“The lines still busy, Miss, Stevens,” Wayne told her.
“Try again...please...No wait...try Vin...Tanner. He’ll know what to do!”
“Is he in Billings as well?”
“Y...yes...” She sank back against the bed, closing her eyes against the painful headache pounding against her skull. She heard him request the number for Vin Tanner in Billings, Montana and prayed he’d get through. As each minute passed she felt the terror mounting, knowing in her heart that Richard Fischer had something to do with the busy signal at Larabee’s ranch.
“It’s ringing...”
“Give it to me...”
“Wait, it’s being forwarded to a different number.” He passed her the phone, worried about how pale she was growing with each passing minute, yet knowing he could not stop her from completing the task she’d taken onto herself.
Vin reached into his pocket as the brief tingle told him someone was calling him. He frowned at the number displayed and answered on the second ring.
“Tanner.”
“Mr. Tanner, my name is Tanya Stevens...I...I’m a friend of Anne Sheridan. You know her?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Tanner said, signaling for the others to be quiet as he fought to hear her over the noise at the bar.
“Good...listen...do you know where she is?”
“Yes, she’s with...”
“Chris Larabee...look are they at his ranch?”
“Y...yes...what’s wrong?” he asked, sensing fear and something else behind her questions.
“You have to help them. Richard is going to kill Chris...”
“What? Richard who?”
“Richard Fischer, A...Anne’s ex...he tr...tried to ki...kill me...”
“Shit!” Tanner swore as the line went silent.
“Hello.”
“Who’s this?”
“I’m taking care of Miss Stevens. She’s at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Denver...”
“Is she alright?” he asked, as he motioned for the others to follow him out of the bar. He placed his hand over the mouthpiece and turned to Wilmington. “Buck, call Chris!”
“She’s been beaten pretty badly, but she should make a full recovery.”
“Can I reach her at this number?”
“Yes.”
“Vin, the lines busy,” the scoundrel informed him, and saw the slight nod from the Texan
“Tell her I’m on my way to Chris’ ranch and will call her as soon as we know anything.”
“I will, thank you, Mr. Tanner.”
Vin turned off the dial and hurried out the door. He knew the others had questions, and wished he had answers for them.
“Vin, what’s going on?” Dunne asked.
“I’m not sure. Look, that was a friend of Anne’s. She’s in the hospital in Denver...”
“Denver. Isn’t that where Anne was?” Wilmington asked.
“Yeah, and so was her ex. Richard Fischer beat Stevens pretty badly,” Tanner explained.
“Fischer? Sonofabitch!” the scoundrel hissed as they made their way to Sanchez’s Suburban.
“Yeah...Stevens said Fischer told her he was going to kill Chris!”
“Climb in, Boys, looks like we’re going to be interrupting Chris and Anne’s weekend after all,” Sanchez said.
“That’s correct, Josiah, but based on the evidence I feel we are more than justified in checking on them,” Standish said, opening the door and climbing into the back seat. It wasn’t long before the six men were belted in and speeding towards the ranch belonging to their boss.
Anne poured the coffee into the cup, her hands shaking as she placed it where Fischer would be sitting. The man had finally left Larabee alone, but not before the blond lost consciousness from numerous blows to his body. She’d tried to convince herself that rescue was coming, but as daylight gave way to darkness her mind conjured images of Larabee’s body carved into pieces and spread across his own living room. As it was he’d suffered numerous cuts and contusions from the hated figure sitting across from her. She watched as Fisher lifted the mug and sipped the hot liquid.
“You still know how to make a good cup of coffee,” he said, smiling at the woman standing on the opposite side of the table.
“Richard, please let me help him. I’ll do anything you ask of me if you’ll just let me get him the help he needs.” Tears flowed from her eyes as she looked towards the living room. She could just see Larabee, his head bowed to his chest, his shirt open to reveal several slash marks across his chest and abdomen.
“Sorry, darling, but I’m not done teaching him some manners yet!” he said, digging into the sandwich she’d made for him.
“He can’t take much more, Richard...”
“He won’t have to. As soon as I’m finished eating you and I are going into the bedroom. I plan to make good on the lie I told him earlier. You and I are gonna make love the way I’ve always wanted to!”
“That’s not love...it’s rape!” she told him, anger written on her face. He’d moved out of reach when she placed the coffee beside the plate.
