AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ben might not have seen her at all, if his brother hadn’t seen her first. She might not have been found at all. Could have just been there along the damned road until it was too late. In the damned snow.
He knew—the snow scared her now. Since that damned Brad had almost killed her. He had always known. Dusty hated the snow. “Get the cab warmer. She’s so cold. She was in the damned snow. She hates the snow now, guys. She hates it. Since Brad.”
“I’m on it,” Gil said, flooring the gas as soon as Fletcher was in the front seat and pulling the door closed. “We’ll have her there in thirty minutes.”
Fletcher grabbed his phone. Dialed the ED, told them they were bringing her in. That they had her. Had found her.
They’d found her. Tears of relief stung his eyes. They’d found her.
Ben just held her close, trying to get her to open those eyes of hers. He wrapped his fingers around her wrist, checked her heart rate.
A little slow. But steady.
Nikki had told Ben before—Dusty’s heart was better than it had ever been. The surgeries she’d had when she was younger had repaired all the damage. She wasn’t even on medications. She was healthy.
It had to be whatever sedative they’d given her. That was all it was.
When Ben found the man responsible for this, he was going to pulverize him. Into pieces so small they couldn’t even be found. He kissed her forehead, and just held her. As his brother drove.
“Open your eyes, baby. Just open them, okay?”
Ben looked up, his eyes meeting Gil’s in the rearview mirror. He saw understanding, compassion in the eyes so like their father’s.
Gil understood. Knew how Ben felt.
Of course, he did. He and Sage had almost died together.
Hell, maybe his brother had known all along. Both of them.
Maybe it had just beenBenwho hadn’t realized exactly how much the woman in his arms meant to him. Until it had almost been too late.
The ED staff was waiting, including his cousin Perci and her husband, who ran the hospital. Nate was ready, to help get Dusty out of the truck. Fletcher was there to help. Ben lowered her to his brother’s arms. They had her safe and secure between them.
Then Perci and some of her nursing buddies were there with a gurney.
“I’m going in with her,” Ben told Perci. “No one’s stopping me.”
“Dixie’s waiting inside,” Perci said. “It’ll be up to her if you can go in or not. We have her, Ben. I promise. She’s going to be okay. You can let her go now.”
“Never.” Never again. “I’m never letting go of her again.”
43
Dusty’solder sister Dixie allowed him in, but only because he’d practically begged her. She took pity on him, probably because she didn’t want to have to stop what she was doing to argue.
She wasn’t treating her sister—that wasn’t allowed. But she was staying close. Holding her sister’s hand. Answering health questions related to Dusty’s previous conditions and any allergies.
Dr. Paterson leaned over Dusty, checking her pupils.
Dusty let out a loud gasp and flinched from the light.
It was the firstreactionBen had seen her make since they’d found her.
“I think she’ll be coming around soon,” the doctor said. “We need blood screens as soon as possible. Find out what she’s been given. We’ll do a SART after she wakes and can give consent. In the meantime, Ben, we’re about to get her out of these clothes and give them to the sheriff. You’ll need to step outside. We’ll let you know when she’s awake.”
The doctor was firm. Ben wasn’t going to argue. The last thing he needed was to get thrown out of the hospital. His cousin Perci’s husband ran the place—and Nate was just mean enough to do it. For that matter, so was Perci.
Ben found Gil and Fletcher prowling the waiting room. Gil looked at him first. “Anything?”
