“I wish I was. You need to meet us at the hospital. Micah was attacked. Gable thinks he might be okay because he fought the EMTs a little as they were loading him.” She licked her lips.
“I’ll meet you two there. Don’t worry. If he was upset enough to fight them, then he should probably be okay,” Maddox said. “I’m on my way out the door now.”
“He’s leaving now.” She swiped her finger across the phone and slid it into her pocket. “Let’s go. I want to know how badly he was hurt.”
“Stay calm. Micah can generally handle himself.” Gable curved an arm around her and guided her to the door.
“I’m calm. I just hate it when people I know are hurt. I feel so out of control, and that’s strange.” She raked her fingers through her hair.
“I think everyone hates that.” Gable opened the car door and helped her in. “Put on your seat belt. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
She clicked the buckle into place. He closed the door and walked around the car. Her heart pounded. She drew in deep breaths. Why had this happened? What was the person behind these attacks after? Was he going to come after them again today?
He drove to the hospital and parked as close as he could get. She waited as he came around the car. Darkness slowly fell. The sky turning from a lighter bluish-purple to a deep midnight blue. The bright safety lights flickered and hummed as they came on. She got out and stayed beside him as they hurried to the entrance. They entered the emergency room.
She looked around for a man in a police uniform and spotted him near the door to the triage area. John strode over. He wasn’t smiling She swallowed hard.
He stopped in front of them. John took a deep breath. “The doctor’s in with him right now.”
“Is he conscious?” Gable asked.
“He’s in and out at the moment. He definitely has a concussion.” John exhaled.
“Can you tell us what happened?” Gable stuffed his hands in his pockets.
“He was attacked coming out of the grocery store.” John shook his head.
“Oh, no.” Dixie gasped. A sick weight settled in her stomach.
Gable’s arm tightened around her. “Dixie. Don’t go there.”
“What?” John looked between them.
“She asked him to get a few things for dinner tonight.” Gable pressed a kiss to her cheek. “It’s not your fault.”
“But it is. He wouldn’t be hurt if I hadn’t asked him to go and sent him a list.” She wrung her hands together. “He would have come home after his errands.”
“And it could have happened right outside your door or in the morning. They took an opportunity, Dixie. If he’d stopped at a gas station, then they would have attacked him there.” John waved his hand. “This isn’t anyone’s fault aside from the ones who did it and the ones behind it if they’re different people.”
“When will we be able to see him?” Gable asked. “Pretty soon you’ll have another bear in here, and we’re all anxious. And she’s worried. She hasn’t claimed us, so that’s not good.”
“I’ll check in with them. They want to keep him overnight. I don’t think there’s any big injury. It’s just the beating he took and the blows to his head.” John shook his head.
He walked off. Gable hugged her to him. She wrapped her arms around him and held tight. Damn those bastards.
“This isn’t because he went to the store. It’s because some asshole has targeted us, and I hope the asshole is whyr so that I can take a chunk out of his ass.” Gable nuzzled her cheek. “Relax. He’ll be all right. They’ll keep him in the hospital overnight, and we’ll take his grumpy ass home tomorrow.”
“I hope you’re right.” She rubbed her cheek against his chest.
“How’s Micah?” Maddox eased in behind her.
“John’s checking his condition right now, but said earlier that he was in and out of consciousness. He was attacked at the grocery store.” Gable turned her and pressed her into Maddox’s arms. “Cuddle against Maddox, and then when we can, you can see and hold Micah.”
Maddox wrapped his arms around her. She nuzzled against him.
“He’ll be fine and driving the nurses here insane before morning. Just be glad that you’re not working right now.” Maddox patted her back. “They’d probably stick you in there one-on-one since you’re the only one he’s likely to listen to without sedation.”
“They’d probably call you in if they could.” Gable laughed. “It will be a fight just to get him to stay if he’s conscious.”
“And he’s already pushing to get out whenever he is conscious. They want to move him up to a room, and he’s resisting. So how about you come with me and see if we can talk sense into your doctor bear?” John strode up to them.
