Inside Danger (Outside The Ropes Book 2) (40 page)

He had his hands pressed to his upper leg, blood erupting out like a fountain. It was too much blood.

“No, no, no, no.” I twisted from under him, laying him back. “We’ve got to stop the bleeding.” I slid my shirt over my head, thankful for its size. I wrapped it around his thigh, just above the bullet hole, tying it off, trying to stop the continuous flow of blood. But it didn’t stop. “No, no, no.” Tears were clouding my vision.

He moved a bloody hand to my face, words slipping from his lips, too low to hear.

“Put your hand back on your leg, help stop the blood,” I demanded, pulling away from his touch.

He gave me a smile that only panicked me more. “Shh, it’s okay. You’ll be okay. That’s what matters.” His eyelids were closing, breaths shallow.

I pulled the shirt tighter on his leg and then pressed my knee on top of it, putting all my weight there to stop the blood. “You’ll be okay too. We’ll both be okay.” My heart was about to explode as his eyes closed.

His lips moved, but I couldn’t hear him as he mouthed, “I love you.”

I was yanked away by my hair, and a searing heat sliced my side. Damien tossed me to the ground and jumped on top of me, hands around my throat.

“Stupid whore, I’ma fucking kill you.” He was spitting blood.

All I could see was Gage, unmoving. I was still stuck there and not caring for my life, except knowing his only chance was if I kept pressure on that leg. My vision was wavering from lack of oxygen and the coldness overtaking me. Heat poured out of my side. I moved my hands up, pressing on his face, trying to get his eyes, but his reach was too far. My sight flickered

His bloody smile and his venomous voice filled my head as he hissed in my ear. “Nan put up a harder fight than you. Took me almost an hour to kill her.”

My vision flashed red and I dropped my hands, bringing them to his chest and stomach. I dug my fingers into his stab wound and where he was shot, tearing open the gashes.

He screamed, but his hold on my throat tightened. Then loosened as a gun blasted.

I kicked him off of me and ran to Gage, taking the gun from him as his arm dropped.

Turning back to Damien, I emptied the gun into him, until there were only blank clicks.

I fell on to Gage, putting pressure on his leg, but I felt weightless as my own blood mixed with his.

My head collapsed to his chest, energy drained, and my heart shattered when I didn’t hear his strong heartbeat. His blood was warm as it spilled out, surrounding us. Sirens filled the night air and I slipped into unconsciousness.

MY STOMACH ITCHED. BAD.

I jerked against the ties and my arms flung with the effort since they weren’t bound. I sat up. Pain seared through me, tearing my side and slicing my stomach. But I ignored it and pushed away the hands that reached for me, forcing myself to get to standing.

“Regan, it’s okay, it’s just us,” Dexter’s voice cut through my panic.

My heart beat wildly, banging in my chest, and I gulped air as I tried to still my body. Feet on the ground, but sitting on the bed, pain radiated everywhere.

Dexter was to one side of me, Leona on the other, both with the same shocked expression.

It took one breath for the memories to come back and my heart to crush under them. “Gage,” I croaked, looking toward Dexter.

He closed his mouth and reached his hand out to grab mine.

I snapped my hand back as he blurred because of the tears in my eyes.

“He’s getting a transfusion now. He lost a lot of blood,” Leona spoke, hand on her still flat stomach.

“Oh God.” I closed my eyes, shuttering as the news washed over me. “He didn’t die.” I opened my eyes, looking between them. “He didn’t die.”

“Lay back down, Rea.” Dexter stepped towards me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. “You look like you’re going to fall over. You’ve just had surgery yourself and shouldn’t be up.”

I didn’t let him guide me down. I gripped his hand on my shoulder and pleaded with him. “Tell me about Gage. Everything. What are they saying?”

He swallowed, throat moving with the effort and I noticed how tired he looked. His blue eyes were absent of their usual spark and warmth.

“I’ll tell you, just lay down please, before the nurses come in and make us leave.” He flashed a barely there smile.

My stomach throbbed as Dexter helped ease me back. I gritted my teeth against the pain and hoped I hadn’t torn anything when I woke up. It burned like I had.

“Here, this button will give you another dose of pain medicine in your IV.” Leona handed me a little switch that was hanging on the IV stand.

