Redemption Road (Roughneck #3) (15 page)

Chapter 28

“It’s beautiful out here,” Mackenzie said, as she leaned her head on my shoulder, while we walked along the lake as the sun started to set.

“I’m glad you like it.”

“I would love to live by the water someday,” she said as she stared at the water.

“Ocean or lake?” I asked.

“I don’t care,” she said with a smile.

“Me neither, it would be nice,” I said. I had always loved the water. I wanted to be one of those old men that spent every weekend fishing out on his boat. Maybe one of these days.

“Thank you, for this.” Mackenzie stopped walking and wrapped her arms around me.

“I just want you happy,” I said, as I ran my hand along her cheek.

“I’m happy with you,” she said, as she stood on her tip toes and kissed me.

“Ditto,” I said with a laugh, thinking of when we first got to know each other, and how much I’ve grown attached to this woman.

Mackenzie just started to laugh at the memory as she wrapped her arms around me, pressing her head against my chest.

“You ready to go? I made reservations for dinner,” I said.

“You did?” Mackenzie asked, as she looked up at me and I gave her a wink.

“Full of surprises, Bennett,” she said, as she looped her arm through mine and we started walking to my car.

We were standing at the hood of my car. I was watching the sun go down. It really was nice up here. I was so glad I got to be here, with her. I had seen this lake a hundred times on my way to the rig, but it was different with her by my side. Everything was.

“Kash,” Mackenzie said quietly, as she stood close to my side. I knew what she was about to say by the sound of her voice.

“Where is he?” I asked, but didn’t move. I didn’t want to tip him off.

“Behind us. Not far,” she said, as she stared at the lake. “He’s in a different car, it’s a black SUV. But it’s him. I can feel him. I don’t think he knows I saw him,” she said, as I felt her body tremble. That’s why I didn’t realize he followed us. I was looking for his car. Mother fucker. My hands started to shake, my heart pounding out of my chest. He was going to pay.

“Get in the car, Mackenzie,” I said quietly, trying to remain calm.

“What are you going to do?” she asked.

“Please, get in the car, baby,” I pleaded.

Mackenzie did as I asked. She walked to the car, with her head down and shut the door after she climbed in. I turned around and looked right at him. I started to run towards his car, it wasn’t far. My fists were clenched; I was going to hurt him. The pussy saw me coming, and peeled out of the parking lot. My anger took over. I ran back to my car and started it quickly, my hands shaking.

“Fuck this mother fucker,” I said through clenched teeth. I threw my car in drive, squealing the tires as I hit the gas.

“Kash, don’t,” Mackenzie begged. “Maybe he’ll go away.”

“No, Mackenzie!” I yelled. “He’s not going to go away. He’s not going to stop. This mother fucker is about to get what’s coming to him.” I pressed my foot harder on the gas as I spotted the SUV turning down a winding road.

He sped up, and so did I. He wasn’t getting away from me this time. Not this time. The road was full of sharp turns, and I noticed him swerving the faster he drove. I wasn’t going to lose him this time.

“Kash, please,” Mackenzie pleaded, gripping my leg.

He wasn’t too far in front of me. The SUV started to fishtail and I let off the gas a little, but we were still going fast. Too fast. He started going sideways, sliding, and I watched as the SUV started to flip. Once. Twice. I was going to hit it. Fuck.

“Kash!” Mackenzie screamed, as I veered to the left to avoid hitting him. There was a tree right in front of me, coming at me, full speed.

“Kash!” Mackenzie screamed again, as I hit my breaks. It was too late. I reached my arm over, trying to hold her place. Everything was moving so fast, but I looked at her. Her eyes were full of fear as they met mine. No. No. No.

My head was pounding. It sounded like glass constantly breaking over my head. I looked up, but couldn’t see anything.

Mackenzie. Oh, my God. I looked over. Her eyes were closed. I tried to reach out for her. My arm wouldn’t move. It was stuck on the console.

“Mackenzie?” I said quietly. No response.

No. No. No.

“Baby!” I tried to shout. My head was stinging as I felt warm drops fall over my eyes. It ran down over my nose, and the familiar taste of metal touched my lips. Blood. Fuck, my head. Mackenzie.

