Gabriel scooped Cate up in a big hug as he pushed through the door. She'd been quiet all night, barely talking except to congratulate Ella on her pregnancy. But when Gabriel picked her up, she let out the biggest whoop.
Lucas and Ethan put Sully on the large dining room table, while the others hovered just outside. Maggie and Cate worked together to move the chairs away. Scarlett scooted up next to Lucas, barely touching his shoulder.
Lucas glanced down at her briefly and leaned over to kiss her forehead. "Hey, baby," he said softly.
Relief. It was what everyone felt to have their men back. But Maggie was worried. Sully's color was awful. He was pale, with his lips showing a slightly blue tinge. And he looked as if he was sweating profusely.
"Is he going to be ok?" Maggie asked.
"Yeah, but I'd be a lot happier if I could get him to a hospital. He's lost a lot of blood, and the bullet is still in his calf. I'm going to have to dig around to get it out."
Maggie thought she was going to be sick. But she refused to be a wuss now. Sully needed her.
She moved next to Sully's head and gently pushed his hair back. His eyes fluttered open, and a silly smile spread across his face. "Hey, you," he croaked out.
"Hey, yourself," she replied, choking back tears.
"I gave him a little something on the ride here to help with the pain," Lucas said, in explanation of Sully's goofy grin. Maggie nodded and gazed back into Sully's eyes.
"I love you," Sully said, taking her hand in his and bringing it up to his lips.
"Shh. I told you not to say that right now."
"No, you told me to wait and tell you when we had our whole lives ahead of us."
Maggie chuckled. "Fine. I love you, too."
She leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. Sully emitted a soft growl, and Lucas laughed.
"Unless you want to embarrass yourself while you're laid out on this table, Sully, I think you might want to cut back on the kissing for now."
Sully groaned and tried to sit up. Maggie lightly pushed him back down.
"You need to be still. Lucas needs to get the bullet out of your leg."
"That's gonna hurt like a son of a bitch," he said sardonically.
Maggie couldn't help the giggle that escaped. Lucas joined her in the laughter. "It's all right, big guy. Fortunately, I've got something to make it a little easier on you."
Lucas prepared a syringe and then gave Sully a shot. Maggie patted Sully on the arm and went to walk away. Sully reached out, snagging her hand. "Stay," he said, the medicine already making him groggy.
"Ok."
He squeezed her hand and then shut his eyes. When his hand fell loose, she grabbed hold of it and held it between her own.
"This isn't going to be pretty. What I gave him will help him forget the pain, and make it a little more bearable, but he might still moan or cry out. You sure you can handle that?" Lucas asked her.
She nodded. No, she wasn't at all sure she could handle it. But she wouldn't leave Sully when he’d asked her to stay.
Lucas pulled the bandage off Sully's calf. The bullet had gone into the fleshy part of his calf on the right side. "I need to turn him over. Ethan, can you help?"
Maggie glanced up and saw Ethan and Isabel wrapped in each other's arms, standing by the dining room door, watching. Ethan squeezed Isabel quickly and came over to help Lucas turn Sully onto his stomach.
As soon as they moved him, his head jerked up, and his arms flailed out. Maggie grabbed his hand again and whispered, "I'm right here."
At the sound of her voice, Sully calmed down immediately, and the guys were able to get him turned onto his side.
Lucas bent over Sully's leg. "I need more light," he said, looking up at the light fixture above. It was a beautiful, rustic chandelier, but it wasn't as much for brightness and illumination as it was for setting the mood.
"I've got it," Ethan said and rushed out of the room.
Lucas picked up a bottle of alcohol and then met Maggie's eyes. "Might want to grab his hand."
Maggie took Sully's hand in hers and waited for Lucas to pour the liquid over the wound. Lucas took a deep breath and then poured.
Sully reared up, his eyes wide, and his face red with pain. Maggie gripped his hand tightly in hers. Sully met her eyes and tried to relax.
"Here. Sit," Isabel said, pulling a chair up for Maggie so she could sit near Sully's head.
