Freedom to Ride - Resolution (Raven's MC) (18 page)

Deanna shook her head, desperately trying to clear her blurred vision and once again tried to make it to the door, but Shaun ran to block her way.

There was an almighty cry as Alastair, who stood bleeding profusely, charged at Shaun. But he didn’t see the gleam in Shaun’s eyes as he now held Alastair’s knife before him and plunged it into his chest. Alastair dropped to his knees, surprise on his face as he fell forward, his blood pooling around him.

“Well, that’s two down. Just you now Sister,” Shaun smirked as he turned to Deanna, wiping the blood from his face and the coldness in his eyes made her whole body tremble.

CHAPTER 22

Deanna slowly rose to her feet as he strutted towards her and she broke into a run, screaming loudly, her voice echoing around the pool.

She ran as fast as she could, panting heavily, and headed towards a large crate of lifesaving equipment nearby. Pushing with all her strength the whole thing smashed to the ground, buoyancy aids and inflatable equipment rolling across the floor, blocking Shaun’s path.

Deanna helplessly looked around trying to find something to keep him away, knowing she needed to play for time as Nate was on his way. She just hoped that she could last that long.

“This won’t stop me for long Deanna,” Shaun said tauntingly, kicking the equipment aside and Deanna set off running again, trying to put distance between her and the pool.

She rushed to a set of fire doors in the corner and pushed down hard on the handle, but they didn’t move an inch. Frantically pushing on the door she started whimpering when they wouldn’t open.

“I wouldn’t bother Deanna. I’ve already bolted them from the outside,” said a voice close behind her and her stomach dropped.

She slowly turned and Shaun was standing a few feet away from her, breathing hard and glaring intently.

“It ends now,” he said as he lunged towards her and Deanna fought her overwhelming terror as she remembered what Fiona had taught her.

She quickly brought her knee up and caught him in the privates, Shaun instantly cupping them like Deanna was told men do. Pulling her fist back she punched him in his already bleeding mouth. He grunted on impact but lurched towards her, knocking her against the fire doors and he smacked her hard in the face, Deanna crying out in pain.

When he brought his fist back again, she spotted the swimming pole net stood next to her and she quickly grabbed it, smacking him across the face with it. As he fell to the side she staggered and tried to run again, but her whole body was exhausted and aching.

She shook her head frantically to clear it and knew she needed to keep fighting but she only made it a few steps when arms wrapped around her waist and she stumbled, toppling over the edge of the pool and into the water.

Deanna swam as hard as she could to the surface, thankful when she gasped in a lungful of air just as she felt Shaun’s hands grip her shoulders and he began swimming towards deeper water, pulling her roughly behind him.

“No . . ,” she cried as she tried to fight him, but kicking and punching was difficult in the water and although she struggled as hard as she could, nothing stopped him. Deanna knew she wasn’t a strong swimmer and Shaun was treading the water like an expert.

“It’s no use fighting me Sis, I’m an expert swimmer.”

Deanna started screaming again so Shaun turned to face her and slapped her across the face, taking the wind out of her. She tried to catch her breath but panicked when she couldn’t feel the floor beneath her anymore.

“Bye Sister. Say hello to our father for me,” Shaun crowed as he pushed forcibly down on her shoulders, using her body to keep himself afloat above her.

Deanna writhed and wriggled but his grip with unshakable. She swung her head around and saw they were in very deep water, the bottom of the pool looked miles beneath her.

She stared up through the water at the distorted image of Shaun as he held her under and she fiercely tried to fight him, clawing and scratching at his hands, but nothing helped.

Her lungs were on fire and she felt his hands digging painfully into her shoulders. She tried to stop herself wincing at the excruciating pain running through her body but couldn’t help gulping in a mouthful of water, panicking as her lungs filled and she began choking on the water.

Her struggles turned sluggish and her vision began to cloud, Deanna’s whole body turning numb as it filled with a terrifying coldness.

