Safe In His Arms (Life Unexpected #1)

by Melanie D. Snitker

  “Anastasia!” He pulled her into his arms and rolled with her away from the mass of flying teeth and fur.

  He covered her body with his own and watched as Chess kicked the gun away from Liam. The man’s screams intensified.

  Joel felt Anastasia’s chest rise as the air filled her lungs. The movement was comforting. She was going to be okay.

  Chess kept his gun on Liam. “Anna, call Epic off.”

  Anastasia’s first attempt was barely above a whisper. She took a long breath and Joel could feel her gain strength. “Epic.” Another breath. “Epic! That’s enough. Come here, buddy.”

  Joel didn’t think Epic had heard her, but he pulled back. Growling, he moved away from Liam.

  Chess stepped in. “Turn over and put your hands on the ground above your head.”

  Liam struggled in an attempt to obey. Even from Joel’s position, the blood on the man’s face and shirt was visible. There were splatters across Epic’s white face as well.

  The sounds of sirens filled the air.

  Joel struggled to get to his feet, pulling Anastasia gently with him. “Chess? Brooke?”

  “We’re okay.” Chess ran towards them, Brooke right behind him.

  Joel’s feet went out from under him and he didn’t understand why. It wasn’t until he propped his shoulder against the side of the house that he realized what had happened.

  Liam had shot him in the shoulder. The adrenaline was wearing off and pain sped through his chest and down his left arm.

  Three police cars lit the street up with their red and blue lights as officers poured out and quickly took over custody of Liam. Chess slid his gun into its holster and moved to help Joel. “We need a doctor over here. My friend’s been shot!”

  Joel watched as Brooke ran to Anastasia’s side, holding a hand to the wound on her head that continued to ooze blood. Epic didn’t leave her. Anastasia didn’t seem to be concerned about herself. Instead, she pulled away from Brooke and put a hand on Joel’s chest.

  “No, no, no!”

  Horror and fear flashed across her face.

  Was the porch light going out? Why was her face getting darker?

  You’re safe now, Anastasia.

  It was the last thing that went through his mind before the darkness crowded in.

  ~

  Anna watched as Joel’s eyelids lowered and his head fell forward. Two EMTs from the ambulance that had just pulled up rushed to his side.

  Brooke held her arm even as Anna tried to get closer to Joel. “Give them room to work, Anna.”

  Anna stumbled and Chess scooped her up into his arms. She squinted against the lights coming from a fire engine and a second ambulance. Moisture traveled down her face and dripped off her chin. She had no idea if it was tears or blood. Probably a combination.

  She craned her neck, keeping her eyes on Joel. Searching for a sign that he was okay. That he was still alive.

  “I have to go back, Chess. I need to be with Joel.”

  Chess tightened his hold on her as he settled her on a gurney that seemed to appear from nowhere. “I know. But Joel would want me to make sure I got you taken care of. You’re hurt, too, Anna.” She barely heard his words and struggled to stand back up. Chess finally crouched to her level, blocking her view of Joel. “He will never forgive me if I let something else happen to you. Please, let them take care of you like they’re taking care of Joel.”

  She held still as another EMT shined a light in her eyes, making her brain throb against her skull.

  Please, God. Please let Joel be okay. I don’t want to let him go. I just found him.

  Epic started to jump up beside her but the EMT held a hand out to stop him.

  Chess glared at the EMT. “Let the dog be.”

  The EMT’s eyes widened. As if he sensed what had happened, Epic jumped onto the gurney with ease and settled with his chin in Anna’s lap.

  She focused on Chess. “How’s Joel? Is he…?” Her voice sounded breathless even to her own ears.

  “He’s alive, Anna.”

  Relief flooded through her body and she slumped. The EMT caught her. “Are you dizzy, miss?”

  A thought crossed her mind and her eyes flew open. “Liam?”

  Chess gently squeezed her arm. “The police have him in custody. He’s a mess.” He reached over and scratched Epic’s head. “I’m buying this guy here a steak when this is all over.”

