Caleb's POV
A sharp curse tore through the air as Bailey glared down at me with genuine irritation etched across his weathered features.
"Damn it, why the hell wouldn't you just cooperate?"
My vision swam with crimson streaks, the world tilting dangerously as I fought to stay conscious. Through the haze of pain and blood loss, I caught sight of Jessica racing toward me, her face pale with terror and wet with tears that caught the harsh warehouse lighting.
Her mouth was moving frantically, my name spilling from her lips in what I could only assume were desperate screams, but the constant ringing in my ears made everything sound muffled and distant, like I was drowning in an ocean of white noise.
I couldn't allow the wounds to seal themselves. Not yet.
The bullets were still buried deep in my flesh, and if my body healed around them, I might never regain full use of my legs. But Jessica's safety mattered more than my ability to walk. It always would.
