Page 57 of Crossroads of Innocence
“You what?” Lincoln asked, running toward him.
Wade lifted his chin behind his shoulder. A flash of movement caught his attention. The man on the ground rolled to his back, gun in his hand.
“Run!” Lincoln yelled and he lifted his weapon.
Wade tucked himself around Jude and covered every inch of her he possibly could as he darted forward. Terror pushed him as fast as his legs could carry him. He had to get Jude to safety. Had to keep her alive.
Bang!
Bang!
A blast of pain slammed against his back, pitching him forward. An angry heat exploded against his flesh. He struggled to keep Jude in his arms, keep himself upright. He stumbled, staggering to the side until Jude fell and he landed on the ground. Numbness encased his body.
“No!” Jude cried, crawling to him and roaming her hands over his face, his chest, his side. “Hold on for me, baby. We’re going to get you a doctor. Gonna get you help. Just fight.”
Her cries muffled in his ears. His eyelids grew heavy and vision blurred. He covered Jude’s ice-cold hand with his and coughed, struggling to get out the words he needed to say. “I love you, Jude. I always have.”
Exhaustion pressed on his chest and his eyes closed, the feel of Jude’s soft lips on his was the last thing he felt before he fell into a dark pit of oblivion.
23
Doctors, nurses, and police officers raced toward Jude, their voices and concern blowing over her with the mountain wind. She squeezed Wade’s hand. The last words he spoke echoing in her brain.
He loved her.
The statement should send her into a tailspin of joy, but she hadn’t said it back before his eyes slid closed. Before his body went limp. Before fear fisted her lungs so damn tight she couldn’t pull in a full breath.
She cradled his head in her lap, her tears falling on his face as she stared down at him. “Come on, Wade. Please. Please wake up. Come back to me. Don’t let this be the end of us. Don’t let him take away our future.”
A gentle hand on her shoulder turned her toward Lincoln’s gruff face. “Jude. We need to get you inside and have a doctor take a look at your leg.”
She shook her head, the motion making her dizzy. Her leg throbbed and chills swept over her body, but she didn’t care. “I’m fine. I want to be with Wade. I don’t want to leave his side.”
“Honey, Wade needs a doctor, too. And you need to let people do their jobs.”
His words snapped her out of her stupor. She kissed Wade’s forehead then reached for Lincoln, giving the medical staff the space they needed to work on Wade. “I’ll be waiting for you, my love.”
Lincoln looped an arm around her waist and helped her up.
She swayed, her knees buckling. Sweat dotted her hairline and she struggled to stay upright. She watched helplessly as two medical workers loaded Wade onto a gurney. His arm dangled from the side, no sign of him stirring tightened his muscles.
She covered her mouth, but nothing could stifle the sob ripping through her body.
“Hey, now,” Lincoln said, keeping a firm grip on her. “Wade’s strong as hell. He’ll get through this. Now let’s worry about you. I don’t want Wade waking up and kicking my ass because I didn’t make sure you were taken care of.” He flicked a finger toward a nurse. “Can we get a wheelchair or something out here?”
“Yes, sir. A nurse is bringing one out right now.”
A young officer with dark eyes and scruffy jawline stepped away from the body lying on the ground a few feet away.
She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see the broken soul who’d cost her so much.
“I called in the coroner,” the man said, his voice rough and scratchy.
She wished she could cover her ears and not even have to listen.
“Good,” Lincoln said. “I’ll leave you to handle everything. Jude needs medical attention before she gives her statement. I’ll take that, and Wade’s when he wakes up.”
The strong conviction in Lincoln’s tone gave her a sliver of hope she clung onto as a middle-aged man assisted her into a wheelchair and rushed her into the hospital. Lincoln stayed by her side, never leaving as the bullet wound in her calf was cleaned and stitched. An IV had medicine and fluids dripping into her, steadying her system.
