Steele Family Romance Collection
Page 41
“Jex!” she screamed, rushing to his side. Another skinny, naked man knelt next to him. He scooted out of her way.
Jex was crumpled on his side, his eyes closed. Splotchy blood was on his face, and it looked like one of the men had used a strip of cloth from Jex’s suit to bind his head up. His clothes were ripped and bloody. His right leg was angled the wrong direction, obviously broken—no, shattered was a better description. Another strip of cloth had been wrapped around his right thigh, and the blood on the ground beneath his leg was sickening.
“Oh, Jex, no. No, no, no.” She dropped to her knees, tenderly touching his cheek, then bringing her fingers under his nose. He was indeed breathing, and she could see the pulse point in his neck, see his chest rising and falling, but he was a mess.
“We didn’t dare move him,” Quinn said from behind them.
“That was smart,” the EMT guy said. He knelt behind Jex and started probing his back and neck.
Pearl held her breath, watched Jex’s face for signs of pain or any response, and prayed nonstop.
Finally, the EMT guy met her gaze over Jex’s body. “Is help coming?”
“Yes.” She hoped it wasn’t hours before they got here.
“I’d rather not move him without a collar and a backboard.”
“Did you find anything … in his spine?”
He shook his head slightly. “Nothing I could detect, but he’s pretty … beat up. I wouldn’t rule out a spine injury.”
“Okay,” she whispered, concentrating on Jex’s face. It was horrific to see this strong, confident man crumpled and beat up. What if he had a broken neck and never walked again? She shoved those thoughts away. She didn’t need to make this worse.
The EMT guy turned to Nels and Greg. “Would you go meet the medics? Tell them we need a C-collar and a backboard.”
“Sure,” Greg answered for them. They both took off at a jog.
“What’s your name?” the EMT guy asked.
“Pearl.” She cupped Jex’s cheek. “This is Jex.”
“I’m Brandon.”
“Thanks for helping us.”
Brandon shrugged. “Wish there was more I could do. The wounds look mostly superficial, except his leg and the head wound. Nice job binding them both, guys.”
Quinn’s friends nodded.
“You good here?” Quinn asked. “If medics are coming, we’ll scoot on out. They might bring the coppers. Us and authorities are … no friendly together.”
“Thank you,” Pearl said to the young men.
“Mahalo,” Quinn said. They saluted her, and then their bare cheeks faded into the trees.
Pearl focused on Jex. It was so hard to look at him bruised, torn, and broken, but she couldn’t look away either.
“I guess the hippies of Kalalau aren’t as standoffish as some claim,” Brandon said.
“They seemed like nice guys,” Pearl muttered. “Though some shorts wouldn’t have been out of order.”
Brandon laughed. The sound seemed unnatural and wrong, and she felt guilty for making him laugh. If Jex wasn’t okay, would she ever laugh again? Brandon’s laughter faded quickly, and silence fell in the tropical forest again.
Pearl listened intently for any sound from Jex and any movement in the trees. “How long do you think they’ll take?” she asked Brandon.
He shrugged. “I’m not a local, so I don’t know their response time.” He cleared his throat and muttered, “Hopefully they aren’t as laid-back about first response as they are about the rest of their life. I’m worried about that leg. He must’ve landed on it first.”
“It looks bad,” she agreed.
Brandon gestured to the tourniquet above Jex’s right knee and all the blood below him. “They did the right thing with the tourniquet. I think you would’ve lost him if they hadn’t stopped the blood loss.”
Pearl swallowed hard, shock and fear rolling through her. She bit at her lip until it bled. Would’ve lost him? She couldn’t lose him. Yet Jex couldn’t lose his leg. His entire life was his stunts and adventures. How would he deal with losing a leg? She didn’t want to know, but she had to ask. “Could he … lose his leg because of the blood flow being cut off?”
“I doubt it,” Brandon reassured her. “You’d have to be without blood flow to the limb for eight hours. We’ll get him help long before then.”
Pearl relaxed a little bit.