I kept it in my hand, thumb running over the button, but not pressing. I might later, but first I needed to hear about Gage.

Dexter sat on the edge of the chair that was already pulled close to my bedside. “The main artery in his thigh was nicked by a bullet. They operated to repair it but he lost a lot of blood. They’ve been giving him a transfusion for the past hour.” He leaned forward, arms resting on his bouncing legs. “The doctor knows to find me here. We’re just waiting on news.” He looked at his spread hands. “How much blood can they give him? How long can it take?”

A lady in light pink scrubs walked in, wheeling a cart with a laptop and equipment on it.

“You’re awake?” She was surprised, but gave me a forced smile, sadness clear in her eyes.

I didn’t like that look. “Is Gage out of surgery?” I asked.

She straightened up and looked to Dexter and Leona instead of me, as if they could explain my question.

“Gage Lawson. He’s my brother. He came in with her.” Dexter’s words were tight with frustration.

“Oh.” She walked to my bed and put a blood pressure cuff on my arm. “The others that came in with you, right? One moment, just relax,” she instructed as the cuff tightened with air and then released.

She undid the cuff and gave me a shaky smile. “The police want to speak with you first, as well as Dr. Smit, our psychiatrist. I’ll leave it to them to explain more.”

I was cold. The blankets on the bed couldn’t touch my bone deep chill.

She turned to Dexter and Leona. “Please, step out for a couple of minutes, I need to change her bandages and check her over.”

They stood up and it was hard to breath.

“Dexter.” I didn’t want them to leave.

He stepped to me and grabbed my hand. “I’ll be right back. I’ll go see what I can find out about him,” he promised before walking out with Leona.

She didn’t talk except to ask about my pain level as she changed my bandages. There were bandages covering the superficial cut on my leg, and my wrists and ankles. But there was a large, red tinged bandage on the lower right side of my stomach, covering a jagged stab wound that had been stitched up. It stung as she pulled off the dressing and it still oozed blood through the scab that was forming. I turned my head away, unable to look at it for too long.

“You’ve got to stay still, try not to move too much as this heals. Your medicine should kick in again shortly and you’ll feel sleepy. Rest, it’s the best thing for you at the moment.” That forced smile was back, hiding none of the pity that was clear everywhere else.

I closed my eyes to block out her look, but soon fell asleep again.

I woke up to a different nurse. She was tapping the bed beside me. “Sweetie, everything’s okay now. You’re at the hospital. I’m Elaine, your nurse. It’s safe here. You’re okay.” She repeated this speech, soothingly low, pulling me gently from sleep as she eased me into wakefulness.

When I opened my eyes, she smiled, a genuine smile. “There, sweetie, see everything’s okay. You must have been having a bad dream.”

My mind was thick and dark, nothing coming to surface, but when I rubbed my eyes, trying to wake up further I felt the slickness of the tears that covered me.

She moved around the dim room, using only the light from the hallway and monitors as she changed out the pouches attached to my IV.

“Your friends were here earlier. Dexter, he left you that note.” She nodded to the table beside me.

I grabbed the folded white paper, regretting the twist when it pulled on my stitches.

“Careful now. You’ve got to listen to that body, go easy with it.” She nodded and lifted the gown from me as she changed the bandage. Her fingers were swift and gentle and within moments, I was covered again.

“I’ll be your nurse for the next”—She checked her wristwatch—“ten hours. I wrote my extension on the board there, call if you need anything.” She smoothed the sheet over me. “I mean it, anything you just give me a call, that’s what I’m here for.” She stepped away. “I’ll let you sleep now, give you at least five hours of uninterrupted sleep before tomorrow begins.”

The clock on the wall read 2:20 am. I had slept too much already. My lungs strained to breath. I had slept while Gage was in surgery, he had to be out now, and I shouldn’t have been sleeping. The weight of that was worse than any other wound I had.

Unfolding Dexter’s letter, I read his large slanted print.

He’s out of surgery. Hasn’t woke up yet. In room 223b. Only one hall over from yours.

I sucked in air as I swung my feet off the bed, holding in the pain my movements caused. It didn’t matter. Using the IV cart to help brace myself, I walked to my room door, pulling my gown around me to cover my back end. But it didn’t really matter. I only had one goal, and that was to see Gage.

