by Kris Norris
Cullen raked his hand through his hair, trying to think of something—anything—to get her to go back to her quarters without discovering the truth. “It wasn’t just Lucas’ blood. He didn’t get anything more than a scratch.”
She arched a brow. “Then, he shouldn’t mind showing me the laceration.”
“Hollis…you’re about to fall down you’re so tired. You can look at Lucas’ shoulder tomorrow. Once you’re rested.”
“How about I make you boys a deal? I won’t tell you or Lucas how to run the camp, build the railroad or keep the townspeople safe, and you won’t tell me how to keep your crew alive as best I can.”
“Of course.” He blocked her from getting to Lucas, again. “And that deal can start first thing in the morning. As soon as you’ve gotten some rest. After we’ve all gotten some rest.”
“Damn it, Cullen. Minor or not, any wound can become infected if it isn’t treated properly. Which is why you spent the last three months beggin’ the company for a real doctor.”
“I realize that, but… Lucas doesn’t need your kind of help.” He sighed. “Just trust us. This once. Please.”
“My kind of help? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. It came out wrong.”
“So, he’ll let me examine his shoulder, then?”
“It’s not a matter of letting, and more the fact that you can’t help him.”
“I can’t help…” She glanced at Lucas, a volley of emotions shaping her features, before focusing on Cullen, again. Tears gathered in her eyes as her chin quivered before she clenched her jaw and took a couple of steps back. Color rose high in her cheeks as she drew herself up. “Is this your way of informing me you don’t consider me to be a real doctor? Like the male one you asked for? Like that first night when you said all they’d sent you was a woman? Is that why neither of you want me to look at Lucas’ shoulder?”
Cullen frowned. “No. That’s not what I said.”
“You didn’t have to say the words. The truth is written all over your face.” She turned, marching toward the clinic.
Cullen growled then darted after her, Lucas on his heels. “What? Wait. Hollis.”
She ignored them, increasing her pace.
Cullen moved to her left as Lucas flanked right. “Why would we go to the trouble of defendin’ you with the crew if we thought you weren’t worthy of it?”
She shoved at her hair when it bounced free of the bun, falling in a tousled mess about her head. “What better way to get me to play by your rules than to pretend to support me. Christ, I can’t believe I was so foolish. Thought you actually cared.”
“Pretend? We weren’t pretendin’, and we do care.” Cullen huffed, hooking her elbow and spinning her around. “Would you stop running and just talk to us?”
Hollis tugged her arm free, another quiver trembling her chin as she seemed to swallow with effort. “There’s nothing to say. I should have guessed you changed your minds too quickly. Should have realized all the coffee and the time we spent together was merely for appearances. Get your crew to stop houndin’ you for something you obviously can’t provide. It doesn’t matter whether you think I’m capable of doing my job, as long as you convince the rest of the camp to play nice. After all, compared to the damn barber, I’m a fucking miracle worker!” She snorted. “Sorry, didn’t mean to offend you with such strong language. But then, perhaps you don’t really know me at all.”
She spun, tripping her way up the stairs and into the clinic. The door rattled as she slammed it shut, the loud bang echoing down the deserted street. Cullen stared at the wooden slab, wondering what in the Hell had just happened. How it had all fallen apart so quickly. He turned, marching back to the sheriff’s office, using every trick he knew to keep from shifting.
Lucas followed behind him, moving to stand in front of him once they’d shut the door behind them. “Shit!”
Cullen tipped back his head, wondering if the past five weeks had just been part of some elaborate joke. “I know this looks bad—”
“Looks bad? She just accused us of lyin’ to her. She thinks we don’t give a damn. That we don’t respect what she does. That’s far worse than lookin’ bad.”
“You think I don’t know that? But what the Hell was I supposed to do? We both know she never would have believed you’d simply healed in less than twenty-four hours. And I didn’t have time to come up with some other explanation, not that she would have believed one, anyway.”
Lucas kicked at the floor. “Maybe we should just show her. Put it all out in the open.”