"Thanks."
"He's going to be ok," Isabel said, lightly touching Maggie's arm.
"I know."
Isabel moved back to the doorway, giving them space. Ethan returned with a large outdoor light that one might use for camping or working on a car. He plugged it in and then brought it close, turning it on and shining it on Sully's leg.
The light illuminated the room so brightly that it was reminiscent of the bunker they'd just been in. Bright light that reminded you of an operating room. Maggie guessed that that's what this room had essentially become.
"That's better. Thanks," he said, his voice coming out breathy and a tad panicked. Ethan must have noticed it, too, because he put his hand on Lucas's shoulder.
"You ok, man?"
"Yep. Fine. Just nervous. I'm not really a surgeon. Fortunately, I don't think I can mess up anything vital at this spot on his leg."
Ethan smiled warmly. "You're the best medic out there, Lucas. Even though it wasn't your main role in the Air Force, you kicked ass and saved so many lives with your training. Relax."
Lucas nodded and took a deep breath as Ethan walked back to the doorway to stand with Isabel. As soon as he got there, Isabel wrapped her arms around him again, laying her head on his chest.
"Here goes nothing," Lucas said, more to himself than to anyone else. He met Maggie’s gaze, and she held on tightly to both Sully's hands.
With what looked like pliers, Lucas probed the hole in Sully's leg.
Sully yelled out in pain, grasping Maggie's hands so tightly that she was seriously scared that he was going to break her fingers.
"I'm here," she croaked out, in between the cries of ow, ow, ow she was holding in.
At the sound of her voice, Sully released his grip on her hands just a bit. Lucas must have dug in again a moment later, though, because Sully's eyes widened in pain, almost pleading with her to make it stop. Then, as if the pain were too much, he passed out.
Maggie was grateful for the meds that would ensure that he didn't remember the pain, and she felt relieved that he'd gone unconscious again. She massaged the feeling back into her fingers.
"I need to make a little wider cut. The bullet is really down in there. I almost have it," Lucas said, again as if talking to himself. No one in the room made a sound. They just let him do his job.
He took out a scalpel and made a small incision at the entry wound, and Sully didn't even flinch. He was out cold. Then Lucas went back in with the plier-like things.
Slowly, ever so carefully, he pulled out a bullet and dropped it onto the table. Blood was oozing out of the wound, and Lucas doused it again with alcohol. He took out sutures and a needle, and began sewing Sully's leg up. When he was done, he rubbed antibacterial ointment on the wound and bandaged it.
After what felt like hours, but was probably more like thirty minutes to an hour, Lucas stood up straight and wiped the sweat dotting his forehead. "Done. We'll leave him here until he's lucid enough to get up and go to bed. Fortunately, there's a room on the main floor. We'll put you and Sully in that one," Lucas said to Maggie.
She smiled inwardly at the thought that Lucas and the others had accepted her as Sully's other half. It meant so much to her after so long on her own, to have this family around her. Now, if she could just get Brady back out of Anthony's hands and help Sully get better, then maybe they could all live together as a family.
Isabel came into the room just as Lucas stepped out. Maggie heard Scarlett's squeal and figured that Lucas must have picked her up. He hadn't had a moment to greet his wife si
nce they’d come in because he’d been completely focused on Sully.
"You ok?" Isabel asked, as Maggie ran her fingers through Sully's close-cropped hair.
"Tired," Maggie answered.
"We all are. Why don't you go get some rest? I'll have one of the guys sit with him until he wakes up."
"Nah, I'm good right here," Maggie replied, settling back into the cushy chair. The dining room chairs were upholstered and comfortable. She hooked her foot around the leg of the opposite chair to pull it a little closer, and then put her feet up on the seat.
Isabel smiled. "I’m glad he has you to take care of him."
"He takes care of me, too," Maggie admitted.
"You both need each other."
"We do." Maggie smiled down at Sully's sleeping face. His facial expressions had relaxed, showing that he'd been more aware of the pain earlier than she’d realized. Lucas had given her some pills to give him for the pain when he awoke.
