The hospital refused to allow more than two people at a time in the ICU room and when Ryan's family gathered, she was pushed aside. Not that they did it purposely. It was that she had no real claim on Ryan and couldn't stand her ground. They didn't know she was his girlfriend or that he'd asked her to move in with him. She figured Sean knew something, but he hadn't said a thing. Therefore, she remained on the outside looking in. It sucked ass.
Sean and his mom stepped into the waiting area. He looked like hell, shirt untucked, hair askew, face unshaven. They both wandered over to her and sat down on either side.
Mrs. Millen took her hand. “Sean tells me Ryan wanted to talk to him about the two of you. I can pretty much guess that you're in love with my son and my grandson.”
Over the past few days, after her initial emotional vomit, she managed to keep it together. Until now. Tears spilled over and dropped onto her lap.
“I love them both. We've grown close. It just happened.” She couldn't look at Sean or his mother. “Ryan asked me to move in but I refused. I'll regret that denial for the rest of my life.”
“You can take it back when he wakes,” Sean said inarguably.
She nodded. As soon as Ryan woke she would take it back.
She suddenly realized no one was in with Ryan. “What's going on? Why are you both out here?”
“They're going to try to take him off the ventilator. Over the past few days they've lowered his vent settings and put him on CPAP during the day. He's done well with everything.” Sean blew out a long breath. “We're lucky.” His voice cracked, and he buried his head into his hands. This normally strong, former SEAL could no longer hold it together.
Like she was approaching a rattlesnake, Lynn watched Courtney tiptoe over to her cousin and knelt before him. She placed her hands on his knees. Sean reached out for her and wrapped his arms around his cousin. They held each other firmly for the longest time.
When Sean drained himself of his pent up emotion, he pulled back but kept a hold of Courtney, cradling her face in his hands. “Your men saved his life.”
“Derrick's men,” Courtney softly corrected, “would do anything for my family.”
Lynn watched Sean internally struggle–with what, she didn’t know. It was clear he'd been about to say something but changed his mind. Courtney fixated on him, a yearning look written across her stunning features, obviously waiting for more. Talk about difficult to witness. Lynn knew the history between the cousins. If anything should bring them together, it should be this horrific event. But it seemed as if Sean refused to let go of his anger.
A doctor came into the waiting room, which had become Millen and Murphy home base, solely occupied by the two families. “Sean.”
Sean quickly stood, abandoned his cousin, and went to the doctor. “How is he?”
“He’s doing well. We were able to get him off the vent. He’s awake, in pain, so he’s medicated. You can go back to see him. No more than three at a time. Also, he’s asking about his son and Lynn.”
“Thank you,” Sean breathed. He turned to his mother and Lynn. “Come on, let’s go see him and scream at him for being an idiot.”
“Sean, you will not yell at your brother for saving his son and Lynn’s life,” his mother scolded.
“I’ll yell at him for any goddamn thing I want. He could have handled that many different ways, all with an outcome that didn’t involve a bullet wound. Clearly he’s been out too long and his instincts have slipped.” Sean stalked through the doors like a man on a mission.
Lynn and Mrs. Millen quickly followed Sean into Ryan's room. As soon as she hit the doorway, Lynn began to shake, unable to help herself.
Ryan lay in bed, chest tubes in place, eyes open slits. Sean went to his brother's side and took his hand. A nurse and respiratory therapist quietly discussed and charted Ryan's vitals and treatment off to the side.
“Hey, Ry,” Sean said. “You're going to be okay.”
Ryan tried to speak but only a hoarse rasp came out.
“Don't try too hard. You've had a vent down your throat for a week.”
Mrs. Millen went to his other side and took his hand. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. “Oh, sweetheart,” she sobbed. “I thought we lost you.”
“Brady,” Ryan managed to croak.
“He's completely healthy. You and Lynn protected him,” Sean assured him.
“Lynn.”
Sean nodded her direction. “She's right here, buddy. Your stupid heroics saved them. You do know there were about ten different ways to go about doing that without taking a bullet to the back, right?”
