Devoted to Love

by Shayla Black

  He took her hand and gently pulled her into his lap, seemingly unconcerned that her grandfather looked on. “You wearing out the tile isn’t going to make your grandmother’s surgery go faster or be any more successful.”

  “I know. But it’s hard to just sit and . . .”

  Josiah nodded, cutting a stare over to her grandfather. Maggie snapped out of her stupor and looked at Papa. If she was shocked, the poor man was devastated. He’d spent the last forty-five years loving his wife, living with her, working the land with her, through the tribulations of their only daughter’s descent into addiction and the joys of watching their oldest granddaughter reach fame. They’d stuck together no matter what. For the first time, Maggie realized that without Granna, Papa would fall apart. And rather than being terrified by the idea of needing or loving someone that much, Maggie ached to open herself to that kind of abiding, never-ceasing devotion.

  She mouthed her thanks to Josiah, then turned to her grandfather, settling on the sofa between the two men. “Papa, do you want some water? Coffee? Food?”

  “Nothing, thanks. What do you think is taking so long?”

  “The bullet missed her heart but penetrated her chest cavity. There are a lot of organs and arteries in there,” Josiah pointed out, maintaining low, rational tones. “Repairing that will take time. I’m grateful we could get her to a hospital with a level-one trauma unit so quickly. If there’s hope, they’ll make it a reality.”

  “It’s been four hours. The dread . . .”

  Maggie threw her arms around her grandfather and gripped tight while she did her best to hold herself together. He didn’t need her falling apart, but tears stung her eyes, closed up her throat. Only Josiah dropping his steadying touch on her thigh and his quiet, confident words kept her sane.

  “Look at it this way: If they’d been unable to recover your wife from the shock, stem the bleeding, and get new blood in her system, she wouldn’t have made it this long, and you’d already know the outcome. As terrible as it is, no news is good news for now.”

  Papa scrubbed a hand down his face, looking as if his world were about to end. “I’m trying to tell myself that.”

  In that moment, Maggie also realized how much strength she’d taken from her grandfather over the years. He’d been her pillar, her sense of security. He’d never been anything other than stalwart—the very backbone of their family. But for the first time, he needed her strength. She refused to let him down.

  With a glance, Josiah promised that she could draw from him for help and support.

  Mostly likely, she would need it. Her existence had become hell with the single pull of a trigger, proving just how fragile life really could be. Yet for that moment, Maggie actually felt blessed. Her mother had walked away from her as a toddler. Her father, whoever he was, had never stepped forward to claim his daughter. She’d always felt more or less like an orphan and allowed the corresponding anger and self-pity to erect walls around her heart. Yes, she’d lost out on years of interaction with her biological parents. But she’d been so damn lucky the day her mother had chosen drugs over her daughters because that allowed Maggie to be raised by the two most wonderful, loving people God could have put in her path. She wished like hell she’d spent more years appreciating what she had instead of lamenting what she didn’t.

  “We have to pray that everything will be all right, Papa. No matter what, we’ll have each other. I love you, and that will never change.”

  Not in a single one of her twenty-three years had she ever seen her papa cry. But his sharp green eyes now swam with tears. He sniffed and blinked, doing his manly best to hold them back. “I love you, too, sweet girl.”

  Josiah gave her his silent approval with an affectionate squeeze of her knee and a kiss to her crown. Maggie felt the love flowing around her. For once, she didn’t fight the ties. Instead, she let them hold her, grateful for the strength they granted her.

  Suddenly, Maggie heard the clearing of someone’s throat. She started, heart tight in her chest, hoping she’d see a competent doctor in scrubs with a smile of success. Instead, Kane Preston stood in front of them, looking grim.

  “Evening, folks. I came as soon as I finished looking for clues in what I suspect was the shooter’s nest. Other than to tell you that he cleared out fast, covered his tracks well, and was probably shooting an MK 15, I don’t know anything.”

