I’m not sure I can move, lying face down, my head buried in her pillow. Cam snuggles against my side. As I drift off to sleep, sated, warm, and content, I hear her whisper, “I love you, too.”
The End
THANK YOU FOR READING
I hope you enjoyed Cam and West’s story. This one…was personal. There’s a lot of me in Cam, and while writing her, life got a little complicated. That made her all the more important to me.
Do you want to find out what happens to Royce? His story should be out by the end of 2017. Look for In Her Sights soon.
If you enjoyed this book, you’d make my day by posting an honest review on your purchase site of choice and on Goodreads. Reviews are so very important to authors. Not only do they help us sell books, they also allow us to qualify for advertising opportunities we wouldn’t otherwise be able to snag. They also make us feel good. And allow us to write more! Win-win. You don’t have to write a novel when reviewing. A couple of simple sentences about what you liked or didn’t like about the book is enough.
I hope you’ll also consider recommending this book to your friends and book clubs.
Thank you!
SNEAK PEEK—IN HER SIGHTS
ROYCE
Someone shut off the damn microwave. Or did I leave my car door open? My brain feels like goddamn swiss cheese, and I don’t know where the hell I am. All I know is that fucking beeping is going to drive me insane.
And what’s with the smell? Disinfectant burns my nose, my throat’s on fire, and I’ve got a headache that won’t quit. Turn on the lights. Why can’t I see?
Assess. Plan. Then act. Training takes over, and I force my heart rate to slow. The beeping slows too. I’m on my back. My eyes are closed. Conversations provide a steady low level background noise, but I can’t make out any of the words—they’re too far away.
After a deep breath, panic sets in. Rough sheets stretch across my naked body. I try to move, but my limbs are heavy, unresponsive, and even my eyelids won’t obey. Pressure tightens around my right arm above the elbow to the point of pain, then releases with a hiss.
Hospital. Tumor. Surgery.
The fragmented memories start to coalesce. In the misty recesses of my consciousness, I think I can hear my surgeon’s voice. “We won’t know anything for sure until we go in there.”
My hand trembles as I try to make a fist, and a deep ache draws a grunt from my raw throat.
“Royce?” Warm fingers brush my arm, and I force my eyes open.
Cam’s worried face moves in and out of focus. I need to ask her…something…but I don’t remember what. As the frustration rises, her brows furrow even deeper.
“Relax, Rolls. You’re safe. I know you’re confused, but the doctor said that’s normal. Don’t try to talk or move yet, okay?” She laughs nervously. “Don’t answer that, either.”
I track her movements as she lifts a large cup from a tray and then presses a straw against my lips. “Just a couple of sips.”
The water’s lukewarm, but still feels like heaven, and when she sets the cup down again, I whisper a hoarse “thank you,” but all that comes out is a vague “oo” sound.
“No more talking,” she chides. “Rest. I’ll be here.”
She holds my hand, and I can’t stay awake any longer. I drift off to sleep, thankful I’m not alone.
When I next pull myself out of the darkness, she’s standing at the edge of a curtain, her back to me, talking to someone.
“They didn’t give you any hassle over the gunshot wound?”
A deep voice chuckles. “Ryker sent me to his surgeon. Pretty sure a chunk of cash changed hands. I’m fine, angel. No teaching for another two weeks, but I can supervise the kids.”
“I wish I could see the first class.”
“I’ll tell you all about it tonight. I love you, angel.” The man leans in and kisses her, and I remember his face. West. Cam’s boyfriend. She introduced us—I think. My head’s still fuzzy.
“Royce.” Shock and relief play over her features. Yet, underneath, her eyes are shadowed, her lips pale and pressed thin. “Your color’s better.”
“Tumor?” The word escapes as “oo-or” and now I know I’m fucked. It’s nighttime. I went in at 7:00 a.m. The anesthetic should have worn off by now, yet I can barely move. “Aaam?”
“Shh.” She rests her hands on my shoulders and meets my gaze. “I know you’re scared. They got all of the tumor. Totally benign. But while you were on the table, you had a stroke.” Her eyes glisten as my breath catches in my throat. “You’re going to be fine. Once the swelling goes down, the doc says you’ll probably make a full recovery. They gave you this new drug…it’s supposed to be a miracle worker.”
The keening in my ears…is mine. Oh fuck. I can’t talk, can’t really move, and she’s staring at me like I’m about to die. Fuck, fuck, fuck. “Ow…aaa?” How bad?
Now her tears fall. “I can’t understand you, Rolls. But I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.” Cam pulls a chair close to my bed, takes my hand, and as she forces a smile, my own tears spill over.
