near Fallen as he watched Bailey strip. Fucking bastard was looking at her like a meal. He was damn glad he was going to kill him tonight. It made him sick that Bailey was that close to him, he could tell she was struggling to keep it professional though.
Only a couple of more minutes and then she was done and then all she had to do was dance. She was completely bare now, jus a g-string and red hearted nipple pasties.
She continued to dance as the song faded and the slowly walked off the stage, what a view that was. He wondered if she would ever dress up for him, I mean she had that stripper pole in her bedroom.
“Focus,” Blake ordered.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Cody murmured.
“You don’t see the lustful gaze I’m looking at right now; keep your head in the game.”
“It’s in there, despite what you see I won’t let anything happen to her, you know that.” Cody didn’t pay any mind to the girl that was on stage, he looked around the club.
It was damn hard to keep an eye on Howards, he knew Blake and Cody really well and he knew Stiles and Noah Morell. He knew Richmond because he dated Bailey, the only one he hasn’t meet or even heard of was Jeremy Fallen and that bastard was looking his fill when Bailey stripped.
“Bailey’s done for the night.”
“What do you mean done?” Cody questioned him, how was she done? She just started.
“Bailey’s boss wants her gone, she begged and argued, he wasn’t having it so she quit.”
Bailey quit? “Are you sure?” Cody asked, a figure caught his attention, it was Bailey walking fast towards the back exit, and she almost fell. She bent and took off her stilettos and swayed her hips as she marched out the door. Jesus, she was pissed.
Bailey should be out by now and Howards seemed to notice because now he was asking the bartender and looking around the club. He slammed his hand on the bar top and starting heading for the exit. He knew that she was gone.
“Blake, target is hitting the front exist.” Cody got up and followed, staying along the wall, masking his figure with the darkness.
“Is stiles in place?” Cody signaled Fallen and Morell, they headed for the back exist as he headed for the front.
“Sniper in place, target is moving, Bailey’s pulling out.”
“We need to move,” Cody popped up his collar as he head hung his head low; his truck was only block away. He walked as fast as he could and saw Fallen pass by, Bailey was already on her way back to the house and Fallen was tailing her as well as Howards. He couldn’t believe he actually took the bait, he couldn’t believe he’d be that stupid.
This was Bailey, the one who was always protected, Blake’s sister, no idiot who knew Blake would think it would be that easy to kill her.
“Blake has Howards been informed that we’re home.” Cody got into his truck and sped to catch up with Fallen.
“Only one person knows were back the others think we’re still on the mission, he’s not informed I made sure of it just in case he did snooping.”
“As far as he knows everybody’s on the mission and in case he looked into the paper work, its there listed. Stiles is the only one who isn’t there and Stiles is the only one he’s seen since he’s been watching her for a while, I know he’s seen Stiles, dumb fuck still thinks he can kill her, probably even thinks he can get rid of Stiles.”
“He has one hell of a surprise.” Cody murmured as he pulled up two blocks away.
“Status please,” he needed to get in the house before Howards saw him.
“Cody hold it.”
He stopped mid step, and moved behind the tree that was in the yard next to him.
“He has cover doesn’t he?” Howards wasn’t as dumb as he thought, this only made things more fun.
“He has four around the perimeter of the house.”
“What do we have?” Cody pulled out his pistol.
“Stiles is not here yet, rest are out and hiding. You need to get in that house.”
He knew that, but he couldn’t go in until Stiles got here. “What’s his ETA?”
“Less then five but he needs to set up, you know that, your not waiting, move, that’s an order.”
Order? He didn’t need any god damn order; he was going to risk it. He moved his tension building as he got closer to the house. He already spotted one that wasn’t his and he was sure there was a gun on this one, he could feel it, he was covered but he went anyways. It wasn’t even a good hiding place for a soldier.
He snuck up on him and put the front end of his pistol to the back of his head. The soldier immediately dropped his gun and put his hands up in surrender.
“Turn around” Cody demanded, he backed up but kept his Beretta leveled with the guys head.
He managed a swallow as he took in his target, he knew him. Why? Why did he make the decision to come out here and be cover? He was so young.
“Cody?” he swallowed.
“Why are you out here?” Cody demanded, finger on the trigger, he saw the kids eyes focus on that alone.