  She let her forehead rest against Chess’s shoulder. The ebbing adrenaline left her shaking as if she had no control over her body.

  The EMT spoke from behind her. “We’re going to need to bring you in and make sure there’s no internal damage as a result of that laceration on your head.”

  Anna moved her hand to her head, surprised by how much sticky blood there was. Pain from the contact made her nauseated.

  One ambulance left. She strained to catch a view of Joel but he was nowhere to be found. Was he on his way to the hospital?

  Brooke’s voice reached her ears. “Anna, I’m going to take care of Epic for you.”

  Anna thought she nodded. The EMT helped her lie down on the stretcher. By the time the back of her head touched the fabric, she was falling into blissful unconsciousness.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Voices were the first thing Anna registered. They sounded muffled, yet all around her, at the same time. She struggled to focus her mind and figure out where the sound was originating from.

  “I hate every minute of this.” That was Brooke. “One of us should be in there. I don’t want him to be alone.”

  Chess’s deep voice came from somewhere. “There’s nothing we can do about that right now. We’ll make sure someone’s there when he wakes up.”

  Anna felt something cold against the back of her right hand.

  Mustering all of her strength, she forced her heavy eyelids open and squinted against the daylight coming through the window. Even with the sheer coverings, it seemed as though the sun itself was peeking through the panes.

  Anna licked her lips and tried to sit. Muscles in her midsection and arms cramped in response. Her head pounded, sending waves of nausea through her. She groaned.

  Chess came into view quickly followed by Brooke. She put a hand on Anna’s shoulder and shook her head. “Don’t try to move.”

  Chess smiled at her. “Welcome back.”

  Confusion clouded her thoughts. Where was Joel? Scenes from the house flashed through her head like painful movie clips. Liam hitting her with the gun, Joel charging forward to protect her, the image of him slumping forward. It all crashed into her at once, leaving her gasping.

  She realized the cold sensation had been the saline going into her body through the IV in the back of her hand. “Is Joel okay?” The words sounded gravelly to her own ears.

  Chess gave a single dip of his chin. “He’s in surgery. The bullet did significant damage to the nerves and bone in his left shoulder. But he’s alive and the doctor hopes that he’ll be able to repair the tissue.”

  Anna let her head fall back against the pillow and moaned when pain pulsed through her. It was her fault Joel was hurt. What was he going to do if he couldn’t use his arm again? “Are you two okay?”

  “We’re fine.” Brooke gave her a smile of reassurance.

  Anna tried to swallow again. “What time is it?”

  “It’s after ten in the morning. You’ve been sleeping for hours.” Brooke’s eyes flitted to the monitor. “How are you? Should I get a nurse?”

  Anna shook her head. “No. I don’t need a nurse. I’m not sure yet.” She winced as she shifted her position. “I’m thirsty.”

  Chess straightened. “I’ll get you something. Don’t go anywhere.”

  She smiled. Or at least she thought about it. She wasn’t entirely sure it had manifested into a real one. She let her eyelids close again and didn’t open them until she heard footsteps coming into the room. Chess approached with a clear plastic cup of water closely flanked by a nurse. He handed t
he cup to Brooke. “Sorry. She insisted on coming when I asked for the water.”

  Brooke helped Anna take two sips before setting the cup on a tray near the bed. She backed up while the nurse examined Anna, asked more questions than she could remember, and wrote everything in her medical chart.

  “When can I get out of here? I need to be there when Joel wakes up.”

  The nurse checked her vitals patiently. “You’ve got a pretty serious concussion and it took eight stitches to close that laceration. The doctor is making his rounds. But I guarantee you’re not going anywhere until you are able to sit without vomiting.”

  Anna wanted to argue. But when she moved and thought she was going to lose the contents of her stomach, she knew the nurse was right. Even if she hated it.