“How’d this happen?” Brandon gestured to Jex’s broken body and then to the parachute up in the trees. The hippies had also cut that away. They’d done as much as they could for him.
Pearl’s shock was lessening, and suddenly emotion flooded in. Tears pricked at her eyelids and rushed down her cheeks. The moisture was hot and irritating. She didn’t want to cry; she wanted to make Jex better. “Jex is an extreme sports guy,” she muttered through her tears. “He was doing a soaring stunt to show his viewers this remote spot.”
“This is Jex Steele?” Brandon’s eyes widened. “I follow him on Instagram.”
Pearl swiped at the tears on her cheeks and swallowed hard. Did Jex look so horrible that one of his followers wouldn’t recognize him? She bit at her cheek and fought more tears. He did. He looked like death warmed over. No! She wouldn’t think about death. Jex would be okay. He had to be okay.
Her body shuddered as a sob ripped out of her. “Jex,” she groaned.
Brandon stood and walked around Jex. He knelt next to her and wrapped his arm around her. “I’m sorry.”
Pearl leaned into some stranger, not even caring that he smelled like he’d been camping for a few days and needed a shower. She didn’t care that she was basically alone with a stranger in this forest. Without Jex, nothing mattered.
She closed her eyes and prayed for Jex. Please, please let him be okay. Please don’t take him.
“I crash-land in a forest, and you hug some other dude,” Jex’s voice said from below her.
Pearl’s eyes flew open and she screamed, “Jex!” She wanted to throw herself on him, but she didn’t dare.
He groaned and rolled onto his back.
Brandon released his grip on her, holding out his hands and cautioning him, “Don’t move.”
“Sorry,” Jex said unrepentantly. “Who are you, and why are you hugging my girl?”
“Jex! He’s the EMT. Are you okay?”
“No, love. I feel like dog dung.” He stayed on his back but reached down toward his right leg. “My leg is on fire. What’s going on?”
“It’s a …” His eyes darted to Jex’s mangled leg and he cleared his throat. “A bad break and you were losing a lot of blood, so they put a tourniquet on it,” Brandon explained. “How’s your neck and back feel?”
Jex licked his lips. “Like I crashed through a tree.”
“Please don’t move,” Brandon said. “They should be here soon with a backboard.”
“Okay.” Jex closed his eyes for a few seconds, pain evident on his handsome face, but at least he was lucid.
“You lost a lot of blood and you’ve been out for probably fifteen minutes,” Brandon said. “Are you feeling lightheaded?”
Jex nodded. “I feel like somebody put a battering ram to my head and then set my leg on fire.”
The whir of a helicopter came overhead. They couldn’t see it through the thick forest, but Pearl increased her prayers that help would get here soon.
“All these years,” Jex said, “and now we have the answer.”
“What?” Pearl stared down at him.
His eyes fluttered open, and though he was hurting, his dark eyes sparkled with a teasing glint. “I guess your kiss isn’t good luck.”
Pearl’s mouth fell open. “If you weren’t beat up, I’d smack you.”
Jex chuckled, but his breath hitched and he held his chest. “Oh, that hurts.”
“Oh, Jex.”
He winked at her. “You can kiss everything better as soon as a doc fixes me up.”
Pearl shook her head, happy he could tease.
“Jex, this isn’t some ‘little injury.’”
He gave her a roguish smile. “I’ll be back doing tricks by next week.”
Did he not realize he might lose his leg, he might have a broken neck or back, or he might have a dozen other injuries that could end his career or make his life extremely difficult? Today they’d finally admitted their love for each other. Would this affect how Jex felt about her, about their future together? No. She had to stay positive like he was doing.
Brandon chuckled. “There’s that Jex Steele unconquerable spirit. You’re going to be fine.” He stood. “I’m going to go help the EMTs get in here.”
“Thanks,” Pearl murmured as he took off.
“All alone now, love,” Jex said, but then he let out a groan of pain.
“Jex?” Pearl didn’t dare touch him, and had no clue how to help. “Oh, Jex, does it hurt so much?”
“Yeah.” He pumped his eyebrows. “But I think I know what could distract me from the excruciating pain.”
