Ava's POV
Richard and Nora had to be close. They had to be searching nearby. I just needed to hold on until we found them.
Just a little farther. But my body was too weak.
I coughed and spat a mouthful of blood onto the pavement.
Jasper gasped. I slapped a hand over my mouth and kept running.
Another cough tore free, and warm blood spilled through my fingers, splattering across Jasper’s cheek as I dragged him onward.
He looked up at me then and saw my pale face, my tightly drawn brows, the blood, and the pain I could no longer hide.
And for the first time since I had known him, the arrogance left his eyes.
“Damn b***h!” Ryan’s voice roared through the air. He had reached us.
Before I could steady myself, his hand tangled in my hair, yanking hard enough to make my vision blur. The