  The nurse made a final note in the charts and left. Anna took in a lungful of air. She closed her eyes against the brightness of the room. Her mind went over the events of the night before. “Where’s Epic?”

  It was Chess who answered that question. “Epic is fine. He’s staying at a kennel with a vet until you’re back on your feet. He ended up with cuts on his paws from climbing over that fence to help you. I spoke with the vet this morning and he said they’ll heal nicely. He had a hand in saving the day, Anna.”

  She thought about her faithful friend and tears flooded her eyes. If Epic hadn’t acted when he did…

  All sorts of images and thoughts rushed through her head. Nightmares. She tried to shake them away.

  Thank God Epic was okay.

  But what about Joel? He’d gotten shot to protect her. He had to be okay. God, let him be okay.

  She opened her eyelids a crack. “Have we received any updates on what they’re going to do with Liam?”

  Chess stepped forward. “He’s behind bars, Anna. We’re going to make sure he stays there for a very long time.”

  Good. That was good. “I wish we’d gotten access to those files, though. If we had, we could add embezzlement to the list of charges.”

  Brooke grinned and reached into her pocket. “I got the thumb drive from Epic before I left the vet’s office.”

  Chess stepped forward and held something up. “And I happened to find this on the ground by Liam before the police took him away.”

  “It’s the key code, Anna,” Brooke verified. “We’ve got the files.”

  For the first time since she’d awakened, Anna smiled. “You guys are amazing.” She yawned. “I think I’m going to get some rest. That’s a sure-fire way to get the doctor to show up sooner rather than later, right?”

  “Definitely.” Brooke laid a hand on Anna’s. “You sure you don’t need anything?”

  “Wake me up when Joel’s out of surgery. I want to know how he’s doing.”

  “We will.”

  Anna’s eyelids slid down again. Her thoughts centered on Joel.

  It was Liam’s fault Joel was hurt. His insanity led him to pull that trigger.

  But if she’d stayed and faced him in Utah — or if she’d kept moving instead of trying to settle in Quintin… Well, it was because of her that Joel was in surgery now. He’d stepped in the way of that bullet — saved her life.

  What if he didn’t regain full use of his arm? What if he blamed her?

  What if, after all of this, she lost her new family like Liam said she would?

  Suddenly exhausted, and on the verge of tears, Anna tried to banish the thoughts to the far recesses of her mind. A single tear escaped and slid down her cheek and she welcomed the sleep that claimed her.

  ~

  When Anna awoke again, her brain was much faster to respond. The room seemed full of voices. When she opened her eyes, she found one doctor taking her vitals and checking the laceration on her head.

  Meanwhile, another doctor — clearly a surgeon — spoke to the others.

  “Joel is out of surgery. We wheeled him into recovery. The procedure was successful and I was able to repair the damage to his humerus as well as the tissue surrounding it. He’s in stable condition.” The surgeon paused. “He is going to need to go through extensive physical therapy with that arm. I’m hopeful that he’ll get to the point where he has full strength again. But it won’t be easy.”

  “How long will Joel be hospitalized?” asked Brooke.

  “I can’t say for certain until he wakes up and we see how he does. My best guess is that he’ll need to remain here for a couple of days and then you’ll be able to take him home. We’ll be bringing him to a room right down the hall as soon as he’s able to leave recovery.”

  Anna’s attention moved from him to the doctor examining her. “I need to be there when Joel wakes up.” She surprised herself with the steadiness of her own voice. She noted his nametag. “Doctor Terrance. I’ll be there if my friends have to wheel me in like this.”

  The doctor chuckled as Chess and Brooke moved to stand around her bed. “I believe that you would, too.” He held a hand out to her. “I want you to try sitting up. Are you ready?”

  She nodded and he slowly raised the bed until she was upright. Her head pounded and nausea still pulsed through her, but it was nothing like she felt before.

