Page 54 of No Going Back

Branna nodded as Joe cut into her new T-shirt. Small price to pay for getting Hawley in jail.

With gloves on her hands, Lia probed at the wound.

Sean leaned in to see what she was doing. From her position, Branna could see the doctor’s indulgent smile. “Okay, Branna, we’ve got two minor wounds here Neither is serious. It looks like a shard of glass impaled you in one spot. Just above it, a bullet grazed your shoulder. Thanks to the vest and your layers of clothing, it’s not serious and won’t even require stitches. We’ll clean them both and get them covered up. Then, I’ll check for issues beneath the vest. It looks like wearing it might have saved your life. I believe it stopped a bullet, and I need to make sure there are no injuries to your torso beneath the vest.”

It wasn’t long before Lia smiled at her again. “You’re going to have a livid bruise, but there are no broken ribs or internal injuries. You’re a very lucky woman.”

Sean turned his relieved gaze to hers, and she smiled. “I really am.”

CHAPTER 18

Got Your Back

Sean’s knees wobbled more than he cared to admit, but he refused to sit while Lia took care of Branna.

Because he hadn’t taken care of her.

He’d assumed Hawley would stake out the place first. That he’d wait until Branna was alone and vulnerable. Not when she was surrounded by friends or still in the restaurant.

Hawley’s attack had been completely illogical. The curtains had been closed and he wouldn’t have even known she was in the room. The scouts must have let him know they’d lost sight of her.

His approach had been the exact opposite of stealthy or smart. Instead of prying open a window, he’d jumped through it, gun blazing.

Why? Why would anyone cross a country and then pull such a dumbass move? A dumbass move that almost worked.

And that’s what was eating through Sean’s gut. He’d almost lost Branna because he hadn’t considered all the options. He’d let her down and nearly got her killed.

Thankfully, she would recover completely. Sean wasn’t sure he would. If Branna hadn’t held onto his hand, he might have gone outside to punch the shit out of something. Or someone.

How could she ever forgive him for this? He’d promised to keep her safe.

“Sean?”

He tuned back in and looked at Lia, who raised her eyebrows. What had he missed? “Sorry. Zoned out there for a minute.”

Her smile softened. “No problem. You’ve both been through a trauma tonight. Added to the trauma of what led to tonight. I think you both need some downtime.”

He scowled at her. “I’m not the one who went through the trauma.”

Joe laughed from where he lounged against the doorframe. “Right. You just had to watch while someone held a gun to Branna’s head. Doesn’t sound traumatic at all.”

Lia nodded. “Exactly. Sometimes the situation is as difficult, if not more so, for the person watching it happen.” She shared a look with Joe that made Sean wonder what stories their background held.

Confirming his thoughts, Joe ran his hands up and down Lia’s arms before kissing her lightly.

Lia turned back to them. “Trauma is trauma. It’s not a competition or a case of who has more. We all need to learn how to deal with it in ways that work best for us. You’ve been in the Army, Sean, so you know how deeply that trauma can set in. Both of you need to remember to talk about it and reach out for help when you need it. Trauma only gains strength when we try to shove it away and pretend it didn’t happen. Don’t let it explode inside you.”

Branna’s hand squeezed his, and he returned the pressure. He’d have to control his guilt because not doing that would hurt Branna. He nodded at the Doc. “You’re right. Thanks.”

Lia smiled at him, then turned to Branna. “I’d like to come out to the farmhouse tomorrow to check on your wounds and the concussion. You need to do a lot of relaxing over the next few days. I’m putting Sean in charge of making sure that happens. No lifting or running. Take it slowly when moving up and down stairs. If the dizziness returns, let me know, day or night.”

Since Branna still didn’t have a regular phone, Lia emailed Sean the instructions for taking care of the wounds and the concussion. She wrapped Branna’s arm in a sling to reduce the movement. “You won’t need this very often, but it’ll take the pressure off, especially when moving. The ride isn’t far, but it will probably irritate you without it.”

By the time they were ready to head home, Branna was pale and looked as if she could sleep for a week. Lia left to grab one of her shirts for Branna to wear. Sean leaned over and kissed her gently. “Ready?”

Her eyes welled, and she closed them and blew out a breath, visibly battling for control. “I just want to go home with you.”

Home. With him.

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