Ryan slowly waved his brother off.
“He's on pain meds,” the nurse said.
Sean smirked, his features finally relaxing. “You doped up?”
Ryan flipped his middle finger.
Sean laughed. “Lynn, come over here and see your man so he knows you're all right.”
Lynn stepped up beside Ryan. She desperately wanted to fling herself onto his prone body, but with all the tubes and monitors she'd hurt him.
“Ryan,” she whispered. “I thought I lost you.” She took his hand into hers and kissed his dry, cracked lips. A large tear slid down her cheek and fell onto his lips. Before she could wipe it away, his tongue swept up the salty droplet.
They locked into each other, their gaze unable to break away until his eyes glazed over and lids fluttered, and his body lost the fight against the painful exhaustion.
***
Two weeks after Ryan was shot, he was moved to the step down unit of the hospital. For most people, they would have been ecstatic, but Ryan was fed up with being in the hospital and had become cranky. The equipment attached to his body didn't help his mood.
Lynn stayed by his side except for in the evenings, when she'd pick up Brady to take home to Ryan's. At first she'd felt awkward alone in the house. Sean and Beth remained at her parents. But each night she'd stop by the apartment, grab a bag or box full of items, and move it into the Millen home. It was a gradual process but one that made her feel more at home each day. She hadn’t yet discussed the fact she was taking up residence with him. He’d find out sooner or later.
Lynn stepped off the elevator, Brady in her arms, at the start of visiting hours. Ryan didn't know she was bringing his son. As soon as he'd been taken off the vent, Ryan asked about Brady several times each day. It killed him to be away from his baby boy.
Striding down the corridor, she came to Ryan's room, and as soon as she hit the threshold, he looked her direction, his eyes grew wide, and he tried to scramble off the bed to get to them.
“Brady,” he breathed with evident relief. Then he began to chuckle but winced at the difficulty. “My little Dalmatian.”
Yeah, she found the puppy costume.
She placed his son into his arms and watched as Ryan immediately took in Brady's precious scent.
He kissed his cheeks, nose, forehead, and began to coo, “I missed you.” His voice still held a bit of rasp. “I love you, my little man. Daddy's relieved you're okay.”
Lynn sat down on the edge of the bed. “I'm glad Daddy's okay.”
Eyeing her, Ryan leaned forward and met her for a peck on the lips.
“I've been moving my stuff into your house,” she blurted.
Unphased, Ryan continued to lave Brady with love.
“I never should have turned you down.” Her voice hitched. “I'll regret saying no for the rest of my life. If you'd never‒”
“Stop,” Ryan yelled, startling Brady.
She blinked, shocked by his bite.
“I'd do it again a hundred times over, despite what my brother says. Well, maybe I'd try a different tactic, but still, there's nothing I wouldn't have done to protect you and Brady. The only thing I regret is that I almost left this world without making you my wife so you'd be taken care of with benefits you'd receive‒as well as have custody of Brady,” he said resolute. “I'll regret that.”
“But I thought
you didn't want to get married.”
“I didn't. My very last thoughts while I lay on top of you, were that you should be my wife. Brady should have you as his mom. That all changed that very second.” He kissed Brady again and laid him on his upper left chest. “Move everything into the house, Lynn, because I can't fucking be without you and neither can my son.”
“Is that a proposal, because it kind of sucked?”
Ryan smirked. “I'll give you a proposal.”
He snatched her hand and placed it on the thin blanket above his erection. What a hound dog.
“You can't,” she squeaked. “You're still healing.”
“I think you should dress up like a nurse and give me my medication.” He cocked a flirtatious brow.
She tossed her head back and laughed. Oh, it was so nice having him back to his normal self.
A knock on the door interrupted them. Courtney floated into the room. Her face lit up brilliantly when she saw Ryan and Lynn laughing. Derk sauntered in behind her.