“You know they’re the absolute worst patients. They think that they know everything even when they’re the ones who need help.” Dixie nodded. She took a deep breath. Time to get herself together. Micah didn’t need her falling apart on him. “He needs to stay here.”
“We’ll convince him.” Maddox patted her back. “He’s a pain about it, but he eventually listens even if we have to threaten to call his mom.”
“He doesn’t want to have to deal with his mom?” She looked up at him. Then again, he wouldn’t be the first big, independent man not to like disappointing his mother.
“He loves his mom, but if his mom gets involved, his dads get involved, and then he has to do what we want him to anyway.” Gable laughed. “It’s the same pretty much for all of us. Family is important.”
John led the way back into the treatment area. They strolled down a hallway before he stopped. He pushed open a door. Micah sprawled on the table. His eyes were closed, and he didn’t appear conscious.
“I thought you said that he was awake.” She put a hand on her hip. Her heart pounded in her chest as her stomach churned.
“He was when I left.” John shook his head. “He should be again soon if this is like the periods before.”
Micah groaned and lifted a hand to his head. Dixie hurried over to his side. Damn, that was a sweet sight. He was awake. Blood matted the hair at the side of his head.
“Damn, my head hurts. Dixie!” He growled. His body tensed, and he strained to get up.
“Hey, Micah, I’m right here.” She patted his arm. At least, he seemed mostly lucid. “How are you?”
“Good. You’re finally here. Can you help me get out of here?” He relaxed on the bed and captured her wrist.
“No, you’re staying the night. You know you need to. You keep losing consciousness.” She put her hand on his shoulder. Stubborn man. If this was anyone else, he’d demand they stay.
“I don’t want you in danger.” Micah shook his head, but groaned.
“I’m not in danger. I have Maddox and Gable with me.” She patted his shoulder. Even if there was a risk, she’d want him here to make sure he healed. “But to know you’ll be okay, you need to stay overnight. They have to run some tests and watch you.”
“I’ll be okay. I’m a whyr.” He frowned.
“Being a whyr doesn’t make you invincible.” She frowned at him. Freaking bear protectiveness wasn’t helping here.
“You’ll stay, or I’ll knock you out myself so they won’t need your permission.” Maddox put his hand on her shoulder. “And guess who you’ll see when you wake up?”
“I didn’t hear that.” John turned around.
“You wouldn’t. Not when there’s danger around us.” Micah scowled.
“Oh, I so would. They couldn’t stay with us or even be seen with us outside of the hospital room, but they can definitely come to a public place like a hospital.” Maddox grinned.
“You’re a bastard,” Micah growled. “I’ll get you back for this. Next time you get hurt, I’ll make sure you get the heavy-handed doctor who doesn’t wait for the pain meds to take effect.”
“I’ll tell my mom you said that. Expect a talk the next time you see her since she is definitely married
to my dads.” Maddox laughed.
“You suck, you big tattletale.” Micah exhaled and relaxed back on the bed. “You should take her home.”
“We’ll stay while they get you settled and talk with you before we head home. I think she needs to spend a little time close to you.” Gable nodded.
“I definitely need to spend some time with you.” She stepped closer. And maybe I won’t spend the rest of the night wondering if something would go wrong.
“I’ll appreciate every moment, but I want you three to be careful. They already came after me today. I’m pretty sure they knew you’d come here to see me.” Micah ran his hand through her hair.
“I’ll have a man go with them and check the house. The same reason I’ll have a man outside your room.” John stepped forward.
Dixie smiled. That should reassure him, and they should be safe from those attackers.
Chapter Fourteen
Dixie bit her lip. At least the scans were clear. No bleeding in the brain. Soon, nurses moved Micah to a room. Maddox, Gable, and Dixie went up and talked with him awhile.
