by Lori Whyte
As soon as they were inside, Mason turned to everyone.
"We should hold off until the police get here, but we can't leave her up there with him," Ryan said.
"Agreed," Mason said. Waiting for the police and a negotiator had never been the plan. He pointed at Grady and Drew. "You take the left stairs. Aiden and I will go right. Ryan… you watch the clock. In two minutes we should be in place. That's when I want you to come up the elevator."
Everyone looked at their phones or watches to mark the time, then dispersed.
Mason swung open the door to the fire exit and then bolted up the steps two at a time. Aiden was right behind him. Their feet pounded on the treads. Any element of surprise that Grady had tried to give them was lost now. When they approached the door, his heart was thudding in his chest.
He checked his watch. They were early. He pressed his ear to the door, but couldn't hear anything. Aiden waited silently beside him.
Finally. One… two… on three they burst through the door.
There they were. Across from the elevator, halfway down the hallway, Harry was holding Anna around the waist. She was tight against his chest, pinned to him by the bastard's arm. In his other hand, he held a rifle. It looked a lot like the one that Anna had last night. They'd locked it up before they'd left that morning, but Harry seemed to have keys for everything at the inn.
At the sight of the gun, Aiden grabbed Mason and tugged him back behind the wall. On the other end of the hallway, he saw Grady and Drew do the same thing. They needed a new plan.
Her eyes were wide in her ashen face as she twisted against his hold.
"Go away," Harry shouted. "She's mine now. This inn should have been mine when Viv died. I was her husband. You aren't even family. Just a bunch of misfit bastards. And with the inn comes Anna. She's not leaving here. We both know that. She belongs at Sanctuary Inn. With me."
TWENTY-TWO
Anna locked eyes with Mason. He was at the end of the hall. He was alive.
Harry's threats were inconsequential now. He could do what he wanted with her. As long as Mason lived. That's all that was important.
Relief swamped her. She wanted to cry. She wanted to laugh. Instead, her legs buckled beneath her, throwing them both off balance. Harry grunted and cursed. His arm constricted even more around her middle. He was holding her so tightly that she could hardly breathe.
The rifle swung in a wide arc, pointing first at one end of the hall, then to the other. He was keeping them all at bay. But it couldn't last. They couldn't remain like this forever.
"Let me go, Harry," she said. Her words were soft and panting as she fought for air to fill her lungs. "I can't stay with you like this. We both know that."
"Shut up," he screamed in her ear.
She swallowed. She wasn't going to let anything happen to Mason or any of his brothers. She needed to act. She had the best odds of ending this without anyone getting hurt. She was sure of it.
"I'll go with you. Anywhere you want." If she could get him out of the inn… moving… there would be more chances for the others to get him. All she needed to do was keep him calm and prevent him from hurting anyone.
The elevator groaned in front of them. Someone else was here. Anna glanced from one end of the hall to the other. The brothers were all here. So, who was coming now? The police?
Harry tensed and backed them up against the wall. He aimed the gun at the elevator. Then a bell pinged, announcing that the car had arrived. The doors chugged open. As soon as the gap was wide enough for a person to pass through, Ryan rushed toward them.
"Ryan! No!"
The rifle was aimed right at him. Anna plunged toward the rifle. Her weight knocked Harry's arm and the muzzle swung away from Ryan just as a shot rang out. It went wide and ripped through the wall. Over the sound of her pounding heart, she heard running footsteps. She fell to her knees and Ryan tackled Harry. Mason was at her side in the next moment. He swept her into his arms and ran with her down the corridor to the stairwell.
She peered over his shoulder. Harry and Ryan wrestled. Grady grabbed for Harry while Aiden swiped at the gun. Drew stood between each group, just one more obstacle Harry would have to navigate to get to Anna again… if he managed to slip away.
Shouts went up. Mason didn't stop.
"No," she said. "We have to—"
A gunshot blasted through the shouts… and then there was screaming. Anna squirmed. What happened?
Mason cursed, but he kept pushing forward until they were in the stairwell. The hallway disappeared from view and she was cut off from the scene. Then, and only then, did he stop. He set her tenderly on the top step.
