Pierce

Chapter Forty

Natalie ~

Pierce snatched a knife off of the table and readied it with his left hand, pulling her into his right side, to conceal her and to help steady her on her feet.

Natalie was surprised how easily she was getting around with the stab wound in her side. Sure she couldn't stand up completely straight and it hurt like hell, but she was able to walk which was surprising.

Maybe I'm not as hurt as I thought.

She willed her unsteady wobbly legs to keep up with Pierce's pace as they moved slowly through the house.

"Why don't we just run?" she whispered.

"So someone could see us from a window and shoot us in the back - not a chance."

He held her behind him, acting as a human shield as they made their way from the front of the house to the back, checking each room as they passed it.

"No one else here." Pierce said,  finally relaxing his body slightly once they reached the back door in the kitchen.

Oh thank God.

Pierce grabbed a gun off of the table and checked the magazine before shoving it in his waistband. She watched him move through the kitchen, rifling through the cabinets and drawers until he found a towel to replace the blood soaked cloth she was still holding against her side.

Tenderly lowering herself into a chair, she let him doctor her wound and replace the fabric that was now completely soaked through, with a fresh towel.

"Sit back and look at the ceiling for me sweetheart." he said in a comforting voice, taking the bloody fabric from her hand.

He gently moved the fabric and sucked air through his teeth at the sight of her wound. The sound pulled her eyes down to his and she gave him a panicked look, hoping it wasn't as bad as it felt. She should have known that he would pick up on her fear and try to smother it, because as soon as their eyes connected, his pained expression softened and he flashed her a smile.

"Doesn't look bad at all." he lied and she knew it.

Pierce pressing the clean towel against her side sent shooting pains through her abdomen, causing her to let out a yelp and dig her nails into his arm.

"I'm sorry baby, but we've gotta get the bleeding to stop."

His expression was pained and pinched as he pressed the towel into her side and watched her writhe in pain beneath the force of his hand. She tried to hide how painful the pressure was for his sake, attempting to safeguard his feelings, but she was failing miserably.

"Can you walk?" he asked, helping her rise from the chair, letting her hand replace his on the towel at her side.

"I can walk. I'll do whatever you need me to do."

Her words earned her a sweet genuine smile and a kiss on the top of the head before they moved toward the back door. The pain in her side was unbearable and she honestly didn't think she could walk, but she willed her body to move for Pierce because she knew he needed his hands free to protect them once they got out the door.

Just breathe and keep moving, don't think about the pain.

Making it as far as the tree line, she was able to force her body to limp alongside Pierce, looking down at his feet, trying to focus on and follow his every step, but she had pushed her body to the limit. Her vision started to blur and her body felt heavy and uncoordinated.

"Pierce..." Her woozy voice caused Pierce's head to whip around and extend his arm out, wrapping it around her before her knees buckled.

"I got you." he said, scooping her up into his arms and carrying her the rest of the way up the hill until they had disappeared into the vegetation around them.