Game On (27 page)

“Bitch!” Joel dropped the phone as Carly flipped on her back, struggling to get up. Joel knocked over the rack of CO
₂
canisters, sending them careening to the floor near where Troy stood. Carly looked for Troy, but she couldn’t see past an angry Joel bearing down on her.

The door behind him opened, and a man with a gun stood silhouetted in the doorway. Carly didn’t have time to pray for him to be one of the good guys. Things were moving in slow motion again. Joel’s gun was leveled at her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Donovan holding a gun trained on Joel.

“Don’t even think about it, Tompkins!” he growled.

“You won’t take her away from me!” Joel shouted as Carly tried to burrow deeper amongst the buns. She started to call out to Donovan that Troy was nearby when . . .
Ooof!

Dead weight landed on Carly, knocking her breath out, just as a gunshot rang out.

Carly tried to suck in a breath, but a man was lying across her, pressing her deeper into her cushion of buns. A very big man. One that smelled and felt achingly familiar.

Shane! The gunshot! Oh please, don’t let him be shot. Or dead!
She tried to gather air into her lungs as her hands traveled over Shane’s body feeling for holes or blood or anything. Her right hand landed on his heart. It was beating. Strong and fast.
Thank God!

Donovan yelled “Clear!” and Shane began to move. He pushed himself up on his hands, locking his elbows and staring down at her.

“Are you all right?” they both asked at the same time.

Carly bit her lip and nodded as his eyes roamed her body, checking for damage. He sank down onto his elbows. With one finger, he gently traced her chin. “Did Tompkins do this?” She must have a bruise where Joel had pressed the gun barrel there earlier.

“It doesn’t hurt,” she whispered. Her eyes stung from holding back tears.

“Christ, Carly,” he murmured as he sank into her, his warm lips taking her mouth in a fierce kiss. The kiss was aggressive and overbearing and not the least bit gentle, but she didn’t care. She reveled in the weight of his body, strong and hard, pressing hers into the soft bread. Running her fingers through his hair, she opened to him, letting her tongue slide against his, reacquainting her mouth with Shane’s. Oh, how she’d missed this. Missed him. She didn’t care if all he was offering was comfort. She soaked it up like dry soil soaks up rain after a drought. She wouldn’t think about him going home tomorrow, leaving her heart in pieces. Right now she just wanted to crawl inside him and bask in the safety that was Shane. And she was in the arms of the man she loved. There was no point in thinking about tomorrow. Better to enjoy the here and now. Molly was safe. Troy was . . .
Troy!

Twenty-four

Kissing Carly wasn’t helping his already elevated
heart rate, but Shane didn’t care. He’d almost lost her. He could still see Tompkins’s gun pointed at her head. Leaping between her and a bullet was exactly the dumb-ass thing Donovan thought he’d do, but Shane couldn’t regret it. Carly was safe and whole lying beneath him. Exactly where he wanted to keep her. Only not on a pallet of hot dog buns. With half of the stadium’s security force watching. Reluctantly, he pulled out of the kiss. Touching his forehead to hers, he waited until their breathing settled. Her hands moved from his hair to his jaw. He pressed a kiss into her palm.

Joel was whimpering in the background, crying about being shot in the leg. Hell, if Shane had been the one shooting, the guy wouldn’t be around to cry.

“What the hell do you think you were doing?” he asked finally. He knew right away it was a stupid time to bring it up. Her body tensed and her blue eyes, still bright with unshed tears, snapped to his face. “Donovan and I could have taken him. That was a stupid thing to do! He could have killed you!”

“Well, I’m not dead, am I?” she hissed as she shoved him off her. “And pardon me for not knowing Crockett and Tubbs were on the case!” Donovan snorted somewhere behind them. Slapping his hand away, she struggled to get off the slick pallet of shrink-wrapped rolls.

Shane hopped to his feet; he wasn’t letting her walk away again. She went to push past him. “Troy!” she called, and Shane’s heart went to his throat.

“Where is he?” she asked, shoving him aside.

Donovan snapped to attention along with the security guards milling about. Joel continued to cry from his spot on the floor, but Carly stepped over him.

“Troy was here?” Shane asked in disbelief.

She stepped over spent CO
₂
canisters lying on the ground. “Yes, he was behind this.”

“Got him,” Donovan said from behind the rack. Shane leaped over the overturned rack to find Troy buried under several of the heavy canisters. Donovan was checking his pulse as Carly knelt beside him, tears in her eyes.

“I didn’t see Molly with him,” she said.

“We already found her,” Donovan reassured her. “She’s fine.”

“EMTs are on their way,” someone said behind him.

Carly pushed Troy’s hair off his forehead. “He’s out cold,” she said.

“Looks like one of these bad boys hit him in the head,” Donovan said, gesturing at the canisters.

“Troy,” Shane said as he crouched beside him. Lifting one of his hands, he gave it a squeeze. “Hey, wake up, buddy. You did it. Carly’s here and she’s safe.” He looked over at the woman he knew he couldn’t live without while holding the hand of the boy he wouldn’t live without. There were tears in his eyes, but he really didn’t care who saw them.