Isabel hugged Maggie’s shoulders and moved past her to Ethan, who was still standing at the door, watching. "We need to get these wounds looked at," she said softly.
"I know who I'm choosing for my doctor," he whispered back, squeezing her butt. Isabel squealed and giggled, and they walked out the door.
Maggie's heart twinged. She and Sully hadn't arrived at the fun, flirty stage yet. True, it usually came pretty early on in a relationship, but he had been so busy denying his feelings for her, then running from them—and then all this had happened—that they were a little behind schedule. Maggie hoped that they'd get their chance.
Soon.
* * * *
His entire body was killing him. Before opening his eyes, Sully tried to remember where he was. He was on his stomach, lying on something hard. Middle East? No, he wasn't in the military anymore. The warehouse?
No. It all came back to him. The warehouse was gone. A place he'd spent years building had burned up into ashes because of that asshole Kingston.
Slowly, Sully opened his eyes and looked around. He recognized the décor from the safe house, the cabin he'd bought several years ago when he thought they might need a place in case someone got angry and ran them out of D.C.
He loved this cabin and had imagined bringing a wife and children up here one day. He hadn't let himself dwell on that dream for long, but now that Maggie was in his life—
His eyes darted around, looking for the woman he loved. He sat up on the table, finding her sitting next to him in a chair. Her eyes were closed, her mouth partially open as she slept. Her skin was pale, and her hair was a complete mess. Sully didn't think he'd ever seen such a beautiful sight.
Sitting up carefully, he kept his leg elevated, but placed his hand on Maggie's arm, which was draped across the table. She jerked awake at the contact and sat up quickly.
"Sully! You're awake." Her eyes lit up with joy and relief. She stood, and he drew her close to him in a warm embrace.
"I am." He held her close, not wanting to let her go, but the throbbing in his leg was distracting.
She pulled away and must have seen the pain etched on his face. She grabbed a bottle of pills from the end of the table and gave him two along with a bottle of water.
"Take these. For the pain." Maggie pried open his hand and placed the two pills on his palm. Her hands were so much smaller than his.
"I don't want to be groggy."
Maggie pulled her phone from her pocket and showed him the time. Three a.m.
"It's the middle of the night. Everyone is groggy. Take these tonight. You can be brave and switch to ibuprofen in the morning." Closing his fingers over the pills, she pushed his hand back against his chest.
He took the damned pills and then started to get off the table.
"Wait! What are you doing?" she asked, trying desperately to get him back on the table. The new position made all the blood rush to his wound, and the pain hurt like hell.
"Going to bed. And you're going with me," he said, pushing her hands away and standing up to his full height.
"Maybe I should get Lucas or Ethan to help you," she tried.
"No. I'm fine. It's a leg wound. I can manage."
He quickly realized, however, that he might have spoken too soon. The pain in his leg was like a knife plunging in and out with every step he tried to take.
"Stubborn ass," she muttered under her breath, then lifted his arm and placed it around her shoulders in an attempt to help him walk.
As if she could bear his weight.
He let her, though, not admitting to himself that having her take even a little of his weight truly did help. He could put a tiny bit of his weight on her, which took a tiny bit off his leg. It was a win.
"Where's the bedroom?" she asked, and Sully prayed that the guys had had the forethought to let them have the downstairs bedroom. He did not want to think about the amount of pain he'd be in trying to ascend the stairs.
"We're sleeping in the one down here," she said, as he looked around the room in panic.
Sully nodded towards a door off to the side of the stairs.
They walked the few feet to the door, and Maggie pushed it open, gasping when she saw the room inside.
The room was beautiful, one of the things that Sully loved most about the house. Tall windows looked out onto a small lawn, then to trees, down to a small creek, and eventually out to the surrounding mountains. The bed was a canopy bed made from what appeared to be driftwood, rough and unfinished. It had been there when he'd bought the house, and he'd asked if they would throw the bed in with the sale. The seller had agreed—for a small fee, of course.
