by Maya Banks
“I’m not leaving her,” Liam said fiercely.
Adam held up his hand. “No one said you had to, son. We’ll all be there. She won’t be alone. Let’s get you patched up so you can be with her that much sooner. The quicker you let them take a look at that arm, the quicker you can be back with her. She needs to be in the hospital.”
Noah nodded his agreement. A moment later, the paramedics entered the living room, followed closely by the local police. It was a madhouse of endless questions. To Liam’s frustration he was separated from Lauren as one medic tended her and the other bandaged his arm.
When they began to wheel her away on a stretcher, Noah walking beside it holding Lauren’s hand, Liam bolted up from the couch and strode after them. Over his dead body were they leaving without him.
Max was about to climb into the back with Noah and Lauren when Liam shoved him out of the way and hauled himself up to sit beside Noah on the bench next to the stretcher. When Max would have protested, Adam put his hand on his shoulder.
“Think what you would do if it was Callie and her brothers were trying to be at her side. They love her. Just like you love Callie. You’d never allow yourself to be parted from her, just like Noah and Liam won’t allow themselves to be away from her. Let them go. We’ll follow behind and you can see her at the hospital.”
Max sighed, but Liam could see that Adam’s words had hit the mark. Liam sent Adam a grateful look. The last thing Liam wanted was a confrontation with Max Wilder when the priority had to be on getting Lauren the care she needed.
The other medic closed the doors and then hurried to get into the cab. Liam reached down for Lauren’s hand, pulling it up so he could twine their fingers together.
“We’re with you, baby,” he whispered. “We won’t leave you.
He leaned down to brush his mouth across her delicate hand.
“I love you. Don’t leave me, Lauren. Hang in there and be strong. We’ll guide you back home.”
CHAPTER 39
DOES it make me a complete bastard that I’m not sorry you had to shoot that asshole?” Liam muttered in a low voice as he waited for the nurse to return so he could get out of this goddamn room.
“No,” Noah said simply. “It simplifies matters. Lauren won’t have to testify against him now that he’s dead. We turn over the disk to the D.A. and let him do the clean up.”
Liam nodded and glanced impatiently toward the door. Max was with Lauren, a concession he and Noah had been willing to make only because she currently slept, and they’d been assured by the doctor that she would remain so for a few hours yet. When she awoke, Liam and Noah would be by her side, and Max would just have to deal.
But first he had to get the hell out of this damn exam room.
“Where the fuck is she?”
Noah sighed. “Chill, man. You took a bullet. It’s a wonder they haven’t tied your ass to the bed. You should be lying down and taking it easy, not running all over the damn place.”
“You saw her,” Liam said in a quiet voice. “Would you have her wake up and us not be right there? She was out of it, Noah. She’d retreated to God knows where, and at this point I’m worried we’re not going to get her back.”
“We’ll get her back,” Noah said firmly.
His arms were folded tightly over his chest and his jaw was set in a tight line. There was a hard glint to his eyes and his face was set in determination.
Then Noah’s gaze settled on Liam’s bandaged arm.
“You know that’s going to hurt like a son of a bitch when the adrenaline wears off.”
“It already hurts like a son of a bitch,” Liam muttered.
Noah shook his head. “Then take the goddamn pain medication.”
Liam’s lips twisted into a mutinous line. “I don’t want to be fucking fuzzy-headed when we see Lauren. There’ll be plenty of time to take that shit later. She’s what’s important.”
He turned his head toward the door again.
“Where the fuck is the nurse? What could possibly be taking so long?”
He would have slid from the exam table and stalked out, but Noah stepped in front of him and shoved him back. Hard.
“Sit your ass down. She’s only been gone a few minutes. Adam and Ryan are outside Lauren’s room, and they promised to let us know the minute she begins to come around.”
