by K E Osborn
Turning to look at Brax and Tony continuing to tackle each other, until I hear the loud burst of another gunshot which shocks me making me jump on the spot. I scream and open my eyes wide wondering where it came from until I see Hunter standing with the gun in his hand and Tony lying motionless on top of Brax who’s also lifeless. My entire body is shaking frantically, and I can’t help the scream that escapes me when I look at Brax’s pale face.
My feet feel like lead weights as I rush over to Brax pushing past Hunter, he drops the gun to the ground and the sight in front of me breaks my heart into two. I lean down and pull Tony’s limp body off Brax, he flops to the side with blood oozing from his chest. He doesn’t look good. My bottom lip is trembling as I quickly glance up to see Mase has Charli as he rushes over to see his dad on the floor. He hides Charli’s eyes from the grisly scene as she cries loudly while I run my eyes over Brax’s body. Swallowing hard, the metallic smell of blood doesn’t evade me as I glance at his shoulder and see blood spurting from it.
“Shit!” I interlace my fingers one hand over the other and prepare to stop the bleeding. “Sorry, Brax,” I whisper and then force my hands down onto his shoulder. He wakes with a huge moan as his eyes flicker open wide and his body lurches off the ground.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry,” I murmur as he moans and groans, but the blood oozes through my fingers. The warm trickle unsettles my stomach and I instantly feel like I want to hurl. But instead, I look into Brax’s eyes so he knows I’m here with him.
“It’s okay. You’re going to be okay,” I say to him leaning down close to his ear.
Hunter drops to his knees and he’s gazing out into the distance like he’s completely lost in his own thoughts. I feel sorry for him. He’s never shot anyone and I’m pretty sure Tony is dead. I have no idea what this means for my brother.
Hot tears pool at my chin as Brax writhes around in pain, but the one constant is the blood that’s gushing from his wound.
“I didn’t mean to kill him,” Hunter says.
I shake my head at Hunter as Brax starts to shake. I turn back to Brax and he’s so pale. His eyes roll into the back of his head and panic washes over me. My heart stops beating as my stomach lurches.
“Brax, no. No way, you stay with me. God damn it!” I yell and his eyes flutter open as I press harder on his shoulder making him moan out in pain as the blood keeps flowing.
Keeping the pressure on his wound, I watch as Mason’s mother falls to the floor at her husband’s side and cries for her dead lover. The man who kidnapped my child, the man who tried to force my child’s father into a life of crime, the man who shot the man I might be falling for. I don’t feel sorry for her at all. Turning back to look at Brax, my tears drop from my chin and onto his cheeks.
“Are you with me?” I ask and he nods and then winces.
I furrow my brows and look back at Mason, who’s barely holding it together. “Mason, are you okay?” I ask and he walks over to me with a screaming Charli and kneels beside me so Charli can see me.
“I’m…” he trails off. I guess it’s hard to see your father being shot by your best friend.
“Shhh, Charli. Baby girl, it’s okay, Mummy’s here,” I say nuzzling into her cheek while keeping the pressure on Brax’s shoulder.
She calms down slightly and looks at me nuzzling into her dad even more. I’m glad he’s holding her.
“Hunter, are you okay?” I ask and he walks over to me and nods as he sits down next to Brax.
“I’m okay. I called an ambulance. They should be here soon for you Brax. Thanks for stepping in the way. I don’t know what I would have done if he’d have shot my sister,” he says resting his hand on Brax’s good shoulder.
“I’d take a bullet for her any day,” he says through gritted teeth. I chuckle and start to cry. “Hey don’t cry, I’m going to be fine,” he says and I look down at the copious amounts of blood running from his shoulder and think he’s just saying that to make me feel better.
“Liar,” I say and he smiles and brings his hand up to my cheek and caresses it.
“I’ve got too much to live for Amber to die on you now,” he says.
Smiling I lean down and kiss his lips forcefully. His lips loosen, and I pull back to see he’s passed out again.
“Brax?” I push harder on his shoulder and he doesn’t respond. “Damn it, Brax,” I say and push again as blood oozes through my fingers this time and I start to panic as I hear the sirens pulling up outside.