“I didn’t have a choice I swear.”
Cody watched him back up, the kid looked so scared. Cody started to lower his weapon and was caught by surprise when the kid got up and tackled him. Shit. That was what he got for feeling sorry for the damn kid.
“Wrong choice son,” Cody threw him off and turned onto his stomach and tried grabbing his pistol.
He almost got it but didn’t as he was tackled again, they wrestled and Cody managed to get him in a choke hold with his legs wrapped around the young soldiers’. His eyes began to water, as the kid struggled to get away, his nails digging into his arms.
He didn’t want to kill him; he was so young probably not even twenty yet. He could let him go, god he wanted to. He’s never killed this young and he didn’t want this kid to be the first. He couldn’t believe it, this fucking kid knew Bailey too, and he invited him over when his team got together after coming back from a mission. This kid was like a kid brother to him, he taught him the ropes and here he was choking him, hearing him gasp for his life.
Cody loosened his hold. “I’ll let you go if you get out of here.”
“Fuck you, I hope that bitch dies,” the soldier gasped.
Kill him! Cody told him self. God just do it, it’s a simple thing to do, you’ve done it numerous times, and he’s no different. He’s no different he repeated, he’s no different.
Cody squeezed his eyes shut, struggling with his decision to end the kids life and move on. Bailey needs you, he reminded himself. She’s probably scared right now, go to her.
He tightened his hold, only to have to kid stop struggling and go completely still. He knew what happened, knew that sound. Stiles shot him; he felt the blood running down his neck.
Cody gritted his teeth together and shoved him off and took off his shirt, staring down at the body he rubbed the blood off his neck and threw the shirt by the bushes.
He grabbed his pistol and headed towards the house, they’re three now. No four if you counted Howards.
“Cody don’t move.” Blake ordered.
Cody froze where he was mid step, just feet away from Bailey’s fence.
“Twelve o’clock, Stiles,” Blake shouted into the ear piece.
Cody stood there, he hated doing this, he felt so vulnerable out in the open but he trusted Blake, he knew what he was doing and he knew at the moment he was saving his life, saving others, its what he did. He was a good leader; good commander and he protected his own no matter the cost.
“Sniper is dead.” Stiles confirmed. “Go ahead and move you’re covered.”
“Cody wait, Stiles drop them now.”
“One moment,” Stiles sighed.
Cody heard them, the bodies dropping one by one.
“Clear.”
“Cody proceed with caution.”
Cody didn’t move, “Where is she?”
“She’s in her bedroom, Howards is coming up the front. Go through the back.” Blake ordered.
Bailey swallowed deep as she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. She stood there next to the door, waiting, gun in hand. She was damn scared; all she had was this gun. A gun she remembered how to use but she had no idea of she’d actually shoot right.
Where was Cody? And why was she alone with this? Where was everybody else?
Something wasn’t right. She felt heat coming from the door. She looked down at the bottom of the door and saw smoke coming from beneath it. Her house was on fire, how could this have happened? She gripped the door knob and gritted her teeth from the burn her hand received. It was already hot, how could it be so hot already? How long was her house on fire?
She need to get out of here, she ran to her dresser and pulled out a drawer and grabbed a shirt and then ran back to the door. She placed the shirt over the knob, noting that it was still hot but not hot enough that she couldn’t touch it. She opened the door and regretted it.
There was so much smoke Bailey grabbed the shirt from the door knob and covered her mouth and nose, her eyes were burning. The pictures on the walls were burning up and falling, she wasn’t going to have much longer; the up stairs was full over carpet. The whole set of stairs was already covered with flames and they were already getting closer to her room.
She backed up as she realized she was going to have to get out through the window, she was on the second story for gods sake. She turned around and saw a figure coming towards her, she couldn’t tell who it was and the smoke was blurring her vision. She didn’t feel relieved as they approached closer, wasn’t she supposed to be relieved? They were coming to her rescue right?
Was this the person she heard coming up the stairs? It couldn’t possibly be the same person, when she opened the door the stairs were already on fire, only a few feet from her bedroom door and now they were a little bit past that. Unless they set it as they walked up the stairs. Her heart raced as she backed up, stopping as she felt the heat against her back, she couldn’t get any further.