Liam bit out a string of expletives but settled back on the exam table, his injured arm tight against his body. He wouldn’t admit it, but it was killing him. Nausea coiled low in his belly and sweat beaded his forehead. But he wouldn’t admit it, because he didn’t want to chance any delay in getting to Lauren.
He was still haunted by the scene he and Noah had witnessed. He was tortured by what had happened before they arrived. He’d seen the marks and bruises from Knight’s abuse, but how many more were inside Lauren where no one could see?
A heavy ache settled into his chest, more pressing than even the pain in his arm. Lauren had withdrawn. A self-defense mechanism to protect her from her terrible reality. Liam just wanted her back. In his arms. But he’d failed her in a big way. He’d sworn that he’d do everything possible to keep her safe, but had he?
He bolted more upright when the nurse came back into the room. She glanced warily at him and he supposed he couldn’t blame her after the way he’d acted. He’d threatened all sorts of things if he wasn’t released soon.
Feeling regretful, he tried to ease his expression and relax while she went over his discharge instructions with Noah. She gave everything to him and not Liam, as if she didn’t want to get close enough to Liam to risk potential harm.
That put a knot in his stomach. Yeah, he wanted to get back to Lauren, but intimidating women was something Knight got off on, and it didn’t make Liam feel good to be in the same vein.
“Thanks,” Liam said gruffly.
The nurse looked startled, and then she offered a tentative smile, her face softening.
“I know you’re worried about her,” the nurse said in a quiet voice. “She hasn’t awakened yet from the sedative and she’s resting comfortably, in no pain, I promise.”
Noah let out a whoosh of air in relief and Liam nodded, murmuring his thanks again.
“Take care of yourself,” the nurse said. “No way you should be leaving this soon. I gave your scripts to your friend, and you need to make sure you take them or you could end up very sick and in the hospital, and I’m sure you don’t want that.”
“No ma’am, I don’t,” he said meekly. “Thank you. I appreciate your help. And your understanding.”
She offered a bigger smile and then said, “You’re free to go. Miss Wilder is in room eight just down the hall.”
Liam slid from the exam table and winced when he bumped his arm. He’d refused even a sling or for them to immobilize it against his body. He needed his arm to be free just in case. He could hardly protect Lauren tied up and one-handed.
He followed eagerly behind Noah, simmering with impatience as they strode down the hall. When they got to Lauren’s room, they saw the Colters outside the doorway, leaning against the door frame and across the hall against the wall.
Adam frowned when he got a look at Liam.
“Should you be up, son?”
Ryan held up his hand to Adam. “I know how he feels. And for that matter, if it were Holly and you were the one shot, would you stay away from her?”
Adam’s lips tightened but he remained silent. Liam sent Ryan a grateful look.
Ryan put his hand down over Liam’s uninjured shoulder. “She’s still resting and Max is sitting with her now.”
Liam nodded and then found Seth’s gaze. “What happened with the police?”
“Nothing yet,” Seth said. “They’ve been by of course. Surprised they hadn’t made it down to you yet, but their primary focus is Lauren of course. Castanetti is on his way. He wants that disk badly. They’re going to want statements from everyone involved. They’ve already questioned us and we’ll have to go d
own to make official statements, but we told them we weren’t going anywhere until we knew for certain how you and Lauren were doing.”
Noah sighed. “Damn it, I don’t want to have to deal with this mess right now. I just want to take Lauren home.”
Dillon cleared his throat. “And where is home?”
Liam and Noah exchanged looks and then glanced back at the Colter men, whose eyes all mirrored the question in Dillon’s.
“She’s family,” Dillon continued. “She’s come to mean a lot to us. She’s like a sister to me and my siblings. She’s like a daughter to our mom and dads. She was . . . happy . . . in Clyde, or at least she was beginning to be. She’d come a long way from the frightened, vulnerable young woman who arrived before Christmas. We just don’t want to see her unhappy again.”
