Read Online Hurt: A Bad Boy MMA Romantic Suspense Novel by London Casey, Ana W. Fawkes - Free Book Online

orders and you listened.”
    John turned some more. I brought the gun back and slammed it to the back of his head. It knocked him out cold. He fell forward and I tucked the gun behind me. I then set my sights to getting to the top of the ravine.
    If someone was after me, someone was after Benito.
    Worse yet… what if someone was after Ashlynn and Jude?
     

17.
     
    (Ashlynn)
     
    I couldn’t get Jude to get comfortable. Each time I put him down, he started to cry. I settled on a warm bath for him. That seemed to do the trick, which was helpful because there’s nothing worse than your own child crying and you, as a parent, not being able to soothe them.
    I sat on the closed toilet and watched as Jude picked up his toys and slammed them into the water. He was fascinated by bubbles and splashing water. When he’d hit the water too hard and the water splashed to his face, he’d get a really surprised look on his face like a ghost had just thrown water at him. It was nothing but pure innocence to watch. It made me smile to see him play and see him happy.
    I pictured Noah there, on his knees, reaching into the water, splashing along with Jude.
    That won’t happen. That will never happen.
    The only thing that kept me in town was my mother. I stayed because she had gotten sick. Before that, it was just where I lived. My intentions were to start med-school in southern California and start the rest of my life. That all went to the wayside after that night with Noah. All my friends slowly faded away as they either went on to graduate school, med school, or just went off to live their lives. I was the only one pregnant and I wasn’t much fun. I think they all knew I was lying about Jude’s father - and I was. My story made me sound like more of a whore than I actually was. I think a lot of people lost respect for me and pitied me. They didn’t want to see me get fat, have a baby, and struggle.
    True friends.
    I wiped the corners of my eyes and finally had the chance to call the hospital.
    There was no change with my mother. She was still sedated. The cancer was still there, obviously. She wasn’t reacting to the treatments Dr. H had hoped she would. Truthfully, if my mother hadn’t been so stubborn, she could have gotten medical help sooner. I tried to bring that up to her once and she blatantly told me that if I hadn’t gotten pregnant, she would have taken care of herself better.
    And now my father was poking his way back into the picture. Not that he’d ever do anything. He’d never visit. He’d never give a shit about me, about Jude, about his dying ex-wife. But he had used my address as his address. He knew he was in trouble and he was trying to pass it to me.
    Fucking asshole.
    I hung up the call and cried a little.
    Then I drained the tub, got Jude dressed into warm PJ’s, and rocked him back to sleep. He was getting sick. Or maybe he was heartbroken that his father had come and gone without so much as a word.
    When I put Jude down, he actually slept.
    I didn’t make it two steps out of the bedroom before there was a knock at the door. I rushed to the door, thinking and hoping it was Noah. I ripped open the door and instantly regretted my decision.
    There were three of them.
    Three men.
    The three men from last night… at work…
    The asshole I hit smiled at me. “Ready to earn that fifty bucks back?”
     

18.
     
    (Noah)
     
    My mind was one track now.
    Get to Ashlynn and Jude.
    I needed to know they were okay. I needed to know whoever had attacked me hadn’t gone after her. I parked outside her apartment and my phone went off again.
    This time it was Dante.
    “I can’t talk,” I said.
    “Are you okay?”
    “Yeah. Why?”
    “Benito kicked a hornet’s nest, Noah. We’re getting shit on all sides.”
    “A black van tried to take me out. I wrestled one of the guys and the others fled. I didn’t kill him. Knocked him out. The bend up near Ridge Runner . You know where that is. Down that ravine if you