El Diablo (Killer of Kings 6)

Sitting up in the bed, she started to pull out the wires that were hooked up to her. She cried out as she tore the needle that was stuck in her hand.

She didn’t look forward to pain, but she’d rather deal with it than allow herself to cave to that bastard.

Pushing aside the blanket that covered her, she cursed. She wore a hospital gown and a quick glance at the back showed it was open. She wasn’t wearing any underwear either.

Escape was her only solution. Putting her feet over the edge of the bed, she lifted herself off, and cried out at the pain. Her thigh was bandaged up, and as she lifted the gown, she saw there was also a bandage across her abdomen. The pain was intense.

“This is a really bad idea,” she said.

She’d been shot in the thigh. Alesha recalled the panic in Xavier’s voice as he screamed that she’d been hit. She’d also taken a bullet in her stomach. It had been much different than the luncheon. She should have minded her own damn business and let Xavier do his thing.

“Great, Alesha. You know how to mess things up.” She’d gone to that dock to try to help Xavier, but ended up making everything worse.

She wasn’t going to sit back and allow her injuries to keep her trapped. Using the bed for support, she took a step, trying to contain her whimpers. When she got to the edge of the bed, there wasn’t anything for her to hold onto.

Alesha took another step, but her leg couldn’t handle the pain and she dropped to the floor.

She felt dizzy and kept her head against the floor, hoping the cold tile would help her to focus.

She took several deep breaths.

In and out.

“Come on, Alesha, you can do this.”

Eyes closed, she started to move her body toward the door, crawling, determined to win this. Dragging herself along the floor, the pain grew more intense, but she kept on going. The instant she was there, she knelt up and unlocked it. The door swung open, and she collapsed out.

“Have to keep going.”

She dragged herself across the floor, hyperaware of the pain. When she looked down at her thigh, she saw the bandage covered in blood.

The stitches she had in her abdomen were also bleeding. Putting a hand to her stomach, she tried to think of what to do. There was no going back, only forward.

Pushing herself across the floor a little more, she had to rest.

“Xavier.” She whimpered his name, hoping she’d be able to bring him with her begging of his name.

It didn’t work.

“Shit! What the fuck are you doing?” Boss was back, and she looked up. He’d put his coffee on a tray and bent down.

“Xavier!” She cried out the name of the man she loved. Maybe he was nearby and would hear her.

Boss was the last man she wanted, but he picked her up in his arms as if she weighed nothing.

“Women will be the fucking death of me. What the heck is with you? Xavier put my whole mission in danger by talking to you. Hate me all you want, sweetheart, but I’m not sure what to do with either of you at this point.”

“He didn’t want me involved. It’s my fault, not his.”

He placed her so gently down on the bed it startled her. She didn’t expect him to be so concerned for her.

“Get the nurse back here. She attempted to escape,” Boss said, growling into his cell phone.

He shook his head before stepping away from the bed.

The nurse didn’t take long. Apparently, Alesha had burst some of her stitches. She hated that Boss saw her in such a vulnerable position.

“You’re going to have to rest!” The nurse glared at her. “I’m so over your patients, Boss. They’re driving me crazy.”