by Maddie Wade
He tapped his comms, “Lucy, we need an air ambulance ASAP, Lauren has been stabbed and her lung is collapsing.”
A calm voice in his ear, “An air ambulance is already on route, I called one in as soon as I heard what was happening-they should be here any minute.” God, it was no wonder Sly loved her, she was amazing, he thought selfishly thanking God it wasn’t Lucy in this situation.
“Hang on honey, help’s coming, you’re gonna be fine.” Dane whispered to her, as he held on tightly to her cold hand.
He turned to Sly, “Why isn’t she healing herself?” he asked, feeling despair in his words.
“I don’t know man; I have no experience with anything like this.”
~~~
Air rasped in and out of her lungs and every breath was like being stabbed all over again, except this time she could hardly breathe. She knew there was something she needed to do, but was finding it so hard to stay awake, a blackness just kept pulling her into its warmth.
Her eyes flew open-Dane, she needed to tell him, she grasped at his shirt to pull him closer so that she could tell him. He bent his head close to hers.
“It’s ok, can you hear the helicopter? You’re gonna be fine.” But she could see the tears running down his cheeks, and glistening in his ink black eyelashes. It’s funny the things you notice when you were dying, but he had the longest eyelashes she had ever seen and she hadn’t noticed before. Struggling for breath now and fighting to stay conscious, Lauren declared in a quiet voice,
“Love you,” and then she coughed, “wanted you to know,” and then she let the darkness take her.
~~~
“Lauren, honey no, don’t go, I love you too, please don’t leave me.” He felt Sly pull at him “Dane she’s unconscious, move out of the way and let the paramedics do their thing.” He hadn’t even heard the Air ambulance land, so focused was he on Lauren and making sure her chest rose and fell with each life-giving breath.
He let himself be pulled away as the paramedics gave her oxygen and put in a chest tube to drain her collapsed lung. Soon they had her stabilised and on a gurney waiting to be taken by air to hospital. Dane raced over “I’m coming with you,” he demanded.
“Are you next of kin?”
“I’m going to be.” He said with as much conviction as Sly had ever seen.
“Okay come on then,” the paramedic said.
He turned to Sly, “Will you take care of things?”
“Yeah, of course, and actually Zack is back and is coming with Alpha team to clean this up, before the police get here.”
“Thanks, Sly.” he said gratefully and squeezed Sly’s shoulder.
Dane ran and jumped in the chopper as they were about to shut the doors. Lauren looked so pale and still, if it wasn’t for the faint pulse in her neck he would think he had already lost her, but she was a fighter and he wouldn’t leave her side until she pulled through. He took her cold hand in his and rubbed her knuckles, as he had after her scare with Drew. God that seemed like a lifetime ago. He thought about what she’d said and wondered if she’d meant it, or if it was the fear of dying making her think she loved him.
If she didn’t then he’d just have to make her, because a life for him without her was inconceivable. He wanted them to get married, and have children and grandchildren and grow old and learn to drive Lorries together, and he hoped with all his heart that she wanted the same.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
At the hospital, the same Doctors and nurses that had treated Nate met them. They crowded round her and quickly ushered her into the major trauma unit. Dane was left standing by the door, bewildered. He had seen friends and colleagues shot and maimed, some losing limbs and even being killed and had never before lost his head.
He was always calm and in control. Now he just wanted to cry like a baby. He’d left everything too late. He slumped down onto the curb by the entrance and just sat and stared into space. What would he do if she died saving him? He couldn’t live with it. What had made her do it? Why had she moved into the knife like that?
He felt a hand on his shoulder, looking up he saw Zack. Who sat down beside him. They sat in silence for a while and then Zack turned to him,
“Like that, is it?” Dane nodded solemnly.
“She’s it for me, I never saw it happening, but that’s the truth.” Zack nodded.
“I thought you were going to the scene?”
“I was but Sly said he’d handle it, and that you could do with some support, so here I am. Come on, let’s go see how your girl’s doing.”