He yanked the bungee cord from her wrists. As soon as they were free, he rubbed his hands soothingly over her bruised flesh for a moment. She stared at the way his long, strong fingers caressed her red skin. When she looked up, she found him staring at her. Their eyes locked.
"I thought I'd never see you again." Then he leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. The kiss was fleeting, hardly more than a peck, but it calmed her. Every fear and panic geared down. He looked into her eyes again. "Thank God I was wrong."
"I thought you were dead," she whispered. "Thank God I was wrong too."
He nodded as he stood. "Stay here. I'll come right back."
Then he left, heading back toward the gun and the screams.
She got up and followed.
She froze when she reached the threshold. Grady had Harry pinned to the floor. Aiden had the rifle. Mason was joining Drew, who was kneeling beside Ryan. Drew had his phone pressed to his ear, rattling off the address to the inn to whoever he was talking to. The police probably.
Blood splatter coated the bottom of the wall. Red droplets rolled down the white and gold wallpaper. Dizziness swamped Anna as she blindly stumbled toward them.
When she reached them, she dropped to her knees. Ryan stared up at her. His normally tanned face was stark white.
"You are safe." His voice was rough, barely audible.
She cradled her brother's head in her lap, scarcely able to see for the tears. Beside her, Mason was talking calmly as he ripped off his leather belt. He was asking Ryan questions. She had no idea what he was saying, but his tone was soothing. Mason wrapped the belt around Ryan’s leg and cinched it tight. He turned and pointed at Aiden.
"Give me your pocketknife, then get me pillows and a sheet."
She had to pull herself together and help too. She swiped at her eyes.
Aiden tossed the knife to Mason, then disappeared into one of the rooms. There was a jagged hole torn through the lower part of Ryan’s jeans, and this was where Mason slit the denim to expose the leg. Anna watched in horror as Ryan's mangled flesh came into view. Bits of fragmented bone were mixed with the ripped skin and muscle.
Aiden returned with the supplies. Mason lifted her brother's leg and carefully placed it on the pillows, while Aiden started ripping the sheet into smaller strips. He handed them one by one to Mason, who pressed them against the wound. Blood soaked through them rapidly. Anna jerked her gaze away and stared at Ryan's face. His breathing was harsh and labored and his eyes had drifted closed.
"Talk to him," Mason said gently. "I'm doing everything I can to help him, so don't worry about that side of things. But I think he'd like to hear your voice."
And so she talked. She blathered about everything and anything that came to mind.
When the ambulance and police finally arrived, Anna didn't even know what she was saying anymore. But she did know two things. First, Ryan's life would never be the same again. Second, Mason was going to leave now.
Nope. She knew one more thing: There wasn't anything she could do to change either of those first two.
TWENTY-THREE
Mason followed Anna with his eyes as she retraced her route from one end of the waiting room to the other for the five-hundredth time. He replayed the interview they'd had with the police in his mind. If they'd believed what he and Anna had told them that mo
rning, this could all have been avoided. They sure as hell believed them now, and Harry was in their custody. But it wasn't enough. No one would have been hurt if they had taken immediate action.
"Someone's coming," Anna said, stopping mid-step.
She cradled her arm, which was bound in a temporary sling. Her bones hadn't been broken in the crash but the bruising, which was severe, impeded the use of her arm. And every time he saw it, guilt punched him in the gut. A thin woman, who he pegged to be about fifty, pushed through the swinging doors to the waiting room.
"The Brooks family?"
"Here," Anna said.
"Let's have a seat," she said.
Anna took a chair beside his. Doctors didn't have sit-down meetings with the family if there was good news. His brothers moved closer to join them. The woman eyed the gathering.
"I'm Doctor Evanston," she said. "Perhaps you would like to have this conversation in private."
Anna glanced around, as if to see who might hear. She shrugged. "It's okay. Please. Just tell me what's going on."
Evanston leaned forward and looked at Anna. The wrinkles around her eyes were pinched and deep. No, this wasn't going to be good news at all.
"I want to speak with you about your brother Ryan."
Anna nodded. Mason put his arm around her, just to remind her she wasn't alone in this.
"I'm sorry," the doctor said. "There wasn't anything we could do to save his foot."
