Wade quickly dismissed him and turned his attention back to Gracie. “I’m taking Gracie to the hospital.”
Henderson stepped in front of him. “We’ve got Lusk dead to rights, Wade. Kidnapping, assault, and whatever else we can stick him with.
He’s going away for a long time.”
Wade glared at the detective and moved around him. “Just so you know, Lusk walks, I’l be going hunting. Remember that.”
“Guess I’l just have to see to it that that doesn’t become an issue.”
“You do that,” Wade muttered, as he walked out of the room. Gracie cupped his cheek. “I real y can walk. The cut on my chest, it’s not that bad. You’ve been shot, Wade. You shouldn’t be carrying me.”
“Hush, damn it. I’m not letting you go, Gracie. I’m never letting you go.”
Gracie relaxed against him. “I knew you’d come for me.”
“Always, angel.” He kissed the top of her head. “But be warned, after we’re both patched up, you and I are going to have a little chat.”
Gracie stiffened against him, but stayed silent.
31
“I want to see her. I want to see Gracie.”
“Just one more stitch.” The doctor stuck him again, and Wade winced. “There, that’s the last one.” He unwrapped some gauze and started to cover the dent the bul et had left in Wade’s arm. “You’re lucky that bul et only grazed you. This could have been a lot worse.”
“I’m aware of that,” Wade bit out. “It doesn’t change the fact that I want to see Gracie. Now.” He wouldn’t believe she was okay until he saw her with his own eyes.
“She’s fine, you know,” the doctor said, as if reading his mind. “That cu
t on her chest was pretty shal ow. Didn’t even need a stitch. Just a few butterfly bandages.”
Wade was fast losing his patience. “So you’ve said, but if I don’t see her soon, I’m going to get violent.”
The doctor had the nerve to chuckle and pat his arm. “You’re done.” Wade got off the bed and started for the door. As soon as he stepped into the hal , he saw the whole crew coming at him. Dean, Deanna, his mother, Cherry, and Dante—they were al converging on him. “What the hel ?”
Wade’s mother wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tight. When she pul ed back, he could see the worry on her face, and he felt like a complete shit.
“Jonas cal ed. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Mom.” He patted her on the back and felt her trembling. “Just a little graze on my arm, I promise. You made a trip for nothing.”
“Jonas told us you’d be fine, but I wanted to see with my own eyes that my son wasn’t lying half-dead.”
Suddenly Wade was a little kid again. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Sorry to worry you, Mom.”
Deanna hugged him next, then smacked his chest. “I thought you learned how not to get shot when you were in the army. What happened, big bro? Going soft?”
Wade snorted. “Love you too, sis.”
Dean chuckled. “Don’t let her fool you. She’s been worried sick about you ever since Jonas cal ed her.”
Wade quirked a brow and grinned. “Is that right?”
Deanna glared at her twin. “Big mouth.”
Dean ignored her and slapped him on the back. The jarring sent lightning streaking down his arm. “Glad you’re okay, bro.”
“Thanks,” Wade muttered, wil ing them gone so he could get to Gracie. Regardless of what the doctor said, he wouldn’t sit easy until he saw her. Cherry and Dante took their turns next. Wade’s patience final y gave way to worry for Gracie. “Look, I real y appreciate your al coming down, but I’m sort of in a hurry.”