Page 69 of Second Chance Serenity

She leaves the room, and my gaze lingers on the door.

“She was a mess, worried about you,” Lance says.

I shift my attention to him. “Thank you for coming for us. For getting us out.”

“Brother, I would walk through fire for you.” He takes a seat on the edge of the bed as Eliza sits on the couch. “How are you feeling?”

“Alive. Sore.”

“You were in bad shape when we got to you. According to Bianca, Caleb removing that bullet and sterilizing the wound is likely the only reason you survived. The word blood poisoning was thrown around.”

“I’ve survived worse.”

“It’s not a competition,” he replies.

I chuckle. “Fair enough. What’s the update? Reyna said Carter’s calling in for a meeting later? I want to be there.”

“Not a chance. We’ll keep you updated, but it has to be done on the encrypted connection at the office, and you aren’t getting out of here for at least another day.”

“The warehouse was stocked with crates, Lance. There’s no telling what they were shipping out.”

“Drugs,” he replies. “At least, that’s what local authorities said they suspected after we called it in and they raided the place.”

“What did they find?”

“Nothing.” He shakes his head. “They’d already cleared out before we got there.”

Frustration ebbs at my exhaustion, and the desire to get out of bed and do something is overwhelming. “Did he give you any idea as to why Reyna is being targeted?”

“Not yet. Though my guess is she’s collateral damage. A way to try and control him.”

“Which means he’s known from the beginning she was in danger.”

Lance doesn’t respond, but I know he agrees, and it infuriates me. Why wouldn’t Carter tell us? How could he keep something like this from us? She’s his little sister, and he left her completely unprotected!

“I know that look,” Lance says. “You need to keep it together. Long enough that we can figure out what’s going on.”

“All you’re seeing is my desire to get out of this bed and actually do something.”

“You will. Just give yourself time to heal.”

“I have.”

“You’ve only been in that bed for eleven hours,” Eliza says. “Stop being stubborn.”

“She’s right.” Lance stands and crosses his arms. “I promise that we’ll keep you apprised, but right now you need to stay safe. Sheriff Vick has a deputy on your door, and Jaxson will be with Reyna.”

“She’s not staying here?” I know it’s ridiculous, but the idea of her leaving the hospital terrifies me.

“That’s up to her. Either way—” The door opens again, and another part of my past walks in, though this one is even more shocking than Bianca.

Silas Williamson, a former Navy SEAL, was injured in the line of duty and ended up in the same VA hospital as the rest of us. He’d been badly traumatized and barely spoke, but Lance has a way of connecting with people that has always astounded me. He managed to get the former SEAL to open up, and through it, helped him find faith in the midst of his pain.

“Good to see you alive, Anderson.” He closes the door behind him and moves farther into the room.

“It’s good to see you at all, Williamson. How have you been?”

“Managing.” Last time we saw him, he was packing up himself and his four-year-old niece and moving off-grid after the murder of his sister. That was two years ago. We’d flown out for her funeral and spent the week helping him pack up her things and get them moved.

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