  Papa trembled as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I think I could use a cup of coffee after all. Would you mind getting me one, Mags?”

  She’d do anything for her grandfather, but she didn’t want to miss a possible update from Granna’s medical team. Nor did she want to be out of the loop on Preston’s investigation.

  Swiveling around, she glanced Josiah’s way. He took hold of her hand and brushed a gentle thumb over her knuckles. A silent apology.

  “I’ll text you if we hear anything from the doctor. Right now, the three of us need to talk about the crime freely without scaring the hell out of you.”

  Their overprotectiveness sparked her temper. “I already know that Enlightenment Fields tried to kill my grandmother. Facts won’t send me into a screaming hissy.”

  “You’re right,” he agreed. “But our time to make decisions is limited. I think your grandfather would speak more freely if he didn’t feel that he had to protect you at the same time.”

  Papa gave her a sheepish nod.

  Maggie didn’t like it, but he was old-fashioned and he had too much on his plate for her to keep arguing. “All right. I’ll be back. Coffee for anyone else?”

  Josiah and Deputy Preston both said yes, so off she went, trying to block out the mental pictures of her grandmother pale and still and bleeding . . .

  In her pocket, her phone buzzed. She pulled it free, wondering if it was Josiah. A glance at the display told her she’d received a text from Dixie.

  How’s your grandmother?

  Of course Dixie had heard the news. She’d probably been working the 911 dispatch desk when the call had come in.

  Still in surgery. We’re waiting for information.

  I’m so sorry. Keep me posted.

  Will do.

  Gossip is flying through town. What do you want me to say?

  Because people would ask Dixie. They always did.

  Nothing until we know something. Right now, she’s touch and go.

  Kk. Sending prayers and hugs!

  Maggie pocketed the phone again, her brain circling. Of course an event as monumental as a near-death shooting would heat up the grapevine in Comfort. She hated the thought of gossip about something so life-or-death. But the town tended to be close-knit. Besides the lurid curiosity of some, most of the town’s citizens would be concerned. They’d want to offer their support, whether that was vigils at the hospital or batches of homemade cookies. And they’d want to understand.

  All that was great, and Maggie appreciated the town’s efforts . . . but it bothered her that all their neighbors would know about Granna’s condition before Shealyn would. Call her sister and ruin her honeymoon? Wait until she had some information to tell? Or hold off altogether until she and Cutter returned to LA in five days?

  She was still deciding when she grabbed the coffee and returned to the waiting room.

  As she distributed the disposable cups filled with steaming java, the men drank gratefully without a word. Deputy Preston looked somewhere between concerned and pissed off. He hated Enlightenment Fields and it showed. Papa looked resigned. Maggie had no idea what that expression was about but it worried her, especially when she glanced at Josiah. The resolution there stopped her in her tracks. He was up to something. No, he intended to fight for something.

  When he lowered his cup and leveled a glittering gray stare her way, Maggie had a feeling the something he intended to fight for would affect her.

  * * *

  • •
•

  Another half hour slid by without a word from the surgical team. Preston’s phone dinged ten times before he swore, then excused himself because Willa Mae had a bobcat in her backyard, scaring the horses and making her house cats hiss. Despite the grim situation, Josiah smiled. The man had an interesting job.

  “I have to go. Update me when you’ve got news?” Kane asked.

  Josiah nodded. “Will do.”

  With a nod, the deputy was gone. Jim excused himself for the bathroom and a walk down the hall. Maggie shared a lingering hug with the older man once more before he left. Josiah was so proud of how much the little hellion had opened her heart today. It would have been so simple to raise those walls against everyone and try not to feel the pain or potential loss of her grandmother. But she’d done exactly the opposite, and he loved her all the more for it.

  “What conversation did I miss while I fetched coffee?” she asked once her papa had disappeared.

  “We’ll talk about it later.”

