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But he wouldn’t be there in time. Dare realized it in that moment. Oakley had moved faster than they’d expected. Dare felt tied to the earth, his feet not moving as he processed the pain. He watched as two more of Oakley’s men went down, but his stare was fixed on Oakley. He’d reached into the SUV and pulled out a rifle.
Oakley was protected. Charlotte had a whole SUV between them, but Oakley had an excellent shot at Dare. He wouldn’t be fast enough, he realized. He would have to get behind the back of the car to have any chance at all.
He was here, where he’d always thought he would be, and he was reacting the way he thought he would. He was letting it happen because for so long it had seemed like his only way out.
It wasn’t now, and he suddenly, ferociously wanted to live.
Dare moved as he heard Taggart shouting, coming up from his right. He picked up the gun in his other hand and held it up, pointing toward Oakley, who fired.
And that was the moment Tasha ran from behind him, her hand coming out to pull him back.
He watched as Oakley’s head twisted. Charlotte had taken him out through the window of the SUV, a neat head shot that had the man slumping over.
Dare caught Tasha.
Why was she falling? His heart caught as he saw the little circle of blood beginning to grow from the center of her chest.
“Tash?” He dropped to his knees, carrying her down with him. “Baby?”
She looked up at him, her eyes slightly glassy. “Dare? Are you okay? Did he hit you?”
He had, but the pain was a million miles away now. All he could see was her. “I’m fine. Baby, I need you to hold on.”
Kala was suddenly beside them. She was pale as she stared down at her sister. She looked up and started yelling. “Cooper! Cooper, we need to take her to the hospital! Cooper!”
Taggart knelt down beside her, his eyes grim. “Tash, you stay with us. This is nothing. Look, baby girl. There’s a helo right there, and Tristan’s going to find a hospital. Dare, I need you to let me take her now.”
He wasn’t about to give her up. Did Taggart think he couldn’t do this? He could do anything for her. Dare stood, forcing his muscles to work. He had to keep her still. The bullet was lodged in her chest. He needed to move it as little as possible. “Come on, baby. We need to get you to the hospital.”
Kala had run ahead and was helping Cooper by forcing the chopper pilot to his knees. The man handed over something to Cooper, who immediately got into the pilot’s seat. The whir of blades moving started up.
“Careful,” Taggart warned.
“I’ve got her.” Dare moved as quickly as he could without jostling her. How close was that bullet to her heart? How long did she have? The world seemed to be moving in quick and slow motion all at the same time.
“Yes, we’re bringing in a gunshot wound.” Kala had her phone to her ear. “We’re bringing her in on a helicopter, and we’re ten minutes out. I need a trauma team to meet us.”
The helo was small. Only four seats. Taggart hopped into the back.
“You’ll have to give her to me, Dare,” Taggart announced. “You’re losing blood. I know you want to keep her, but let me take care of her. Get in the front and let me stabilize her.”
Taggart was right. He didn’t want to let go. If he let go, he might lose her. He couldn’t lose her.
“I love you,” he whispered.
Her lips curled up. Her face was so pale. “Love you, too. Dare, be happy, baby. Don’t…”
“Absolutely not.” He wasn’t letting her go. “You have to stay. There’s no happiness without you. None.”
Kala moved in, helping him settle Tasha in her father’s arms.
Dare forced himself into the last seat, beside Cooper. As the helo started to take off, he saw Charlotte Taggart running across the field toward Kenzie, who was already hopping into Oakley’s SUV.
“Tristan, get to the landscaping shed. Lou’s got Chet there. You and Nate take care of him and call this in to Drake,” Cooper said as he expertly handled the chopper.
The beauty of the Blue Mountains came into view, but all Dare could do was pray.
Chapter Twenty-One
Dare stood in the waiting room of the small hospital, the doctor’s words not quite penetrating his brain. While she’d been in surgery, he’d allowed them to stitch up the small wound Oakley’s bullet had caused. The one he’d given to Tasha was having a much more devastating effect.
Coma. Tasha was in a coma, and she might not wake up.
He heard the words massive blood loss that had come during surgery. They’d had a hard time getting her blood to clot, and they couldn’t find the reason. They’d stabilized her, but her brain function was showing that she was in a coma, and they weren’t sure how the loss of blood had affected her brain.