“Yes, it probably is, but do you really think that matters? Love...rape...same thing...I’m gonna use you until I grow tired of that gorgeous body of yours. Now sit down and wait until I’m done!” he snarled, pointing the gun at her breasts.
Chris heard them talking, but kept his head down. He’d woken to find he was alone and began working on the ties around his wrists once more. One end was so close to the edge of the cast and he knew if he slipped it off, it would be loose enough for him to slip his left hand free. His anger rose as he heard Fischer dragging his lover towards the bedroom, yet he fought to remain cool. He was of no use to Anne Sheridan if he was still trussed to the chair. He lost track of time as he fought to remain awake and free himself. A scream reached his ears and in a last ditch effort he managed to slip the tie over the edge and pull his arms free. His right arm dropped uselessly to his side, but he ignored the pain and reached down to remove the ropes around his ankles. Another scream from his bedroom and a man’s curse renewed his strength as adrenalin rushed through him. Primal rage took over as he hobbled towards the bedroom, intent on killing the son of a bitch who was causing Anne Sheridan such pain.
Josiah pulled to a stop at the end of the driveway, and shut off the engine. He opened his door and was soon joined by the others at the open gate.
“Buck, you and JD take the patio doors, Josiah, Nathan, you two check the windows. Ezra, me and you got the front door,” Tanner explained. They’d stopped by the offices of The Firm and picked up several weapons. Vin made sure he had the key to Larabee’s ranch as they moved towards the darkened house.
Anne fought with everything she had and knew it was a losing cause. Richard Fischer had continued his body building over the years and easily forced her to the bed. She screamed as he ripped the remainder of her blouse from her body.
“No!” she cried as his hand slipped between her legs and cupped her womanhood.
“Still so damn hot,” he hissed as he bit her lip.
“P...please...God...help ME!”
“I love it when you scream, Sweetheart. It tells me you’re enjoying it as much...” he gasped as something struck the back of his head and a hand grabbed his hair.
Chris used his left hand to hold his right and slammed the cast down on the back of Fischer’s neck. He bit back his own cry of pain as the move sent pain ripping through his wrist to shoulder and back again. He grabbed the other man’s hair and pulled him from the woman, dropping him to the floor and turning to face the dazed animal.
“Bas...tard...w...won’t let y...you hurt her!” Larabee hissed, striking Fischer again as he tried to gain his feet.
“Should have killed you...” Fischer hissed as he tried to stay out of Larabee’s reach. He knew he’d left his gun and knife on the dresser beside the door and edged in that direction.
“Chris...” Anne cried as she watched the bloodied man reach for Fischer.
“I’m okay, Anne, get out of h...here...” Larabee warned her.
“She’s not going anywhere!” Fischer said, standing and moving towards Larabee once more.
“Go...Anne...g...get help,” Larabee ordered as he swung his left arm at the other man’s face. He smiled as it connected with the man’s cheek and he staggered backwards into the night table. He prayed the silence meant that Anne was doing as he’d asked, but couldn’t take the time to make sure. The primal rage he’d felt earlier gave him the strength and determination he needed and he ignored the encroaching darkness at the edge of his vision.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anne raced towards the front door, knowing Larabee kept his cell phone in his glove box. She’d call for help and pray that Larabee could hold Fischer off until she came back. She’d wanted to stay, but didn’t want her lover distracted trying to protect her. She flung the door open and would’ve screamed if a man’s hand hadn’t clamped over her mouth.
“Easy, Anne, it’s me,” Tanner whispered.
“Vin? Oh Jesus, help Chris!”
“Where is he?”
“In his bedroom...he’s hurt! God, Vin, Richard’s trying to kill him!” She cried and soon found herself wrapped in the southerner’s arms as Tanner raced into the house.
“Vin and the others will help him,” Standish told the distraught woman when she tried to go back inside.
Fischer played his hand and dove for the gun on the dresser as he felt Larabee’s determination to kill him. The other man shouldn’t have been able to stay on his feet, but he was, and he’d been able to deflect most of Fischer’s blows. He knew he’d managed to get in a couple and thought he’d broken several of the man’s ribs, but the bull known as Chris Larabee remained on his feet. The fingers of his right hand circled the gun and he turned to meet the enraged man.