They went into the hospital and up to the harried-looking receptionist. Dane managed to crack a smile as Zack charmed the older woman in seconds and had her eating out of his hand. That was Zack, 007 smooth one minute and a cold hard killer the next.
“This lovely lady said we can wait back in the relative’s room, as Lauren is in surgery.” Sitting in the same room as he had when Nate was shot, he was glad for the quiet. Zack sat doing something on his phone and frowning a lot. He wanted to know what was going on with him, but knew Zack wouldn’t be pushed, he’d tell them if and when he was ready.
Letting his head fall back against the wall, he kept replaying the scene in his head repeatedly wondering if he could have known what she would do. Had there been a sign he’d missed, but he kept coming back to the same answer ‘NO.’ He never would have seen that happening, no matter how many times it went down.
His head shot up when the doctor came in, and he was relieved it was the same doctor that had treated Nate.
“Dane Bennett.” He said looking between him and Zack.
“Yes, that’s me.” he said stepping forward.
“Miss Cassidy is in recovery. She had a punctured lung and her liver sustained some damage from the knife wound, but she is very strong and we managed to repair the damage. She’ll need a lot of rest to allow her to recover properly, and will probably need to stay in Hospital for a few days until we are satisfied that she is well enough to go home.”
“Can I see her?”
“Yes she was asking for you. Don’t stay too long and try and keep her quiet, no upsetting her,” he said, giving him a stern look. Dane shook his hand and thanked him again.
“I’m gonna get you guys a frequent flier card, I think,” joked the doctor, Dane actually managed to crack a half smile at that before following him out. “Nurse Westerly will take you to her.”
Following Nurse Westerly through to recovery, he was anxious to see her and see for himself that she would be okay. Pushing open the door, he could see her tiny form lying in the bed. With a drip in her arm and monitors on her fingers and upper arm, the white sheet that was pulled up to cover her chest made her seem deathly pale.
Pulling up a chair, he sat next to her and taking her hand in his, he traced his finger along her pulse, which was strong and steady. He felt the hot tears fall down his cheeks and quickly dashed them away, she was going to be fine, he needed to stop being such a cry-baby, but God, he had nearly lost her. He fell asleep like that, until he felt her squeeze his fingers and looked up into the most beautiful face.
~~~
Lauren felt like she had run a marathon and then been kicked by a horse, everything hurt and it took her a minute to remember what had happened, Griffiths, the knife, oh god Dane Struggling to open her eyes she nearly cried when she saw his head bent holding her hand while he cried. Why was he crying? Was she dead? She didn’t feel dead. She couldn’t fight the sleep that was taking her back under though and closed her eyes.
She woke sometime later and looked down to see Dane asleep with his head on her hip and her hand still clutched in his. She squeezed his hand and then he looked up and she knew-she could see his emotions all over his face. He loved her.
“Dane,” she croaked. He quickly got up and got her some water to sip.
“Small sips honey.” It felt like heaven as the cold water slipped down her throat.
“What happened?” she asked and he exp
lained what had happened after she was stabbed and how they had fixed up all her of injuries
“Can you remember what happened? Did he…?” God he couldn’t say the words, gulping, he tried again “Did he assault you, Lauren?” Large tears filled her eyes as she shook her head,
“No, he touched me all over my body, but he didn’t rape me. You got there before he had time to do anything else.” She sobbed as he held her, and she let out all the fear and pain she’d felt. As he held her and let her cry.
Dane wished Griffiths was alive so that he could kill him again.
After her tears and sobs had subsided, he could see her struggling to stay awake.
“Sleep now Lauren, you’re going to be fine, I won’t leave you, I promise,” and he meant it.