Sully had hired a decorator to come in and make the house special. She'd added a silky, deep ruby red comforter, and a massive number of throw pillows. The room was expansive, opening onto a small deck that looked out over a view of the valley.
The bathroom was framed by two double doors that opened up to a claw foot tub, a glass shower off to the side, and two custom-made vanities with raised sinks and framed mirrors. The whole place was like something out of a luxurious hotel, and Sully had yet to have the time to enjoy it. Nor had he had a person in his life to enjoy it with.
"What do you think?" he asked self-consciously, as Maggie stood there with her mouth hanging open.
"What do I think? Sully, this place is gorgeous."
His heart skipped a beat. It meant a lot to him that she liked it.
"I’m glad you like it."
"Like it? I love it! I could live here my entire life and never grow tired of it."
And that made his heart pick up its pace and race in his chest. The thought of spending his life with this woman, in this house, made him happier than he ever thought he could be. Sully wrapped his arms around Maggie and brought her back against his chest.
She sighed, and he kissed the top of her head.
If it hadn't been for the pounding pain in his leg, he would have stood there for longer, just holding her.
"Bed," he whispered in her ear. She shivered, but nodded and led him over to one side. Pulling back the sheets, she stepped back for him to get in.
"I’m going to take a shower first," he said.
"You are not taking a shower. One, you can't get your leg wet. And two, what if you slip and fall?"
He chuckled. "Fine. I'll keep my leg outside the shower door. But I smell like ash and ass. I am taking a shower."
"Then I’m helping you," she said, her cheeks turning pink.
Sully shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said and limped toward the bathroom.
He could hear the soft padding of her feet behind him as she followed. Sully wasn't ashamed of his body, and he'd been nude in front of people before. It just felt weird that the first time Maggie saw him naked would be while he was taking a shower with a terrible leg wound.
Sully reached behind his head and pulled his shirt off. He heard Maggie's sharp inhalation of breath and grinned to himself. He unfastened his pants and pushed them down his legs, being careful of his wound. Luc
as had had to cut his pant leg away in the van, so it was easier to get the pants down without bumping against the wound.
When he turned around, completely nude, Maggie had her back turned towards him. He chuckled and started the water in the shower.
"I'm just going to, um—I'm just right here if you need me," she said, fumbling over her words with her back still to him.
"I'm still trying to figure out how you think you're helping."
"I'm here. You know, in case you need something."
"Like someone to wash my back?" he said as he stepped into the shower and partially closed the door. Maggie still wouldn't turn around. The glass shower didn't hide anything, so he was still fully exposed.
"Funny," she deadpanned.
Taking a shower was proving to be more difficult than he’d thought. He propped the door open with a shampoo bottle and kept his leg outside the door. Fortunately, there was a handheld showerhead, and he was able to rinse off, lather up, and rinse again fairly quickly.
When he finished, he turned the water off, then realized he'd forgotten to get his towel.
"Would you mind getting a towel for me out of that basket?" he asked, pointing to a wicker basket that sat between the two sinks. Maggie turned around and met his gaze, refusing to look any lower. He could see the heat there. Good—she wasn't unaffected by his naked presence.
Nodding, she scurried over to the basket and walked back to him quickly, the whole time meeting his eyes. When she reached him, she shoved the towel towards him. He grabbed her arm and jerked it toward him, bringing her closer against his chest.
Gasping, her eyes widened with desire, and he dropped his head to touch his lips to hers. Her answering kiss was hungry, demanding. She tasted of desperation, fear, and passion. Growling, he pulled away.
"I’m fine," he said. "You can wait for me in the room."
Confusion lit her eyes, and she looked almost hurt.
"Maggie, if you don't leave now, you're going to get more than you bargained for tonight."
Realization dawned on her, and then that pretty pink color spread to her cheeks. Her lips formed a cute little “O,” and she backed away, turning on her heel and almost running to the bedroom.
Castle Investigations Box Set Page 118