  Doctor Terrance gave a satisfied grunt. “You’ve been given pain medication as well as medication to help with the nausea. You’ve received a nasty concussion. It’s very important that you take it easy. I want you to stay here at least overnight so we can monitor you.” He jotted a few things down on her chart. “But I don’t see why you all can’t go sit with your friend once he’s brought down here.” He gave her a small smile and then cleared his throat. He pointed a finger at her. “You ride in a wheelchair and that IV stays in place until tomorrow. Agreed?”

  “Agreed.” Anna took in a steadying breath. “Thank you, doctor.”

  “I’ll be back first thing in the morning to check on you again. Ring for the nurse if you need anything. You can eat and drink as you’re up to it. Don’t rush things. It’s going to take a while to recover.”

  Anna nodded and regretted the movement. She turned to say something but Chess spoke before she had the chance.

  “I’ll talk to the nurse about having a wheelchair brought in to make sure you’re ready as soon as they give us the word.”

  Anna let her body relax against the hospital bed. She took in the relieved faces of the people around her.

  “Thank you both. After everything I’ve put you through, you didn’t have to be here with me.”

  Brooke’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Are you kidding me? Where else would we be? Joel would kill us if we didn’t keep an eye on you right now while he wasn’t able to.”

  But it was Chess who pierced her with an expression that left her no doubt he spoke for the others when he said, “You’re family. We aren’t going anywhere.”

  Tears flooded Anna’s eyes. But for the first time in a long while, they weren’t tears of pain or sadness.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Joel fought to untangle the mess of dreams and reality flowing through his head. He watched, helpless, as Liam hit Anastasia with the butt of his gun. Blood dribbled down her face, marring the whiteness of her skin.

  That red river. It was all he saw. He groaned, heat and pain spreading through his left shoulder and into his chest.

  The sound of a gunshot made him jump. The relief of having Anastasia in his arms.

  And then darkness.

  Where was he? Was Anastasia okay?

  Why wouldn’t his blasted eyelids open?

  Frustrated with himself, he groaned. That was when he felt something touch his arm.

  “Joel? Can you hear me?”

  “Hey, man. You’re in the hospital.”

  Using every ounce of effort he had, Joel forced his eyes open. Blinking several times to clear the fog, he focused on the faces observing him.

  Chess standing near the foot of his bed, a relieved smile on his face. Brooke on one side, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

  And Anastasia. She was watching him,
worry etched into her features. He realized she was sitting in a wheelchair, an IV bag hanging from a pole nearby. A white bandage on her forehead stood in stark contrast to her hair.

  He lifted his right hand to caress her cheek. “Are you okay?”

  “Thanks to you,” she whispered.

  “Praise God.” He winced when pain traveled through his shoulder. He let his eyes close for what he thought was a moment. But when he opened them again, the room was dark. How much time had passed?

  There was pressure against his right shoulder and it was only then that he realized Anastasia was bent over, her arms crossed on the bed beside him. Her head was resting there, one hand hovering over his.

  Brooke appeared from the other side. She smiled. “Anna refused to leave your side. She’s been asleep like that for over an hour.”

  He moved his thumb enough to rub the soft skin on her wrist. “Is she going to be all right?” He whispered, not wanting to wake Anastasia.

  “Yeah. The doctor said she has a concussion. She’ll probably get released tomorrow.”

  “Where’s Chess?” Joel tried to take in the room but wasn’t too successful.

  “He’s trying to catch a few hours of sleep out in the waiting room. This little couch I’m on wasn’t big enough for him.”

  Joel tried to picture Chess curled up on the small piece of furniture and chuckled. He groaned, wishing he hadn’t.

  Anastasia stirred and raised her head slowly. “Hey. You’re awake again.” She rubbed her eyes with one of her hands.

  Joel cleared his throat and Brooke helped him get a drink of water.

  Brooke smiled. “Tell you what. I seriously need a cup of coffee. Why don’t I give you two a few minutes?”

  Anastasia’s gaze followed Brooke as she left the room before resting on him. She had creases on one of her cheeks from sleeping. Her hair was disheveled, surrounding her face like a halo.