“Right, because the truth is so much more realistic. You know how this goes, Lucas. We can’t risk tellin’ her if there’s a chance she’s going to turn on us. Especially here. If Frank and the others get even an inkling we’re ‘different’, it won’t just be our lives on the line. Hollis could get caught in the crossfire. I don’t know about you, but I’m not strong enough to be responsible for her getting hurt. Dyin’.”
Lucas glanced at the window, his gaze no doubt lingering on the lighted window down the street. “We’re already dyin’ here without her.”
Cullen nodded, ambling over then kicking out a chair. He fell onto the seat, wishing he could turn back the clock. Think of something else to say that wouldn’t end with her shutting them out.
Lucas’ hand landed on his shoulder. “Not your fault. It’s mine. If I hadn’t gotten hit today—”
“Then, that spike would have hit me in the chest. You think I don’t know that? Christ, I haven’t even thanked you for savin’ my damn life.”
“Letting you get hurt wasn’t an option—for the man or the bear.”
Cullen sighed. “This thing with Hollis goes far deeper than just today. We’re on the edge without a clue of how to reach her without simply fallin’. I guess I never expected it to be this difficult.”
Lucas nudged him. “She’s a woman and a doctor. I’d say that makes her ten times more difficult than regular women.”
“Well, we’d better find a way to fix this, or we’ll have to leave before our bears go rogue. And I’d rather not die in this Hellhole if it’s all the same to you.”
Lucas glanced at the window, again. “No one’s going to die. But Hollis is going to give us a chance to explain. That, I promise you.”
“God, I hope you’re right because…” He glanced at his hands, noting the claws extending past his fingers. “I’m going to end up exposin’ myself, one way or another.”
“Get some sleep. I’ll make a few rounds then come back and wake you when it’s time.” Lucas held up his hand. “I’m fine. Got plenty of rest while healing. And Hollis’ reaction just scared my bear enough it’s pulled back. But you’ll never be able to keep your Kodiak in check if you’re using half your strength to keep your eyes open. Not fall off your damn horse. Reckon we’ll head back out and survey the damage once the sun rises.”
“I’ll head out. I want you to stay here…keep an eye on her.”
“You’re the one who’ll be in danger.”
“We weren’t the only ones to suffer loses today. Between us and Hollis, they’re down a few men, as well. Betting they’ll be lickin’ their wounds for a while before they decide to challenge us, again.”
“And when they do?”
Cullen shook his head. “It’ll be twice as bad. So, we’ll need to be ready. But for now…I’d feel a whole lot better if you were watching out for our stubborn mate. The girl has a penchant for pissin’ off the crew. And after the number of injuries… We never know who might blame her for the ones she couldn’t save today.”
“I hadn’t thought about it like that. Fine, I’ll stick around tomorrow. But we need to move ahead with our plan, even if that means exposin’ ourselves here, instead of somewhere safer.”
Cullen could only nod, before heading back to Lucas’ quarters. While Cullen’s were close, he needed to soothe his other half, and lying on Lucas’ bed, surrounded by the man’s scent, was enough to e
ase the tight feeling beneath Cullen’s skin. Make it feel as if it fit better. Noises drifted in the background as he faded in and out of sleep until a hand landed on his shoulder. He bolted awake, nearly knocking into Lucas as he stood next to the bed.
“Easy, Cullen. It’s only me.”
Cullen grunted, scrubbing a hand down his face then swinging his feet to the floor. The scenery tilted a few times before he’d blinked enough to bring it all into focus. He glanced at his mate, smiling at the scruff on Lucas’ jaw. God, what Cullen wouldn’t give to feel that light beard scratch across his skin as Lucas explored every inch of Cullen’s body. Let Cullen do the same in return.
He forced himself to swallow, bracing his weight on his elbows and knees. “Right. Just the one man I want to pounce on. Can’t imagine why I’m antsy.”
Lucas crowded the bed. “Might be best if you didn’t use the term ‘pounce’ when you’re still sitting on my bed.”