“Mackenzie, please wake up!” I looked over at her, I couldn’t move. She wasn’t moving.

It was so dark; the only light was a fire in the distance.

God, please help us. Please.

I started getting tired. NO. I had to fight to stay awake. I had to wake her up.

“Sweetie, please answer me,” I begged, but it was getting harder to speak. I was so tired.

My phone. I had to get my phone out of my pocket. I had to call for help. Everything was so still, but the ringing in my ears was so loud. I had to reach into my pocket with the only arm I could move. Everything was so heavy. My arms. My eyes. I can’t do this. I felt myself sinking into the seat.

No. I have to help her. I used every bit of strength I had to pull my phone from my pocket.

“I’m getting help, baby, please wake up!” I begged her. She wasn’t listening. She wasn’t moving.

I watched as drops of blood fell on my screen as I tried to dial out.  I couldn’t see straight. I tried to hit the speaker button.  Please, God. Let me get this right.

“911. What is your emergency?”

“An accident. Please, help,” I said.

“Sir, I can hardly understand you, are you ok?” A female voice on the other end of the line said.

“No, my girlfriend won’t wake up. Please. Please,” I begged. I tried to keep my eyes open. They were so heavy. Damn it.

“Can you give me your location?” she asked.

“By the lake,” I whispered. I couldn’t hold my head up anymore. It was too heavy.

Chapter 29

My eyes started burning from the lights shining in them. I felt my body moving but I was flat. I tried forcing my eyes open, it was so fucking bright. Where was I?

Mackenzie.

“Mackenzie,” I mumbled, trying to feel for her. The pain in my arm shot all the way to my skull.

“Fuck,” I groaned.

“Sir, we need to stay still.” I heard a male’s voice above me. Who the hell is that? Where is she? Where is she?

“Mackenzie. Mackenzie.” I tried to get up, but I felt hands holding me down. I needed to open my eyes, why was it so bright?

I pried my eyes open and saw fluorescent lights glaring at me. Son of a bitch. I looked to my right and there was a man walking beside me and I felt my body turn to the right.

“Where’s Mackenzie?” I tried to yell. Why weren’t they listening to me? I had to find her.

“Mackenzie!” I yelled, as I tried to sit up.

“Sir, please stay still. Don’t move.” The man held my body down with his weight. Who is this mother fucker telling me what to do? I need to find her.

“Fuck you! Where is she?” I yelled, as I tried to thrash against him.

“He needs to be sedated!” The man said loudly, without looking at me.

“No!” I yelled, trying my hardest to find my way to her.

I felt a tiny prick as the man held my arm down.

“No, please,” I begged. “I need her.”

I needed to open my eyes, they were so heavy. I tried to move my body, it wasn’t cooperating.

“Mackenzie?” I whispered.

“Mackenzie?” I begged her to answer me.

“He’s waking up.” I heard a familiar voice, and then rustling sounds.

“Kash, honey, stay calm, ok?” I recognized her voice.

“Momma?” I asked, as I tried my hardest to pry my eyes open. When they finally started to flutter, I saw her big blonde hair hovering over me.

“Oh, honey, thank God you’re awake!” I felt her grab my hand, and squeezed it.

“Where’s Mackenzie?” I asked, trying to stay calm.

I heard footsteps coming in my direction.

“Hey, Kash.” Another voice.

“Sam?” I asked, as I looked over and tried to find her face.

“Yeah, just stay calm, ok?” she said, as she put her hand gently on my chest. This was bad. She was being too fucking nice. Fuck. Please, no.

“Where is she?” I asked, trying to keep the fucking tears from forming.

“She’s a few doors down,” Sam said, calmly. Thank God. I remembered looking at her, lying there. She wouldn’t answer me. She wouldn’t wake up.

“I need to see her,” I said and tried to get up. All these fucking wires, I tried to get them away from me. They were in my way.

“Not right now,” Sam started to speak and my momma interrupted.