“Stay where...” he didn’t get a chance to finish as Larabee’s upper body slammed into his, sending them both to the floor, the gun trapped between their bodies. Fischer could feel the other man’s hand on the gun and wondered how he’d managed that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buck and JD saw the Texan rush past them and hurried out of the dining room. They’d been both surprised and relieved to find the doors unlocked.
“Vin, what’s wrong?”
“Buck, Chris and Fischer...”
“Where?” Dunne asked softly.
“Chris’ bedroom,” the tracker asked and heard a loud thud from Larabee’s room. The three raced towards it as they heard Sanchez and Jackson come in through the patio doors.
“You’re a de...dead man, Fis...cher!” Larabee hissed as they rolled across the floor, the lethal weapon still jammed between them.
“If I am then I’m...tak...ing you a...and the b...bitch w...with me!”
“No!” the angry Firm leader spat and renewed his efforts to force the gun away from his own body. He heard footsteps, but couldn’t acknowledge them as he fought for his life against an animal who’d shown his true colors more than once. His blood pounded in his ears as he felt Fischer pressing down on the trigger.
The gun discharged in the room, muffled between the two battered bodies, yet there was no mistaking what the sound meant.
Vin was the first into the room, quickly followed by Jackson, Sanchez, Wilmington and Dunne. The sight of the two men lying still on the floor drove them into action. The tracker knelt and placed his hand on Larabee’s back, relieved to feel the man’s body move slightly.
“Chris...Nathan...he’s alive!” the Texan shouted.
“Vin, wait!” Jackson said, afraid the younger man would move the blond too quickly.
“What?”
“Go slow, we don’t know how bad it is!” the medic said. “Josiah, call for a medivac! Okay, Vin, let’s turn him, but watch out for that damn gun!”
The two men eased Larabee off the second man as Wilmington reached for the gun that had been pressed between them.
Nathan looked at Larabee’s battered body and shook his head at the damage. “How is he, Buck?” he asked, knowing the ladies man had checked the other man for a pulse.
“Dead!” the worried rogue answered, automatically covering the man’s upper body with his jacket.
“JD, go get Ezra and Anne,” Jackson ordered.
“Nathan, medivac is on the way!” Sanchez told him.
“Good, Josiah, go see if you can find the first aid kit!”
“On it,” the ex-preacher said, as a soft moan issued from the injured blond.
“Chris, just lie still,” Jackson ordered as he examined the powder burn to Larabee’s torso.
“N...Nathan...Anne...w...where is she?”
“Anne’s fine, Chris. She’s with Ezra,” Tanner answered.
“Chris!” Sheridan cried, pulling away from the gambler and kneeling beside the injured man, as he lost consciousness again. The conman’s jacket was wrapped around her shoulders, but fell open as she rushed to her lover’s side.
“Here’s the first aid kit, Nate,” Sanchez said.
“Thanks,” the medic said, lifting his eyes to meet the soft brown ones of the nurse. He knew she was probably in shock, but he needed her help with Chris Larabee. Something sparked in her eyes and he knew she wasn’t about to let her own ordeal get in the way of helping the injured man.
“Vin, grab some pillows off the bed! He’s lost a lot of blood, Nathan.”
“When was he shot?”
“I don’t...What day is it?” she asked, taking the pillows from Tanner and placing one under the injured man’s legs.
“Saturday night,” Ezra supplied.
“He was shot yesterday. I bandaged them once, but that bastard kept hitting him. The bullet is still in his thigh.”
“What about his shoulder?” Jackson asked.
Wilmington and Dunne hurried into the bathroom, returning moments later with towels and a basin of water.
“Went right through. Did you call an ambulance?” Sheridan asked.
Nathan realized she was not thinking straight and answered the question as she helped him clean the wounds. “Medivac is on the way.”
“G...good...” tears fell from her eyes as she looked at Larabee’s bloodied face. She felt as if she was looking through a narrow tunnel as she reached for the cloth to clean away some of the blood from the wounds. The room grew dark around her as consciousness began to fade.
“Vin!”
“I got her, Nathan,” Tanner said, easing her to the floor beside Larabee. He nodded his thanks as Standish placed one of the pillows under the unconscious woman’s head. He picked up one of the towels and wet it, carefully washing the woman’s face and neck as he waited for Jackson to finish examining the blond.
“How is he, Nathan?” Wilmington asked a few minutes later as Jackson leaned away from the injured man.