Dixie didn’t want to leave when the time came. She’d rather spend the night at the hospital, but Gable and Maddox wouldn’t even consider it. Annoying men. It was possible to rest in a chair. She pressed a kiss to Micah’s lips. Tears burned her eyes as she walked out of the room.
“He’ll be fine, but you need to eat and get some rest. Don’t be sad. We’ll be back tomorrow to see if they’re ready to let him go or are ready to kick him out. His mom always said he was the worst when he was sick.” Gable tugged her to his side and hugged her.
“That’s so wrong, and I’m not exactly sick.” Micah scowled and rubbed at his shoulder. “Get her home. Make sure she eats and gets some rest. I don’t think that will come easily tonight.”
“That’s one doctor’s order I have no problem following.” Maddox slid his hand down her back. “We’ll make sure she’s tired enough to sleep through the night without any difficulty.”
Maddox left the hospital a few steps in front of Gable and Dixie. Dixie’s shoulders ached, and she swept her gaze over the parking lot. Was someone out here waiting for them? Well, other than the police officer who John insisted would search the house to ensure no one was waiting in there to harm them.
Maddox ushered her into Gable’s car and made sure she put on her seatbelt. She smiled up at him and caressed his cheek. Sweet man. He kissed her lips.
“I’ll meet you at home.” He straightened. “Drive carefully, Gable.”
“Will do. See you soon.” Gable nodded.
Gable drove them home. The officer pulled up in front of the house, but Maddox’s car wasn’t behind them. Dixie frowned and looked around. Where was he?
The officer came over and retrieved the keys from Gable. “Stay in the car until I’ve made sure your house is clear of any danger.”
“Do you really think someone can get into the house, even with the security system? And where’s Maddox? You don’t seem worried that he didn’t pull in behind us.” She turned in the seat.
“Maddox stopped at a restaurant to pick up our meal. We ordered it while you were in there talking to Micah when the nurse was giving him his medicine, and all he has to do is go in and get it.” Gable smiled. “And I don’t think someone is in there right now, but it’s possible someone could get past the security system or have disabled it. I’d rather be safe than sorry.”
“But he could be attacked just as easily at the restaurant as Micah was at the grocery store.” Her heart raced. Fuck, what if… She pressed her hand to her churning stomach.
“John followed him. We knew you’d worry.” Gable smiled. “So we made sure that the risk to him was as little as possible.”
She exhaled. John was with him. That made it so much better. “Well, he should be safe. So what did you two decide to get?”
“Actually, John recommended it. Pizza. He said the pizza, wings, and breadsticks from this place were the best in the city.” Gable patted her thigh. “Look, there’s the officer.”
The man strolled over to the car and handed Gable back the keys. “Your house is clear. No one in there.”
“Thank you for checking.” Gable nodded. “Now, let’s go inside. We can find something to drink. What do you think about a little wine with our pizza tonight? Wait until I get around the car.”
“Actually, that sounds good.” She nodded. Wine. If Micah were here, she’d put on some soft music, and they could have a nice romantic night. She swallowed. But Micah was at the hospital. Her stomach sank as if a weight dropped into it.
“Hey, he’ll be okay. He might have a concussion, but he’ll be back here, grumpy and bossy, tomorrow.” Gable got out of the car. He walked around and opened her door.
She slipped out beside him. His arm curved around her back, and he guided her up to the door. He turned and waved to the officer who’d waited at his car. They walked into the house.
“I’ll get the wineglasses. You grab the wine. I haven’t seen any. I didn’t even know you had a stock of wine.” She glanced over at him. “Do you think it will take much longer before Maddox arrives?”
“No, it shouldn’t be long. We did order this before we left, but John said they were always busy.” Gable squeezed her shoulder. “Grab those glasses and some plates. We can set up at the coffee table, because I can assure you that we want to be close to you.”
She exhaled. He wasn’t alone in that urge. “I need to be near you, too.”
He arched a brow. “As if you wouldn’t be camped out up at the hospital if we’d let you.”
