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Alex rose to his feet, his in-charge voice echoing through the area as Cranston cursed in the background.
Tyrell Grayson came down on his knees beside Crista, his fingers going to her neck, his expression concerned.
“She lived with you?” Dawg snarled. “Slept with you?”
Hard lips kicked up in a grin. “Mark and I babied the hell out of her,” he said then. “See if you can do near as well. ”
Dawg’s gaze sliced to Mark Lessing. Both men were dangerous, as dangerous as Alex and just as hard. There wasn’t an ounce of softness in them.
“Thank you. ” He had to force the words past his clenched teeth. “For taking care of her. ”
Ty nodded sharply. “That’s us. Protector of broken hearts. Take better care of her this time, or we’re going to break your bones. ”
It wasn’t a threat, it was a warning. An unneeded one at that.
“She’s good. ” Ty finally nodded sharply. “She’ll wake up with a headache, probably. I’ve never seen her faint, but I know tension gives her killer headaches. I’d be more comfortable if you’d let them transport her to the hospital and keep her overnight though, just to be sure. ”
Dawg nodded as Natches and Rowdy flanked him then.
“I see you don’t need our help. ” Ty stood to his feet, staring down at Crista with the first flash of softness that Dawg had glimpsed in him. “She’s a damned good woman, man. And she’s grieved for you for far too long. See if you can’t make up for that now. She deserves it. ” He nodded before giving Dawg a chance to say anything and turned away.
“My bullet hit Johnny’s forehead at the same time someone else’s did,” Natches informed him.
“Same place, same time. Those boys aren’t slouches. ”
Alex’s team was slowly disappearing into the forest as Alex kept Cranston busy.
“Alex recorded everything. ” Dawg stood, lifting Crista into his arms as the ambulance Cranston had had standing by pulled into the lane. “Cranston has what he needs. I have what I need. ”
Crista, resting against him, safe, unharmed. And hell yes, he would make damned sure he made up for those lost years. Just as soon as he had her checked out at the hospital and she was capable of taking his loving.
Wait a week as he threatened? There wasn’t a chance in hell. The minute he could get inside her and assure himself she was still his, unharmed, safe and sound, the better. He wouldn’t breathe easy until then. Hell, he didn’t know if his heart was going stop racing like a runaway horse until then.
“She did good,” Natches murmured. “Made them talk. And when she realized Johnny was ready to shoot, she fought. She’s strong, Dawg. ”
“Yeah. She is. ” He kissed the top of her head as the EMTs jerked the gurney from the back of the ambulance and another raced toward them. “And she’s safe. That’s all that counts. ”
TWENTY-FOUR
“Look, I’m just fine. ” Two days later, Crista paced the living room of the houseboat and glared at Dawg as he sat b
ack on the couch. “I want to go back to work. ”
“Not yet. ” He was as uncompromising as he had been hours before when she tried to leave for the lumber store.
“I have to get those displays set, or its going to be too late. ”
“Layla and her brood are taking care of it. ” He picked up his glass of sweet tea and drank from it casually as his green eyes stared at her from over the rim of the glass.
“I’m bored. ” She propped her hands on her hips and faced him, heating up at the way his gaze went over the shorts and loose T-shirt she wore. “I don’t like being cooped up for no reason. I’m not a damned invalid. ”
But she could have been. Or worse.
Dawg set the glass carefully on the end table, forcing back the remembered horror of the day he nearly lost her.
“Dawg. Would you please put that glass on the coaster beside it,” she bit out. “That is why I put it there. ”
He smiled blandly and placed the glass on the protective coaster before staring back at her.