“‘Morning, Royce.” My doctor’s way too chipper, and I glare at him. Or try to. I can’t move my left side much at all, and I have no idea if that translates to my face as well. “So, good news first. No cancer, and we don’t expect the tumor to regrow. Once we get you rehabbed, you should be in for a long and productive life.”
“Aaa uh-il eeen?” And until then?
“I’m sure the aphasia is frightening, but that should pass in a day or two. The stroke affected your left side, which also controls a lot of your speech patterns. Can you make a fist with your left hand for me?” The doctor pulls back the blanket and I watch my fingers twitch, but not curl. “Not bad for twenty-four hours post-op and post-stroke.”
There’s that word again. I’m forty-seven, for fuck’s sake. I’m not dead. And until this tumor, so healthy I hadn’t had so much as a cold in five years.
“If you’ve got someone at home to help you with day-to-day stuff, we can get you out of here in a week assuming the swelling continues to go down and the drugs we gave you did their job.”
Cam clears her throat. “His brother should show up tomorrow.” She meets my glare with a shrug. “I called him once you were out of surgery.”
I shouldn’t be angry. She’s been here for two solid days. She needs to go home. Spend time with her new guy and run Emerald City Security since I won’t be doing so for the foreseeable future. Not when I can’t even speak.
“Eee-haab?”
Doctor Grimes nods. “With where the stroke was located, you’re probably going to have balance problems for a while. The tumor caused some scarring, and so seizures are also still a possibility. We’re keeping you on the anti-seizure meds for a while.”
I want to nod, but my head hurts too much, so I make a vague “uh-huh” sound and close my eyes. Maybe if I sleep some more, when I wake up, I’ll be able to talk. Or maybe I’ll just slip away forever.
KEEP IN TOUCH
I love connecting with readers. I send out newsletters every few weeks—often with contests, chances to get early copies of my books, and exclusive content. If that all sounds good, join my Readers’ group. For those of you viewing the paperback version of this book, visit patriciadeddy.com for more information!
You can also find me all over social media. Chat me up on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or my website.
ALSO BY PATRICIA D. EDDY
BY THE FATES
Check out the By the Fates series if you love dark and steamy tales of witches, devils, and an epic battle between good and evil.
By the Fates, Freed — Download for FREE
Destined, a By the Fates Story
By the Fates, Fought
By the Fates, Fulfilled — Coming in October 2017
IN BLOOD
If you love hot Italian vampires and and a human who can hold her own against beings far stronger, then the In Blood series is for you.
&nb
sp; Secrets in Blood
Revelations in Blood — Coming in early 2018
CONTEMPORARY AND EROTIC ROMANCES
I don’t just write paranormal. Whatever your flavor of romance, I’ve got you covered.
HOLIDAYS AND HEROES
Beauty isn’t only skin deep and not all scars heal. Come swoon over sexy vets and the men and women who love them.
Mistletoe and Mochas
Love and Libations
AWAY FROM KEYBOARD
Dive into a steamy mix of geekery and military might with the men and women of Emerald City Security and North-West Protective Services.
Breaking His Code
In Her Sights—Coming in Winter 2017
RESTRAINED
Do you like to be tied up? Or read about characters who do? Enjoy a fresh BDSM series that will leave you begging for more.
In His Silks
Christmas Silks
Just Another New Year’s Eve
ABOUT ME
I’ve always made up stories. Sometimes I even acted them out. I probably shouldn’t admit that my childhood best friend and I used to run around the backyard pretending to fly in our Invisible Jet and rescue Steve Trevor. Oops.
Now that I’m too old to spin around in circles with felt magic bracelets on my wrists, I put “pen to paper” instead. Figuratively, at least. Fingers to keyboard is more accurate.
Outside of my writing, I’m a professional editor, a software geek, a singer (in the shower only), a beginner guitar player, and a runner. I love red wine, scotch (neat, please), and cider. Seattle is my home, and I share an old house with three spoiled cats.
I’m on my fourth—fifth?—rewatching of the modern Doctor Who, and I think one particular quote from that show sums up my entire life.
“We’re all stories, in the end. Make it a good one, eh?” — The Eleventh Doctor, Doctor Who
I hope your story is brilliant.
You can reach me all over the web…
patriciadeddy.com
[email protected]
Table of Contents
Copyright
Table of Contents
Do you like free books?
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Thank you for reading
Sneak Peek—In Her Sights
Keep in touch
Also by Patricia D. Eddy
About Me
Breaking His Code (Away From Keyboard Book 1) Page 17
