“O neg.”
“Go see if Sheppard has an O-type with him; let’s give them something to do,” Rogers said.
He put his hand on my shoulder and pushed me back to the ground. “Lay back and suck on that like you’re giving head.”
My laugh, weak as it was, sent a jolt of pain through my ribs.
Fucking soldiers.
“Ribs?”
I pulled the inhaler out. “Broke.”
“Just like your nose,” Rogers said before radioing the guy he’d sent outside. “Bring a stretcher when you come back.”
I turned my head towards Nina while Rogers did a head to toe examination. Despite sucking on the pain killer filled ‘Green Whistle’ I couldn’t stop my grunts of pain as Rogers palpitated my flesh, looking for wounds he couldn’t see.
He sat back on his heels. “The good news is, your face will heal.”
But I may not walk again.
“Not walk again.” I said it so he didn’t have to.
“You don’t strike me as a quitter, so you’ll walk again, but the journey will be a bitch,” Rogers said
A guy escorting John carried in a soft canvas stretcher. John kneeled by my side, his face a red-tinted blur. “Thank God you’re alive,” he said, squeezing my uninjured shoulder.
Barely.
“I hear you need some blood.”
Words were too hard, so I nodded.
“Nina?” I grunted out, turning my head back to her.
They’d wrapped her in a blanket, and Gibson was holding her on his lap.
A surge of jealousy tried raging through me, but I lacked the strength and the mental conviction to maintain the feeling.
G was holding her unconscious body to keep her off the cold, hard floor.He’s trying to make her comfortable.
“I won’t let anything happen to her,” he promised.
Too late. I’d already let too many horrible things happen to her.
When I reached out for her, G scooted closer so I could hold her hand. “So sorry.” I’d spend the rest of my life making it up to her if she’d give me the chance.
Just holding her hand soothed my soul and calmed my racing heart.
John rolled up his right sleeve. “Ready when you are, Doc.”
You can take the man out of the Marines, but you can’t take the Marines out of the man. John didn’t hesitate; he let a virtual stranger stick a needle in his vein and draw his blood. So many things could go wrong.
“Winchester, you need to calm down. I’ve done this more times than I care to remember,” Rogers’ deep voice was shockingly calming.
“Don’t worry, I donate regularly and I trust Rogers.”
Rogers prepped John’s arm and inserted the needle.