“We haven’t discussed it,” Noah said in a quiet voice. “We have a lot we still have to discuss. All we care about right now is that she’s okay. Not just physically. Everything else can wait.”
“You’re right about that, son,” Adam said in a serious tone. “Everything will work itself out. Just focus on Lauren and making sure she has what she needs. Be there for her. She’s going to need you now more than ever.”
“She’ll need us all,” Liam said.
Even as he spoke the words, he knew them to be true. No matter what may have been in the back of his and Noah’s minds about where they would make their home with Lauren, Liam realized that Lauren would need time. She hadn’t fully healed from her relationship with Knight, much less her abduction and abuse at his hands. It wasn’t something that would be resolved in days or even weeks.
There was no way he and Noah could take her from a place she felt safe and a family who loved her and offered her invaluable support.
A sudden commotion from down the hall made them all jerk around, alert and wary.
“Where are my sons?” an imperious tone demanded.
It was a voice that instantly warmed Liam and terrified him all at the same time, because if there was one person he toed the line with, it was his mother.
CHAPTER 40
LIAM’S eyes widened and then narrowed as he swung back around to pin Noah with his glare.
Noah shrugged. “She needed to know and I wasn’t about to get my ass in a sling by not telling her you got shot.”
“Hell,” Liam muttered.
It was at that moment that Lisa Prescott stalked down the hall, her husband close on her heels.
“Liam!” she cried when she saw him.
He braced for impact and in the next moment was enfolded in her fierce embrace. It was automatic to smile, because how could he not?
She let go of Liam and then pushed by him to drag Noah into her arms.
“Are you all right, son?” his father asked in a serious tone.
Liam’s mom, who by now had finished making sure that Noah was unharmed, tuned back just in time for Liam’s dad’s question.
“Why are you up?” she demanded. “Shouldn’t you be in a hospital bed? What kind of hospital are they running here?”
Liam held up his hand. “Mom, I’m fine. Just a flesh wound. It’s been taken care of. I’m more worried about Lauren.”
Lisa Prescott’s eyebrow went up. “Lauren was hurt? What happened?”
Dillon Colter coughed discreetly and then said, “We’re just going to go down and get something to drink. We’ll be back in a little while to check in on Lauren.”
Before introductions could be made—and really, they could certainly wait—the Colters walked by Liam, Noah, and their parents and disappeared around the next corner.
“What is going on, Liam?” his mom asked. “Noah scared the life out of me when he called to say you’d been shot. I know your job isn’t the safest job in the world, but someone shot you?”
Liam sighed and then sent Noah a look to say that he wasn’t going to do this alone.
“Why don’t we walk down to the waiting area,” Noah suggested. “We can talk more privately there.”
Liam hesitated, not wanting to leave Lauren, even for a short length of time. He still hadn’t even been able to get in to see her!
“Give me just a minute,” Liam finally said.
He pushed Lauren’s door open, and Max swung around to see who entered.
“How is she?” Liam asked in a whisper as he approached the bed.
“Resting,” Max said.
He didn’t offer more and Liam didn’t press. He simply stood at the bed, staring down at Lauren’s bruised face. A harsh growl echoed through the room, and for a moment, Liam thought he’d made the sound, but then he realized it came from Noah, who’d followed him into the room.
“My parents are here,” Liam said to Max. “We’ll be down the hall with them. Lot to explain. We’ll be back soon. Please let us know if she awakens. I don’t want . . . I don’t want her to wake up and for us not to be here.”
“I understand,” Max said. “I’ll let you know.”
Liam leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Come back, baby,” he whispered. “It’s safe now and we love you.”
He stepped away and let Noah have a moment with Lauren before he walked from the room to meet his parents back in the hallway.
They were both staring at him with concern in their eyes, but there was also curiosity as they watched Noah come out behind Liam.
Liam’s mother hugged him again and whispered against his chest. “You scared me. Never do that again!”
Then she turned to Noah. “And you! Don’t think you’re off scot-free. Thank God you weren’t hurt too.”
