Page 76 of Eyes Like a Hurricane

“I’m so sorry this is happening to you, Lachlan. I promise we will get this straightened out immediately. Let me just make a copy for our file. I have no idea where the recorded copy went that we had on file,” she describes.

She looks over her shoulder to where Marilyn had disappeared and blows out a sigh.

My phone rings with Edwin’s number coming across the screen.

“Edwin. I found the Deed of Trust and just finished speaking with Deb. How is Aislinn?” I rasp.

Please let this be good news. I’m not sure my nerves can take any more bad news today. I have been pushed past my mental and physical limits.

“Lachlan,” his voice says, in a gentler tone than I’m used to hearing. “She’s in recovery, but still unconscious. If you want to come down here so she wakes up to your face, I will come down to the recording office to see the signatures for myself. I have a feeling I will be going on a manhunt pretty soon.”

I swallow, my tongue feeling thick. “Yeah, the signatures are definitely falsified. Deb is making photocopies right now. I’m keeping the originals with me. Call Axel, he’s more than willing to help.”

He clicks off just as Deb hands me my originals. We thank her and then head out the door. I have a hospital to get to right now. Grabbing my phone, I shoot a quick text to Kieran but see he sent me a frantic text while I was in the county building.

Kieran: We just arrived at the ranch, and they said she was taken to the hospital. We are heading there now. Call when you can.

Lachlan: Long story. Just leaving County bldg. Will be at the hospital soon.

Chapter 49

Aislinn

Wednesday, June 21

My head is throbbing, and my eyes won’t open. My body is not responding. I must have been sleeping hard. I try in earnest to move my toes and then my fingers. Slowly, my body begins to acknowledge my brain signals and respond to my commands. My hands twitch and I can feel a rough blanket across my hips. My blankets are all soft, but this one feels thin and scratchy.

Maybe it’s a farm blanket, and I fell asleep in the barn?

My eyelids flutter, and my eyes move back and forth as I slowly take in my surroundings. It’s so bright and white. Neither Lachlan’s place nor mine is solid white like this. I move my hands around a bit and realize I have an IV in my left arm. I can hear the gentle beeping of a heart rate monitor and notice the bedrail is covered in buttons.

My fingers make contact with soft hair. I force my eyes to focus down and see the back of Lachlan’s head. His arms are thrown over my body as if he is trying to provide protection while I sleep. I graze my fingers across his hair and can see the gentle rise and fall of his back. My hands move down his neck, leaving a burning trail across my fingertips. A shiver runs downmy spine as zips of electrical energy come from the contact. He groans, and his head rolls a little bit, but he continues to sleep.

A gasp I recognize assaults my ears, and I groan at the volume of the shrill sound that follows. “Oh my! You guys, she’s awake! Our baby girl is awake!” Tears start to flow from Leo’s eyes, and he and my brother grab each other in a tender embrace. “Don’t ever get trapped in a mine again, hun. I about choked on my morning snack when we got the call. I almost needed a Heimlich.”

Lachlan shoots upright, blinking rapidly as he looks around trying to gain his bearings.

His eyes lock on mine, and I notice his eyes are bloodshot. My lips form a small smile.

“I’m okay,” I croak, my throat feeling dry.

Reaching for his hand, I hold on tight and give an extra squeeze of affirmation. He scoots his chair over and lays his head on my chest, dissolving into tears.

It’s then that I notice his face has a day’s worth of beard growth, as does my brother and Leo.

I take a hard swallow and then ask, “How? How long was I out?”

Lachlan’s muffled sob comes out against my gown, “Almost twenty-four hours.”

A tightness forms in the back of my throat as I look around at everyone with a new perspective. Paisley’s clothes are wrinkled, and her makeup is smeared. Leo’s shirt is partially tucked, and his eyes have dark circles. Kieran’s shirt is haphazardly buttoned, and his hair is sticking up. I assume he has been pulling at it like he used to whenever he was nervous when we were kids.

My gaze lands on Lachlan. He’s in the same clothes from the night we watched the alpacas. His body is covered in driedmud. As my gaze passes over them all, the tightness in my chest intensifies.

“Have you guys been here the whole time?” I question, looking each of them in the eye.

Lachlan nods against me, squeezing me tighter.

I pull on his arm. “Climb up here with me, please. I think we both need the physical contact right now.”

---