~~~
Over the next few days, people came and went, including Lucy, Sly, Nate and her friend Skye. Drew who looked like he needed a hospital bed as much as she did came every day. She’d been horrified when she’d heard what had happened with Marcus and scolded Drew for putting himself in danger like that. He had been unrepentant though and said he’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Lucy had brought food and clean clothes for Dane and still he wouldn’t leave, every time someone suggested he leave he just growled at them and in the end they gave up. By day three, he was dead on his feet but still refusing to leave her. Lauren had tried to reason with him and convince him to go home and get some sleep but he wouldn’t hear of it.
She also tried to talk to him about what had happened, but he was stubbornly refusing to talk about it.
~~~
Dane was sitting looking out the window while Lauren slept, when Zack walked in.
“A word,” he stated, and it was clear it wasn’t a question. Dane followed him out into the hallway, itching for an argument. Getting straight to the point Zack continued.
“You need to go home and that is not a request.” Zack gave him a hard look and waited for him to blow his top. He was not disappointed.
“Fuck you, Zack, you don’t tell me what to do regarding this.” Standing with his hands on his hips Zack looked at Dane calmly, he was a good 3 inches taller than him and probably 30lb of muscle heavier, but he had no doubt that Dane would take him on pure adrenalin. Well, until of course that adrenalin ran out, and Zack put him on his ass.
“Yes I do, you work for me and you are exhausted, it’s my responsibility to make sure you don’t burn out. She is under Fortis protection and also my responsibility.” He knew it was coming so when Dane launched at him and got him against the wall, he wasn’t surprised or worried.
“No, Lauren is mine, so back the fuck off, Zack, she is mine to protect,” and just like that the fight went out of him.
Zack shrugged him off and watched as Dane slumped exhausted against the wall.
“That is your one free one, if you ever do that again I will kick your ass. Now go home and get a shower and some sleep. I’ll watch over your Lauren for a few hours,” he said emphasising the fact that he knew she was Dane’s.
He knew he’d been played, but he also knew Zack was right; he was no good to anyone like this. He checked to make sure Lauren was resting and then left, taking Zack’s Range Rover SVA. He loved this car but was in too much of a rush to get home to appreciate the luxury.
~~~
Lauren came slowly awake; she opened her eyes expecting to see Dane sat in his usual seat looking exhausted. When she didn’t see him, she looked around for him.
“He’s gone home for a while,” a deep voice said from the chair by the window. She turned to the voice and encountered a Norse God!
That was the only way to describe him. He had to be about 6ft 5inches with blonde hair and grey/blue eyes. He had the tanned complexion of someone who worked outside a lot and had broad defined muscles that rippled against his dress shirt as he walked towards her. He was all sleek powerful muscle and sinew without an ounce of fat anywhere.
He stopped a few feet from her with his arms crossed. He was dressed in a white shirt and dark grey dress trousers. The sleeves were rolled up on his shirt and that seemed to be the only concession against his sleek put together appearance.
“Zack, owner of Fortis, I’m sorry I haven’t been here to help with what’s been happening, but I understand you have been taken care of.” He said this like it was a reprimand. “I will stay with you until he returns, I sent him home to shower and rest.”
“Wow, how did you manage that?”
“I have my ways,” he said with a sardonic grin. He seemed to study her then, as if she was a bug under a microscope. “I consider Dane a friend, I won’t see him hurt,” he said bluntly.
Lauren felt her anger start to burn. “Excuse me?”
“I said, I won’t have Dane hurt by a SAS groupie.”
Lauren felt like her head was going to explode with anger. If it wasn’t for the fact that she still weak from the attack and the obvious fact that this guy could snap her like a twig she would kick his ass.
“Well Mr. high and bloody mighty Fortis owner, I am not a groupie, I love him with everything in me , so if anyone wants to upset him they are gonna need to go through me first, not that it’s any of your God damned business.” All this she said from her prone position on the bed.
Zack looked at her, considering her and then offered her a small smile that completely transformed his face, but despite all that hotness, he didn’t stir her blood like Dane did.
But when he smiled, she could see how woman would drop to their knees for him, but not this woman, no, she had her man if they could just figure things out.
