Cold Heat (Seasons of the Heart #1) (15 page)

Drake felt like his heart along with the world stopped when he heard the sound of the gunshot. His body felt like it had been dumped in a deep well filled with cement and he had to struggle to break free of it. He had to get to her, to see how badly she was hurt. And to get to her, he had to kill the bastard who hurt her so badly over the last several years. Drake willed his body forward, his gun still ready to fire.

Brian was smiling when he saw the fight leave her body,
his body almost relaxing, as she seemed to submit. She was nothing more than
an inconvenience that he was almost rid of. He watched her face as she looked over her shoulder to see her lover running toward her, watched her face pale when she looked back at him and saw his death in Brian’s eyes. He felt her finger cover his on the trigger and start to pull
as she leaned her body’s weight into Brian.

Both Kaylie’s and Brian’s eyes widened when the trigger engaged and the gun fired.

Kaylie’s hand fell from her grip around the gun, a scream tearing from her mouth as she fell back from Brian, landing in a heap on the floor, panting.

Brian’s hand lost its grip, the gun clattering to the floor. His head dropped and looked disbelievingly at the crimson that was spreading across his chest. He fell to the ground as the strength left his legs, his body already weakening from the shock and the blood that was leaving his body with every slowing beat of his heart.

Drake ran in, grabbing Kaylie in his arms and spinning her so she wouldn’t have to see his death. He knew he was holding her tightly, but he couldn't persuade himself to loosen his hold as he felt her break apart in his arms. Her body almost convulsing with her sobs, the hot tears dampening his shirt.

Chapter 23

Kaylie lay back on the hospital bed after the doctors had finished examining her. When the officers had arrived at Drake’s cabin, along with the ambulance and rescue, she didn’t want to let go of Drake. She knew she was in shock, and it had taken everything he had to persuade her to go on to the hospital to get checked out. She was lucky there were no broken bones, but she had required a few stitches in her feet after they were cut open on the broken glass. She looked at the IV in her arm, following the tubing up to the plastic bag that held whatever it was they were steadily dripping into her.

She let her hand rest on her stomach, cradling the new life that was barely forming inside her; a small smile gracing her face remembering the news the doctor had given her. She already loved this miracle inside her and she knew that she would fight heaven and hell, again, to protect it from harm. But, oh God, what if Drake doesn’t want this? He was so angry when he forgot to use a condom that day. Looking down at her belly she said, “I’ll still keep you, little one. You’re already such a part of me, and your daddy, and I love you both so much.”

Federal investigators had come in and taken the case from the locals, and then come in and asking her questions, getting her statement about what had happened. How many times, she wondered as she rubbed her forehead, had she told them the same thing? The biggest question, the only one she really had no answer for other than “no”
was whether she had seen any of the other men with Brian?

What had happened to Drake and his friends? Where were they? Were they being held somewhere? Oh God, Jenny? What happened to Jenny after Brian kicked her? Kaylie’s thoughts began to slow down as her eyes grew heavy. She wanted to stay awake in case there was any news about them, but soon she found herself succumbing to the medicines and falling into an exhausted sleep.

Drake knew he had to cooperate with everyone. It was pretty clear that Drake and his friends had been defending his property and Kaylie, and it was doubtful that any charges would be pressed against any of them. They had searched the bodies of the men for identification, not surprised when Manuel Acosta’s body was not discovered. They had found a single set of footprints headed back the way the others had come, and it was speculated that he had arrived with Peterson and then took off, leaving Peterson to his own fate.

It had taken hours before Drake and the others were cleared to go. Cal and Zach heading back to Rafe’s house, after they took Jenny to the vet, to change and rest, but Drake had insisted on driving the forty miles to the closest hospital where they had transported Kaylie. He needed to see for himself that she was safe.

Drake and Rafe pulled into the parking lot of the hospital, Drake taking a deep breath before walking in and asking the nurse for Kaylie’s room number. When they got to her room, Rafe indicated he would wait in the hallway for him. Drake walk
ed into her room, stopping just inside the door, letting it close behind him, and looking at her. She was so still and pale, except for the large bruise that was marring her face. He could tell her feet had been bandaged as he continued staring at her for a moment before walking across the room. Pulling the chair to the side of the bed, he lowered himself into it before taking her hand in his. He sat there for a while, just watching her and holding her hand, occasionally whispering soothing words to her when she would start to flinch or twitch in her sleep. Reassured that she was safe, he sat back and closed his eyes.

Drake was pulled from his bedside nap by Kaylie’s sudden scream and her thrashing around, her subconscious reliving the last several hours. Leaning over the bed rails, he laid his hand on her shoulder, “Kaylie, its over now. He can’t hurt you anymore. You’re having a nightmare and need to wake up now. Come on back to me Sweetheart.”

He stood by her side, helpless to do anything but let her surface from the nightmare on her own. He knew enough from his years in the service, and after helping others with bouts of PTSD that he should never shake them awake. He just stood there with his hand on her shoulder whispering words of encouragement to her, and letting her know that it was finally over.

His heart was squeezing in his chest while he watched her struggle to surface. He’d come to several realizations over that past few hours, things that he knew he needed to say to her. He had found s peace with her in his cabin; the nightmares that had once plagued him nightly? He’d only had one. He felt a sense of happiness that he’d been missing since, God, forever? He was in love with her. He knew it could work between them. They didn’t need to rush anything, let her heal both physically and mentally. He would slay whatever she needed him to.

She c
ouldn’t fight any longer. The will to give in and give up was too strong to fight. She hated that Brian had won, taking everything, but most especially Drake, away from her.
Just as she was about to surrender to her fate, she could hear Drake’s voice through the haze of pain. All she could focus on right now was what sounded like ‘it’s over’
and ‘you’re safe.’
Her mind started to clear as his words began making sense. Fighting through the layers of misty dreams, she found herself back in the hospital bed with Drake standing watch over her. “Drake?”
her voice was groggy and scratchy from the drugs and the screaming, “How’s Jenny?”