“What?” She leaned in closer. She’d do anything to help.
“Those beautiful lips.”
“Jex! How can you joke at a time like this?”
“I’m not joking. Your kiss will be my morphine.” He smiled softly at her. “I’d kiss you passionately if you were on death’s door.”
“Don’t say death.”
“Then kiss me.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
“But you love me,” he reminded her. “I remember everything—the chute catching on something, crashing through those trees—” He pointed up. “—but most importantly, before that my gorgeous, brilliant, flirtatious assistant Pearl kissing me like the sun wasn’t going to shine anymore and telling me how desperately she loves me.”
“I didn’t say desperately.”
He chuckled but stopped quickly. “Don’t make me laugh.”
Pearl bent down close. “Just kiss you, huh?”
“Yes, please.” His dark eyes seared into her.
“Well, since you’re injured, I guess it’s the least I can do.”
“That’s the spirit.” He wrapped his hand around the back of her head and pulled her down to meet his mouth.
Pearl planted her hands on either side of his torso so she wouldn’t jostle him. Their lips met, making her lightheaded. Jex’s kiss was tender yet firm, transporting her away from the stress and fear of the past half hour and into a world where only the two of them existed. They could get through anything if they were together. All she needed was Jex close.
Something crashed through the bushes, yanking her from the euphoric state, and she pulled back in time to see several men carrying a backboard.
“Maybe he’s not as injured as we thought,” one of the men said.
Another guy chuckled. Pearl’s cheeks reddened.
“Somebody’d better be dead,” Jex growled. “Interrupting a man’s morphine like that.”
“Sorry, but you’re close to dead, man,” Brandon said. “Come on, let’s get you to a hospital.”
Pearl noticed Brandon and the other men’s eyes flickering to Jex’s leg. Reluctantly, she withdrew from Jex.
He reached out a hand to her. “Stay close, please.”
“I will,” she assured him.
She watched helplessly, wishing she could ease his pain, as they transferred him to the backboard. They carefully repositioned his leg, and Jex grunted, panting and clutching the edges of the backboard. His face went white, and Pearl was certain he would pass out again. Maybe that would be better, though, if he could sleep through all of this and they could get him to the hospital and some real morphine.
Chapter Seven
Jex was in and out of consciousness as they carried him down the trail and onto the helicopter. He felt worse than anything he could recall from previous injuries. His head hurt, his leg was on fire, and his body was scratched and scraped. Worst of all, he felt helpless. He hated that feeling, almost as much as he hated that Pearl had to see him broken and useless.
No. He couldn’t be negative. He’d heal quickly and be back doing tricks, flirting with Pearl, kissing her nonstop, and talking her into marrying him. He clung to those thoughts. He was going to be okay, stronger than ever, and soon this would just be something to joke about.
They made it to the hospital and started shooting him full of something that made him even drowsier, but at least numbed the pain. He clung to Pearl’s hand as they rushed him down a hallway. “Don’t leave me,” he slurred out.
“I won’t, Jex. I’ll be here. You’ll be okay.”
He hated being so needy, but he needed Pearl. Everything besides their connection was fuzzy and disjointed. He closed his eyes and could feel her slipping away from him. “No,” he tried to yell, but it came out as a croak. “Pearl, Pearl,” he pled.
The world went black.
Pearl paced the small hospital room where they’d brought Jex to recover after hours of surgery. Her stomach churned and her heart raced. Sweat pooled in her bra and slid down her back. She wanted Jex to wake up from the anesthesia, but at the same time, she didn’t. How was he going to deal with this news? His whole life had changed in a split second. Of course Jex knew what he did was dangerous, but he also thought he was invincible, was always joking about specializing in miracles. Despite various minor injuries, he had seemed to live a charmed life. Well, they needed a miracle now, and she didn’t know that the good Lord really worked the way she wanted Him to.
Jex stirred, groaned, and blinked his eyes open. “Pearl,” he croaked out.