“You have no where to go you stupid bitch.”
That voice, god, no don’t let it be that voice. Howards was one thing, but this man. This man is the one who raped her. She didn’t want to be raped again.
Her breathing picked up as he approached closer to her, the only thing she could hear was that evil laugh.
Her gun! She pretended to scratch her back and realized it wasn’t there. When had she dropped it?
“Your unarmed,” he laughed.
Bailey panted, what was she going to do? She was up stairs, no one was going to get to her, there was a fire, she was feeling weak from the smoke, she could barely see and she wanted to throw up.
Bailey felt air born and then felt a sharp pain erupt on her head, the spot throbbing with pain as she tried getting up. Her arms bent, making her hit her head again, she managed to open her eyes and didn’t see anyone in front of her. Where did he go?
Bailey put her palm to her forehead and felt wetness, she lowered her hand and stared in disbelief, there was blood on it. She pressed it back to her temple and then looked at her hand once more and saw more blood. Great now she was pretty much fucked.
She needed her gun, where the hell was her Beretta? Bailey pushed her self up against the wall and staggered as she got her balance, her head wasn’t the only thing aching, her whole body was.
She looked around, getting her bearings. Ok, the fire was way past her door and she only had so much hall way left, there’re three more bed rooms left and one had a balcony. Which one was he in though? She needed her gun first.
She debated whether or not to go in her bedroom, the flames were wiping around in, if she ran and jumped in the angle she would be ok.
Bailey made it past the door, the flames burning her arm. Her eyes watered as she quickly looked for something to pat her arm, it was in intense pain. It was taking everything she had to not to cry out from the pain.
She ran into the bathroom and grabbed the towel and let out a soft cry as she patted it, she locked her jaw and breathed heavily through her nose as she pulled out her first aid kit, she pulled out the band aids, ointments and alcohol, gazes and wraps, dropping some of it on the floor as she hurried. She picked up the wrapped and quickly wrapped it around her forearm and elbow, wincing from the pain. After securing it she went after her other guns.
She looked towards the bedroom door and saw how it was now engulfed in flames, she wasn’t getting out through there which meant he wasn’t coming in either, and her only exit was the window.
She walked over to her bed and looked behind her headboard, her other pistol was still there. She took it out of the case and winced, she couldn’t handle it with her right, she switched hands and nuzzled it between her lower back and jeans.
She looked to her window and sighed, how was she going to manage to get out with her arm bad? Her balance wasn’t that off, she thought. Well she had no other choice, it was either the window or burn to death, her arm was in severe pain and she wasn’t going to have that all over her body.
She turned and looked towards the bedroom door and noticed how much further the flames have expanded. It was now or never.
Bailey ran towards the window and unlocked it, she was glad all you had to do was push it out and it was wide open. She threw her leg over and almost lost her balance. She took a deep breath to calm her self, remember your training, she told her self.
She gripped the top of the window frame and kept her head straight and her thoughts focused, her breathing even.
She shifted her weight so she wasn’t off balance from her arm and tried not to use her right arm as she eased out of the window and balanced her self on the borders that framed her house.
Sweat beaded her temples from the heat of the fire and her damn nerves. She took even breathes, the other side wasn’t that far she told her self, keep that in mind Bailey. You’re hunting the target, nothings different, mark your target and eliminate.
Benson’s the target, she repeated. A very skilled target, she was just as skilled though, maybe even better, she knew how he moved.
If Benson was in her house then where was Howards?
Bailey eyes struggled to keep focus, her eyes still burned; she was having trouble getting a good grip. Her hands were beginning to sweat, making her grip less firm and her arm was aching, and she wasn’t going to be able to handle this. Where was her god damn brother? She was safe though, she knew that, felt it, he was around here somewhere and he was covering her. She hoped he would find Howards.
Another border was connecting to the one she was on, maybe she could use that, to get to the roof? No, her feet would have nothing beneath them; she couldn’t lift her body, not with her arm.
She took even breaths and quieted her movements; he was on the other side of corner, waiting for her and she was going to give him the ultimate surprise, she had to get on the roof first.
She grabbed onto the frame and breathed heavily through her nose as tears sprung to her eyes, the pain in her arm, she couldn’t believe she was in that much pain. Her head was still throbbing as well.
