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Zach, Olivia, and Gemma raced across the pool deck as Rafe brushed Nell’s hair out of her face. Her skin felt cold and clammy. “When are they getting here?” Rafe demanded, stripping off his wizard’s robe and draping it over her. “She needs an ambulance. She’s going into shock.”
Gemma pushed him out of the way, saying, “I’m a doctor,” when he started to object. The sexy little nurse’s uniform she wore had certainly been an interesting costume choice.
While she checked Nell’s vitals, Zach said, “Aiden’s still on the phone with the police. Camden’s waiting out front to bring them out here when they arrive. Shouldn’t be more than a couple more minutes.”
Rafe supposed that was the only downside to living so far away from civilization. Emergency response times weren’t exactly top notch.
“Elevate her feet,” Gemma instructed. “And someone get her a real blanket. We need to keep her warm.”
Zach grabbed a cushion from one of the other chaises while Olivia sprinted toward the house, the feather flying out of her twenties flapper headband and drifting down to the ground.
“Is she going to be okay?” Rafe asked, voice shaking slightly.
Gemma gave him a reassuring smile. “She’ll be fine. I don’t see anything that worries me. We just need to keep her comfortable until she recovers.”
Relief built up in him, leaving his body on a long, heavy sigh. “Thank fuck,” he muttered, dropping down onto the chaise across from Gemma. He stroked Nell’s hair again and again, letting out another, less dramatic sigh when her breathing started to slow. “That’s it. You’re all right. Everyone’s all right.”
He continued to murmur soothing words as the others milled around him—Zach propping up her feet on a cushion, Olivia returning with a huge fluffy blanket and throwing it over her, Gemma repeatedly checking her vitals.
It seemed like an eternity before Aiden and Camden led two police officers out the back door, taking them through the garden at a full run. While Camden led the cops straight to the hiking trail, Aiden slid to a stop at Olivia’s side, his twenties gangster fedora askew. “How’s she doing?” he asked, wrapping an arm around his fiancée’s shoulders.
“She’s fine,” Gemma answered, smiling. “Aren’t you, honey? Do you want to sit up?”
When Nell nodded, Rafe lifted her up, helping her slide backward to lean against the back of the chaise. “You look so much better,” he said, cupping her cheek. Thank Christ, her skin felt warm and dry this time.
“You really do,” Zach said, perching on the foot of the chaise. “You’re getting some of your color back. For a while there, you looked almost gray.”
“The paramedics should be here in a minute,” Aiden said. “I told them there was a doctor with Nell, so they wanted to check on Sophie first.”
Five worried gazes hit him all at once. “What happened to Sophie?” Nell’s voice was still weak, but that didn’t make it sound any less like a demand.
“Her blood pressure dropped too low after everyone ran out. She fainted. Leo caught her, and she’s awake now, but the paramedics aren’t taking any chances.” Aiden grimaced. “Leo said they just found out last week that she’s pregnant again.”
When Gemma stiffened, Nell grabbed her arm. “Go. I’m fine, I promise.”
With a quick nod, Gemma stood and kicked off her white heels, running toward the mansion barefoot. The whole group watched until the bright white of her skimpy little dress disappeared from sight.
“Thank you,” Nell said, her soft, sweet voice breaking the silence. “All of you. I don’t know what I would’ve done without all your help.”
Rafe gathered her up against his chest, cradling her there like she was something fragile rather than the total badass she actually was. “You don’t have to find out. Not ever again.” It was a declaration. A promise. “You’re not alone anymore. You don’t ever need to go it alone again.”
A commotion at the trailhead broke them apart. The whole group turned as one to watch Mason and Jonathan stride from the woods, followed by the two cops. The policemen dragged Micah along between them, the rope bindings replaced by a pair of handcuffs.
Someone had managed to stop Micah’s nose from bleeding, though the blood on his face and shirt shone black in the light from the pool. Harsh red lines were visible on his wrists and neck—a souvenir from his time as Mason and Jonathan’s captive.
Rafe saw all of that with only a glance. Then his gaze locked on Nell. Now that Micah was taken care of, he didn’t have a single fuck left to give about that motherfucker. The only thing that mattered was ensuring Nell was still okay.
Nell watched as the group from the woods drew closer, her gaze never leaving Micah. She didn’t even blink. There wasn’t a trace of fear in her eyes anymore. Only a cold, burning hatred.
“You fucking whore,” Micah said, spitting a glob of blood onto the ground as the cops dragged him past. “Tell them you’re mine, or I swear to God, I’ll fucking kill you next time I get my hands on you. Tell them you’re mine!” He began struggling against the cops, almost managing to wrench his arm out of the shorter one’s grip.
Rafe stood, putting his body between Micah and Nell. Zach instantly jumped up beside him, looking scary as hell with his armor and sword, and the others followed suit a moment later, forming a human wall.
The rustling of the blanket and creak of the chaise told him Nell stood behind him. At a gentle tug on his arm, he swung back, letting her step through. Her expression was so cold, it could’ve been carved from ice. “You try to touch me again, I’ll break more than your nose. Now get the fuck out of my sight.”
Rafe wanted to jump and throw his fist into the air. Jesus fucking Christ she was incredible. Instead, he stood like a silent sentinel behind her as the cops got Micah back under control. The taller of the two got them moving toward the house again. “Come on, let’s get him out of here. You all, stay at the house. We’ll be back to talk to everyone soon.”
It occurred to Rafe that a town as small as Fairford maybe only had two or three cops. He never thought about it before. He certainly never saw much of a police presence on his rare trips into town.
