Hard Fought (A Stepbrother Warriors Novel)(52)

"Shot me," I murmur. Sirens sound quietly in the distance, but I feel like I'm retreating into a daydream.

"Hey, keep talking to me! You're going into shock," he says, taking my head in his hands. "You're safe now, OK? I've got you."

"My arm..."

He gently examines it. "It's a flesh wound. The bullet just tagged you. I know it still hurts like hell, though."

"How'd you find me?" I ask in confusion.

"Roger had a pang of conscience, and came to me. After a while, I was able to convince him to use a contact he has in the police force to trace your credit card, which is probably how Smith found you, too. When I finally got to the airport, you were gone, but when I was driving back I saw a car on the side of the road, and your purse on the seat."

"Your hands..." I gasp, gingerly touching his bloodied knuckles.

"They'll be fine," he assures me. The sirens get louder and then stop. They must have pulled over on the road. Carter stands up and then bends over and picks me up.

"I'm alright," I insist, though I'm far from it. He snorts, and I lay my head on his chest. I can just hear his heartbeat, and I can feel mine slow down to match it. "Was it an act? When you dropped your gun?"

"Not at first. But then I figured I should play into it," he admits quietly.

"I'm sorry he said those things about your friend," I whisper.

"Over here!" a voice calls, and I hear brush being trampled as the responders spot us. I glance over and spot an ambulance and three police cars. Officers are busy surrounding Smith's car on the opposite side of the road, and the EMTs are pulling a stretcher out.

"I'm the one who called the police. There's a man about fifty feet straight back," Carter tells the first officer as we reach them. "Edward Smith. Unarmed, unconscious. He abducted her."

"And who's 'her'?" the officer asks, eyeing me with alarm. I must look like a bloodied mess.

"Alexa Stratton, daughter of Ray Stratton," Carter explains, setting me gently on the stretcher.

"Christ," the officer swears, rubbing his forehead, but he signals the other officers into the woods.

"I'm going to reach behind me and take out his gun," Carter says as I lay back on the stretcher. The paramedics swarm around me. "The other one is mine, and yes, I have a permit." I reach through the people and manage to grab Carter's hand.

"I'm going to need to ask you some questions," the officer says. "Lots of them."

"I understand completely," Carter replies. "You can find me at the hospital." The paramedics push the stretcher toward the ambulance, forcing me to drop Carter's hand. I'm jostled as the stretcher legs bend as they push it into the ambulance itself.

"Carter?" I cry out, an unreasonable amount of panic spreading through me. My head is strapped down and all I can see is the white ceiling of the ambulance. Suddenly, his hand is around mine and his face appears above me.

"I'm here."

"Don't leave."

"I don't intend to."





Chapter Thirty-Four



"Can I come in?" I turn my head to see Bree paused uncertainly at the threshold of my hospital room.

"Of course," I reply. She smiles and walks toward my hospital bed, then turns to Carter.

"Police want to see you outside. I can stay with Lex." Carter turns to me, and I nod. He hasn't left my side since we got here a couple hours ago. Bree waits until he passes outside, and then seats herself in his chair next to me. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that," she whispers quietly.

"Well, you got your fair share."

"That was different. You were aware the whole time of what could happen...sorry. Maybe it's not helpful to talk about right now. I'm just glad they got the guy."

"One of them. What if El Nuevo Muerto sends another—"

Bree grabs my hand. "Don't worry. I was with my mom when Carter called. It's not going to be the same anymore, trust me."

"Really?"

She nods. "It's over between them. She's with him now."

"But the cartel could still—"

"I know you didn't see this side of my mom, because she changes a lot when she's with a man, but she's actually a really shrewd businesswoman. She knows Ray can't have the information about this deal get out, so she's going to use her knowledge of it to get him to resolve it."

I actually begin to smile. "I think that's called blackmail."

Bree grins. "Let's call it leverage. So much classier."

"If they do break up, that could...make things easier," I murmur. Bree blushes. I'm sure Jack told her that I know about them, but she's never talked about it around me, and I didn't want to bring it up. I think she's embarrassed.