Texas Hellcat

by Shelley Stringer

  I took another step toward him, and Reeves swung the gun toward me. “Stay where you are. Mmm, you are a sweet thing. You always were.” He licked his lips. I could smell the bourbon on him from ten feet away.

  I shook my head, tears filling my eyes. I was glued to the spot like stone, the threats and low tone in his voice making me feel helpless and submissive like I’d felt when I was fourteen…terrified and powerless to fight him.

  “Please, let him go,” I whispered, glancing at Liam. At that moment, looking down at Liam’s helpless form, I realized I’d rather die than live without him. I realized I’d do anything in exchange for his life. This man was everything to me. He’d made me whole again. He loved me unconditionally.

  “And what? So he can go to the police? No, he has to die. I have to make it look like you argued; you shot lover-boy there, and then shot yourself. You’ll commit suicide just like your whore mother and your whore sister. I will plant the drugs, just like always. You’d fallen into your crack-head sister’s pattern, and Liam confronted you. You know,” he paused, twirling the gun sickeningly around as he rambled, “I took her before I killed her. Her ass wasn’t nearly as sweet as yours though.”

  I shook my head in denial.

  “No,” I whispered. I knew in my heart he’d killed them, but hearing him confess it was more than I could bear.

  “I had to kill Dana. She accused me of such horrible things. I couldn’t let her live, with her spreading such lies. She just couldn’t keep her filthy little mouth shut. Just like you telling your sister filthy little lies about me. I’m one step away from the Governor’s mansion. I can’t have you telling secrets too.”

  I began to get sick, my stomach turned over, the visions his confession brought to mind were too horrific to consider.

  “With Covington out of the way, I can have you alone once more before I kill you,” he leered as he licked his lips again in anticipation.

  “The hell you will,” Liam roared, coming fully awake. He lunged forward, causing Reeves to swing the gun toward Liam’s chest. Liam grabbed the muzzle of the gun, attempting to wrench it out of Reeves’ hand. Reeves pushed Liam and broke his hold on the weapon. Seeing the daylight between them and the look in Reeves’ eyes, I realized he’d made a decision. I sprang to life, charging Reeves, my body covering Liam’s. The loud retort of the gun firing popped in my ears, and I felt a strange pressure in my chest. I tried to pull a breath in. As Reeves watched me, his eyes widened at the sound of sirens outside.

  “Kelly, No!” Liam cried as my body slid down his. He grasped me around the waist and he gently eased my body on the ground.

  “Kel, baby…hold on! Breathe, Kelly…don’t die on me,” he pleaded. I heard a scuffle and another loud pop.

  I focused on Liam’s face as I drew one last ragged breath, my eyes closing as I exhaled.

  Twenty-Seven

  “Baby…please, can you hear me?” Liam whispered softly in the darkness. I struggled against the force keeping my eyelids shut.

  “Mmmm. I can…hear you,” I murmured thickly. I felt as if I’d been on a three-day drunk.

  “Kel, please. Can you open your eyes? Kelly, wake up,” he pleaded.

  I forced my eyes open. Liam’s face came into focus, his eyes dark with concern.

  “Baby, are you hurting?”

  “Ummm?”

  “How do you feel?”

  “Sleepy,” I whispered. “Heavy.”

  “Okay, baby. Dad’s going to get the doctor, hang on.”

  “Doctor?” I murmured, the fuzz in my brain beginning to lift. “Where am I?”

  “You’re in ICU. You’ve had surgery. You’re going to be okay.”

  “I am?” I murmured thickly.

  Liam chuckled close to my ear. I could feel his lips on my cheek. I smiled, but it hurt.

  “What happened? Where’s Masen?” I asked, becoming alarmed when my senses returned.

  “Masen’s fine. Ethan and Chelsea have him right now.”

  I nodded, relaxing back into the pillows. I felt sleep taking over again. I drifted, snippets of memories floating in and out.

  “Has she been awake? Does she remember anything about the shooting?” Tana’s voice came to me in an echo as if in a well.

  “She looks so pale…is she hurting?” Sunni asked, her usual clipped Indian accent sounding a bit shaky.

  “Stuart, thanks for coming,” I heard Liam say. He sounded exhausted.

