Page 20 of A Tortured Temptress
A memory flashes in my mind.
"Are you sure you want to send her away, Shane?" Aidan's voice but I can't see him. I realize it was when I was blind. It was before I went into surgery. I remember it now.
"She won't want to be with me after this attack. I was supposed to protect her. I swore I'd protect her, and he still got to her."
"You can't blame yourself for that."
"The feck you say. I can and I will. I'm stronger than you. My life will always be dangerous."
"You're one lucky arsehole that I'm not armed right now because I'd cut you for saying you're stronger than me. You know what, I'm stronger because I keep my wife by my side. I'm willing to protect her. You're nothing but a scared prat." His words are growled.
I try to say something. To tell Shane I trust him, that it was my fault. I should have gone back to the compound as soon as I finished with classes instead of sticking around for hours. I should have let him send me with more security, we both knew that Britain was out there. But I chanced it any way. He didn't do it. But nothing comes out. My voice is locked in my throat. My body doesn't move.
I feel him take my hand, lacing our fingers. "I'll always love you, mo chroi,"
"This will blow up in your face Shane."
"Then that's something I'll have to live with. Leave us alone so I can say goodbye." Shane actually gives Aidan an order and I want to laugh but nothing comes out. I still hear him telling me he'll always love me but he's sending me away any way. He apologizes for letting me get hurt and not protecting me. He tells me he will always love me and no one else.
I try to fight through the fog, but I can't tell him that I'm awake and here. I can't tell him to hold me and never let me go. I ache to feel him against me.
"Gentleman, we need to take Mrs. O'Connor for surgery now."
"Her name is Ms. Bell, after she's stabilized, I've arranged for her to go to a recovery hospital."
"I've already heard from Dr. Larson. We'll prepare, Ms. Bell for transport after she's out of surgery." No this can't be happening to me. I try to move but everything is numb but not my heart, the heart that I thought was dead and gone is thumping hard, begging for him.
"Giselle are you okay," I hear voices and open my eyes. My head throbbing from the memory and the pain. My heart aches just like it did that day.
"I am now." I smile through the tears as I look up at Gabrielle. I'm going to have her help me. Aidan was right this is going to blow up in Shane's face because I'm going back. I know he loves me, and he didn't send me away because of the scars, but because he's an idiot that thought he couldn't protect me.
Hours later I'm sitting in the gym with a small weight in my right hand without it's cast on. I'm going to work out and do everything the physical therapists want me to so I can get better.
"So, you are really his wife?" I hear her voice and turn to see Gabrielle standing there.
"Yeah. Does that bother you?" A bitterness enters my voice.
"Hell no. He's a bloody bludger for thinking he could ever send you away."
"A what?"
"Bludger is a lazy person, I guess in American. Piper is always laughing at me for the words I say but I laugh at her too. You all have some strange words for things too. I can work with you when Piper is here for treatments if you want?"
"How do you know Shane?"
She laughs as she sits next to my wheelchair on the floor. She's not only tall but buff for a woman. She has arms that are bigger than my thighs. She shows me how to hold the weight and directs me on how to do the curls and motions.
"I met him in the army. I was a helicopter pilot, and he was with a specialized unit of the SAS. We'd met several times and he came down here after his parents died." She pauses and gets a faraway look in her eyes. "I was there the day he almost died." I wait for her to continue. "His unit was on patrol and came across a young girl being stoned for defying her family. He couldn't stand it, so he intervened. The enemy decided to take pot shots at him. He took so many bullets to the chest plate of his armor that it failed. I remember them lifting him bloody into my helo and I thought he was dead. He barely survived." I remember seeing the same scar I have on his chest. I never questioned him because I figured he'd tell me when he was ready. "Bloody drone snuck back into the country months later after he recovered and killed the girl’s father and brothers. It wasn't long after that that I got out too. He hasn't been here since he started working for the Knights, but he contacts me sometimes. I send him pictures of my daughter and we talk." I smile down at her as I change arms, my right is starting to get sore. She increases the weight for my left cause it's stronger. "You don't have to be jealous; we are only friends."
"I'm not. He told me over and over how much he loved me." I pause now and decide I want to be truthful with her. "I was semi-conscious when he was saying goodbye to me. I tried to tell him I was awake, but I couldn't get through the pain meds and other drugs."
"He only did it because he probably promised to protect you. He takes that serious. His word is everything."
"It's not his fault. I could have gone home instead of going to the hot shop that night. I could have insisted that he have more guards on me. I was sure that Britain wouldn't give up on me, but he didn't know that Britain was serious."
"I did some research for you. Here," she hands me a folded stack of papers and I flip through it. "Britain's dad, Henry is heading for Belfast set on vengeance."
"I need to get to him and help him. I don't want to lose him."