“I’m not gonna lie to you boys. He’s in bad shape. If what Anne said is correct then he’s been losing blood since yesterday. I’ve got the bleeding stopped, but it may be too little, too late. We need to get him to the hospital...”
“I think I hear the chopper coming now!” Dunne said and hurried out of the room.
Jackson moved to check Anne Sheridan and was relieved to find no broken bones. He knew she was in shock and had been running on adrenalin when she’d been helping him with Larabee. It took her longer than he thought possible to succumb to her own injuries, shock, and exhaustion. He looked towards the door as two Paramedics came rushing in. He recognized the two men and knew Larabee was in good hands.
“What have we got Nathan?” Bill Roberts asked as he knelt beside Larabee.
“Bullet wound to the right thigh, it’s still in there. One in the right shoulder went right through. Broken ribs, numerous cuts and bruises. Some of ‘em look pretty deep.”
“What about Miss Sheridan?” Daniel Turner asked as he knelt beside the woman.
“Mostly bruises, exhaustion and shock. I didn’t feel any broken bones,” the medic answered.
“Will you start an IV in her for me?” Turner asked, handing the other man an IV kit before he had a chance to answer.
“What about the other man?”
“Dead,” Jackson answered as he searched for a place to start an IV.
“Okay, I’m just gonna get an IV in Larabee here and we’ll get ‘em out to the chopper,” Roberts said as he inserted the line in Larabee’s left arm and began running the fluids into him as Wilmington took the bag and held it above them. Next he placed a cervical collar around the blond’s neck and reached for the backboard.
Chris was showing signs of regaining consciousness once more as Turner read off the vital signs. Turner reached for the oxygen and quickly placed a mask over the injured man’s mouth and nose.
“Alright, let’s get him on the board. Josiah, give us a hand here,” Turner ordered, and smiled as the big man dropped down beside him. Within minutes of the medivac’s arrival, Larabee and Sheridan were being loaded into the chopper for the trip to Saint Vincents hospital.
Stacey Midland watched as the chopper descended towards the landing area. She knew there were two patients and that Chris Larabee was in critical condition with gunshot wounds and blood loss. The paramedics riding with the injured had kept them updated on the patient’s condition and according to Larabee’s vitals he needed help fast. As soon as the chopper touched down her team raced forward even as the door was being opened. Larabee was quickly moved onto the stretcher as the paramedic rattled off the vital signs.
“A...Anne...” Larabee mumbled as his eyes fluttered open.
“Easy, Chris, Anne’s just fine,” Midland assured him as they rushed towards the entrance.
“...bas....tard...hurt...her...”
“Yes, he did, but she’s okay and you’re going to be as well. Trauma one!” she ordered as they entered the ER.
Chris shook his head as they pushed him into the room and transferred him onto the bed there, before hooking him up to the monitors. His body was a mass of pain, but he wouldn’t let that stop him. The thought of Fischer’s hands on her body terrified him and he needed to see her for himself.
“...n...need t...to see h...her...”
“I know you do, but she’s being examined in the next room right now. Get me a couple of units of o neg until we hear from the blood bank!” Midland ordered after noting how low his blood pressure was. She watched as her team began working on the injured man. Dressings were removed from wounds, a second IV was added, and blood samples were taken.
“I want X-ray notified,” she said as she checked his pupils with the tiny flashlight. “We’re going to need an MRI here as well! Notify OR that we’ll be sending him up as soon as the test results are in and we’ve got him stabilized!”
“D...doc...” Larabee moaned.
“Easy Chris,” Midland said as she continued her initial examination. She looked up as Tom Parker came into the room.
“What’ve we got?” he asked as he joined the team. He listened as Midland ran through what she’d discovered so far.
“...s...sick,” Larabee moaned as he tried to turn his head. Soft hands held him as his stomach churned and bile rose in his throat. His strangled cry of pain ripped from his throat as he was laid back against the pillows.
“Think we’d better get an NG tube into him,” Parker said, as Larabee again showed signs of vomiting.
“Dr. Midland, I have two units of O neg here,” Paulina Newport said as she entered the room.
“Chris,” Parker said as Larabee tried to move on the bed. “Just hang on and we’ll get you fixed up and comfortable,” he said as Midland and the nurse hooked up a unit of blood and began running it into Larabee’s arm.
“...trying...” the blond moaned.
“I know you are,” Midland said as she finished with the IV lines.
“A...Anne...”