“Ryan,” his cousin cried and rushed to his side, tossing her arms around him and Brady. Courtney hadn't been able to visit Ryan too often. Sean, Lynn, and one of his parents normally occupied the ICU visit limit. Courtney had been on the outside looking in like a hurt kitten. Though Sean assured Lynn that kitty cat had claws and not to allow the damsel in distress facade fool her. Lynn didn't buy Sean's take on the woman. She’d been nothing but kind to Lynn, and her men saved Ryan. Was it wrong she felt grateful Courtney Murphy was related? She didn’t give a damn if it was, she planned on being selfish with this one.
“Hey, I'm all right.” He awkwardly patted her back as he held Brady.
After a couple long minutes, Courtney finally released him, wiping her tear streaked face. Ryan looked past her to Derk, who lounged against the wall.
“I owe you,” Ryan said.
Derk shook his head. “No, you don't.”
“I can't thank you enough.”
“You don't have to. You're Mrs. M's cousin and she loves you. That makes you a VIP,” Derk said, unmistakably disinterested.
“What were you doing there?” Ryan asked.
“Having breakfast. You didn't notice us because of little man's tantrum.” Derk laughed. “So glad I'm never having kids.”
“Hush,” Courtney scolded while she plucked Brady off Ryan's shoulder.
“You saved my girl and my son, I do owe you.”
Derk snorted. “I won't collect. You don't want to know the price of payment.”
Lynn watched Courtney shoot him a glare so vile that Derk decided it was best to leave. “I'll be in the waiting room, Mrs. M. Ryan, glad to see you and yours are all right.”
“What does he mean by that?” Lynn tilted her head.
“Nothing, baby, now come here and give me a kiss,” Ryan smoldered. “It's been too long since I've had those lips.”
Without disagreeing, Lynn scrambled to his lap and got lost in a blazing kiss that left her breathless. Ryan owned her mouth and her body. He knew exactly how to bring her to life. And she'd almost lost him. How stupid was she that she hesitated with a full commitment?
“Would you like me to take Brady so the two of you can be alone today?” Courtney interrupted. “I know it's not ideal but it can be just the two of you.”
“Yes,” Ryan said, briefly breaking the kiss, then went back to devouring her mouth even deeper.
“We'll see you later. Love you, Ry,” Courtney said. The sounds of her heels clicking off the floor told them when she was out of the room. Well, that and the sound of the door closing behind her.
“Smart woman,” Ryan whispered, disconnecting their fused mouths. He slid a hand up her tee shirt, pushed her bra out of the way, and pinched her nipple between his rough, large fingers.
Lynn's head fell back. God, she craved his seductive touch. “We're in the hospital, Ry.” Boy that didn’t sound convincing at all.
“So?” he asked, his tongue did a long, slow slide up her exposed throat. “Mmmm, I missed your taste.”
“I don't want you to hurt yourself,” she barely managed to get out.
His hand wandered from her breast, down her stomach, to the button on her jeans, and he popped it open without issue. An expert getting into a woman's pants. She quickly shoved that thought aside. What he did before he met her, she couldn't change. Ryan belonged to her now and she to him.
“Don't you worry about me.”
That snapped her out of his enticing manipulation of her body. She went stiff in his arms, and his fingers stopped their progression under her panties.
“I'll spend the rest of my life worrying about you,” she whispered, anxiety creeping into her tone. “You have no idea the hell I went through, afraid I was going to lose you, when we just found each other.”
Ryan's features softened, and he gave her a grin so devilishly handsome no wonder he got what he wanted when he wanted. “Honey, there's no way in hell I'm leaving you or my son in any way. At least not for fifty-plus years.”
“Not unless I murder you myself,” she mumbled.
He shouted out a laugh. A booming, boisterous sound that rattled nearby objects.
“I love you.” He kissed her hard on the lips.
Another knock on the door interrupted them. Lynn paled. Russ stood in the doorway, his knowing eyes darting between her and Ryan.
“May I?” Russ asked.
Ryan waved him in. “Sure.”
Lynn went to scramble off his lap but Ryan held firm. “No.”