“Honey, you have a concussion and a nasty cut on your head. They had to sow you up pretty good, plus your arm is broken. You’re pretty banged up. You have to stay still. You can’t get up, please listen to me,” she pleaded.

I remembered trying to reach for her, my arm wouldn’t move. The taste of blood in my mouth. But she wouldn’t wake up.

“Is she ok?” I asked, begging for answers.

“Kash,” Sam said. “She’s in a coma, she hasn’t woken up yet, they’re still running lots of tests and stuff. But she hit her head really hard.”

She still hasn’t woken up. No, please, no. Please let her wake up.

“I need to see her,” I demanded, and tried to sit up.

“They’re running tests right now, no one is allowed in. You can see her soon, I promise.”

“Don’t lie to me, Sam,” I said, trying to keep my shit together. But I had to see her.

“Soon. I promise. I wouldn’t lie,” she said, and I knew she was telling me the truth.

All the memories before the accident came flooding back to me.

“Momma, can I talk to Sam alone for a minute?” I whispered.

“Um. Ok,” she said, and I could hear the disappointment in her voice. Not the first time I disappointed her, probably won’t be the last.

“Thank you,” I said quietly. I heard her feet pad across the floor and then the door closed behind her. Sam just stood beside me, but she didn’t speak.

“That bastard was here, he followed us,” I said, getting pissed off just thinking about him. I hated him. I wanted to kill him. But I shouldn’t have followed him. That’s why this happened. I should never have gone after him with Mackenzie in the car. That’s why she was hurt. Son of a bitch, I hated him.

“I know,” she said quietly.

“How do you know?”

“It’s on the news.”

“What? What do you mean?” Why would this be on the fucking news? I was so fucking confused, my head was pounding.

“He’s dead, Kash,” she whispered, as she leaned down closer to my face.

“He’s dead,” I repeated.

“His blood alcohol level was through the roof.  The cops think y’all were avoiding a drunk driver. He died on the scene. At least according to the news,” she whispered.

“They aren’t even connecting y’all. Mackenzie never filed any charges on him for any of his shit, so there’s no record.  The cops will want to question you. They already stopped by once, but they had you knocked out. Just reassure them of what they’re already thinking. That fucker deserved it anyway,” she said, and then rose back up.

A second later, a nurse walked through the door.

“Well, it’s good to see those pretty blue eyes open,” she said, as she gave me a glance, and then started pushing buttons and writing shit down.

“How are you feeling honey?” she asked, as she stopped and looked at me.

“I’m fine,” I snapped. “Can I see my girlfriend yet?”

“She’s a few doors down, Mackenzie Harrison,” Sam said.

“I’m sure you can real soon, honey. But you have to get better first before you can leave this room.”  She was probably in her mid-thirties, a little on the heavy side, but a nice smile. She seemed friendly.

“Do you need more pain medicine?” she asked.

“No, thank you,” I said, as calmly as I could.

“What’s your name?” I asked her quietly, and waited for her to look at me. I noticed Sam shake her head and smile out of the corner of my eye.

“It’s Jill,” she said, and gave me a smile.

“Nice to meet you, Jill,” I said, and gave her the best smile I could manage.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, too,” she said, and I knew I had her where I needed her.

“Listen, I just want to check on her, I won’t stay long. Will you help me?” I asked, staring into her eyes.

“Please?” I asked.

“I don’t know, she’s not my patient. I…”

“Just for a minute, please?” I asked again.

She let out a loud exhale and stared down at her chart, but I knew she was thinking.

“Ok, let me go check on it,” she said.

“Thank you, Jill,” I said, as she hurried out of the room.

“You’re evil. Smooth, but evil.” Sam smiled as the door shut behind the nurse.

“I have to see her, Sam,” I said, about to lose my shit. Being calm and nice to that nurse took everything inside me. I would use whatever I had to, in order to get to Mackenzie.

Both of my parents walked back into the room. I hadn’t seen them in a while, and I hated that it was like this. But as much as I loved my parents, Mackenzie was my only focus. I needed to see her more than anything.  I answered all of their questions, without mentioning Jake. No one would ever know. My parents were worried, and I was grateful for it, but I needed them to go. I needed to get to her.