Page 105 of Mountain Security

Yvette heard what the doctor wasn’t saying. Stuff that went between the surgery and the stitching. But the doctor didn’t seem like the kind to tell a straight up lie.

“They wanted to kill us,” Yvette said.

Valentina’s expression went tight. “There’s a few people outside waiting to see you, when you’re ready.”

“I’d like to see Alex first,” Yvette said. The wheels in her mind spun. She knew better than anyone else the PR repercussions of what had happened.

Arnaud and Aristide Gaultier.

There was going to be a lot of explaining to do.

But she wasn’t going to start worrying about any of that until she saw Alex.

Valentina was about to say something, when there was a knock on the door. Beau came in, his arm around a man wearing a hospital robe.

Alex.

He was leaning heavily on Beau on one side, and on a wheeled IV pole on his other side.

“Beau!” the doctor said.

“I’m sorry, Valentina,” the big man said apologetically. “I couldn’t keep him away. It was either help him, or watch him crawl all the way here.”

“Of course it was,.” Valentina sighed deeply, but quickly pulled up the lone chair so it sat closer to the bed.

“Sit down before you fall down.”

With Beau’s help, Alex did as he was told. He hit the chair with a loud thud.

His skin was a shade paler than Yvette had ever seen it, and one arm was in a sling, but he the doctor had been telling the truth. He was alive and okay.

“Yvette,” he breathed.

Yvette looked to see Beau and Valentina disappear, quietly closing the door behind them.

“Are you okay?” Alex asked.

Yvette felt her eyes fill with tears.

“You were shot,” she said. “They could have killed you.”

Alex released his grip on the chair and took her hand, instead. His touch was warm and gentle. “It’s over, Yvette. They won’t hurt anyone again. We’re okay.”

She nodded.

Alex was right.

Against all odds, they’d both survived. They were going to be okay.

“I love you, Yvette,” Alex said. “I never imagined I’d be telling you this with my ass hanging out of a backless gown, but I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Yvette laughed, not even caring about the shards of pain that drilled through her skull as she did so.

He loves me.

She looked down at her own baby blue hospital gown. Baby blue was really not her best color.

“You’ll have to tell me again when we’re both dressed,” she said. She pulled his hand up to her mouth and kissed the back of his hand gently, no longer afraid. “But I love you, too, Alex.”

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