Page 41 of The Prey
She sat against Hudson’s chest, blanket clutched tight around her shoulders. It was Ryan’s blanket, from the truck, she thought. Her legs ached. The cuts on her feet throbbed. She just clung to him. He was clinging just as hard.
Until someone ran up to them. Someone she recognized. “Gia, are you hurt? What in the hell are you doing here?”
Grady. Her big brother was right there, looking strong and sure, with the lights of the firetrucks behind him. It was seeinghimthat made her want to let go and cry. Her brother was there.
It barely registered.
“I need to get her to the hospital,” Hudson said in that tone she knew meant he was holding on to emotions, trying to sound like he was in charge. That was Hudson—alwaysin charge.Now, she wondered, was that just a front for him, too? Her arms tightened on him. “Addy’s cleared us to leave, but I’m blocked in.”
“My truck is over there. I’m going to tell Gunn what’s going on. He’ll have to catch a ride with Travis Deane or something. Gunn’s just helping coordinate now.”
Gia looked. ThatwasGrady’s twin right there, helping. Even with his arm in a sling from beingshot.
Shot. In Value. And now…this was arson. There was no denying that. Why was this kind ofevilhappening inValue? Why was it circled around her family so closely?
Gia just didn’t understand this at all.
Grady reached for her. She didn’t let Hudson go. She just…couldn’t right now. Someone had set hishouseon fire. That was deliberate. And it was a threat.
A threat against Hudson.
Someone had wanted to hurt him enough to do this. To hurt him, and anyone else in that house. It could have beenRyaninthere. Or Hala. They could have been victims. The thought that they could be hurt—it terrified her. Shot straight through her. Made her cling to him even more.
“We didn’t know she was over here with you. How badly is my sister hurt?” Grady tried to get her away from Hudson again. Gia tightened her hold—she just didn’t want to let Hudson go.
Hudson’s arms tightened in return.
“A few burns probably,” she said. “I have glass in my feet. My legs. I was closest to the window when it broke. Whatever that was splashed on me.”
Hudson pulled her up, off her feet. His arms felt so strong, but…there was blood on both of them. “Let’s get her to the truck.”
“Hudson, your feet are hurt, too. Put me down.” She did not need him acting allhero,with him hurt, too.
“I’m good. Feet as tough as old leather.”
“I can take her, man. She is my sister, after all.”
“I’ve got her. Just…let’s get to the hospital and then you can take her home. I need to talk to Addy soon.” Hudson was still using that sameI am in chargetone. That tone used to anger her faster than any other—but now, now she understood.
“Clay can meet us at the hospital.” She wasn’t about to let him do this alone. She pressed closer to Hudson. If that man thought they were going to go through lifewith him just being in charge and protecting her from all thebadin their world, that wasn’t going to happen. Gia knew that was exactly what he was trying to do; she had grown up with five overprotective male creatures, after all. No. She was going to be standing right next to him. He’d just have to get used to that. “We’ll both talk to him, Hudson. You aren’t just tucking me away somewhere while you deal with the dark.”
That had to be clear. Equal partners. Period.
Gunn reached them just as Hudson lifted her into Grady’s truck. She tucked her feet up off the floor. It was a ranch truck—and it reflected it. She did not want her bleeding feet on the dirty floorboards of her brother’s truck.
“My feet are going to bleed all over the interior,” she said.
“There are paper towels behind the seat,” Grady said. “We can wrap them up for the time being.”
Her feet were starting to sting. Badly. “I think there are still glass shards in there.”
Her voice stayed calm. She just…was not going to panic. She was stronger than that. And if she panicked—Grady would probably freak out a little. He could be sensitive and anxious—especially when Gia or her sisters were hurt. Big softie.
Hudson’s arms were tight around her. She just pressed closer.
“We’re ten minutes from the hospital, kid. I’ll get you there.” Of course Grady would. When everything about the world was broken and didn’t make sense—she had her brothers and sisters. Her parents. Her friends.
And she had…the man next to her. She strongly suspected Hudson wasn’t ever going anywhere. She braced herself as he lifted her feet into his lap. He started wrapping them in the thick paper towels that Grady had had tucked so neatly in the net behind his seat.
