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Chapter Twenty
Remington sipped herhot tea while waiting for a break in the conversation. She and Winnie had been checked out. They’d both been hit on the head, but the doctor had been fine with releasing them as long as someone was watching them. Flick was still on duty, but he and his partner were eating pancakes with them. If called, they’d respond, otherwise they were good to stay at the house.
War’s leg was vibrating under her hand. He wasn’t used to not being in charge. She admired his restraint in allowing her dad to lead the conversation. Every so often, he’d shove another piece of pancake in his mouth and chew. As yet, he hadn’t commented, just listened.
She’d directed Sarah to record the conversation. Her head was aching enough she was concerned she’d miss something. Her instincts were shouting that how could the shooting and the attack not be related but she’d learned never to discount any option.
Winnie hadn’t said much. Bear was trying, in his own way, to take care of her and if it didn’t hurt to smile, she’d be grinning at their behavior.
“Remington, thoughts?”
It was just like her dad calling on her for her opinion when she wasn’t really listening, but she’d dealt with him for years.
“I think everyone has great points and guesses but we don’t know anything. I vote we all stay here at the main house tonight. Three from security can roam outside and we’ll have one on the monitors inside, trading out with a relief shift in three hours. The gym will have the fire crews there the rest of the night. I’m not in charge of the MC but I feel like we can’t discount that whoever did this was gunning for all of us.”
War nodded, patting her thigh. “I agree. Baron has the MC on lockdown. With it being the weekend, we’re not going to allow anyone on the property who isn’t affiliated with us. The orchard wasn’t open this weekend and the gun range is going to have a plumbing issue which requires closure. The garage will be open but isn’t going to accept any new customers. They have some jobs that have to be finished.”
“We’ve got a plan. We’re Code Burke.”
Remi stood and tugged War’s hand to follow her. Tonight wasn’t how she planned on being in bed with War. He’d been gone and she’d spent entirely too much time imagining all the ways she could have him in her bed, on the couch and in the shower. Her head hurt with each step she took so her plans would have to wait. She grabbed a key from the kitchen wall. Her dad had remodeled the main house once they’d moved out. Each bedroom now had its own full bathroom, small kitchen area with a microwave and mini refrigerator along with a king-sized bed and a couple recliners. The doors were steel, and the key locked the deadbolt. He’d made each room as close to impenetrable as possible.
She wasn’t sure she had enough strength to shower but didn’t want to have her dirty body on the sheets.
“Sit here.” War led her to the toilet. He turned the shower on then turned to her and paused. “I want to help you take your clothes off, but I’m worried I’ll hurt your head.”
Remi raised her arms up in reply. War showering her was the only way it was going to happen. He quickly had her undressed and himself. He lifted her up, stepping into the shower, letting the hot water hit her shoulders while keeping the spray away from her bandage.
“You just relax and let me help you.”
His lips kissed her forehead. “I was so fucking scared, Rem. Having you in my arms, I can finally breathe.”
His words had her ready to cry but she hated crying. It only gave her a headache.
“When I woke up with Winnie shaking my shoulder and coughing with the flames around us, all I could think of was getting us out so I could see you. There’s so much I haven’t said but I knew if I could just get to you and have your arms around me then everything would be okay.”
War sat her on the shower seat and knelt in front of her, his eyes cataloguing each scrape and bruise. Her hand had been slick with blood when they went through the hatch and down the ladder. She’d lost her grip and scraped her palms trying to catch herself.
“Rem, you amaze me. You’re strong, sexy, a fighter, and I want to wrap you in cotton wool to keep you from ever having any scrapes, but then you wouldn’t be you. Instead, I want you to know, my arms will always be a safe place where you don’t have to be strong. I won’t think less of you when you need someone to lean on and will never judge you for crying. I’ll protect you until you’re ready to fight again.”
He squirted body soap on a cloth and ran it over her, cleaning each scrape. His hands were loving though it wasn’t sexual. It was a man caring for his woman. As she’d aged, she’d given up on finding a man who could handle her strength and her job. War’s love didn’t diminish her strength, it increased it because she knew no matter what he’d be there for her. War finished, turned the shower off and reached for a towel, while keeping a hand on her. She was grateful because she wasn’t sure how much longer she could stay upright. He wrapped the towel around her and lifted her in his arms.
“T-shirt or naked?”
He set her on the end of the bed and used another towel to pat her legs dry while he waited for her answer.
“T-shirt. Just in case there’s a second wave.”
“Okay. You good? I’m going to grab shirts and shorts for us along with some antibiotic ointment to reapply to your scrapes.”
She nodded. It would take every ounce of strength she possessed to stay upright but if she could last a little longer, she could cuddle up with War and let him watch over her. When Winnie had shaken her awake, her first deep breath of the smoke had her coughing. For a second, she couldn’t think of what to do next. She’d allowed the fear to override everything she knew. Winnie had screamed her name, pulled her up and directed her actions. She was always in charge and if Winnie hadn’t been there, she wasn’t sure what would have happened to her. She’d come so close to losing today.
She’d been scared when she and Bear were under fire, but she trained for those type of scenarios. Nothing had prepared her for being surrounded by fire, the smoke so thick she couldn’t breathe. Bear’s thinking and her dad’s insistence that they hook the gym to the underground tunnels had saved them. When she could think clearly, she’d be looking at what they could do to make everywhere safer. Tonight, she wanted to close her eyes and be held in War’s arms.