  “More flowers for Miss Sanger,” a nurse whispered, closing the door behind her.

  Another brief glimpse of Liam’s face, a nurse as she gave me a shot in my IV, and I was back in lala-land.

  * * *

  I didn’t know how much time had passed. I lifted my hand shakily to my head, checking for injuries. My head ached, and I couldn’t remember anything. Gazing around the room, I found Liam watching me beside the bed.

  “What happened, Liam?”

  Liam reached up, stroking my forehead gently with his thumb. As I noticed the swelling over Liam’s right eye and the large bruises on his forehead and cheek, it all came rushing back.

  “Oh, God…Liam, are you okay?” I asked, surveying his bruised face.

  “Am I okay? You’re worried about me? Reeves shot you, Kel. He fired at me, but you jumped in front of me. You saved me. You took the bullet meant for me. My crazy, beautiful little hellcat…what were you thinking?” he murmured.

  “Ummm…don’t know… just couldn’t let him hurt you.”

  Liam rose over me and kissed my forehead, leaving his lips pressed there. I closed my eyes, not caring how badly I hurt. I was just so relieved Liam was all right.

  “Where’s Reeves?” I asked, my heart rate accelerating.

  “He’s dead, Kel. Reeves thought when he cut the power to the house it disabled the alarm system. Thankfully, you didn’t reset the system properly when you came in, and it sent a silent distress signal to the police. They arrived just as Reeves shot you. I wrestled with him and the gun went off. The police tackled us, but Reeves was already dead. He was shot when they took us down. The police suspect he might have shot himself on purpose. At any rate, he’s dead. He can’t hurt you anymore, Kel.”

  I nodded, tears threatening to spill over.

  “Hey, baby, everything is fine now. You’re going to be okay.” He leaned over again to kiss my forehead.

  “Liam, he said…he killed my mother…and Dana,” I murmured, my voice thick. “We have to call the police in Houston,” I added wearily.

  “I know, Kel. Shh. I’ve already called them, and they’re dropping the murder charges against Rick. I think we know now who was behind all the attacks. You’re safe now, baby. You were so brave, and I’m so proud of you,” he said, his lips against my cheek. “The doctors had to do surgery on you, the bullet went through clean, just nicked your lung…there were some bone fragments, but they got them all. You were lucky. The bullet barely missed your spine. You could have been paralyzed,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.

  I tried to raise my head.

  “No, stay still, Kel. You need to let the doctors check you over,” Liam said, rising up to look at the door.

  “How is she doing?” Davis asked, moving back into my view, the doctors entering with him. I smiled at him, and he smiled back warmly.

  “I’m sore and sleepy,” I whispered, my head beginning to pound with every sound. My chest ached like I’d had an elephant sitting on it.

  “How would you rate your pain, on a scale from one to ten?” The doctor asked.

  “Umm, an eight, I guess.”

  Liam’s father glanced over at Liam, and then back down at me, worry etched on his face. “Can’t you do something?”

  “We’ll give her more medicine for the pain, I just need to check her reflexes before we do…she’ll likely go back to sleep once we increase the morphine.”

  “Should you increase the dose? It won’t hinder her progress?” Liam asked worriedly.

  “Let’s just
see how she’s doing.”

  The doctor pulled a stool over to the side of the bed and sat down, pulling a pen light out of his pocket. Holding his finger up beside his face, he commanded, “Look right here for me, Kelly. Focus on my finger.” He held the pen up and shined it into my eyes, then pulled it away as I tried to focus on his hand. He repeated it on the other eye, and then shut the pen off.

  “Now, grasp my hands.”

  He held his hands up, and I reached out, taking them in mine. He pushed and pulled, up and down, checking my muscle strength. After checking my upper body, he pulled the sheet up away from my feet. Taking the pen light from his jacket pocket again, he slid the cold metal up the bottom of my left foot. My heart rate sped up…I felt nothing. Then when he moved to the right foot, I glanced over at Liam. Liam sucked in his breath.

  “Kelly?” The doctor called to me. I turned back to look at him, wondering what he was waiting on.

  “Can you feel this?” I saw him slide the pen up my right foot again, but I felt nothing.

  I shook my head.