“Brax, wake up. For me. Please, wake up,” I say and he’s turning paler with every second that ticks by. “Hunter!” I call out, he nods and then rushes to the entrance to greet the paramedics.
“Amber, I’m going to take Charli away. There’s too much blood for her, okay?” Mason asks me and I nod as I look down at Brax’s unresponsive face. “Will you be okay?” he asks. Looking back at him to where Charli is still screaming, I sniff and nod my head for Charli’s sake.
“Go! Just go, take her away from here.”
He nods and walks off leaving me in this cold, dark place with the guy I’m falling for bleeding out and turning whiter than anything I’ve ever seen before.
“Brax, please don’t leave me before we’ve even begun our relationship. Please fight and give us a chance. Please, stay with me,” I beg and Hunter rushes in with two paramedics wheeling a gurney. I’ve never been so relieved to see paramedics in all my life.
“Please hurry, I can’t stop the bloody bleeding!” I call out as they come over.
“Single bullet wound?” One paramedic asks me.
“Yes, to the shoulder. Please help him. He won’t wake up.”
“We’ll do all we can. You’ve done an excellent job applying pressure, but we’ll take it from here.”
“I want to come in the ambulance with you.”
“We need to stabilise him first, but I’m sure we can arrange something.”
Moving back away, I take my hands from Brax’s shoulder and a burst of blood squirts up and splashes all over my top. He moans and the paramedic applies more pressure. As I stand back, I begin to silently cry as they work on him. Once they have him stabilised, they move him to the stretcher to take him to the hospital.
Thank God it’s not too far away.
I’m shaking so much I feel like I’m on one of those vibrating machines. The world around me is spinning.
Brax is hurt.
Really hurt.
I’m pretty sure that bullet nicked an artery, and he’s lost so much blood. I don’t know what the hell is going to happen to my brother, and who knows what emotional scars my daughter is going to carry for the rest of her life after watching her grandfather shot dead in front of her.
I have no idea what to do now, other than to get in the ambulance and be there for Brax. He’s my priority number one, because if he bleeds out there won’t be a Brax to thank for taking a bullet for me.
Brax was rushed into the theatre to remove the bullet and repair his punctured artery. He’s just arrived back from surgery and he looks pale and nothing like the strong man I know. Sitting down next to him, my thumb grazes over his free hand as I rest my head down on his bed. Hunter is with the police, and Mase is in the waiting room with Clara and Charli.
The door creaks open which makes me bring my head up to take a look. It’s the doctor and I’m waiting for some news, anything, I just need to know what’s going on.
“Miss Montgomery?” His kind eyes focus on me and instantly I feel more at ease. His wavy brown hair falls to the side making me think of McDreamy from Grey’s Anatomy.
“Yes, that’s me. Please tell me Brax will be okay?”
“He’d lost a great deal of blood by the time he arrived at the hospital. He had to have two units of blood to replace what he’d lost. There was some minor bone involvement, so we did a washout fragment and a clean-up and closure. The bullet did hit an artery as I’m sure you were aware, so we had to clamp and repair as well as remove all the shrapnel. Alex
will need some rehabilitation for his shoulder and some antibiotics for at least a week. I’m also organising some home care and a weekly wound check for two weeks.”
I exhale and nod taking in all this information.
“Okay. When will he wake up?”
“Should be any time now. He’ll be a little groggy at first, and if he’s in too much pain ring for the nurse.”
I nod again and look down at Brax. Thinking of him in pain makes my chest ache, and looking at his arm in the sling knowing he’s going to be immobilized for weeks makes me unhappy. I know he’ll hate it.
“Thanks, Doc, when will he be able to head home?”
“Depending on pain, how he reacts to the antibiotics and how his wound is looking, probably four days or so.”
“Thanks again.”
He smiles and tilts his head. “Just get the nurses to page me if you have any questions.” He turns and walks toward the door. I look back at Brax leaning in and caressing his face with my free hand while my other continues to hold his good hand.