  In all honesty, she’d missed a lot, but now wasn’t the time. Two conversations, both less than ten minutes. If he followed through, they would change his entire life. Now he had to find the right moment to put his plans in motion.

  She sighed impatiently. “I’m not stupid. I put up with that old-fashioned sexist shit because my grandfather is from a different generation and I’m not going to change him, so I make allowances. But I’m not putting up with that from you. What do y’all think you decided without me?”

  Josiah sighed. From the beginning, he’d realized that Maggie wouldn’t be easily managed. She wasn’t looking to a man for direction and she wouldn’t be swayed by a commanding voice unless she damn well wanted to be. Why was it that one of her most inconvenient traits was also one of her sexiest?

  “I called my boss back in Lafayette. We discussed possible next moves. There’s still no movement from the FBI. Logan will check again and he’s hoping the shooter situation will make them get off the pot . . . but there’s no guarantee.”

  Josiah didn’t want to mention that, as a backup, he might have to go back to Mercy, hat in hand, and tell her he was ready to be the next inductee to Enlightenment Fields—and the first stud in her creepy breeding program. Better to drop that bomb on Maggie only if he had to.

  She shook her head in disbelief. “People are suffering.”

  “But we have no proof. And as awful as your grandmother’s shooting is, it’s not a federal offense.”

  “So we have no recourse?”

  “Not at the moment.” When Maggie started winding herself up again, Josiah gathered her in his arms. “Keep it together, baby. Let’s focus on sending your grandmother all the healing vibes we can. Once she’s out of surgery and hopefully out of danger, then we’ll start figuring everything else out.”

  “I know. But I don’t want you going back to Enlightenment Fields and even talking to that Mercy woman. She’s a nut job. She’s dangerous.”

  Josiah didn’t disagree with Maggie’s assessment. “I’d rather not, but . . .”

  He’d do it for the family’s safety if he had to. It wasn’t just his job anymore; they were his responsibility, especially after his conversation with Jim a few minutes ago.

  She didn’t look placated. “The idea makes me crazy. Whoever shot my grandmother would probably have shot my grandfather if you hadn’t stopped him from running across the yard.”

  “That’s my guess.”

  “The same way he tried to shoot me.”

  He should have known she’d put two and two together. “Yep.”

  “I don’t know how we stop these people and make this situation end. There’s got to be something . . .”

  “I’m working on ideas. Let me—”

  “Mr. West?” A forty-something Hispanic man in scrubs approached.

  They both stood, and Josiah shook his head. “No. Friend of the family.”

  “I’m Glenda West’s granddaughter, Maggie.”

  The doctor grimaced. “She’s stable. I can only release medical details to James West.”

  Josiah glanced down the hall just in time to see Jim heading back. When he caught sight of the doctor, he sprinted down the hall.

  “Is my wife all right?” the older man demanded, scanning the man’s badge. “Dr. . . . Hernandez.”

  With a glance, the doctor asked if Jim minded discussing Glenda’s medical condition in front of others. When the older man nodded impatiently, the doctor carried on. “She’s out of surgery. You’ve got yourself a fighter. Your wife lost a lot of blood, but once we were able to extract the bullet and repair the nick in her carotid artery, she bounced back. She stabilized well after we stitched her up. We’ve given her four pints of blood, and she’s doing much better. She’s in recovery now. You should be able to see her in less than an hour, but she’s still in critical condition, so one at a time.”

  Relief crashed through Josiah. God willing, Glenda would be all right and Maggie’s world would remain filled with the people she loved a little longer.

  “Thank you, Doctor. What’s her long-term prognosis?” Jim asked.

  “We’d like to keep her a few days, monitor her blood pressure, her reaction to medication, make sure infection doesn’t set in. If all goes well, then tentatively you should be able to take her home Saturday. But we’ll be taking this day by day. In fact, hour by hour for the first twenty-four. So if you haven’t rested or eaten, you should plan on doing that after you’ve visited with her. We’ll monitor her through the night and let you know if there’s any change.”