Noah hugged her again, a broad smile on his face.
“Let’s go sit down,” Liam’s dad said. “Liam doesn’t need to be standing.”
They walked down the hall to a small waiting area, and Liam sank onto one of the chairs. He’d never admit it in a million years, but sitting down felt pretty damn good at the moment.
“So what’s going on?” Lisa Prescott asked bluntly. “You explained about Lauren on the phone, but I thought it was a matter of her testifying and that there would be lots of protection. I never imagined that either of you would be taking such a huge risk.”
“The man who abused Lauren found her in Colorado,” Noah said in a quiet voice. “They forced our vehicle off the road and took Lauren. I don’t even know what all has been done to her yet. When we found her, it didn’t look good.”
Lisa’s expression turned to one of sympathy, her eyes darkening. “And do the both of you still feel . . . the same? I mean that you both want to be with her?”
“Absolutely,” Liam said with no hesitation.
“Have you thought this through?” Carl Prescott asked in a somber voice. “I mean really thought it through your initial attraction and feelings? Is this something you really believe is going to work out long term?”
“I don’t want a woman to come between you,” Lisa cut in, her expression pained. “That’s my only concern with your . . . arrangement. I don’t want this to put a wedge in our family. You boys are too important to me.”
Liam reached over and squeezed his mother’s hand. “I understand your concern, Mom. I do. I can’t even explain it, but this is . . . right. For all of us. We love her. She loves us.”
“I hope for your sake she does,” she said softly. “I want you to be happy.” She looked to Noah, including him in her gaze. “I want you both to be happy. I always imagined a slightly different future, though.”
Her face twisted into a rueful smile as she said the last. But there was also acceptance in her gaze, and it warmed Liam’s heart. His mom was the best. Always looking out for her boys. She wanted the best for them. And Lauren was the best thing that ever happened to either him or Noah.
Carl just shook his head, obviously puzzled by the whole situation.
“You’ll love her,” Noah said. “Just as much as we do. I’m sure of it. No one can be around Lauren without falling in love.”
“Mom?” Li
am queried.
She’d gone silent, and he wasn’t entirely certain what she was thinking. The last thing he wanted was to cause either his mother or his father worry or pain, but he couldn’t give Lauren up. He loved her. Lauren was his future.
She gave him a genuine smile. “I’m sure we’ll adore her. How could we not when she’s shown such good judgment in loving not one but both of my sons? You’ll just have to give me—us—time to understand. This isn’t something you come across every day. It’s going to take some adjustment in my thinking.”
“That means a lot to all three of us,” Liam said.
She reached over to pat his leg. “Will you at least promise me you’ll rest and take it easy until you’re healed?”
“I’ll try,” he conceded.
“Noah, Liam, she’s coming around,” Seth said from the doorway.
Both men’s heads came up, and then they surged upward from their chairs.
Ignoring the pain in his arm, Liam hurried to the door. His mom caught his other arm, causing him to turn back momentarily.
“Liam,” she said, her brows drawn together. “Your father and I want to meet her, but we realize this isn’t the time. We’ll try to understand, but what you have to understand is that this is hard for me. A mother wants so much for her children, and this arrangement scares me because you or Noah could so easily be hurt.”
Liam’s heart went soft as he stared back at his mom. He pulled her against his chest with his good arm and squeezed tightly.
“Thanks, Mom. But please don’t worry. Noah and I have given this a lot of thought. This is what we want.”
“And is it what she wants?” Lisa asked quietly.
“God I hope so,” Liam breathed.
She patted his face and then reached over to give Noah’s hand a quick squeeze. “Go on. I know you two are anxious to see her. We can talk later.”
Liam needed no further urging. He strode down the hall to Lauren’s room and saw the Colters congregated outside her door. They looked up as Liam and Noah approached.
“How is she?” Liam asked anxiously.
