Page 39 of The Fear
Guthrie took one look at him and came running over. “What in the hell?Who?”
“Gia and Hudson. Fire at Hudson’s. Gia has glass in her feet and some burns, she thinks. Hudson probably the same. I don’t want her walking and she’s being stubborn and won’t let me—or him—carry her.”
That was all it took. Guthrie beat Grady to the door.
Hudson was getting Gia out of the backseat, and she was arguing with him. Telling him she could do it herself, that he was just as injured as she was.
Well, that probably wasn’t true. There was a hell of a lot more blood on Gia. And Hudson stood up just fine, even though the guy was barefoot.
Grady solved the problem of Gia himself. She could turn extremely hard-headed in an instant if a guy wasn’t careful. It was best to just do what needed done. Maybe he should tell Hudson that sometime soon? So the guy could be prepared.
Grady lifted her down and plopped her gently in the wheelchair, turned it, and wheeled her right inside. “Guth, she’s all yours. I’m going to go back to the ranch and get Hudson’s sister.”
Guthrie would watch over Gia like a hawk now. Guthrie was stubborn enough that Gia wouldn’t be able to bulldoze him, either. After tonight, Grady wasn’t so sure Gia couldn’t bulldoze Hudson right over, either. The guy…kind of was acting like putty where Gia was concerned and everything.
“She doesn’t have to come here,” Hudson said. “Don’t bring her. She’ll panic even more. Just let her know I’m fine, and I’ll talk to her and Ryan in the morning.”
“You aren’t getting back into your place tonight,” Grady told him. It might even take a week or two, with that kind of damage. “I can almost guarantee that. I suspect it might be a while.”
And Gia was going backhome,where he and his brothers could keep an eye on her. Period. Grady had no problem telling her that, either.
He wasn’t going to stand back and do nothing while someone hurt her.
“I’ll drive them to the ranch when they’re discharged. My shift ended ten minutes ago,” Guthrie said, motioning to a nurse to get things started. Fortunately, it was a slow night, apparently.
“I’m sure Guthrie can take care of you now, Giavonna Annalise. For now, Hudson…I’ll go deal with your sister.” Make sure she heard it fromhimand not anyone else. He knew this was going to scare her.
“Thanks. I know the two of you don’t exactly get along.”
“Well, she’s as annoying as Greer, no denying that. But I think I can handle Hala just fine tonight.”
Gia coughed. That was all it took to have Guthrie taking charge, and Hudson limping along behind her.
Funny, Gia had had an odd look in her eyes—he didn’t think it was smoke inhalation causing her to cough at all.
32
Hala had just checkedon Ryan one more time, before heading to the room next to Greer’s she was borrowing for the night, when the back door came open.
One of the twins stood there. In the dim light, she wasn’t entirely certain which one. But…she kind of suspected it was Grady. Something about the way her nerves immediately went on alert, and everything.
That just didn’t happen with Gunn. No. She had Grady-Radar. Gradar, or something. It was probably a real, but rare, thing. She’d have to ask Ayla if she had Gunndar, too.
Gene and Chantal were cuddled up in the sunken living room. They just watched the man for a moment, until he got into the light.
Her Gradar was right. There he was.
Greer came padding down the hallway. They’d all been worried about him and his twin. Hala had had all kinds of visions of him getting hurt out there. It had had her panic mode activated, most definitely.
“Everything go all right tonight?” Gene asked, quietly. He’d done a stint as a volunteer firefighter before he’d had Calvin.He’d explained a little of what Grady and Gunn—still in his sling—would be doing out there. It had helped calm her a little.
She just…didn’t like the idea of him out there like that. Was that so wrong?
He and Chantal stood, and headed to the kitchen, as Greer grabbed cookies and milk. Apparently, it was Hiller chat time.
Hala just sat down in the chair next to her bestie and waited.
“Where’s Gunn?” Greer asked.
