Across Enemy Lines

Chapter 20

“Grant, I know you probably can’t hear me but please be okay. I’m going to do everything in my power to save you from ending up like me,” I said knowing I wouldn’t get a response. I took the cup of unfinished water that had been left and dunked my rags in it. Gently, I rubbed at Grant’s scars cleaning him up as best as I could.  Since they drugged him, he would only heal a little if at all.

For hours I sat by his side cleaning his wounds and once I had cleaned all I could, I just watched him. No one else came by that night and I didn’t care if they did. I remained by his side, never moving just in case he woke up. I don’t know how long I sat there. The only hint at the time was the light outside the window. The evening turned to night and it was what would have been the wee hours of the morning when I finally was rewarded for my waiting.

“Nia,” Grant mumbled barely making any movements. My head snapped down to look at him. His eyes flickered open and closed numerous times before finally opening to look up at me. I sniffed as I felt a tear fall down my cheek.

“Grant thank God you are okay,” I exclaimed leaning over and hugging him. He grunted in pain and I tried to pull back but his arms pressed me further to him, forbidding me from leaving. We stayed like that for a few minutes just taking in each other’s presence. It had been a long time since I saw anyone from my pack. I didn’t want it to be under these circumstances but I was happy to see someone.

I leaned back from him, taking his hand in mine. He tried to move but groaned in pain. I placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a small smile. His eyes moved over my face and slowly scanned my body. A growl rumbled in his chest.

“I’ll kill them for hurting you,” he said. He sounded just like Jaxson would. Protective and brotherly. I missed that. He moved to turn one of my arms in his hand, inspecting more of the damage causing the chains to clink. His eyes shifted to them and followed them to the wall. Slowly, he sat up with a little help from me and moved to pull at the chains. He could pull as much as he wanted. They weren’t going to break.

“Don’t waste your energy. With the drug they put in your system plus the strength of the steel, it won’t work. Trust me, I would know,” I said whispering the last bit but Grant heard it nonetheless.  He pulled me into another hug. I heard him sniffle and I just let him do what he needed to. Jaxson would have made fun of him if he knew Grant was crying but I think in this situation, he would make an exception.

“I’m so sorry Nia. I shouldn’t have let you go on that run. Then you would have been near us and we could have kept an eye on you. It’s all my fault that you  are here, going through this pain,” Grant said. His voice sounded so broken and so apologetic that it made me angry and hurt my heart at the same time.