Page 118 of Nuclear Option (Owens Protective Services)

I nodded and walked over to him. He stood and frowned at my getup. Apparently, he didn’t approve.

“Any word?” Rae asked.

“He just got out of surgery. I don’t know anything more than that. The nurse just came out a few minutes ago and said the doctor would be out soon.”

I nearly passed out just hearing he survived. New Guy had a hold of my arm and that was the only thing keeping me from hitting the ground. The tears pricking my eyes were making it increasingly difficult to keep my shit together. I had to do this for Cash. He had done everything possible to keep me alive. I wouldn’t blow it after everything he’d sacrificed.

It wasn’t long after that the doctor came out, but I was so nervous I didn’t hear a word he said. And as I pushed open the door to Cash’s room, I wished I had listened. I stood in his doorway, staring at his limp body on the bed. The ventilator had been removed, but he looked so pale. He had a thick bandage on the side of his neck and a brace around his neck. It looked so scary.

I felt a presence at my back and immediately recognized Fox’s scent. I didn’t know when he showed up, but I was grateful he was here. “It’s to keep him from moving around while he’s healing.”

I nodded, but couldn’t make myself step forward. Fox grabbed my hand and pulled me over to Cash’s bedside. Seeing him up close was all it took for me to lose it. I slapped my hand over my mouth and let out a gut-wrenching sob as I stared down at the man who always seemed so unbeatable. Yet, here he was—laying in a bed with a brace around his neck.

“He was shot in the neck,” Fox continued. “The doctor said it hit his carotid artery, but Eli was able to stem the blood flow until they got him to the hospital. Otherwise, it would have been a kill shot.”

“Jesus,” Rae said as she walked in. “You want to freak her out a little more?”

“Nope, just want her to realize how serious this is.”

I sniffled back my tears, wiping at my dripping nose. I was well aware of how bad this was. I didn’t need the stark reminder. However, I was also grateful to have all the facts in hand.

“Did they say when he would wake up?”

“It shouldn’t be too much longer,” Rae answered. “The anesthesia should start to wear off, but he might not be able to talk very much at first.”

“The bullet didn’t hit his vocal cords, did it?”

“No, but he can’t move around until his stitches heal. One sharp move and the repairs they made would be caput. He wouldn’t be so lucky a second time.”

I gripped his hand in mine, huffing out a laugh. “Lucky? That isn’t what I’d call him.”

“He’s alive, isn’t he?” Fox said. “It could have been a lot worse.”

The reminder had me sinking down in the chair beside him and gripping his hand. It felt so cold in mine, like he was dead. Through blurry eyes, I waited for him to wake up, but as the hours passed, it was clear that wasn’t happening anytime soon. Rae and New Guy sat in chairs on the other side of the room, but Fox—my silent protector—sat beside me. He was my personal guard dog when Cash couldn’t be there. I wasn’t sure what I did to deserve such loyalty, but I was so grateful to have him beside me.

39

CASH

“Stop poking him in the face.”

“They said he could have some nerve damage. I figure this is a good way to test that out.”

“He just had major surgery and you’re poking him!”

“Yeah, to see if he’ll wake up.”

I recognized the voices—Rae and Fox. If ever there were two people I had to be stuck with, why did it have to be them? I struggled to open my eyes, feeling like they were glued shut. I’d give anything to smack the hand that was poking me in the face. Fox was such an asshole. And where was Eva? I made a groaning noise that finally caught someone’s attention.

“It worked!” Fox laughed. “Holy shit. Let’s poke him some more.”

“Get your fucking hands out of his face,” Rae snapped, her voice moving closer to me.

I finally opened my mouth, but nothing came out. There was a throbbing pain in the side of my neck, and what felt like something stiff wrapped around it. Finally prying my eyes open, I looked blearily around the room, not at all satisfied with what I saw.

“Eh,” I grunted, not getting the words out.

“Eh?” Fox frowned. “Are you confused about where you are?” He looked up at Rae. “I think he’s confused. We have to spell it out for him.” He stared down at me, then used his hands, making sweeping gestures as he spoke. “We’re in a hospital,” he spoke loudly and slowly. “It’s a place where you go after you get shot…or stabbed…or come to die.”

---