“So that was some kind of a test then to see how I felt about Dane?” she asked, incredulously.
Zack nodded “You have to understand, he is my friend, and I am very protective of my friends.” He said the last with a stern thoughtful face.
“Well I guess we’re alike then,” she said, as he turned back to the window.
“I think I like you Lauren, and I have just one question for you, did you do it to protect him?”
She wasn’t sure how to answer that, she knew what he meant but didn’t feel comfortable telling him before she explained it to Dane. He turned and pinned her with a look that made most men tremble, and the best he got was a raised pulse to show she was nervous.
“Don’t answer that, I already know the answer,” he turned back to the window again. “Yes, I definitely approve of you joining the Fortis family.” she snorted inelegantly.
“Well the jury’s still out on you, Mr Cockwomble.” Zack threw back his head and bellowed out a laugh.
“What did I miss, did hell freeze over?” said Lucy, looking confused as she strode through the door with Drew behind her. She smiled at Lauren and hooked her thumb back towards Zack. “Did he laugh? I ask because it’s never been heard before, it’s a bit like the Lochness Monster-it’s been talked about but never proven.” Zack threw her a withering glare, before returning to stare out the window. But Lauren could see that once you had Zack’s loyalty, you were golden. Coming over to the bed, Lucy bent down and hugged her and then moved back to allow Drew a hug.
“Are you okay?” she asked Drew.
“Seriously sis, you almost died and you keep asking me if I’m ok.”
“Na it’s all good, the doctor fixed me up fine,” she replied shrugging it off. She knew it had been a close thing, but she didn’t want to make too much of it in case it sent Dane into a meltdown. They still hadn’t discussed what she’d done. She knew he was angry and like the namby-pampy wimp she was, she didn’t want to rock the boat.
“Drew’s a Fortis guy now.” Lucy said proudly, grabbing him in a headlock and knuckling his head.
“Get off me, you mad wench,” he said pushing her playfully. Lauren was happy to see that Drew had found another big sister. She looked at Drew for confirmation.
“Yeah, Zack’s hired me as a trainee. I have a ton of the tech stuff to learn still, but Lucy and Sly have been training me in weapons
and combat. It’s gonna be a while before I’m ready to go out on any missions, but Nate has said he’ll shadow me when he’s back.”
“That’s wonderful news,” she said, pulling Drew down for another hug. She looked at Zack.
“Maybe you’re not a cockwomble, after all.” He just nodded and chuckled in acknowledgment.
~~~
When Dane came back two hours later, he was surprised to see Lucy, Drew, Sly and Zack all there.
“What’s this?”
“Well we heard the guard dog had gone, so we came for a visit,” said Lucy, teasing him.
“But it is time we left,” she said, giving pointed looks to everyone.
Everyone started to file out with hugs and kisses for Lauren, including Sly. Sly didn’t surprise him, but Zack who was not prone to any outward sign of emotion did surprise him when he winked at her and offered a small smile. It almost made Dane want to grab him by the throat again, but he managed to tamp down his jealousy.
He crossed to Lauren and kissed her cheek.
“How do you feel, honey?”
“Great-the doctor says I can go home tomorrow as long as I promise to rest,” she smiled at him.
God, he loved her so much.
“That’s great,” he said, “will you be okay on your own?”
Her face fell, “Well I was hoping you would be there to look after me?” she said, sounding uncertain. He looked at her, how she could still trust him to look after her after he’d failed so spectacularly before?
“How can you trust me?” he asked simply.
“That’s ridiculous, of course I trust you, I love you, and I hoped that maybe you might feel the same?” She looked at him with such love and hope. Dane sat down next to her bed.
“God Lauren! I love you more than I ever thought it possible to love someone, but I failed you, you got stabbed because of me, because I handled the situation with Griffiths all wrong.”
“No, you didn’t, I did that, I could see that you were going to tackle him and knew you would get shot and I couldn’t let you. I threw myself forward to protect you, because I love you and I knew I couldn’t live without you.”