  “Doc?” Liam whispered apprehensively.

  The doctor slid the pen up the side of my calf, and then over my knee cap and across my thigh. I shook my head. Then he stood and pulled my gown higher up on my hip. When he raked the pen across my hip, I jumped.

  “God, Doc…is this permanent?” Liam exploded with anxiety. The doctor shook his head, glancing back at me. After replacing the pen in his pocket, he spoke. “It’s too soon to tell. We’ll give it some time, and run some more tests. Her body has been through quite a shock with the bullet and surgery. We removed bone fragments close to your spinal cord, but I don’t think there is any damage. Don’t jump to conclusions just yet. If you don’t regain feeling in that leg by tomorrow morning, we’ll run some tests. You could lose partial feeling, but it doesn’t mean paralysis. We’ll just take this one day at a time.”

  I nodded and then glanced back up at Liam. Sliding the pen back in his pocket, he turned to Liam’s father.

  “She needs to rest. I’ll increase her morphine a bit, only liquids tonight,” he commanded as he left the room.

  Liam’s father sat down in the chair the doctor had just vacated. Just when he began to speak, a nurse came in, changed the IV bags out, gave me a shot through my IV, and then left the room.

  “Baby, do you need anything?” Liam asked, sitting down on the side of the bed.

  I nodded. “Water. I’m pretty thirsty.

  “I’ll go and get some. I’ll be right back,” he assured me, placing another kiss on my forehead.

  As soon as he was gone, Liam’s father cleared his throat.

  “Kelly, sweetheart, don’t worry. We’ll find the best doctors available for you if we need to. I don’t know how to begin to thank you for what you did for Liam. You saved his life,” he whispered, taking my hand in his. “A very brave thing you did, getting between Reeves and Liam like that. You could have been killed.”

  “But I wasn’t. I couldn’t live if anything happened to him. I love him,” I stated plainly.

  “And he loves you.” He cleared his throat and then continued. “I know in the beginning, we got off on the wrong foot. I made assumptions about you I shouldn’t have, and I’m so sorry. I want you to know we’re very proud you’re going to be a part of our family.”

  Liam’s father stood and placed a kiss on top of my head. “Sleep, now, and get well. Ellen and I will be back to see you in the morning.”

  I nodded as he stepped out of the room. I could feel the pain medication working, relaxing me to the point I had no control. My eyelids drooped, and I never heard Liam come back in with the water.

  Morning dawned bright and sunny, warming the covers on my bed through the large window of my hospital room. I stretched, testing first my left foot, then my right. Nothing. I turned, teary-eyed to find Liam slumped over his arm, his face against the mattress beside me. He’d evidently slept in the chair beside the bed all night.

  “Hey, Covington,” I whispered, running my fingers through his hair. He stirred, moving his head and moaning. He sat up suddenly, realizing I’d called to him.

  “Hellcat, you’re awake,” he said, rubbing his eyes. “Are you hurting? Do you want me to get the doctor?”

  “No, I’m good. Just thirsty,” I said. He jumped up and retrieved a cup off the rolling stand beside the bed. Tipping the cup so he could get the straw in my mouth, he gave me a much-needed drink of water and then sat the mug back down on the nightstand.

  “What day is it?” I demanded.

  “It’s Sunday, Kel.”

  “What? When did we…how long…” I murmured, seeming more confused than the first time I woke.

  “You had surgery Friday night. They’ve kept you pretty sedated since then. You needed to stay down, to rest.”

  “I’ve been asleep since Friday?” My heart raced. I felt like I’d lost a lifetime.

  “No, baby. You just don’t remember a lot of what’s happened. They’ve decreased the morphine, so you could stay awake longer. How’s your chest? Do you feel like you can get a deep breath?”

  I inhaled deeply, causing me to cough. I felt my insides were being ripped out of me.

  “Easy,” Liam cautioned as he placed his hand over my ribcage. I realized I was tightly bandaged.

  “Can you move your legs, Kel?”

  I shut my eyes and tried again. My legs were dead weight, I couldn’t lift or move them. I shook my head, leaving my eyes shut. After a moment, I could feel Liam’s breath on my cheek.

  “You’re going to be okay, baby. I promise. Whatever it takes.”