Tears sprang to her eyes. She wanted to be strong for him, but she was deeply touched to know that he’d called to her first. “I’m here.” She hurried to his side and took his outstretched hand.
“You said you wouldn’t leave me,” he muttered.
“They wouldn’t let me in the operating room—something about a medical degree, I don’t know,” she tried to joke, but her voice was uneven.
Jex chuckled, then coughed.
“Do you want some ice chips?” she asked. “They said you could have those when you woke up, then progress to water. If you’re a good boy, you might earn a juice box by tonight.”
He smiled up at her. “You’re so pretty.”
Pearl grinned weakly. She wished with everything in her that she didn’t have to deliver this news. Could she wait until his family arrived? They were en route, but a private jet took a bit longer than commercial to fly from Boston to Kauai. Well, the flight speed was a bit slower, but they didn’t have security or layovers to deal with. She released his hand and spooned some ice chips in his mouth.
“Thanks,” he murmured. He let go of her hand just long enough to push the button to lift his bed up. He rotated his head and said, “I’m feeling pretty good. Clear, just a little headache. Guess the head injury wasn’t too bad?”
“No.” Hopefully her face wasn’t blanching, because she suddenly felt lightheaded. “You bled a bit, but the head injury wasn’t too bad. You do have a broken rib, but they said that will heal well.” They’d cleaned up a lot of his surface scratches and wounds.
He took another bite of ice chips and smiled. “Sweet. Yeah, I’m feeling really great, especially considering the crash and that I was out for a while.” He looked to her as if expecting her to confirm that he was fine.
“You did lose consciousness,” she squeaked out.
“My right leg feels weird, but that’s probably just the anesthesia wearing off.” He shrugged. “So I know how you work, sweet Pearl. You’ve rescheduled this week, already scheming which older stunts you can replay to keep the fans happy. Maybe next week we double up the tricks so we fit in all the Kauai stuff before we move on. Is it Switzerland on the schedule next? Man, I’m stoked for that trip.” His grin became intimate and he squeezed her hand. “Especially now that my beautiful manager and I
are on kissing and I-love-you terms. If you were a betting woman, and I bought a really huge diamond ring, how long would you bet it takes for me to talk you into changing your last name?”
“Um, uh …” Pearl was choking. She had to tell him. She had to.
Jex’s face clouded. He set the ice chips down. “Please, Pearl. Don’t get all freaked out because you finally admitted you’re gone for me and then I got hurt. I’ll be more careful.” He smiled gently at her, as if she were unstable and he needed to tread carefully. “Everything that happened before the accident is still true. I still love you; you still love me. You can trust me to always be there for you. It’s all going to be fine.”
No woman on earth would be able to resist his brilliant, charming smile. Even lying in a hospital bed, he was so confident, so attractive. She did love him, but his optimism might not continue once he knew.
“Jex, it’s not about us.” She could hardly choke it out.
“What is it, then? The sponsors are upset?”
“N-no,” she managed.
“Oh! My leg. It’s broken, isn’t it? I’d totally forgotten how bad it looked and how much it hurt before. It’s all numb now. Did they have to set it? Am I going to be longer than a week’s recovery?” His grin grew. “You know what? Maybe this is fate, beautiful girl. I’ll buy a huge diamond, talk you into marrying me, and we can elope tomorrow.” He winked cockily. “What does it take a bone to heal? Six weeks. A six-week honeymoon will be incredible. Just me and you, holed up on a private beach. I’m so happy you finally admitted to desperately loving me.”
His dark eyes seared into her with a smoldering look that made her week in the knees. A six-week honeymoon? Their own private beach? She wished. Oh, she loved him more than desperately, but love wasn’t going to conquer all when he found out the truth. She wrung her hands together, her neck tight, her stomach churning.
Maybe she was underestimating how great Jex was. Maybe he’d take this news like the patient, laid-back, optimistic guy he was and just soldier on. Maybe the months of recovery and the fact that he’d never do a stunt again wouldn’t faze him. And maybe if she prayed hard enough, a doctor or his family would rush in and Pearl wouldn’t have to be the one to break the truth.