“Tell you what, Chris. You try to relax and I’ll check on her. Okay?”
“...ok...okay...do...doc...”
“Yes, Chris?” Parker asked as Midland left the room.
“H...hard to b...breathe...”
Parker took his stethoscope and listened to Larabee’s lungs, swearing softly as he heard the diminished breath sounds.
“We’re going to need a chest tube insertion!” he snapped as the team continued to work around him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“How is she, Jason?” Midland asked, entering the room that housed Anne Sheridan.
“She’s in shock. Multiple bruises, possible concussion. I’ve put a call in to the x-ray and we’ll be sending her down as soon as I finish up here,” Henderson said.
“Has she been conscious?”
“No,” Henderson said, and looked back at his patient as a soft moan issued from her mouth. “Anne, can you hear me? Don’t try to move. You’re at Saint Vincents and you’re going to be just fine.”
“...Chris...where’s Chris?” Sheridan asked.
“Chris is being looked after,” the doctor explained.
“...hurt...bad...ly...”
“Yes, he is, but you know as well as I do that Chris Larabee is a fighter,” Midland said.
“Stacey?” brown eyes opened and the head turned to face the familiar doctor.
“Hello, Anne, how do you feel?”
“Sore...sick...can I see him?”
“He just asked the same thing, but I’m afraid that’s out of the question right now. We’re getting him ready for surgery and...”
“Surgery...is he stable enough?”
Midland and Henderson smiled as the concerned nurse took over from the injured woman.
“We’re stabilizing him now, Anne. As soon as X-ray and MRI are done we’ll take him upstairs and get the bullet out of his leg. We’re probably going to have to reset his wrist as well.” The door opened behind her and she turned to see Paulina Newport behind her.
“Dr. Midland, Dr. Parker wants you right away,” she said softly.
“I’ll be right there, Paulina. Thank you. Okay, Anne, you let Jason look after you and I’ll let you know as soon as we know anything more on Chris’ condition,” Midland said, before hurrying out of the room. She raced across to Trauma one and entered just as Parker was getting ready to insert a chest tube into Larabee’s left side.
“It looks like we’ve got a punctured lung, Stacey. Give me a hand here,” Parker explained.
‘Shit!’ Midland thought as he she hurried to Larabee’s side. She saw the green eyes at half mast and knew the blond was in a lot of pain. She reached for a pair of surgical gloves and moved to help her colleague.
Three hours after finding Chris and Anne, six men raced through the ER doors. They’d been able to explain what happened to Robert Miller and stayed until Fischer’s body was taken away. Miller agreed to send a couple of officers to the hospital to get their statements.
Vin and Buck were the first to reach the desk and were relieved to see one of the nurses they were well acquainted with standing there.
“Sandy, how are they?” Wilmington asked as she walked over to them.
“Anne’s just been moved to a room on the second floor.”
“Is she okay?”
“She’s pretty shaken up. Mild concussion and a couple of bruised ribs, but she’s going to be okay?” Sandy assured them.
“What about Chris?” Jackson asked from behind Vin Tanner.
“He’s in surgery right now to remove the bullet from his leg. Dr. Midland and Dr. Parker are with him. You can go on up to the surgical waiting room on the third floor.”
“Thanks, Sandy,” Sanchez said and hurried towards the bank of elevators across from the ER desk.
Midland looked into the waiting room, smiling at the six men who stood as soon as they spotted her. She knew they’d been here for some time and motioned for them to sit down as she took a seat between JD and Ezra.
“Well, surgery went well. The bullet came out clean and David Frost from orthopedics reset his wrist. He’s got several broken ribs, one of which punctured his lung on the left side, so he’s got a chest tube in right now. There were several deep knife wounds on his chest and back that needed stitches. He’s suffering from a concussion and we sutured a deep laceration above his right eye. He’s listed as critical right now, mainly because of the dangerous amount of blood he lost and the head wound. This is the second concussion in about a month and we really need to keep an eye on him.”
“Can we see him, Doc?” Tanner asked.
“Not yet, Vin. He’s being transferred to SICU right now, and they’ll need time to make him comfortable.”
“Is he on a ventilator?” Jackson asked.
“Yes, but we’ll be removing it later today if all goes well. Now why don’t you boys go get something to eat. Wait a minute,” she said, stopping any protests before they started. “By the time you do that, they should be finished with Chris and you can see him, just remember only two of you at a time. I don’t think the nurses can handle more than that.”
