Page 85 of Freeing Lark

“You pulled a bullet out of my shoulder.”

“You had a fever.”

“Lark.”

“I didn’t know what else to do.” She dropped onto the floor beside him. “You were burning up. The wound was still bleeding, and I could feel something hard underneath the skin. I could see the bullet. So...” She shrugged helplessly.

“So you performed surgery.”

“I wouldn’t call it surgery.”

“What would you call it?”

“Desperation.”

Hoot stared at her. She’d saved his life. Again. He frowned. The last person who’d thrown himself into danger to keep Hoot alive had died moments later, leaving him with a memory that had haunted him for years. Now Lark had done the same thing—put herself in harm’s way without hesitation—and Hoot couldn’t shake the fear that fate had a twisted sense of repetition. He couldn’t lose her. Not after she’d fought so damn hard to keep him alive. Not when he’d only just begun to realize how much she mattered to him.

“What happened after I passed out?” He asked, trying to shake himself out of his spiraling thoughts.

She told him everything she’d been doing since they’d arrived at the cabin. Everything. And beneath all of it, he could hear how scared she’d been.

“You need a hospital,” she finished.

“I know.”

“No arguing? No ‘I’m fine’?”

“No arguing.”

“Good.”

Then he remembered his phone. “Where’s my phone?”

She handed it over. “Right here.” He frowned at the screen. “You don’t have Face ID.” She folded her arms. “You were unconscious. I needed help. Your stupid phone wouldn’t unlock.”

He almost smiled. “Password protected and encrypted.”

She gaped at him. “You could have told me.”

“I was busy getting shot.”

She rolled her eyes. He entered the code and immediately called Condor’s Overwatch. Haley answered on the first ring. “Hoot?”

“I’m here.”

There was a beat of silence. Then, “Where the hell have you been?”

“Long story.”

“Everyone’s been looking for you.”

Hoot listened as Haley explained what they’d found. Lark’s boat. His boat. The evidence men hadn’t been able to cover up in a hurry. The signs of his struggle with the men who’d kidnapped Lark. They’d even found drops of blood which he assumed were his.

They’d been searching the river and surrounding woods ever since. Hoot gave her their location as best he could. “I’ve got Lark with me. I’m wounded, but stable.”

“Stable?”

“I’m alive.”