Chapter 32

Knox

Her blood-curdling screams shred my heart to pieces.

"Pull." I snap my head to the side and glare at Roberto. I want to beat his fucking face in and stomp on his skull until I feel it crush beneath my foot but if it wasn't for him catching Lakeland when she went over… I push that thought away. We each tighten our grips on her ankles. Taylan and Xander each wrap their arms around our waists, helping to anchor us. Suddenly out of nowhere her screams stop, causing panic to flow through me as I heave her up. The second Roberto and I have her over the edge, I pull her limp form to me and hold her close. She's cold and her face is etched in pain, she writhes in agony, whimpering every couple of seconds. "What's happening to her?"

I cut a glance to Roberto and sneer at the fucker. "You stay the fuck away from her!" I roar. The bastard ignores me and keeps his gaze on my girl. I brush her hair back from her face and place a kiss to her lips, they're cold and have a purple hue to them.

"Come on, I'll patch up your wound," Xander says to Roberto who shakes his head.

"It's a flesh wound, it'll be fine." I grit my teeth telling myself that he isn't the priority, Lakeland is.

"Come back baby, I can't lose you too," I whisper.

"She needs a doctor." Concern is clear in Taylan's tone.

"No. It's too open and it will be easy for Giovani and Percy to get to her there." I fucking hate to admit it but the bastard is right, a hospital isn't safe for her.

"What do you suggest then?" Mom hedges. Roberto looks up at her and it angers me to see longing in his brown eyes.

"She wanted to come here, she said she wanted to go back to the beginning and I think her being here has triggered her memories?—"

"No," Xander says, cutting Roberto off and drawing all our attention to him. He meets my stare with a guilt ridden look in his eyes. "She only started screaming when she heard you say you choose her, hearing those words from you broke down her walls." I tear my gaze from him and look down at the only girl that has ever given me butterflies, the only girl to ever make me feel like I was something more than a street rat. I brush my knuckles along her cheek, hating that her skin feels so clammy to touch.

"I'll choose you always, Lakeland." A whimper escapes her as her face contorts in pain a second before she gasps loudly. "Come back to me, Lay."

"Waverly!" she screams my sister's name so loud that I jolt in shock. Tears leak from the corners of her eyes. "Wave, come back!" The anguish that laces her words is felt deep inside me, I hear her pain and feel it like it was my own.