I hear the door squeal and then the thump and I relax knowing I’m alone with Brax. I just wish he’d wake up.
“Brax, you big idiot. Why’d you go and get yourself shot for me?” I murmur.
He groans slightly making my heart rate spike as I sit up straighter and look at his face watching his eyes begin to flutter.
“Brax? Brax, can you hear me?”
“Ahhh, geez my shoulder.” He brings his hand up to touch his shoulder letting my hand go, and I try to push him back down on the bed to stop him from moving.
“Brax, stop! Lay still. You’ve been shot and had surgery.”
“Shit! Amber!” His eyes fly open wide and his breathing is rushed.
Jumping up, I stand over him right in his line of sight. “I’m okay, I’m right here. I’m fine, Brax. You saved me.” His eyes focus on me and his body relaxes. He half smiles and his good hand reaches out for me. I hold his hand and interlace our fingers standing at the edge of his bed.
“I was so worried about you.”
“You’re okay?” he asks.
I nod and smile. “I’m fine.”
“Charli?”
I smile again and tighten my grip on his hand. “Mase has her. She’s okay, too. Hunter’s fine, so’s Mase. We’re all okay because of you. You big hero.” He chuckles and then flinches from the jerking of his shoulder. “Do you need some more pain meds?”
He smiles and curls his lip. “Pain meds are for pansies.”
I scoff and chuckle. “Are you turning all Army on me right now? Cause I will stab my finger into your bullet wound and remind you of the pain if you’re not careful.”
He raises an eyebrow and smirks. “Okay, fine, maybe a little pain relief would be nice ma’am. Maybe some sugar too might help.”
I can’t help but laugh as he puckers his lips and makes kissy noises at me. I shake my head and lean down careful not to press on him and push my lips to his. He kisses me softly, and I kiss him back but only gently, nothing hurried or rushed. I know we have all the time in the world together now, and I don’t want to hurt him. A shot of electricity pulses through our lips as we connect together again, and it reverberates right through my soul as I taste him. I’ve missed this, just the act of a simple kiss.
I need to be able to do this more often.
That’s why I have a plan.
Hopefully, Brax will go along with it!
“So I’m going to have a nurse come and check on me at home?” Brax asks and I figure seeing as we’re packing up and getting ready to head home I better tell him my plan now, and get him on board before we have to leave for the car.
“Well, I’ve been thinking—”
“Oh no—”
“Shut up idiot.” I chuckle and shake my head as he sits on the edge of the bed while I carefully place his clothes in his bag. “I think you should come back to the guest house—”
“I don’t know—”
“That way you have me and Clara to care for you, and you won’t be trying to fend for yourself all the time. I know you’re having trouble with only having one arm, so I think this is the best available option for you right now. You can sleep in the guest house still and I’ll stay in my room, but I want you there Brax. I want to know you’re being looked after and you’re not suffering in pain by being a martyr. Think of it as a favour to me, you’ll be keeping my sanity in check if you do this.” I glance up at him and he’s looking at me furrowing his brows and pursing his lips. I can’t read his expression, either he’s really pissed off or he’s thinking really hard. I hope it’s the latter.
“Well?”
“If it’s for your sanity then I guess I can’t say no, can I?” He smirks and I step in between his legs and wrap my arms around his neck being careful not to hurt his shoulder.
“Good choice, Mr. Braxton.”
“Yeah, didn’t want to upset the missus already.”
I giggle and smile at him. “How’s the pain?”
He tilts his head and looks into my eyes, sending a shiver of excitement through me. “Barely noticeable with you holding me.”
“You’re a big softie when you want to be, you know that soldier?” I lean in and press my lips to his. A flame flows through me igniting an insatiable fire inside me. Brax makes me feel alive, and I’m so happy to be finally kissing him again. He brings his free hand up and grabs hold of my arse as his tongue slides into my mouth and dances with mine feverishly.
“Ahem.”
I reluctantly pull back from Brax and turn slightly to see Hunter in the doorway peering in at us with a slight smirk on his face. I move out from in between Brax’s legs and stand to his side.
