Page 26 of Long Hard Ride
“No, but I can barely move.”
“Then don’t, sweetheart. I’ve got you now. I’ll be right here.”
She opens her eyes again. “Did Steve go?”
“Ah, yeah. He did. He’s gone.” I decide not to mention anything else because I don’t want to upset her. And she doesn’t ask me any more questions. She closes her eyes and smiles. She’s off in dreamland again, and fuck if I don’t wish I could go with her.
I’m worried. I don’t know what the procedure is when someone has been drugged. There isn’t a hospital nearby. The closest thing we have is Doc.
I step out of the room and call him. He tells me she was most likely given Rohypnol, and because she was talking and I could wake her, she thankfully hadn’t been given an overdose. He recommends I stay with her all night. And that isn’t a problem. I had no intention of leaving Brooke’s side for a minute.
Although if Steve were anywhere in the vicinity, I might just leave her long enough to kick his ass again.
She’s breathing peacefully, normally—not too heavy, not too light. I climb into the bed next to her, fully clothed, and settle in for the night.
I take a deep breath and try to unwind. But this whole situation is screwing with my brain.
And my confusion has nothing to do with Steve. I don’t think I could live if anything happened to Brooke. This marriage thing has thrown me for a loop. I’m perfectly happy just to lie next to her and listen to her breathe.
Chapter Ten
Iroll over onto myside, feeling my head split in half. It throbs like I’ve been hit with a ton of bricks. My eyes adjust to the early-morning light, and Shane comes into focus. He’s fully clothed, sleeping on top of the blankets beside me. Has he been here all night? All day? What time is it?
“Shane?” I whisper. He stirs, slowly rolling over.
“How are you feeling?” he asks softly. His eyes bore into mine.
“Like I’ve been dragged by a truck.”
He reaches over and runs his fingers along my cheekbone. I swear there’s something in his touch that’s healing me. “You’re going to be okay, sweetheart. But you should take it easy until the drug is out of your system. Get as much sleep as you can.”
“Drug?” I try to think back to the night before but don’t recall anything. “I didn’t take anything. I don’t do drugs, by the way.”
“I know,” he murmurs. “But you have something pretty damn potent in your system.”
I shake my head, not understanding. The jackhammering starts again, so I stay still. “What happened?”
