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“You came,” she breathes, pressing one hand against the nightstand to steady herself.
“I will always come, luv, and I will kill anyone who gets in my way.”
She stares at me, shocked but alive, her eyes wide as she takes in the lifeless body of her husband on the floor. “Is it over?”
“It is for him.”
She nods. “He said it was him or me. I’m okay with it being him. Thanks for the rescue.”
I move to her in two quick strides, pulling her into my arms, away from the horror and the blood staining the carpet. Her body trembles against mine, and I hold her tighter. “You’re safe now, luv. I’ve got you.”
Aiden moves in to handle the aftermath. “I’ll take care of this.”
I grunt. “Roll the fucker up in the carpet and get rid of them both.”
“Will do. Now, go down to the med room and have Doc plug that hole.”
Laine eases back, the color in her face draining pale. “You’re shot. I got you shot.”
I lay a heavy arm over her shoulder and start the long trek to the main floor. “You defended yourself and gave me the opportunity to take out a threat. The doc will have me patched up in no time. You’ll see. Then you can nurse me back to health.”
Laine chuckles. “Do you want me to get one of those skimpy nurse costumes?”
I grin. “Now that you mention it. I think you absolutely should.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Laine
I’m ushered out of our suite and the chill of the hallway seems to seep into my bones. It magnifies the shock that has me trembling uncontrollably. Tag’s arm is a vice around me, not just guiding but holding me together as we make our way downstairs.
When we get to the med room, there is a man with ginger hair and beard tending to Cora.
My heart aches to see her so shaken, and my eyes sting with a rush of hot tears. “Are you all right? I’m so sorry this happened…”
“I’ll be fine, duck.”
The gravity of everything that’s unfolded weighs heavily on me—the violence, the danger I inadvertently brought into this house, and the pain inflicted on innocent people like Cora.
“Ohmygod, did they find Connor?” I ask, turning to Tag. “He didn’t come up from the stables. We went looking but didn’t find him.”
Tag pulls out his phone, his face a mask of fury, his jaw set hard. “I’ll find out.”
“Text your men in a minute,” the doctor says, pointing to Tag’s wet shirt sticking to his side. “I’m not sure if you are aware of it or not, but you’re leaking, mate.”
Tag lifts the phone to his ear and points to me. “Examine her first. I want every cut and bruise looked at and tended to.”
I protest. “Babe, you’re shot. I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine.” The stern glare he pegs me with stops me from protesting further.
The doctor turns his attention to me, his expression shifting to professional concern as he inventories the blood on my neck. “What happened here?”
“I was hit from behind…with a piece of lumber.”
Tag’s anger flares even hotter at my words, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. “Fucking hell. I should have been here. This never should have happened.”
I reach out for him and am relieved when he comes to me without hesitation. “There was no reason to think Marco would find me here.”