“Ready to go?” Hunter asks and I nod. “Good. The nurse out here keeps giving me the stink eye. I think she’s either crushing on me and trying to put me off or she actually really hates me. Either way, I’m uncomfortable and wanna leave.”
I giggle and help Brax down from the bed. “Well, did you do something to her?” I ask.
He shrugs and chuckles. “No, not really. Just told her she’d look great in my bed and she should call me. I gave her my number and walked off, and ever since then she’s been glaring at me. Weird!”
Brax and I burst out laughing, then Brax jolts back in pain and groans grabbing at his shoulder.
“Shit! Sorry. Shouldn’t make you laugh. Anyway, let’s go before she sets security on me. I’ve had enough of the police station for a lifetime.”
I nod and wrap my arm around Brax as Hunter grabs his bags, and we all walk out of the room toward the exit. I can’t help but notice the nurse staring at Hunter. She’s glaring, but it is painfully obvious to me that she’s trying to look angry, but there’s some serious lust going on behind those eyes. It makes me inwardly giggle.
We fill out any necessary paperwork and then Hunter brings the car around to take us home. I discussed having Brax back home with me with Hunter, and he wasn’t a fan at first. But when I explained that his night terrors are much better, and with the pain meds he’s calmer at night, plus he needed someone to look after him, Hunter seemed to soften to the idea.
The afternoon breeze wafts over my skin as we file into the car. I slide in next to Brax while Hunter takes up the driving role, as usual. Relaxing into the soft leather lined seats, I place my hand on Brax’s knee. The hum of the car’s engine roars to life, and soon we’re off on the road to my house, back to Charli and back to normality.
The drive to the house doesn’t take too long and before I know it we’re inside sitting at the dining table with Clara making us a cup of coffee.
“It’s so good to have you back, Brax,” Clara gushes. It’s funny that he affects her just as much as he affects me.
“It’s great to be back.”
“Well, I’m off. I’ll let you two lovebirds settle in for the night,” Hunter says standing up and leaning in to kiss Charli on the head as she sits in her high chair.
“Love bir
ds? So you’re okay with Brax and me being together then?” I ask wondering where this is coming from.
“Amber, the guy took a bullet for you. I think that means something. Am I happy that my best mate and sister will be doing the hanky panky? No, that freaks me the shit out, and we will not discuss that ever again. Am I concerned about Brax’s recovery from his PTSD? Yes, but I know that he’s come a long way since the incident and even though I don’t forgive him…I don’t forgive you.” He stares right at Brax and he nods and exhales sharply. “I know he would lay down his life for you. So if he’s willing to fight for you, then I need to step the hell away and let you two give this a shot. If that’s what you want. But I swear Brax, if you hurt her again physically or emotionally I will shoot you. I know how to do it now.”
My eyes open wide at Hunter’s words. “Hunter!”
“No, it’s okay, I deserve that. I’m sorry for what I did to Amber, Hunt. I can never make up for hurting her like that. Just know that my terrors are almost gone, and I will spend as long as Amber will have me, making it up to her.”
I look at Brax and smile running my hand onto his knee and squeezing tight. He looks at me and winks, it’s so sexy it makes my skin prickle with goose bumps and my hairs stand on end. A tingle shoots down my spine and I can’t hold back my smile.
“Well, as long as you treat her right, I’ll be happy. Look after yourself. I’ll check in soon. Night guys.”
Night Hunter, and thank you,” I call out as he walks away down the hall and to the front door.
The grin forming on my face can’t be stopped as Brax turns to me. “We have his blessing.”
“Finally,” I say and lean in kissing his lips. I pull back and bite my bottom lip and take in a deep breath.
“You okay?”
I inhale and nod. “I was thinking. Well, more like it’s going to happen because I’m the boss and wear the pants in this relationship—”
“Oh, is that so?” He chuckles.
“Mm-hmm. Anyway, I want you to stay in the house, not the guest house so I can keep a closer eye on you. You don’t have to stay in my room if you’re not ready yet. There’s a guest room I can get you set up in. It will be easier during the night if you need me than using the guest house.”
