“How did you get here so quickly?” she asked. “Weren’t you up at the cabin? Oh God—the kids,” she tried to pull away from him as if she needed to check on her kids.
“The kids are fine,” he assured. “I need for you to be still so that I can keep pressure on that arm. As soon as I got back to the cabin and didn’t find you, I started to go through the security footage and that’s when I saw you leaving in Steve’s truck. I knew that something was up, that you wouldn’t willingly go with him, so I told the kids to grab a few things and we drove back to town. I dropped them off at Beck’s place with her, Knox, and the new baby.”
“Link,” she reminded.
“Right, Link. Needless to say, your kids are in heaven watching him sleep. I was headed to the police station when I got the alert on my cell that someone had broken into this place. So, I called it in and hightailed it over here.”
“How did you know that he’d bring me here?” she asked looking over at Steve’s lifeless body.
Slater shrugged, “I didn’t,” he admitted. “I had to get your kids to your sister’s place, so she’d keep them safe. Then, I was going to head down to the station to see if any of my leads down there had any information. I was determined to find you, Rain. It’s what I do for a living, you know?” he teased.
“I’ve heard,” she stuttered.
“Let’s get you outside before the cops get here,” he insisted. She looked back one last time at Steve, and leaned into Slater’s body, letting him help her out of the house. It was almost too much for her to even keep her eyes open, let alone stay in an upright position.
Police cars, an ambulance, and even a fire truck showed up in her front yard and it quickly resembled a scene from an action-adventure film. “You’re going to be great, honey,” Slater promised. “Just answer the cop’s questions and I’ll get you moved to the hospital.” She nodded and Slater let go of her, crossing the lawn to greet a few of the officers. Rainey wanted to call out to him, to tell him that she didn’t feel right, but her lips didn’t seem to want to form the words. Before she could do anything to get his attention, she felt as though her world was spinning off-kilter. She knew that staying upright was no longer an option as her legs gave way and she toppled to the grass. The very last thing she saw was Slater’s worried expression on his handsome face as he leaned over her body.
* * *
Rainey woke up to machines beeping and buzzing around her and she knew that she had to be in the hospital. The sharp pain in her upper left arm reminded her that she had been shot and she groaned when she opened her eyes to the bright lights.
“What’s going on?” she croaked. Rainey cleared her throat, but it didn’t seem to help. “Water,” she whispered.
“Right here, honey,” Slater offered. “You’re going to be all right. You were lucky—the bullet went straight through.”
“Hurts,” she breathed. “Don’t feel lucky,” she grumbled. Rainey sipped at the water as Slater laughed.
“I get that,” he said. “But you will be able to go home in a week and I’d call that pretty damn lucky.” She knew that he was right. Things could have ended so differently for her. She could have been the one in a body bag, down in the morgue, like Steve. Instead, she had hit her target, while Steve’s bullet hadn’t. Walking out of the hospital with a flesh wound was incredibly lucky for her.
“How long have I been out?” she asked.
“About half a day,” he said. “The cops have been in and out, checking on you.”
“I’d say that was sweet of them, but I’m betting they want to question me after I’m awake,” she mumbled.
Slater chuckled, “Yep,” he said. “But you don’t have to talk to them unless you’re feeling up to it, honey. I’m sure I can keep them out if you need me to.” She had no doubt that Slater would be able to keep the cops out of her room if she asked him to, but she just wanted to get this all behind her, and answering their questions was the only way to do that.
“I’m fine,” she lied. “I just want to get this over with and go home,” she said.
“They want to keep you here for about a week, honey,” he insisted. “You lost a good deal of blood.”
“A week?” she asked. “What about the kids?”
“They’re good. Your sister and Knox have them and I’ll stay with them too. You don’t have to worry about the kids.”
“Thank you, Slater,” she said. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Well, lucky for you, you’ll never have to find out,” he promised. “I’ll call and find a crew to clean out your house so that we can move back in just as soon as you’re released. I’d think that a week should give them enough time to get your house back to normal.”
“No,” she almost shouted. “I don’t want to move back there.”
“But you just said that you can’t wait to go home,” he reminded.
“I know what I said, Slater. I was talking about your cabin. I want to make that our home if you’re okay with us all moving into your place permanently,” she added.
He nodded, “I’m more than okay with that, honey,” he said. “I’d love for the five of you to move in with me. I’ve already told you that I love you, Rain. I feel the same way about those kids of yours. I’d love to make our home up at our cabin.” Hearing him call it “Our” cabin made her heart flutter.
“You mean it?” she asked.
“Yep. I’m still going to get your place cleaned up, but how about we pack you up and move you five to my cabin. Then, we can work on selling your house,” he said.
“That sounds like an awesome plan, Slater,” she said. “I just can’t live there—not after everything that just happened. And if Steve is right about Jack, I just don’t want to live in that house anymore. It was all a lie, and I won’t have our future built on lies.”
“Couldn’t agree with you more, honey,” he said. “Now, how about you get some rest and I’ll let the nurses know that you’re awake and hungry. We’ll get you some food and then, I’ll be by your side while the cops question you. Deal?” he asked.
She smiled up at him and nodded, “Deal,” she whispered. She watched as he started out of the room and just before the door closed behind him, she shouted for him. “Slater,” she called.
He poked his head back into the room and smiled. “Yes, dear?” he asked.
“I love you too,” she said, flashing him her best smile. She watched as he chuckled and shook his head at her. Yeah—she was damn lucky to be alive and equally as lucky to have Slater Tyson in her life now.