“Sweetie, please, wake up. Shane needs you.” Carly’s whispered plea was nearly his undoing. Did she not know
he
needed
them
? Her and Troy.

The police and the EMTs arrived like the cavalry. Joel was howling now as they cuffed him to a gurney. Donovan waved one of them over to look at Troy.

“What have we got here?” the EMT asked just as Troy’s eyes fluttered open.

Carly let out her breath as she bent down to kiss his cheek.

“Hey there, bro. Glad you could join us,” Shane teased.

“Head hurts,” Troy breathed. Shane made room for the paramedic, shifting to stand behind Carly, resting his hands on her shoulders. Troy winced as his head was checked over.

“He’s gonna be all right,” Shane whispered, his words a reassurance for Carly as much as for himself. “You’re both gonna be all right.”

Carly placed a hand over his and squeezed.

* * *

“Aunt Carly!” Molly shrieked as they arrived at the
team lounge inside the stadium. Shane had carried Troy there as soon as the EMTs said he could be moved. Donovan had summoned the team doctor to take a look at him.

Molly launched herself at Carly, hugging her tight. C.J. stood behind her, a wide smile on his face. It had been a long time since C.J. had graced her with one of those smiles, and Carly smiled back.

“You’re okay!” Molly cried. “I was so scared when Joel took you away.”

“I’m fine, sweetie. Thank you for being so brave back there. I’m sorry I had to leave you.”

“It’s okay. Troy and I knew you were only trying to protect us.” Like most kids, Molly recovered quickly. Carly was relieved to see it. She hated that she had put her and Troy in danger. Looking over at Troy beside her, she reached out her hand to grab his. Shane stood beside the two of them. He placed his own hand over theirs and squeezed.

A flurry of people rushed into the lounge, including Matt. Carly quickly pulled her hand away.

“Would someone mind telling me why I wasn’t informed a nutcase held my family hostage?” Matt bellowed in his take-no-prisoners coach’s voice. Molly ran into her father’s outstretched arms.

“Things happened very quickly, Coach.” Donovan’s voice came from somewhere behind her. “We had to hurry to neutralize the situation.”

Matt had just opened his mouth to say more when Hank Osbourne materialized behind him. “A job well done, Mr. Carter,” he said, placing a mollifying hand on his coach’s shoulder. “Only minor injuries, I hope,” he continued, surveying the scene around him.

“Our boy sustained a nasty conk on the head. My guess is he’s concussed.” Dr. Mittal, the team’s elderly physician, was examining Troy with a small flashlight. “He’ll need a CT scan and maybe an MRI to be on the safe side. I’d recommend a night in the hospital for observation since his vision is still foggy and he was out for several minutes.” He glanced up at Shane, who nodded his concurrence. The doctor pulled out his phone to notify the EMTs.

Matt pulled Carly into the circle of his arms, Molly squeezing in beside her. “You’re both okay?”

“We are now,” Carly said, but her body had begun shaking uncontrollably and her teeth were chattering. Pulling away from Matt, she felt as if she might faint. Before she could hit the floor, Shane had scooped her up and was carrying her to the sofa opposite Troy. Dr. Mittal hurried over and was checking her pulse while the others crowded around.

Carly inhaled a deep cleansing breath.

“I’m fine,” she said as the doctor felt the back of her head. “I just felt a little faint, that’s all.”

“Trauma can certainly cause someone to faint,” the doctor said. “Of course, there are a multitude of reasons why a woman of your age would faint. Might there be another reason, Carly?”

Huh? Was he asking what she thought he was asking?

C.J. chuckled. “Whoa!”

“No!” she replied to the doctor.

Matt took another step closer. “Carly?” he asked, concern written all over his face.

“No!” she said a little more vehemently.

Shane shifted her in his arms, separating her from the crowd surrounding them. The position allowed her to see his face more fully. He almost looked as if he wanted it to be true. Tears sprung to her eyes. Had she known for sure she wasn’t pregnant, she’d wonder, since she seemed to tear up at the drop of a hat.

“No,” she croaked. Shane brought his face to within inches of hers, grasping her hand at the same time.

“You’re sure?” he asked softly. “Because I wouldn’t mind. In fact, I’d be thrilled.”

Carly swallowed the lump in her throat, gently shaking her head. Had he been serious? It was enough for Carly to wish she were pregnant.

“I almost lost you,” he continued in that same hushed tone so only she could hear him. “It’s taken me all my life to realize I don’t want to be alone. Because of you, I gave Troy a chance and now I don’t want to live without him. And neither of us wants to live without you. The life that I never thought I deserved, that I never thought I would have, is right here with you and Troy. And some wack job with a handgun almost took that all away from me. He almost took
you
away. What I’m trying to say—in my own sorry way—is I love you, Carly. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

He pressed a finger to her lips, which was okay because she was too stunned to form any coherent words anyway.

“Hush,” he said. “Drink this.” He reached behind her for a glass Donovan had brought over from the bar. “You’re shaking like a leaf. We can talk about this later. Privately. I just needed to get that off my chest before something else happened to mess it all up.” He brushed a kiss across her forehead as he handed her the glass.