Her brother approached the chair next to the bed, and in a seemingly casual motion, sat. Lynn knew better. There was absolutely nothing nonchalant about this visit. Russ wasn't a fan of Ryan's. What exactly the objective of his appearance, she was sure would be addressed within seconds. Russ wasn't a beat-around-the-bush type.
“Glad to see you're doing well,” Russ said, a cocked brow, silently berating her for the hospital PDA.
“Thanks,” Ryan said. His hand soothingly stroked her bare arm.
“How long before you're out?”
“Probably not for at least another week. I'm going nuts in here. Respiratory wakes me every 4 hours for damn breathing treatments and exercises. Constant X-rays. I can't wait to get home to my bed, my boy, and my girl here,” Ryan complained.
Lynn felt for him. He was going stir crazy inside the hospital. Oh, he had his fun with his naturally flirtatious demeanor–that she needed to learn to take with a grain of salt. It was just part of his personality he couldn't control. He got some sort of kick out of watching women turn beat red and flutter nervously. At the moment it was his release from being stuck in a hospital away from home.
“Understandable,” Russ acknowledged. “I need to thank you for protecting my sister.” His voice caught as he looked at her. That look was of a brother who briefly had the vision of violently losing his beloved sister, which got to him.
“I'd do anything for her.” Ryan kissed her forehead.
“That brings me to my reason for this visit.”
Ryan smirked. “You mean it wasn't to see how I was doing? Shocker.”
Russ snorted. “No. I'll get straight to the point. If you do anything to hurt her, if she comes to me crying and upset, if she comes to me wanting to move back home, if she comes to me because she got a fucking hangnail, you won't survive the bullet I put into your body.”
What surprised her with Ryan's response wasn't that he didn't stiffen, ready for battle. He didn't challenge her brother or put up a fight. In fact, you wouldn't even know Russ threatened him. Instead, he casually responded, “You can keep your idle threats, Russell. First, I have no intentions on hurting your sister. We'll be together for the rest of our lives. Second, do you think this is the first bullet I've taken? You know what I've done, the military life I led, 'cause I'm sure you've done the same. You'd never get the jump on me. So I'll ignore that threat as you doing your brotherly duty. But you only get that one.”
Russ growled.
/> “Problem, brother?”
Lynn's head swung around to find Sean leaning near the doorway, legs crossed at the ankles, and him studying his fingernails. When did he arrive? She turned back to Ryan, whose gaze hadn't left Russ's.
Her brother spared Sean a glance then refocused on Ry. His eyes narrowed. “Touché. Keep in mind, I have my own backup as well.”
“Yes, your cousin Jarrett,” Ryan noted. “Betcha my brother could beat up your cousin.”
“Oh stop it, both of you,” Lynn scolded. “Really?” She gave all three the stink eye.
Russ bolted up from the seat, came straight to her side, and kissed the top of her head.
“You may think this is funny, but I don't. I take Lynn's happiness seriously. If you don't, you'll answer to me.” And with that warning, Russ stalked out of the room.
“Making nice with Lynn's family I see,” Sean mocked.
“Fuck off.” Ryan grinned.
Sean waltzed over to the bed and gave his younger brother one of those manly embraces the two often shared. She'd never known two brothers could be as close as these two. When Ryan explained his need to live with Sean, Lynn hadn't understood the magnitude behind the admission. Now she did. These two relied heavily on one another. Sean was the serious natured half. Ryan the fun loving goofball half. They made a whole in each other's world. Lynn could live with that. It amazed her they both managed to find women who accepted and catered to that fault in their personalities.
“How are the girls?” Lynn asked.
Sean beamed. “Perfect.” He slid into the chair Russ vacated. “Where's Brady?”
“Courtney took him so we could be alone for a bit,” Ryan answered. “Which you're interrupting.”
“You'll pull a stitch,” Sean said factually.
“Worth it.”
His brother rolled his eyes.
“Have you two mended things?” Ryan asked, his voice hopeful.
Sean stared his brother down with a look that said change the subject. When Ryan refused, Sean sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. “I don't know.”
“What does that mean?”
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