“Alright, Dr. Midland, we’ll go. Can we stop by to see Anne?” Standish asked.
“I was just on my way to see her myself. I promised to stop by after surgery was finished. Follow me, but this doesn’t mean you don’t have to eat!”
Although she’d been in the room for several hours, Anne Sheridan had gotten very little sleep. Her worry and fear for Chris Larabee dominated her mind and kept sleep at bay. She shifted on the bed, grimacing as stiff muscles protested almost as loudly as her head. Her thoughts turned to the events of the last few days and she sobbed softly at the thought of the death of her friend. Fischer had taken Tanya Stevens from her life and almost succeeded in killing the man she loved as well. She reached for the tissues and swiped at the tears falling from her eyes. She sighed heavily and leaned back against the pillows just as the door opened to reveal Stacey Midland and Vin Tanner.
“Hello, Anne, how are you feeling?” Midland asked.
“A little sore...”
“A little?” the doctor’s eye revealed a light touch of humor as she looked at the woman.
“Okay...sore, how’s Chris?”
“He’s in SICU right now. Surgery went well, but for now he’s still listed as critical, but stable.”
“What about his arm and leg?”
“We had no problem getting the bullet out of his leg. His arm took a beating and we’ve immobilized it and his wrist. Anne, he’s doing much better than we thought at this point.”
“What about blood loss?”
“He did lose quite a lot of blood, but we’ve given him several units and his BP has picked up.”
“What else?”
“If I tell you will you promise to get some sleep?”
“I’ll promise to try if you let me go see him,” Sheridan said.
“Anne...”
“Stacey, I need to see him. I need to know he’s really okay. Vin will take me, won’t you?” Sheridan asked, acknowledging the younger man for the first time.
“Sure...”
“Well, Vin’s just going to the cafeteria to grab something to eat. He can bring you to see Chris after he’s done that, but I don’t want you staying there too long. I find out you’ve busted my orders and I’ll have you banned from seeing Chris until you’re discharged. Understood?”
“Yes,” Sheridan said, smiling at the doctor, who was also a friend. “What else were you going to tell me about Chris?”
“Well, one of his broken ribs punctured a lung and we’ve inserted a chest tube.”
“Oh, hell,” Sheridan swore, realizing Fischer had done a real number on the man she loved. Her eyes widened in fear at the memory of her ex. “Richard is he...”
“He’s dead, Anne. He won’t be hurtin’ you anymore,” Tanner supplied.
“Wasn’t me I was worried about,” she whispered, her eyes closing as images of Larabee’s bloodied body flashed before her.
“You rest, Anne, I’ll come back in about an hour,” the tracker told her.
“...okay...” Sheridan said, turning on her side and muffling her sobs in the pillow. She heard them leave and drifted towards sleep as her overtaxed body and mind gave into the pain and exhaustion she tried so hard to ignore.
Chris became aware of the sounds first, beeps and soft whispers that intruded on his sleep drenched mind. Then the smells hit him at the same instant instincts kicked in and he fought against the intrusion down his throat. His tongue touched it, and he gasped as he struggled against it, even as a hand landed on his left shoulder.
“Easy, Chris, you’re in the hospital and on a ventilator. I know the tube is not very comfortable, but it won’t be there much longer. Can you open your eyes for me? That’s it...Ah, I do love the color of your eyes,” Margie Stanfield smiled at her pale patient.
Chris tried to focus on the woman standing beside the bed, but the harder he tried, the more his head hurt. A second voice joined the first, this one male and he turned to see a familiar form standing on the right side of the bed.
‘Vin,’ he thought, smiling around the tube in his mouth.
“Hey, Cowboy, ya look like shit.”
‘That good,’ the blond thought, his eyes closing once more, only to snap open and stare at the sharpshooter. ‘Anne?’
“Anne’s fine, she was here earlier, but you were still sleeping. Doc says she can come back when she gets some rest.”
“Chris, I think you need to rest too. Dr. Midland will be here shortly to get rid of the ventilator,” Margie explained.
“Go ahead and sleep, Chris. I got your back,” Tanner said, pulling a chair up beside the bed and sitting down. He smiled as Larabee nodded once and let his eyes close.
‘Always do, Vin,’ the blond thought as he sank back into a drug induced sleep.
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