Cullen shifted his view. Christ, he was damn near level with Lucas’ groin, and just the thought that he could reach out, take the other man in his hand—his mouth—made his skin burn. Lucas speared his fingers through Cullen’s hair, all but inviting him to act on the images playing inside his head. Cullen leaned forward, mouthing Lucas’ cock through the fabric. The thick length hardened against his lips, the heady scent of the man’s skin clouding his vision with a red haze. Cullen reached for the buttons, slipping the first one free when footsteps sounded on the wooden walkway outside the sheriff’s office. A sweet, feminine aroma tickled his senses, the fragrance impossible to misplace.
Lucas tensed, staring down at Cullen before stepping back. He headed for the main office just as the door creaked open, a strong gust of wind swirling the familiar essence throughout the building. Cullen pushed off the bed, shoving his hands through his hair in an attempt to get the unruly locks under control as he marched into the other room, stopping dead. Hollis stood in front of the closed door, her gaze alternating between them as she fisted a paper in her hands. She seemed somewhat reluctant to speak as she shifted her weight from foot to foot, either unwilling or unable to remain still. The tension in the office escalated until it felt hard to breathe.
He glanced at Lucas, cursing at the flush staining his mate’s cheeks and the noticeable bulge in the man’s pants, similar to the one pushing against Cullen’s trousers. Lucas must have felt him staring. He yanked the ends of his shirt out, leaving them to cover his erection before leaning back against his desk as he fisted his hands together in his lap.
The simple action shook Hollis out of whatever daze she was in. She straightened, looking as if she wanted to anywhere but there. “This is for you.”
Cullen’s stomach dropped as she took a few steps forward, offering him the sheet still clenched between her fingers. Christ, if that was a formal letter of resignation, he wasn’t sure how he or Lucas would react, let alone their other halves. How could they bridge the distance between them if she left?
Cullen plastered on a fake smile. “What is it?”
She pursed her mouth, uncertainty furrowing her brow before she returned a small smile just as forced as his. “A list. I realize I’ve already asked for supplies, and that the railroad doesn’t have money to spare, especially with the gangs stealing or destroying various shipments, but with the rash of injuries, I’m nearly out of those.”
She tucked some hair behind her ear, the slight tremble in her hand like a knife to his soul. It killed a part of him to know that he was responsible for putting the wariness in her eyes. He nodded as he took the sheet, making a point of reading the items she’d written down.
Hollis glanced at Lucas, her gaze falling to his shoulder before she backed up until she hit the door. “If it’s too much, I can use some of what Mr. Gilmore paid me—”
“It’s fine. After three months without a doctor, there’re some funds already allocated that haven’t been used. And you really aren’t askin’ for much. Are you sure this is enough?”
The handle behind her rattling as she clamped her fingers around it. “That should last the next five or six weeks—or until you have to stop for the winter.”
“I’ll have them ordered right away. Might take a couple of days to arrive, though.”
“I’ll make do with what I have. I just didn’t want another incident like yesterday to happen and have to compromise on your men’s safety.” She twisted the handle, opening the door slightly. “If one of the crew can stack them on the platform when they arrive, I’ll transport them back to the clinic.”
“Lucas and I can deliver them for you.”
Another shiver, though if it weren’t for his increased senses, he might not have picked up on it. She opened the door wider. “No need. I’m more than capable of carryin’ a few supplies.”
Cullen took a few steps toward her. “Hollis. Let me explain about last night.”
Tears glistened in her eyes before she turned away, looking back slightly over her shoulder. “No need. I made a deal with Mr. Gilmore to stay until you close for the winter. I’ll keep that agreement. I’m sure he can find someone more to your standards to fulfill the position for your next project.”
“You are to our standards. I never meant to imply otherwise.”
“I have patients that need tendin’ to before they can go back to their quarters. If you gentlemen will excuse me.”
She walked out, shutting the door loudly behind her. Cullen pushed his hand through his hair then down his neck. He was going to lose control. He just wished he cared enough to fight against the telltale tingling beneath his flesh.
Lucas grabbed his shirt, yanking him in close and pulling him back from the edge. Red flashed in his mate’s eyes, the tips of his canines poking beneath his upper lip. “This ends. Now.” He turned, marching to the door then out into the street.
