Chapter 15

Kincaid was sure if there was truly hell anywhere; it couldn't be more torturous than this.

Getting shot. On the verge of collapsing. Being prodded by a gorgeous woman with flying hair that looked oddly familiar. Holes in him that hurt like a sonofabitch.

Yes, he was sure he could smell the brimstone already.

He held on tight to consciousness that seemed intent on slipping from his grip. He couldn't black out.

If he was thinking right, he wouldn't have made himself vulnerable by unveiling his hiding spot when he grabbed her ankles. A saner Kincaid would know that he had no way of overpowering his opponents if they had been the ones that came for him. Not when he was so weak that he could barely lift his limbs.

But he had been weak and loss of blood seemed to have affected his thinking as well. Not only had he grabbed the intruder's ankles. In his rage at his powerlessness and the person approaching; he had tackled the person with the intention of delivering a blow that would knock the person out. Yeah, wise move. Especially since it would have taken nothing but a push to overpower him, he thought.

The heftiest of men would think twice before confronting Kincaid in his full health but at the moment? He was sure a little baby could blow him over. Damn it!.

When piercing eyes that he couldn't distinguish their colour at the moment stared furiously back at him from a face curtained with silky strands of hair. He almost, almost remembered where exactly he had known her from.

He was relieved that he didn't have to use his fist after all. Not because he was too weak of course. It was merely because he did not hit women.

Yes, that was the only reason why his body weighed her down. With no slightest hint of how and when he would be able to gather enough strength to stand up.

Ridiculous though it was, he was momentarily embarrassed by the fact that he couldn't lift himself up immediately. Normally when he pressed down on a woman, it had always been for an entirely different reason. A totally different sport in mind.

Now, he was lying down on a woman who had appropriate curves in all the right places and he couldn't even lift a finger?

Fuck!

Jeff Shante had better run. It wouldn't matter in the end anyway. The bastard would pay.

He heard her voice and he was aware that he gave her replies, he was not so certain of what he was saying though. Then he heard her ask if she should call someone for him. He stilled as his thinking faculty that was steadily leaving him grabbed on the fact that if she wanted to call someone that means she had her phone with her.

"Of course she had her phone with her. She wasn't an idiot like you who gave his phone to their trusting aide" He thought to himself.

Basset had been calling his number consistently before they had the meeting. Kincaid thought his brother had called again to pester him about coming over just as he had done twice already, so he gave the phone to Jeff to speak with him.

"Tell him I said no" he had said as he shook his head in amusement before entering the bathroom to take a shower.

Just as Jeff was about to hand him his phone after dressing up, Basset called again and Kincaid had told Jeff to hold on to the phone, right before they headed for the meeting.

To his death trap.

Kincaid berated himself for his foolishness. Never would he ever trust someone like that again.

First thing first. The phone.

He turned himself over with all the strength he could muster.

"Phone. Your phone, let me have your phone" he had no idea if he had said it out loud or not but he was annoyed when her eyes widened when it focused on his hand.

Damn it. Was she going to faint on him. Just his luck that he had to end up with a squeamish woman.

When she insisted she had to call the ambulance, of course he had no choice but to knock the phone off her hands.

The she heard him mutter something to herself about how she had better call an ambulance.

What? No! This was the men's turf and they might be at the hospitals right now checking.

They could be searching for him. He was sure he had only thought of it but the way her eyes widened and she looed at him warily made him realise that he had voiced out his thought.

Fuck.

He closed his eyes, gathered his strength and tried again.

"Let me have your phone. I need to call my brother"

Thankfully, she handed the phone to him and he dialled Basset's number.

He had never been more grateful for his brother's practicality than that moment when he picked the call on the first ring.

"Who?" yeah it was Basset alright. Saying hello like normal people was not what his kid brother would do.

"Hey, Kiddo" he said, noticing how thready his voice had became.

"Cade? Damn it Cade, where are you? I have been combing this crappy place for you. Where are you, brother?" his brother asked anxiously.

Combing what place? Kincaid was sure that his hearing must have gone bad from loss of blood.

"Listen, Bass. Jeff fucked me up and I am somewhere around the city" he paused to gather his strength. "Get some men and come over. Get in touch with Arnold. Ask him to send someone here before you get here. It…" he licked his parched lips "It's bad, man"

"Sir, you should stop talking if you like yourself. You are losing more blood" came her delicious voice somewhere above him.

Delicious? Yes, he must be crazy.

He tried to focus on what his brother was saying "... get to you soon" he heard his brother's worried voice.

Damn it. He was supposed to be the one worrying over the lad and not this ridiculous change of role.

Before he could ask Basset what would get to him though , the lady snatched the phone out out of his hand.

"Listen, he is hurt badly and he might pass out soon. He refused to let me call the hospital but I am going to do it anyway" he heard her say and he smiled to himself. Basset was not going to like that tone.

Her enraged "Excuse me?" confirmed his thoughts. Yeah, his brother was telling her what is what. As he would have been able to do as well if he was not lying down here helplessly.

"I can't believe this" she said after she disconnected the call.

What now? Kincaid thought as his vision greyed.