  I opened my eyes and looked up into his. “What if I’m not? If I can’t move my legs, walk…” I began. I placed his finger over my lips to silence me.

  “I know you’re scared. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. We’ll get through this together.” He sat down on the bed beside me and brushed my cheek with the back of his hand.

  I carefully took another deep breath, and nodded. “Liam, how’s Masen? Where is he?”

  “He’s still with Ethan and Chelsea.” His smile broadened. “Sammy loves him. They’re already inseparable. They’re bringing him up to see you today, if you’re up for it. I told them I’d call them.”

  “I need to see him, Liam. He needs to know I haven’t abandoned him. He already misses Dana so much,” I whispered, my throat tightening.

  “I know, Kel. We’ll get him to you today. Don’t worry,” he said, propping the pillows up behind my head. After raising the bed a bit for me, Liam sat back down beside me. Taking in my surroundings for the first time, I noticed numerous flowers around the room.

  “Who are all of those from?”

  “Tana, your other roommates, Stuart…the girls at work. Mr. and Mrs. Leighton… they’ve all been here to see you. You’ve been pretty out of it.”

  ` “I don’t remember anyone except Tana. I remember hearing her,” I murmured.

  “It’s all right, Kel. They understand it’s the morphine. They had you pretty doped up for the pain. You’ve slept, mostly.”

  I nodded, trying to push up higher in the bed. Liam grabbed another pillow and pushed it behind me to help.

  “I’ll go and get the nurse to let her know you’re awake. You probably need to eat something,” he said as he left the room.

  I raised my hand to feel my hair and could tell it was a mess. I caught sight of my arm, and the bruises from multiple sticks with IV needles made me look like a junkie.

  “Kelly, are you awake?” Ellen’s voice called out from around the door. Pushing the door open wide, Ellen entered carrying a large vase of roses, followed by Davis.

  “I’m so glad to see you awake. You were still unconscious last night when we were here. We’ve been so worried about you! What are the doctors saying?” She fussed, setting the roses down on the nightstand and then resting her hip on the side of the bed. She leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. I closed my eyes…the all-consuming feelin
g washed over me again, like the day she’d hugged me in the hotel room in Houston. It was the feeling you’d just been enveloped by a mother’s love, something I hadn’t experienced since Aunt Deb died.

  “I’m not sure. I just woke up. Liam went to find a nurse,” I murmured, trying not to aggravate my lung any further.

  “Well, we brought some clothes for him. He hasn’t showered or shaved since your surgery. He won’t leave the hospital, so we brought him what he might need. I talked to Chelsea just a bit ago; she and Ethan are bringing little Masen to see you in a little while.”

  “I’d like that,” I replied as Liam opened the door.

  “Hey, Mom…Dad. Doctor Sanderson is on his way back down here, and they want to do some tests after Kelly’s eaten something.”

  Liam’s father pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down as Liam leaned on the window ledge. Ellen fussed with my bed, fluffed my pillows, and then brought me some fresh water.

  “I feel helpless! What else can I do for you?” she fretted, smoothing the sheet tucked neatly beneath my arms.

  “Just get Liam to clean up and rest while I eat some soup,” I replied. The nurse came in with my tray.

  “I’ll go when they take you for your tests, Hellcat. Don’t worry about me.”

  Everyone was too worried about me, and I needed to lighten the mood.

  “Well, you are getting pretty ripe. I’m going to need a doctor’s mask to wear if you don’t clean up soon,” I teased.

  Liam’s father chuckled, but Liam’s expression remained unchanged. He continued to hover while I ate some of the soup. I had no appetite, but I knew he’d worry if I didn’t eat, so I managed to get half the bowl down, plus three crackers and some iced tea. When the nurses came to take me down for x-rays and an MRI, Liam finally agreed to leave with his parents and clean up.

  Returning to my room after an hour of tests, Liam was still gone. After getting me back in bed, the nurse removed my catheter and then the bandages on my wound. The doctor came in to check it, and then thankfully the nurse gave me a sponge bath and fresh gown before Liam’s family returned. A quick check in the mirror affirmed the fact I looked as bad as I felt. At my urging, the nurse braided my hair in a loose braid assuring me the doctor would let me take a shower in a few days.