She looked hopelessly at Shaun grinning smugly down at her knowing she didn’t have anything left, when suddenly she felt his fingers release her and she slowly began to sink to the bottom of the pool.

Deanna peered up through the churning water, fighting the whiteness clouding her vision, and she could see the surface of the pool filled with swirling and frothing water but couldn’t understand in her dying mind what was happening.

As her body gave up, the last image she saw was Nate’s handsome face coming closer to her and she smiled knowing he’d come for her.

Nate stormed into the pool area and immediately saw someone who looked like Deanna’s ex Lee in the pool. He caught sight of bright red under the surface and he knew instinctively that Deanna was being forced under the water.

He bellowed with rage as he jumped into the pool right on top of the man and dragged him off her, punching him hard in the face to get him to release her. Blood sprayed from the man’s nose and mouth and his hands finally let her go as he screeched in pain.

As Deanna dropped down out of sight Nate dived under and swam as fast as he ever had, driving through the water and stretching his muscles unbearably. He caught sight of her lying on the bottom of the pool, not moving. As he got nearer she looked up at him, a gentle smile crossing her face just as her eyes turned jet black and he saw the light die from her eyes.

A feeling of terror like Nate had never known before shot through him as he propelled himself through the water, wrapping his arms around her lifeless body, kicking off the bottom as hard as he could, surging upwards, praying he wasn’t too late.

Nate broke the surface, turning he grabbed his wife’s inert body and rested her head on his shoulder as he struggled to swim with one arm supporting her and kicking his aching legs.

He reached the side of the pool and lifted her out of the water, laying her reverently on the side as he pulled himself out, his arms shaking and his breathing ragged.

Quickly crouching down by her side he rolled her onto her back and moved the hair from her pale face, appalled to see her un-seeing eyes staring blankly at him and her lips already turning a startling shade of blue.

“No . . . fuck no . . . Deanna . . ,” Nate roared her name in fear.

A body slammed into him without warning and he lost his balance. He jumped up and turned as the man who looked like Lee stumbled to his feet, blood trickling down his face.

“That bitch is going to die tonight. You can’t save her. I won’t let you,” the man snarled.

Nate bellowed in fury and charged at him. Bending low Nate shoved his shoulder into the man’s chest and they fell to the floor with the force. Before the man could move Nate brought his meaty fist back and ploughed it into the man’s face, feeling bone shatter underneath his knuckles.

The man weakly tried to fight him off but Nate grabbed a fistful of the man’s shirt, lifted his chest off the floor and slammed his forehead into the bastards face, knocking him out cold.

As he staggered to his feet, his whole body trembling and blood dripping from his hand, Nate glanced down at the unconscious man. He was overwhelmed with the need to completely destroy him but Deanna needed him, now more than ever before.

Nate rushed back to Deanna and knelt by her side. His hands shook as he quickly opened her mouth and tilted her head back, her skin ice cold, as he struggled to remember all he’d learned. Leaning down, he blew into her mouth and began pushing on her chest, trying to get her heart beating again.

He repeated the movements over and over, but she didn’t respond, the only sound was his own laboured breathing and the disturbing sound of him pushing forcibly on her chest as he breathed life-giving air into her, but nothing happened.

“No . . . babe . . . please . . ,” Nate cried despairingly, silent tears running down his face as he felt his chest ripping open with the thought of losing her. He heard a snort of laughter coming from behind him.

“You remember me don’t you? Shaun. All the times I hung around the MC and you didn’t have a clue. Is the bitch dead yet?” Shaun said weakly, his voice lisping and Nate knew he’d knocked a few of his teeth out.

“Shut the fuck up,” Nate growled, trying to ignore him as he continued his frantic efforts, full of fury as he could see she her beautiful face had been beaten.

The door banged open as Ethan, Fiona and a couple of his operatives charged into the room, stopping short when they caught sight of Nate desperately trying to revive his dying wife.

