Page 63 of The Soul of Archer
“Okay. Could you call my folks and tell them she’s going to be okay? I called them after she was taken in to surgery.” Lance requested.
“You got it.” Ethan agreed.
***
Alora groaned as her eyes blinked open. The evening light was just beginning to filter into the room. A room that wasn’t hers. She frowned in confusion for a moment before the events that morning came back to her. She remembered seeing Sam raise the gun, twisting her and Lance around then there was the pain. When Alora tried to sit up, she cried out in pain and fell back against the pillow.
“Hey, hey. Easy baby.”
“Lance?” she sighed.
“Yeah, I’m here Tigress. I’m here.”
Turning her head, she took in his handsome face. He was handsome as ever but looked worried now. “Are you alright?”
“Thanks to you. Of course, I should paddle your ass. You scared the ever lovin’ fuck out me woman.”
“I scared me too. I just reacted Lance. I saw Sam with the gun and…I couldn’t let him hurt you.”
Lance leaned over and kissed her lovingly. “I thought I was supposed to protect you?”
Alora smiled a little, “I think we’re supposed to protect each other.”
Lance couldn’t seem to find an argument to that logic. They did seem to make a good team. When he saw her licking her lips and swallowing frequently, he reached over for the water cup and straw. He placed the straw to her lips and watched as she drank slow and deep. She pulled back and lay her head against the pillow on a satisfied sigh. She turned to face him again, took a slow breath then spoke.
“So, what happened?”
“We don’t have to…”
“Lance, humor me. Okay? I want to know what happened.”
Sighing, he pulled the chair closer to the bed. “After Malconi called me and told me where to meet him, Ethan came up with a plan. He and the guys, along with Jimmy and Cain were in the eight crates I brought. When they confirmed I had eight crates, they popped out guns ready. Seems Malconi was ready too and nearly a dozen men showed up. I’m sure you could hear the gun fight inside.”
Alora nodded. “Yeah, and the second it started Annabelle turned away from me. I charged her and tackled her to the ground. We fought, both trying to get that damned gun.”
“I took out Ian Malconi. He ran, I followed. When he tried to shoot me, I shot first.”
“I’m glad you killed him. I didn’t want to shoot her, but she gave me no choice.”
Lance reached out and laid his hand over her left hand, which barely stuck out of the sling. Alora took a slow breath, even though her chest burned, but she supposed it was time to ask. “How bad off am I?”
Lance licked his lips before answering, “The doc said you’re looking at several months of therapy. The bullet damaged the muscles of your lower shoulder. He also said no cake decorating for a while.” Lance placed a finger to her lips when she started to speak. “He’ll be by in the morning and you can talk to him then. Right now, you just sleep baby. Okay. Are you in pain?”
“A little, but I don’t think I need anything just yet. Except for you to hold me.”
Now how the hell was he supposed to argue with that? Toeing off his boots, Lance rounded the bed and very carefully, eased himself beside her and cradled her against him. She let out a contented sigh as her eyes drifted closed. In moments, her breathing leveled as she fell asleep. He lay there holding his life in his arms, thanking God that she was alive and that she would be okay.
***
Lance awoke when the door to Alora’s room opened, it was the doctor. “Morning, Mr. Archer, not St. James.”
Lance felt his shoulder’s sag. Yep, he was busted. “Guess you figured it out.”
“I knew yesterday, but I could tell by how you reacted when you carried her in that she was very important. I’m Dr. Lomax by the way.” Lomax chuckled.
Lance started to speak, but Alora was stirring. He shifted a little as her eyes opened. “Baby, this is Dr. Lomax. He’s the surgeon who took care of you yesterday.”
“Oh, hi.” Alora greeted.