“Fuck!”
Cullen raced out, catching up with Lucas halfway down the road, just as Hollis disappeared into the clinic. The door banged behind her, hitting hard enough it bounced open slightly, leaving it hanging slightly ajar.
He grabbed Lucas’ arm, yanking him to a halt. “Lucas, wait. You can’t—”
The report of a gun drowned out the rest of his words, the loud noise followed by panicked voices from inside the clinic. Something crashed to the floor, a moment before two of Hollis’ patients rushed out of the building and stumbled their way down the steps, a collection of bandages covering their bodies.
Cullen released Lucas and raced for the stairs when another man tumbled out of the open doorway. He hit hard, rolling backward down the short stairway then landing in a heap on the ground. Dust billowed upwards, temporarily blanketing the front of the clinic in a thick haze. Footsteps rang out, Hollis’ silhouette blurring into view as the cloud started to dissipate. Red welts marred the left side of her face, her lip once again split. Blood dripped from a cut over her eye, the upper lid already starting to swell.
She staggered to the top of the stairs, pointing both pistols at the man lying in the dirt. She glared at the guy, cocking her weapons. “You stupid son of a bitch. Did you really think I wouldn’t fight back? That lyin’ in wait would give you the upper hand? Last damn mistake you’ll ever make.”
“Hollis!” Lucas moved forward, hands palms up by his shoulders. “Easy, darlin’. You don’t want to do something you’ll regret later.”
Her gaze slowly slid to his, her anger rolling off her in waves. “I warned your men I’d kill the next person who challenged me.”
“That you did. But you’re the one who’ll have to live with the guilt.”
“I can’t save souls that are already lost, Sheriff. Don’t even want to try.”
The man glanced at Lucas, then rolled, obviously trying to escape. Another gunshot echoed through the town, dropping the man back to the ground. He cupped his face, blood seeping out from between his fingers.
Hollis didn’t even flinch as she stood there, tendrils of smoke rising from her pistol. She arched a brow.
“I don’t believe I told you to move. The next bullet’s going clear through your skull, so I reckon you should stay down.”
The guy eased his hand away, exposing a long, ragged gash the length of his cheek. “You shot my face.”
Lucas reached for the man, pulling him to his feet by the scruff of his shirt. “You’re lucky she didn’t aim a lot lower, or you’d be cryin’ over losing a different part of your body.” He glanced at Hollis. “Can I toss his ass in jail or do you just want to kill him?”
The guy’s eye’s bulged wide. “What? You can’t let her shoot me. I—”
Lucas head-butted the man, knocking him back a few steps. The guy swayed then fell as his shirt pulled free of Lucas’ hold, once more landing in a heap on the ground.
Lucas nodded at Hollis. “Well, darlin’? Your choice. No one here is going to stop you if you want to finish him off. As I see it, he issued you a duel, and you’re just following through.”
Her gaze darted to the man unconscious in the dirt then back to Lucas. Her bravado faltered slightly before she relaxed, holstering her guns. “He isn’t worth the bullet. But if he ever comes near me, again—”
“He’ll be on the next train to Durango…after he wakes up, and I have a long chat with him. He won’t bother you, again, if he wants to keep breathin’.” He bent down then stopped, looking at her. “If that’s enough for you?”
“I don’t really care what you do with him as long as he disappears.” She stumbled backwards, hitting the wall before catching her balance. “That wound of his will get infected if someone doesn’t clean it. Perhaps Henry has a few leeches he can spare.”
She turned, tripping her way back inside before slamming shut the door. Cullen went to dart up the steps when Lucas grabbed his arm.
His mate shook his head. “Best let her be for a bit.”
“Did you see her face? The bastard hit her. There was a bloody gunshot. What if she got clipped?”
“Of course, I saw her face. Couldn’t stop lookin’ at the damn welts blossoming on her cheek. But my bear didn’t smell that much of her blood. Thinkin’ maybe the bastard’s gun jammed or he missed. Either way, she’s far too upset to listen to anything we might say, no matter how badly we need to say it.”