Shaun sat a few feet away completely dazed and blood pouring down his beaten face, refusing to leave until he knew Deanna was dead.

“Deanna, don’t leave me . . . Holly needs her ma and we’re gonna have lots of babies . . . we’ll grow old together. . . please fight baby,” Nate pleaded, completely terrified she’d gone.

As Nate leaned down to breathe into Deanna’s mouth yet again he was almost overcome with shock when she suddenly gulped in a breath and choked as water poured out of her mouth.

Intense relief flooded through Nate as he rolled her onto her side and she began coughing and gasping for breath.

“Babe, just breathe,” Nate said gently, stroking Deanna’s hair soothingly away from her face as he patted her back, trying to help her bring up the water.

Fiona ran over to a first aid supply cupboard nearby and then rushed to Deanna’s side clutching a survival blanket and a small oxygen tank and she slipped the mask over Deanna’s face whilst Nate wrapped the blanket around her shivering body.

“Why can’t you just die?” Shaun erupted when he saw that all his plans had failed. He tried to get to his feet but his face throbbed as more blood gushed from his nose and mouth.

Ethan and one of his men quickly grabbed Shaun, who struggled and spat at them, his swollen eyes riveted and glaring murderously at his half-sister as she slowly recovered.

Nate looked up and stared menacingly at the man who looked so much like Lee and who he now understood had entered the compound in disguise as Shaun. It also made sense why Deanna thought she’d seen and heard Lee, Nate had always believed her but didn’t know how it was possible. Nate had never forgotten his mum’s comment after Deanna’s attack month ago where she thought she’d seen someone leave the compound. This man in front of him was probably that person.

“Why hurt her? What did she ever do to you?” Nate asked Shaun in a dark threatening voice.

“That slag is my half-sister. Our father made mine and Lee’s mum pregnant and then she killed herself after I was born. I’m paying the bitch back for the years of torture I suffered. She might not be dead, but I’ll never stop. I promise. Do you hear that bitch?” Shaun shouted, coldness filling his features.

“Don’t you fuckin’ speak to her. I’ll kill you for this. One way or another you’ll be joining your mother soon, you fucker,” Nate exploded, unable to keep his emotions under control.

“Nate . . ,” Deanna said hoarsely from under the mask, still struggling to get her breathing under control as her lungs burned with every breath.

“Don’t talk. Help will be here soon. I love you so much,” Nate said, his voice shaking with emotion and he leaned down and brushed a kiss across her forehead and she smiled gently up at him.

“Love . . too  . . . Jamie? Shaun . . . hurt him,” was all Deanna could gasp, but she needed to know if Jamie was alright, he’d tried so hard to protect her.

“He’s okay Deanna. A few of my men are with him. He’s hanging on,” Ethan replied quietly as he sat on the floor and held her hand, Fiona at his side. He couldn’t believe that someone else had tried to kill her.

Ethan knew this would be even harder for Nate, he already struggled with the guilt of not being there when Deanna was attacked by her ex and everything that had been happening these past few weeks. Now this. It would destroy a weaker man, but he knew that Nate and Deanna were strong enough to handle it together.

Ethan looked over and saw his men restraining a quiet and thoughtful Shaun whilst they waited for the police to arrive.

Nate lifted his head when he heard voices outside and the doors flew open and what appeared to be dozens of armed police crowded into the room. Ethan’s men called them over and the police handcuffed Shaun who had again began to shout expletives at Deanna as they hauled him away, beaten and bloody.

Paramedics ran in soon after and came to Deanna’s aid, Nate moving aside to let them attend to her but he gripped her hand tightly, not taking his eyes away from her.

“Over here,” a police officer yelled and Nate looked up sharply as he saw the police running over to a body lying on the floor that he hadn’t spotted before.

“He’s dead,” one of the police officers replied after checking for a pulse.

“What the hell? It’s Alastair,” Ethan shouted as he walked over to see who it was.