Page 65 of Sinners Reunion

“And tell them to bring the medical supplies!”

Clutching Josie to my chest, I pick my way through the brush and into the backyard. She’ll be more comfortable writhing in pain in the privacy of our RV. That’s why I didn’t opt to take her into the farmhouse. Being witnessed in the throes of passion is fine, but she’d prefer no one see her in this state.

Not to mention, we’re already behind, and we need to get moving the moment her arm is patched up. I’ll deal with Blayne later. For now, she’s my focus.

Her eyes flutter open. She takes one look at her arm and passes out again. I hear the AOL signoff in my head.

Goodbye.

“What a mess you’ve gotten yourself into now.” I adjust my grip as she starts to come to again. “Stick with me, my beauty. The bullet just grazed your arm. Might leave a scar, but at least you’ll walk away with your life.”

Sweat pops onto her forehead as she comes round fully. “Shit, it hurts. Why’s it so fucking hot?”

“That’s the adrenaline. You’re having a hot flash. It’ll pass if you just give it time, and not long now.”

She goes quiet, which forces me to listen to my heavy-ass breathing as I cart her up one hill after another. By the time we reach the RVs, I’m thoroughly winded. I blame Jim for fucking up my gym regimen.

I set her on her feet as we reach the RV. The bleeding has mostly stopped, and she’s gotten hold of herself again. As I pull the keys from my pocket, she limps along behind me. I want to be patient with her melodrama, I really do, but why is she limping?

“There’s nothing wrong with your damn legs. Why are you walking like that?” I open the door and help her inside.

She trudges to the bed in the back, hobbling the entire way. “I don’t fucking know. My arm hurts, and my legs are being sympathetic. I’m sorry I’m not reacting the way you hoped. This is my first time as a shooting victim!”

Footsteps clomp up the RV stairs, and Grim and Rose appear behind me. I glance over my shoulder as I roll up her shirt sleeve. She pulls the bobby pin from her bra and secures the fabric out of the way.

“Is this the patient?” Grim asks.

“No, it’s the other woman with a gunshot wound,” Josie grits out.

Grim turns to leave. “Best of luck with your injury, little crab.”

Rose stands in his way, arms folded over her chest. She shakes her head and points a wrinkled finger toward Josie, directing him back the way he came.

He curses in German and does as he’s told. Rose follows him and takes a seat beside Josie on the bed. Grim holds a light, illuminating the work surface so that Rose can clean the wound and stitch it closed.

I snatch off my leather belt in one swipe and offer it to Josie to bite down on, but she shakes her head. My indomitable little filly. Can’t stand the sight of her own blood, and she limps when you shoot her in the arm, but she’s tough as nails when it comes to getting stitched up.

Sweat pops onto her forehead again as Rose numbs the area. I fetch a cloth and a bowl of ice water, then sit at her other side. Without a word, I dip the cloth into the ice bath and use it to cool her skin. Josie closes her eyes, and her breathing slows.

Rose is a quick seamstress, and Josie is patched up beautifully within minutes. She leans back to admire her work. Satisfied, she nods at Grim and takes his hand, where she scrawls a message into his palm.

He turns to Josie. “Keep it clean, and you should not have any problems. The wound’s appearance is worse than the risk it poses to your health. If you could avoid walking into bullets in the future, this is advisable.”

“First off, I didn’t walk into a bullet. Second, Mister Romantic over here moved out of the way.” She hikes her thumb toward me. “If you’re going to cast blame, at least aim in the right direction.”

Grim looks at Rose to defend him, but she just smiles and shrugs. Even I can read the meaning behind that: She’s got you there, old man.

Rose pulls Grim’s hand to her chest, and she scrawls something on his palm. She wears a smile the entire time. When she finishes, he shakes his head.

She writes something else, the smile gone.

Grim sighs.

“Rose would like to invite the two of you to join us for dinner when we arrive at our next stop.”

She pushes his shoulder.

“Our treat,” he grumbles.