Page 18 of Ruined

I hook her up to the oxygen monitor and then carefully insert the IV into her arm. We came prepared. I start the fluid drip and give her some pain meds before hooking up the other monitors.

“Is she ready?” Thad yells.

I cover her with a blanket, then sit back and put on the headphones so I can communicate with everyone on board.

“Yes, she is, but we better hurry.”

“I called in to the post about Wilder’s body. They will send out someone tomorrow to secure and transport it.”

“Okay.”

We take off and head back toward Fairbanks. With the extent of her injuries, I know this won’t be the only flight in her future. But she’ll be more stabilized before they send her down to Anchorage, where she’ll undergo any further treatments needed.

Three hours later, it is determined that she will have to be transported to Anchorage for hip surgery to extract the bullet that is lodged within her hip socket. They say she’s luckyher femoral artery wasn’t compromised. The bullet must have gone through something before it entered her body, slowing the trajectory, and is wedged between the artery and her bone. There is some damage, but it’s minimal right now. If they can get in there and get it out without damaging the arteries, she won’t need a hip replacement.

I’m trying to decide when I should make my exit. I don’t want to leave her until I know she’s safe and secure. That she will be healthy.

Vixen and I, along with Terry, all fly with her on the chartered plane to Anchorage. She’s barely woken up, and the doctors say that’s good. They don’t want her moving any more than necessary. She’s lucky she didn’t injure herself more when she somehow made it from where she fought Wilder to the cabin where we found her. We don’t know for sure what happened, but we’ll have more answers when the troopers arrive later today.

It's late, and we are all exhausted, but Minuet is more important. I sleep for the short flight from Fairbanks to Anchorage, letting the flight nurse keep an eye on her for me. Vixen also takes a short power nap. We both know that when the plane lands, there will be decisions to be made and things to do.

EIGHT

DYLAN

After Minuet comes out of surgery and the doctors assure us that she will be okay, I lean over her still sedated body and kiss her softly on the forehead.

“I’ll always love you,” I whisper so only she can hear me if she were awake.

“What’s going on?” Terry asks as he steps into the room. He and Vixen went for coffee.

“It’s time for me to go. I know that Minuet was questioning our relationship months ago, and I’m going to finally be strong enough to give her the chance to heal. She knows where to find me if she wants me.”

“You can’t leave.” Vixen starts to come at me but stops and looks between me and the bed.

“I overheard what she was asking her professor the day of the press conference. I know she questions if our relationship can survive. This is the only way. I have to set her free. If she comes back to me, then it’s meant to be. If not, I wish her all the best. I’ll always love her. She’ll always be the love of my life.”

I head toward the door and stop as soon as my hand touches the handle.

“Do me a favor.” I turn back to Vixen. She nods. “Tell her it’s for the best. I don’t want her to worry about me ever. This is for her. She deserves all the happiness that life can give her, and if that’s without me, I get it.”

“I will.” Vixen chokes on the two words, and I lift my chin as I walk out of the room.

Maybe someday I’ll see her again, and she’ll be healed and want more. Maybe someday she’ll find a man she completely loves more than me. She told me to always remember, and I do. But I also remember what I heard that day. It needs to end. Her pain has to end.

“Is that Minuet Gagnon’s room?” a woman with a heavy French accent asks, pointing at the door.

I look at the tall dark-haired woman and then at the even taller blond man beside her. The man looks vaguely familiar, and I pause before I answer them.

“Why do you want to know?”

“We were told she was here. Is that her room?” the woman asks again.

“She isn’t supposed to be listed on the patient listings.”

“We were told by her friend River that we could find her here. I’m Renée Gagnon, and this is my husband, Henri Gagnon. He’s Minuet’s brother.”

I look at the man and then at her again. “She’s in there. Don’t hurt her,” I say before I walk away from them.

---