An Ace Of Hearts (Book #1) (Completed)

Chapter 60: Rescued

JACE HYDE

I barely saw where I was going as I carried Ahvi out of the house on quick steps, following Hailey who led the way. I was grateful to her because my vision was still blurry because of the tears. My heart was in my mouth and I felt as if I was going to be sick. But it wasn't the fear inspiring the nausea anymore, it was relief.

Seeing her bleeding and disheveled, I had felt my heart almost collapse on itself. The gun the man was holding to my temple didn't matter anymore. My pain didn't matter to me anymore. I knew it was foolish and perhaps corny but I would have rather died with her than live without her.

Now, I held her close to my chest as I raced out into the lawn, rounding the house to reach the cops still stationed outside. Peter was the first one to spot us. I blinked the tears away as he straightened, his eyes widening.

"They're here!" He shouted and the next moment, all the other officers sprung into action. The Sheriff looked at us, relief washing over his features before he turned around and shouted commands at the backup.

Everything was a blur after that. I laid Ahvi down on the ground as instructed by Peter. He sat down, reaching for her pulse. I watched his features collapse into one of relief and I let myself relax too. She was going to be fine, a voice in my head said. Or maybe it was Peter who said that. I couldn't tell anymore.

"The ambulance will be here soon." Someone else said and this time, I knew it was not the voice inside my head that was speaking. I sat on the ground beside Ahvi, holding her warm hand in mine. It was covered in grime and dirt but I still clung onto her.

I should have never let her go to the stakeout alone. I felt the guilt drowning me but I pushed it aside. She was okay. It was all that mattered. Hailey sat beside me, holding her knees to her chest. The police officers crowded them but no one asked questions. Someone gave Hailey a jacket and she wrapped it around herself, blinking off into space.

Her clothes and face were still covered in blood but she didn't seem to notice. Her expression was black and her knuckles white as she held her knees as if her life depended on it. I wondered what she must be feeling. She was shot and taken by the people she used to work for before.

But I did know one thing: these girls were hella strong. There was nothing they couldn't do. They were resilient and crazy and so very courageous. It took balls to escape from your kidnapper. It took strength and bravery to attack a man with a gun in his hand.

This situation could have played out very differently. Stan could have shot Hailey before she could even reach him. But somehow, the two of them had managed to kill him instead.

I had been foolish to recklessly enter the house. But I had been desperate. I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if Ahvi and Hailey didn't find me, if they had already escaped by the time I got there. I would have been dead. I shook the thought away as soon as it occurred to me.

I glanced down at Ahvi again, at her unconscious form. Her chest rose and fell with shallow breaths and there was a peaceful expression on her face. I had never seen it there before. There wasn't an ounce of unease in her features, nothing but a quiet serenity that made me envy her.

The siren of the ambulance pulled me out of my thoughts. When I looked up, the officers were escorting almost a dozen men out of the house. My shoulders relaxed. The gang was busted. It was all over.

The Sheriff walked over to me just as the paramedics came for Ahvi and Hailey. I wasn't hurt but they asked me to come in for a check-up anyway. I nodded as they put Ahvi onto a stretcher and began walking away. I made to follow them but the Sheriff put a hand on my shoulder.