She swing her body lightly, trying to get a grip on the roof top, it was just inches away from her hand and she couldn’t reach. She tried again and managed to her finger tips on the edge, she tried pulling herself up, trying to get a better grip. She left go of the border and reached with her bad arm, her finger tips reaching the edge, pain shot through her arm, making her hand slip.
She hung there with her hand slipping off the edge of the roof. Oh god, please I don’t want to die like this, I don’t want to fall to my death.
She closed her eyes and concentrated. She took a deep breath and locked her jaw as she reached for the edge of the roof. She gripped it and gently swayed as she tried to get her body high enough and then swung her leg, trying to get onto the roof. She barely managed, her body was leaning over the edge and almost went over but someone caught her by the shirt and tossed her on top of the roof.
Bailey cried out as she landed on her arm. She rolled over onto her other side so the pressure was off her bad arm.
Bailey cries out as she feels immense pressure on her arm, someone was stepping on her arm. She tried getting it off, shoving at it as tears ran hot down her face. She heard that dark laugh she heard earlier and realized Benson was the one who tossed her, was now causing her agonizing pain.
Her knife! She thought. She reached down and lifted her pant leg and pulled her knife of out of sheath. She plunged it into his thigh and felt the pressure disappear as he growled in anger.
“Stupid fucking bitch, you’re going to regret that.” He growled in frustration as he pulled out the knife.
“Remember how I shoved my hard cock into that tight pussy? You going to fucking get it again before I hear your last breath.”
Bailey scrambled to get away, crawling and struggling to get on her feet. Crying as she sudden felt pain across her back, he cut her. That damn bastard cut her, she was furious now. She fell onto her knees and pulled out her pistol as she quickly turned around leveled it with his head.
“You’re going to shoot me?” He laughed in disbelief, “Have at it Bay.”
She winced when he called her Bay, only Cody called her that no one else called her by that nickname, not even her own brother.
“What’s wrong? You don’t like me calling you Bay?”
Though it was dark she could still see that stupid grin on his face. No she did not like him calling her Bay. She cocked the gun as she slowly stood.
“Do it, I dare you,” he mocked her.
Do it? Did he think she wouldn’t? She realized he thought she was this helpless little woman, a woman who didn’t remember anything, she remembered plenty.
“Think I won’t?” she tried sounding tuff but her voice came out hoarse from the smoke she inhaled, her throat burned at the slightest intake of breath.
“No I don’t actually,” he held out his arms, offering himself up to her.
“I’ve been made to kill, you’ll be dead before you even realize.”
He chuckled, “Cocky little bitch aren’t you? Come on, shoot me then.”
“You have no idea how much I fucking hate you.” Bailey stumbled, her back was killing her, she felt the blood running down her spine, he must of cut her deep, she hadn’t even realized.
The gun went air born as he felt a stab of pain hit her wrist and then heard a faint crack; she then felt agonizing pain in her wrist, great now she had a sprained wrist.
She shifted her body as she saw a fist flying towards her face. She kneed him in the stomach and heard him grunt; it didn’t stop him though he grabbed her by the throat and held her up.
Bailey managed to lift her legs and push off his chest, his nails digging into her neck, she cried out as she fell back and braced herself on her sprained wrist and bad arm.
She got up and searched for the gun and saw something dark laying a few feet away. She stumbled towards it, her body aching with such pain every step she took.
She grabbed it and turned around and was met with a gun pointed at her in return.
“You had a gun this whole time, why not already kill me?” Bailey said angrily as she stepped to her side, keeping her eyes on him the whole time.
“What’s the fun in that? I like to fight my prey.”
This reminded her of a Mexican stand off, who was going to shoot first?
“Is that why Howards helped you?”
Bailey watched as he cocked his gun, wrong thing to ask.
“Howards helped because the one before you gave quite a fight, I couldn’t quite handle her and she got away. I didn’t want to make that mistake again, not with you; I’ve seen you fighting with the other soldiers, you taking on other men. I believe you fight fairly well because of your brother. What could I expect? I came prepared. You weren’t getting away, not when I wanted you so bad. I got what I wanted though just like I’m going to get it right now.”
He wasn’t getting anything from her, just a bullet between his eyes.
