I drift slowly then faster and faster. The white light becomes so blinding, I have to close my eyes.
Once I shut them, I can't get them to open again. Everything rotates between black, white, and red before I'm eventually lying naked, rocking in a sea of red hibiscuses.
29
Hunter
Damn it, Mack!
Carlos's guy gets hit and falls forward, and it's like slow motion watching Vanessa get squished.
As soon as Carlos hits the pavement, I put the bullet in his head. The plan was to kill him without Vanessa near him, but he never got out without her. Once Mack hit his thug, there was only one option.
One of Mack's guys runs around the corner and traps the guests in the church. I rush to my Flower and roll the dead guy off her.
"Flower."
She's shaking and screaming and in a state of hysteria. Her dress and body are covered in blood, and her eyes tell me she's in another world.
I pick her up and run to the vehicle that is waiting for us. Mack jumps in the driver's seat, and I get in the back with Vanessa.
"Flower, wake up."
Her eyes are closed. They briefly flutter open, but she can't seem to become coherent.
I blink hard, assessing her. The two months she's been with Carlos have damaged her. Her body is thinner, as if she hasn't been eating. Her face is stained with tears and sorrow. She has a Band-Aid on her hand, and it's covered in makeup.
Those bastards tried to camouflage her dressing. She could get an infection from that alone.
Her cheeks have more foundation over purple bruises that are peeking through.
More rage soaks my very being, and I regret not abducting Carlos so I could terrorize him before putting the bullet in his head.
Hives cover Vanessa's arms, along with fresh scratches that still slowly seep with her blood. More makeup cakes in her wounds.
"She needs a doctor," I yell to Mack, and Vanessa jumps in my arms but doesn't open her eyes.
Keep your voice soft.
"There's one on the ship. He's already waiting for you."
I hold my Flower in my arms, kissing her head and stroking her hair. I murmur over and over, "Everything is going to be okay now, Flower."
She's so broken.
How am I going to get her to come back to me?
Did he break her so badly she won't be able to return?
She whimpers quietly in my arms and doesn't stop trembling. Her forehead is hot and her face flushed.
Mack stops the car in the jungle and gets out.
"I need to clean you up so we can get on the boat, Flower."
I don't know if she hears me. Her eyes only flutter as she quietly sobs.
As gently as I can, I pull Vanessa out of the car. Mack helps me remove the wedding dress and veil from her limp body. Normally, I wouldn't let any other man touch my woman, but she isn't capable of standing, and I can't do both.
When she's only in her undergarments, Mack hands me a sponge with soap and water on it. I clean her as best as possible, and he gets the blood off the backs of her legs.
I rinse her with several bottles of water, spray her wounds with antiseptic, then put a long-sleeve shirt and a pair of yoga pants on her.
She never opens her eyes or stops crying, and my heart twists more with every moment that passes.
I've never seen her like this. She would go into her own world whenever she had a night terror or panic attack, but this is different.
Watching her from the jungle with my binoculars, day by day, I saw her deterioration. Yesterday, when she never came outside, I knew something terrible was going on.
But I never imagined this.
Mack puts a blanket down. I gently set her down and lay next to her then put my arm under her head. She curls into my chest.
I don't know if she's sleeping or awake. Her sobs become less frequent but never disappear. I try to feed her some food, but she won't eat. I put the bottle of water to her lips, but she's too incoherent to drink.
Mack takes a fresh sponge and pours water on it, and for hours I press it to her lips, hoping she is getting some hydration.
When it turns dark, we get back in the car. She stirs but still stays asleep, lost in her own world. A few times, I think I hear her whisper my name, but it's so quiet I can't be sure.
At two in the morning, Mack parks and turns. "You got everything?"
"Yes."
"Jerry is waiting at the gate." He points to a man who wears mostly black.
"Thanks for everything."
"Stay safe. Tell Jerry to get the doctor when you get to your room."
"Will do." I sling my backpack over my shoulder, get out, and carry my Flower to the gate.
Jerry is another former Marine buddy of Mack's. He joined the cruise line after retiring and has a room ready for us, based on the passports Tinker's friend created.
It's dark, except for the lights of the cruise ship. It's a ship that began its journey in Brazil and will end in Europe. One of the stops is Bermuda.
Jerry and I hardly speak. I hand him our fake passports, and he navigates us through the entry point where the employees get on the ship. We go directly to our room.
I lay Vanessa down on the bed and turn to Jerry. "Can you have the doctor come right away?"
"Yes." He picks up the phone and gives instructions. "I'll stay until he comes. Do you need anything? I've stocked your fridge with waters and some food, but I can gather some other things if needed."
"I think that will be fine for now. Everything she needs, I believe, will need to come from the doctor."
"Ring if you need anything during your stay."
"Thank you." I stroke my Flower's head. "This doctor...he is trustworthy?"
"Yes. He is excellent, too."
I nod, blinking hard, and kiss Vanessa's forehead.
The doctor arrives. Jerry introduces us and leaves.
"Call me Faron," the doctor tells me.
I fill him in on what I know has happened to Vanessa.
He examines her. She has a slight fever. He says, "To speak in normal terms, from what you're telling me she's been through, I think her nervous system has collapsed."
"Is she able to recover?" A fear so deep takes root in my gut, making me catch my breath.
"She needs rest. Love. Hydration. And to feel safe."
I nod, not able to talk.
He points to the balcony. "Some sun and salt air won't hurt, either. But it's going to take some time for her to bounce back."
"But she will?" I swallow the emotions pooling in my throat.
He stares at her then looks back at me. "I think she will."
"What about her wounds?"
"I'm going to leave some antiseptic spray and wraps here. I'll check on her tomorrow morning, but if you can make sure any open wounds stay clean, she should be okay."
"And her hives?"
He kindly smiles at me. "Rest. Time. Love. Safety."
I release a big breath.
"Tell you what. Why don't you shower, and I'll watch her?"
I look down at myself. I haven't showered in several months and probably smell like it. My face is covered in a thick beard. It might frighten Vanessa when she wakes up since she's never seen me with anything more than a bit of scruff.