Scanning the hall, I saw the direction the room numbers moved in and followed them down, spotting his number mounted outside a door down the hall to my left.

The nurse’s station was to my right and Elaine lifted her head from the computer, spotting me.

She popped up. “Ms. Sommers? What are you doing, you could hurt yourself walking around.” She was quickly closing the space between us.

My legs shook, but I forced them steady. I forced all of me to stay steady even though my insides were a whirlwind of panic.

“Please,” my voice was thick and shaky. “I’ve just got to see him. Gage. I just need to see that he’s okay. Just for a moment.”

She pulled her lips between her teeth and searched my face with her eyes. Then she cracked a slight smile. “I should have guessed, you’re Rea, aren’t you?”

I paused, unsure, but nodded.

“He was asking for you too.” She slid her arm around my waist, helping to support me to walk, but she didn’t make me turn back to my room.

“When was that?” I tingled with excitement. If he was asking for me then he was all right, surgery had gone okay.

“When he was first brought in. One of the medics on duty told me, in the ambulance they had to sedate him because he kept yelling for Rea.” She smiled at me and stopped in front of his door. “You.” She opened the door, leaving me standing while she checked his chart. “He hasn’t woken up since surgery. It’s his left thigh, so be careful. I’ll come back for you in a little bit, okay?”

“Thank you.” Emotions were spilling out of me. I could have hugged her for her kindness, but didn’t waste time getting to Gages side.

He was laid on his back and even in the moonlight from the window, I could tell he was pale. But I could see the steady rise and fall of his chest, and hear the constant beep of the machines attached to him, and that was enough. Except it wasn’t, not really.

I stood next to the bed and rested my hand on his chest, my desperate heart healing as I felt his beating. Before I knew it, my head was on his chest, arms holding him, stomach burning as I bent over him. But I couldn’t let go.

“I love you. I love you,” I repeated, crying into his chest. I couldn’t stop. I should have said it to him more. There was so much I should have said to him and never did. I needed the chance to say it to him, and if given that chance, I would never waste it again. It was a prayer. A promise. I would never waste the time I was given with him again. Never.

I eased onto his bed, sitting beside him, lessening the pressure on my wound. I traced my fingers over his face, but he didn’t move. I kissed over his eyelids, cheeks. Nothing changed. I ran my hand along his arms and grabbed his hand to lace his fingers with mine. But they were limp. A knot formed in my throat when I kissed his lips, only to be met with no response.

Lifting his blanket, I slid beside him, careful not to shake him in any way. But I rested my head on the crook of his shoulder and laid my hand on his chest, feeling it rise and fall steadily and the beat of the heart underneath.

I didn’t try to stop any of my tears, but I spoke through them. Telling him how important he was, how much I loved him, and how I needed him. Until eventually, my own breathing steadied, matching his, and I fell asleep on him.

Arms circled me, sliding around my back, and my heart burst. Relief flooding me, surging with so much love it hurt. It hurt to be in his arms, but I only gripped tighter because it hurt worse to be anywhere else.

“You’re safe.” His voice was rough and breathless. “And you’re here, with me.” His hand stroked over my hair. “Thank God you’re all right.”

His lips pressed to the top of my hair and I lifted my head, moving my lips to meet his. My hand slid over his wet cheek, our tears mixing together where they fell.

I pulled back, finally finding my voice. He gave me the air I needed.

“I love you. Oh, I love you so much. I thought I lost you.” I couldn’t keep talking, my throat closed off with emotion. But I pressed my face into his neck, breathing him in, absorbing comfort in his breaths.

“I know, I heard you.”

I could hear the smile in his voice and looked up at him, confused.

He adjusted himself on the bed and his face pinched with the movement. Then he looked down at me. “Or at least, I think I heard you. I’ve had your voice in my head, saying things, but I couldn’t move. I wanted to, but I couldn’t get to you.” His chest rose and fell heavily under me, picking up speed as he talked. His hands were pressing me tightly to him. “But you’re here, and we’re okay. I was so fucking worried, scared, I couldn’t get to you.”

I knew he was talking about more than last night in the hospital. But I couldn’t offer words to make it better, I only held him tighter.