Page 110 of In Hiding

A flash of memory reminded Jake of the moment the bullet slid into his chest. The stab of heat was followed by a scream that started in his muscles and echoed through his lungs. His heartrate had double-timed it as adrenaline had flooded his system. Why hadn’t he considered that Mitchell was armed? The man had no regard for the law and every intention of inflicting the most pain.

Jake tried to take a breath but his ribs protested the movement. Settling for shallow breaths, he glanced at his chest. White bandages were taped across his torso. An IV hung from his inner elbow. Electrodes monitored his pulse. How much blood had he lost?

Resting his head back on the pillow, he stared up at the white ceiling. A vision of Erik hovered over him and his voice echoed in Jake’s head. Stay with me, brother. He could still feel the Great Dane applying pressure to his chest, demanding Jake keep his eyes open. He remembered the panic in the big man’s eyes. Jake had known the instant he hit the floor he was in deep trouble, but no one had expected Mitchell to be armed with a gun.

The events of the moments following flashed through his eyes. He’d heard Sarah call her ex. He saw her run down the stairs and out the door. When Mitchell followed, his heart urged him to go after them. Someone held him down. Erik? Or William? Things got fuzzy after that and not knowing how it turned out twisted his guts into a tight knot.

“There you are.”

Jake’s eyes snapped open. He found the doctor at his side, pressing buttons on a machine as she smiled.

“Welcome back.”

He tried to speak but his tongue seemed stuck to the roof of his mouth. Stevie chuckled and lifted a cup with a straw. He sipped, the cold liquid exactly what he needed.

“Hi.”

She set the cup down and used her stethoscope to listen to his breathing. “Sounds all clear. How do you feel?”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re the doctor. You tell me.”

“Ah, so you didn’t lose your sense of humor. That’s good.”

When he tried to laugh, he coughed. The spasm jolted his chest which made him grimace against the pain. “Sarah?”

The doctor motioned toward the other side of the room. Jake turned his head to see the woman he asked after curled up in a chair in the corner. Fast asleep, she looked peaceful. He’d dreamed of her watching over him, talking to him as he lay unconscious. In the dream, she admitted she didn’t want him to go, but even as he tried to focus on the memory, it vanished in a puff of smoke.

“She hasn’t left your side.”

“How long has it been?”

“Two days.”

He blinked and focused on Stevie. “Two days?”

She nodded as if it were nothing to be concerned about. “Might I remind you that you were shot in the chest? You lost a lot of blood and needed to be still.” She stepped closer to him and peered down into his eyes. “The bullet missed all the important bits, but not by much. You are, quite possibly, the luckiest man alive.”

His thoughts drifted to Sarah. “I know.”

“You’ve been in and out, though I doubt you remember any of it. William’s around, and so too is my father.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “What is it between you two?”

Where to start? “Long story.”

“He carries a lot of guilt over you.”

He should. Somehow, it didn’t matter anymore. “Ancient history. Tell him it’s bygones.”

She chuckled and changed out his empty IV bag for a full one. “You don’t know my father, do you?”

He thought he did but even he had to admit he was wrong. He didn’t want to talk about Damien. “How badly am I hurt?”

She shook her heard. “That’s what I was trying to tell you. You’re not. Your exceptionally good health saved you. Well, that and a terrible shot by Mitchell.” She winked. “I think you had a guardian angel looking out for you.”

“Will I be alright?”

She patted his shoulder as if consoling a child. “Don’t be so dramatic. You’ll need physical therapy, but you’ll recover. It’ll just take time. Your scar won’t be as impressive as hers though.”

He gazed over at Sarah, resisting the urge to wake her. “What happened to her ex?”

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