  Tears fell down Maggie’s cheeks as she clutched her grandfather. He clung to her in relief. Behind her, Josiah gripped her slender shoulders in silent support and kissed the top of her head.

  “Whoever gave her the first-response medical care while waiting for the ambulance probably saved her life.”

  With that, the doctor left, promising to send a nurse over to let them know when they could visit.

  Jim broke away from his granddaughter and faced Josiah. “Thank you. For all you’ve done. Glenda wouldn’t have made it if you hadn’t acted quickly and—”

  “Maggie was already trying to stop her blood loss when I reached your wife’s side.”

  “But you got her to safety, helped arrange her transportation. You’ve tried your best to save my land and now my family. I don’t know how to repay you.”

  “It’s not necessary. You’ve already given me the only thing I want.” He shifted his stare over to Maggie.

  The older man patted him on the back. “And happily.”

  Then he kissed Maggie on the forehead, a proud, beaming smile stretching across his face.

  “Okay.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “We’re not talking about Granna anymore. What did you two decide without me?”

  Josiah didn’t answer. It wasn’t the right place or time, damn it. Jim merely cleared his throat. “Is anyone else starving? If we’ve got an hour before we can visit Glenda, I think we should eat.”

  Maggie tapped her dainty foot on the tile, not swayed in the least. “I’m good for now.”

  “Well, I’m going to grab a bite before the cafeteria closes.”

  And that left Josiah very few choices. He could either try to put Maggie off, let her stew while they choked down industrial food one step above an MRE, or he could take her aside and do his best to persuade her to his way of thinking.

  “Why don’t you do that? Maggie and I can find us some rooms for the night at a nearby hotel. Sounds like we’ll be staying in the city for a few days. Then we’ll grab some takeout and head back here. By then, it should be time for her to visit Glenda, provided your wife’s health and energy hold out.”

  “Perfect. Um . . .” He frowned. “Mags, we should tell Shealyn something.”

  “Now that we have something to tell her, probably
so.”

  “We’ll handle that, Jim.” Josiah took Maggie’s hand. “Let’s get out of here and call your sister. You and I will talk soon. I promise.”

  Only slightly placated, she nodded, kissing her grandfather on the cheek and promising to be back as soon as possible.

  Josiah’s gut tangled in knots as he took Maggie’s hand in his and led her toward his truck. The next hour could decide the rest of his life. Dear god, don’t let him screw this up.

  “Do you want me to tell Cutter what’s going on so he can break it gently to Shealyn?” he offered.

  Maggie shook her head. “It would be easier, but my sister will be beside herself. The news should come from me.”

  “All right. I’ll ask for some recommendations for nearby hotels and fast food while you chat with her. What time is it in Maui?”

  “About one in the afternoon.” Maggie looked nervous and frustrated. “I don’t want her to cut her honeymoon short when there’s literally nothing she can do here except worry.”

  And there was his girl, being a good sister this time, showing her concern for her loved ones. She might not open her heart often, but when she did, she did so utterly.

  “Then tell her that, baby. I’ll talk to Cutter if that will help, too. Just know I’m here for you in any way you need.”

  She clutched his hand. “Thank you. I couldn’t have handled today without you.”

  “You could have. I believe that. But if I made this terrible crap easier to bear, then I’m happy.”

  “Why are you so perfect?” She frowned as if he was a puzzle she was determined to figure out.

  “I’m not, baby. But I love you and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you and your family safe. Remember that.”

  Maggie nodded, then pulled her phone from her pocket. He gave her a little privacy and headed over to an information desk a few feet away. After some conversation and some helpful advice, Josiah knew where to go. Still, he held back, letting Maggie finish her conversation with her sister. Well, he tried to. Once the tears started flowing again, he couldn’t stand to see his girl in distress and closed the distance between them, enclosing her in his arms.