“I was going to give her this,” Dr. Mittal said, walking over with a syringe. “But that works, too.”

“Devlin.” Uh-oh. Matt playing overprotective brother-in-law was worse than his take-no-prisoners coach mode. She had to give Shane credit, though, he didn’t flinch. Ignoring his head coach behind her, he cupped her face with both hands.

“I meant what I said. Every word of it,” he said as he gently brought his lips to hers for a brief but very meaningful kiss.

“Man, this is getting good!” C.J. said.

“C.J.!” Matt, Carly, and Shane said at the same time.

“Oww!” Troy mumbled, covering his ears.

“We need to get this young man out of here,” Dr. Mittal ordered. The EMTs arrived. They carefully placed Troy on the gurney, ready to wheel him to the waiting ambulance.

“We’ll finish this discussion later.” Shane dropped another quick kiss on her lips before rising to follow Troy out.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Matt demanded. Carly couldn’t tell whether Matt was still in coach mode or brother-in-law mode, but either way, he looked like he wanted to kick Shane’s ass across the room.

“I’m not letting him go to the hospital alone. I’m the only family he’s got.” Shane stood toe-to-toe with Matt, a situation that couldn’t possibly end well.

“I need you here calling plays.”

“Matt! It’s only a preseason game,” Carly said, nearly spilling the untouched Scotch. “Troy needs him more than you do.”

The two men didn’t take their eyes off one another as the rest of the room looked on in silence. “He stays, or he loses the starting position.”

Carly shot to her feet. “That’s not fair!” she cried. “Matt, stop being a jerk!”

“Don’t, Carly,” Shane said softly. “I know what I have to do.” Stepping past Matt, he called over his shoulder. “Tell the Potato Head to have a good game.”

The room was silent as he left.

“How could you?” Carly said, her voice trembling with anger. Her legs gave out again and she sank down onto the sofa.

Matt rubbed his hands through his hair and sighed. “Carter, will you see that my daughter and my sister-in-law get to the owner’s box without incident? And make sure they stay there the entire game.”

Donovan cleared his throat. “A couple of the local police want to ask them both a few questions. I need your permission for them to speak with Molly.”

Gathering Molly in his arms again, Matt pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “If it gets too much for you, Mols, you tell Aunt Carly you want to stop, okay?”

Molly nodded against his chest.

“That’s not all,” Hank said, his eyes on Carly. “There are scores of media out there wondering what’s going on.”

Carly swallowed deeply, eyeing the glass of liquor. “It figures.”

“Let Asia handle it,” Matt said, tersely.

“No, Matt.” Carly had had it with him bossing everyone around. “They won’t let it go with just a statement. They’ll hound me for days. It’s okay. After what I just went through with Joel, what’s a little dustup with the paparazzi, right?” Carly forced a smile at the four men surrounding her like a group of warriors. She was alive. Joel was gone. And Shane loved her. Her smile became genuine as she realized she actually could face a room of reporters.

C.J. placed an arm over her shoulders, giving her a gentle squeeze. “Atta girl, Aunt Carly,” he whispered before placing a kiss on her cheek.

With a decisive nod, Hank and C.J. headed out of the room. Matt stopped at the door, asking over his shoulder, “Do you love him, Carly?”

“A lot more than I love you right now,” she answered belligerently.

He turned his head and winked at her. “As it should be.”

“Oooh!”
Carly tossed a pillow at him as he walked out of the door.

* * *

The game was in the third quarter by the time
Carly made it to the hospital. Fortunately, the New Jersey detectives hadn’t asked too many questions. The occupants of the owner’s box were a different story, however. Everyone present wanted to know the details. Carly had spent an agonizing twenty minutes on the phone with Lisa reassuring her that she and Molly were fine. Molly was happily ensconced at the stadium, reveling in the attention. Earlier, Donovan relayed the news that Troy had sustained a concussion but no other head injuries. As Dr. Mittal predicted, he was being kept overnight in the local hospital for observation.

Carly knew where she needed to be.

Slipping into the darkened room, Carly stood inside the door, taking in the scene. Both Troy and Shane were lying in the hospital bed. With one hand propped behind his head and his feet crossed at the ankles, Shane’s oversized body didn’t look too comfortable hanging over the edge. The football game played on the TV with its sound muted, its light illuminating their faces. Troy’s eyes were closed. Shane touched a finger to his lips before sliding off the bed. Tucking his hands in the pockets of his shorts, he stopped in front of the door, leaving a foot of space between them.

“Hey there,” he whispered.

“Hey yourself.” Carly bit her lip, unsure why she was so nervous. “How is he?”

“Fortunately for him, he inherited the hard head of the Devlin men.” He laughed softly. “His ears will ring for a few days, but he should be fine otherwise. He doesn’t remember anything after lunch today, but the doctor said that should come back slowly.”

“It’s probably better he doesn’t remember.”

“And let Molly have all the glory? No way. He needs details to be the big man on campus at school.”

It was Carly’s turn to laugh. “I brought your overnight bag,” she said, placing the bag on an empty chair.

“They let you in the locker room?”