“Oh, I would, but I’d want you there with me, too. Any of you away from me would bother me. I’d like you all around me right now if I could manage it, but it would be hard for me to keep my hands off Micah. Just to make sure he’s all right.” She squeezed his hand before heading off to the kitchen to get the wineglasses.
“That feeling will fade when we get Micah home,” Gable called after her.
She smiled. Maybe not at first, but hopefully, it would ease when she could touch him again. She’d ensure he healed, even though it would be at least a few days before he’d be up to anything strenuous.
Better get moving. The covered pan still sat on the counter. She lifted the cover. The rolls sagged in the middle. Damn it, those were way overproofed. She grabbed the pan. Nothing for it but to throw them away. She tossed them and turned her attention back to getting the dishes for their meal.
She gathered the glasses and took them out first, not wanting to carry out the stemware on top of the plates and chance breaking them. Tonight had gone wrong enough. She went back for the plates and also grabbed some napkins.
Once she put them down on the coffee table, she stood. Not enough room for everything. She cleared off the glass bowl with its decorative stones and shells. Now, they should have enough room.
She put out the glasses and sat on the couch. Her foot tapped. Gable still wasn’t here. Where was he? Why was he taking so long to get a bottle of wine?
A door opened and closed. She turned toward the sound. Gable walked in, and Maddox followed him, carrying boxes. Dixie rose and took a couple boxes off the top. Savory chicken scent mixed with a slight sweet smell. Rich tomato aroma drifted up. Her mouth watered.
“Yum, this smells delicious. If it tastes as good, we’ll have to make sure we get this again. I love a good pizza.” Dixie put the boxes down.
“Good. You forgot the plates. I thought we’d get them after Maddox arrived.” Gable opened the bottle of wine.
“Got distracted with worries. Well, we could have eaten it straight from the box, but it might have gotten a little messy.” She shrugged.
“Hey, we can clean each other up.” Maddox dropped a kiss on her lips and put his boxes down. “Let’s eat, because I don’t think you’ll be tired enough to go to sleep soon. And we promised Micah that we’d make sure that you rested tonight.”
“What kind of pizza did you get?” She
leaned forward.
“We went kind of basic this time because we didn’t know what you’d like. We have a four-cheese pizza, a meat lover’s special, and a Canadian bacon and pineapple.” Maddox flipped open the boxes.
“That’s a lot of pizza for three people. Give me a slice of cheese and the Canadian bacon and pineapple.” Dixie grinned. She ordered that amount to hang with the girls, and they still had lots left over.
“I love leftover pizza.” Maddox shrugged. “Trust me. It will get eaten probably within a couple days. Try some of these breadsticks. The smell was so overwhelming in the car I pulled one out at a stoplight. My God, they’re delicious.”
She took one of them. Gable dropped a few wings on her plate. Parmesan and garlic drifted up to her. She bit into the soft breadstick. Garlic hit her first, followed by the buttery flavor of the Parmesan. Oh my. Those could become an addiction.
“We definitely have to get these again.” She placed the rest of the breadstick back onto her plate. Save that for later so she didn’t gorge herself on them and totally ignore the pizza.
“They’re definitely good.” Gable poured the wine. “The pizza’s delicious, too. Here’s your wine.”
She took a bite of the pineapple and Canadian bacon. Definitely good. John could be right. This might be the best pizza in town. She ate, savoring each bite.
“John was right. I think this place does have the best pizza.” Maddox nodded.
They ate and put up the leftovers. She grabbed the plates and carried them to the sink. Might as well get these out of the way. She turned on the water. One of them eased in behind her, reached over, and shut it off.
“Leave them, honeybear. We can do these later.” Maddox hooked an arm around her waist. “We have plans.”
“You do? Will I like them?” She raised a brow. Arrogant men. Should she fall in line with their plans?
“I think you will. You’re a very adventurous woman.” Gable put the bottle of wine on the counter. “I say we go to the bedroom now. It will be more comfortable, and we can take our time teasing and playing with her.”
In Her Bears' Arms Page 10