“You’re not leaving,” Bailey pointed out as she stepped closer.
“Oh? And you think you are sweetie?”
“Yeah I do.” She swallowed, her throat was really bothering her and not helping her case since he was watching her.
Benson laughed a throaty laugh and extended his arms, “Look around you? Your house is on fire, you think you’re going to get out of here? I’ll be damned if the damn roof doesn’t collapse any minute now. Don’t you feel the heat beneath you feet? I know I do,” he smiled.
Heat? Bailey didn’t feel it, not till he said something. The flames were probably coming out of the second story windows and climbing the house as they stood here.
“Then we better make this quick,” her finger tightened on the trigger just the slightest bit.
Benson noticed and shot her in her left shoulder. Bailey stumbled backwards and fired her gun, hearing his groan. She didn’t know where she shot him as she fell.
She heard him approach her, heard his groans and then saw him over her body with his gun pointed at her head.
She saw him cock his gun and angle it just right, she knew that angle, he taught her that angle when making a killing shot.
Bailey suddenly seen a hole in his forehead and blood coming out as he collapsed on top of her, Bailey began crying as she tried shoving him off and couldn’t, didn’t even really want to try, her wrist was in so much pain, same arm had the bullet wound in her shoulder, her back was cut, her arm was burned. The blackness was taking over little by little, it was getting harder to breath, pain was running through her body and she felt really cold. Her last thought was how much blood she’s already lost.
Cody couldn’t believe how long it fucking took them to finally get to Bailey and then what they found, what had happened to her and it was his entire fault, his fault for not getting to her in time. He didn’t want to go back to thinking about that, wouldn’t, not when he was waiting to see her right now, its been hours since she’s been out of surgery and in moments he was going to be able to finally see her, finally touch her and hold her. Make her his forever.
“Mr. Morell?”
Cody whipped around and saw Bailey’s nurse holding a clip board to her chest. “Yes?”
“Your wife is conscious now,” she gave him a small smile.
Wife, Bailey would laugh at that. It was the little white lie that he had to tell just to keep close to her while they transported her, she was his wife. He sure as hell was going to make it permanent as soon as she wanted it.
“Thank you,” he sighed.
He walked around the nurse and headed towards her room, he opened the door and closed himself in and he heard soft cries as he approached the curtain.
He saw Bailey freaking out, she was trying to rip the needle out of her arm, tried taking the clamp off her finger, pulling the tubes out of her nose.
“Bailey stop,” he ordered, he couldn’t touch her, she was injured all over the place and only barely recovering.
“I can’t stay here,” she cried.
“Bay you have to, you have to get better. You’re only going to be here for another day, maybe two tops. Don’t you want to know you’re fine and healthy? Don’t you think our kids would want their mother that way?”
Bailey stopped after he mentioned ‘our kids’. She looked up at him, his chest aching.
“You mean…”
“Yes Bay, I meant it, I promised you. I’m not breaking that promise.”
He watched Bailey avert her gaze and lower her head, “I remember the promise you once made me such a very long time ago.”
Cody knew it was just a matter of time before she remembered, “Then you must remember why I broke it and I’m sure you remember how I felt that day.”
“I do, perfectly,” her voice saddened.
“Bailey I’m not leaving you, I’ve almost lost you twice. The last time I really thought I wasn’t going to have you in my life, the thought of never seeing the way you like at me, the thought of never having you in my arms and holding you, the thought of the girls never meeting you.”
“Bailey I love you and I wouldn’t want anything more then to have you in my life forever.” He lifted her chin and waited till she met his gaze, “Do you still love me?”
“Yes,” she whispered as her eyes began to water once more.
“You still want our kids back?”
“Yes,” she managed to say.
“Will you please marry me then?”
“Yes,” she cried.
Cody cupped her face and kissed her, loving the feel of her lips against his, his eyes burning, he rarely cried, always held it in but this was Bailey, his Bailey.
Bailey pulled back and stared up at him, “You’re crying?” she wiped the tears that had escaped and looked up at him, “Why?”
He softly laughed, “For many reasons, but the main one is because you’re finally mine Bay.”
“I love you,” She whispered as more tears escaped her eyes.
“You have no idea of how much my heart aches for you Bailey Summers.”