“She’s going to be okay,”
he began gruffly,
“
Cal and Zach
got her to the vet and, while she has a couple of broken ribs, the vet said she’ll be back to normal soon. Your doctors came in and checked on you while you were sleeping, they said you’ll be able to go home tomorrow.
”He turned and paced a few steps before turning back to her.
“Kaylie,
I know when we met you were headed anywhere that was away from Brian, with no real destination in mind.”
He angled to sit on the edge of the bed and took her hand in his. “I’d really like for you to come back and stay with me. I know the cabin’s going to need some work…”
he cut off at the tears in Kaylie’s eyes. “Oh, Sweetheart, why the tears?”
he asked as he wiped them away with his thumb.

Kaylie drew in a deep, shuddering breath, “How can you ask me that, Drake? It’s because of me that your cabin’s been destroyed. You can’t seriously want me…“

Drake put his finger over her lips, hushing her. “Not want you back with me? Kaylie, sweetheart, I need you back with me. My heart stopped when I heard that gunshot, thinking it was you. I had two thoughts running through my mind when I heard that; the first was I had to get to you, and the second was how much I love you. You woke something in me that I never thought I’d feel. What do you say, Kaylie? Come back with me. We can work on things together. Make a home together, however long it takes. Trust me.”

“I do trust you, Drake.“
She reached out and took his hand, “I’d love to. I love you, too,
” she said before taking a deep breath,
“but there’s something else you need to know. The doctors ran blood tests on me when I first got here
.
If I come back with you, there are a couple of adjustments that might need to be made to your cabin, maybe adding another room. I’m pregnant, Drake. I thought the timing was okay, but with the stress and anxiety I’ve been under? I was wrong. I’m not going to say I’m sorry because I want this. This little him or her is already beautiful to me, but, well,”
she squared her shoulders, “if you don’t want this baby Drake, then that’s too bad for you, and for him.”
She put her hand protectively over her abdomen.

It took Drake a second to process what she had said, but as soon as his brain fired back up again, his eyes lit and a smile cracked his face wide open. Reaching out and placing his palm on her belly, he started laughing before leaning down and kissing her gently on the lips. “A baby? You’re, we’re, pregnant? There’s a baby inside you? I’ll be right back.”
H
e turned and opened the door to her room, finding Rafe out in the hallway.

Rafe stood up from the chair he had claimed when Drake came bursting out of Kaylie’s room. “Is everything okay? I didn’t…”

Drake interrupted Rafe, clapping him on the shoulder and smiling, “She’s good. Aside from her feet and the bruising, the doctors said she should be able to head home tomorrow. But, Rafe, she’s great, and she’s pregnant.”
He drew in a deep breath. “Holy fuck, Rafe, I’m gonna be a Dad!”

“You want this, right? I mean, she’s not trying to saddle you in to something you don't want, right? I’m just trying to look out for you man; you don't even, really, know this chick.”

“Damn it, Rafe!”
he exclaimed as he turned and paced before turning back to his friend. “I know what I need to now for now, and the most important thing is I’m in love with her, so can you just shut the
fuck
up with your sanctimonious attitude? Not every woman is Mandy. Just be happy for a friend for once, instead of this bullshit.”
He turned and went back into the room with Kaylie.

He walked back into the hospital room intent on building a future with Kaylie and their child. “Kaylie,”
he started, walking up to the bed and sitting beside her, talking her hand in his, “how about tomorrow, after the doctors release you, we go home? To our home? I’ll call and get some folks out to clean it up and start the repairs while we decide on the rest.”

Sitting up, she flung her arms around his neck, peppering kisses across his scruffy jaw, repeating one word between each kiss. “Yes!”

Chapter 24

Rafe was left standing in the hall after Drakes departure when he noticed a nurse watching him from the nurse’s station at the end of the corridor, a combined look of bewilderment and anger on her face. Catching her eye, he sauntered her way, appreciating the directness of her look, and anticipating what he assumed would be a very entertaining few hours in her company. “I couldn't help but notice you looking at me,”
he said cockily. “I’m Rafe, and you are?”

The nurse looked up at him from the chart she was making notes on, a single eyebrow cocked up as she took him all in. “I know who you are. I know what you are. And, believe me when I say, I am not interested.”
She snapped the chart closed and walked away, dismissing him.

Rafe couldn't help but stare in disbelief as he watched the attractive nurse walking away, an angry twitch to her hips and ponytail. Something about her…
Her voice? Her eyes? He couldn’t identify what, but something about him was trying to trigger a memory. He knew he wouldn’t be able to let it rest until he figured out what it was about that nurse, or rather what that nurse had against him. Crossing his arms over his chest, he couldn’t help but smile. He did, after all, enjoy a challenge.

Reaching into his back pocket and withdrawing his phone, hey keyed in Cal’s number and waited on the man to pick up.

“Cal here,”
the man answered amid the sound of hammering.

“What the hell’s going on over there?”

“We can’t leave Givens’
house open to the wildlife and the weather, so Zach and I are cleaning and boarding it up before he gets home. What’s up there? Any news on Kaylie?”

“Yeah.”
Rafe paused, “It looks like things are going to be okay for them. Kaylie’s being held overnight for observation, and I’m willing to bet my left nut that lover-boy stays here with her tonight before he takes her home tomorrow. They got some good news out of all this that I’ll let Drake fill you in on. If one of you could come out here and pick me up, I’ll leave Drake his truck for tomorrow; give them some privacy.”