"But…"
The doctor clasped her hands in front of her. "Unfortunately the injury was just too severe. The bullet's trajectory caused a great deal of damage."
Guilt sliced through Mason. He had been the one to administer first aid. If he'd been faster… If the air ambulance had come sooner… If they'd been able to get to the city more quickly… He knew his reaction was illogical. They were there because of Harry, but he couldn't shake the feeling that if he'd done something different… better… that they wouldn't be here like this. That Ryan wouldn't be losing his foot.
"We'll pay to bring someone here," Mason said. "From anywhere. If your staff doesn't have the expertise…"
"We consulted with the three best local surgeons," Evanston said, "and another two leading international experts by videoconference. They all agreed."
"No… there has to be something more…" Anna said. She rubbed her fist against her chest. "He needs his foot. He…"
"I'm sorry. The surgery is already done. They had to make a decision. We expect him to make a full recovery." She checked the clipboard she was carrying. "You can see him now, but he likely won't wake up for a while yet."
"Does he know?"
"Yes."
Anna swallowed and nodded. "I want to see him."
Mason stood with her.
"Only immediate family, I'm afraid," Evanston said.
Anna took his hand and squeezed it. "I'll be okay."
As soon as she disappeared behind those plain swinging doors, Grady cursed, Aiden shook his head, and Drew slumped in his chair. Mason just stared at the door as it swung and shuddered on its hinges.
Several excruciatingly long hours later, they finally left the hospital. Without Ryan. Leaving him there alone felt wrong, but Mason had to take care of Anna and she needed to rest. They all did. The sounds of traffic on the busy city streets filled the air. It was so different from the quiet of Sanctuary Lake.
"The car is over here," Mason said.
"I should find a hotel," Anna said. "There has to be one close."
"You aren't staying at a hotel," he said. He turned her to face him. "You're coming home with me."
"You don't have room for everyone."
"Drew and Grady have their own places here, remember? That just leaves Aiden. He's going to Grady's." He studied her. She was exhausted, wobbling on her feet. The last thing he wanted to do was dump her at a strange hotel all alone. "Is that okay? Unless you—"
"No. It's fine," she said, nodding slightly.
He put his hand on her back and guided her through the parked cars. The others were already in the car. It would be a tight squeeze, but it'd give him a chance to hold Anna close to him and that suited him perfectly. All he wanted to do was hug her and protect her from anything else that the world would throw at them.
As soon as they were in and buckled up, Grady started the engine.
None of them spoke as they traveled through the congested streets to downtown. When they arrived at Mason's condo building, Grady stopped. They exchanged a few words of good-bye, then he and Anna climbed out.
Glen, the security guard at the desk in the foyer, nodded to him as they passed. As soon as they entered the elevator, Anna leaned against the back wall and closed her eyes. He cleared his throat to get her attention when they reached his floor, because she hadn't seemed to notice they'd stopped or the elevator doors had opened.
There were only four executive condos on his floor. He turned to the first door on the left. He typed in his code on the keypad and opened the door. His pulse kicked up a bit as she tentatively stepped inside.
He'd had countless people in his home before, and he'd never been too interested in knowing what they'd thought of the place. But with Anna, it was different. Hers was the only opinion he cared about. Would it be enough? Could she see how he could look after her? He kept his gaze trained on her as she proceeded down the hall to the living room.
She inhaled softly as they entered the room, which was situated in the corner of the building so it boasted two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows. The one side offered an unimpeded view of the Bow River that ran along the north side of downtown, and the other side was the city skyline. Tonight, the lights glittered like stars.
"It's lovely," she said, when she turned to him. She wobbled a little and dropped her purse to his couch, as if she couldn't hold onto it for another second.
"I'll give you the grand tour later," he said as he reached for her good elbow and steadied her. "For now, I'll just point out the kitchen in case you get hungry." He pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "Now, let's get you settled somewhere you can rest."
"Thank you," she said. Her voice was rife with relief.
He led her down the corridor to his bedroom.
"If you want to clean up, the bathroom is that way." He nodded to the door in the corner. "Or if you just want to fall on the bed and sleep, you can do that too. Help yourself to towels, the robe, a T-shirt, whatever you want. I'll be here if you need anything."
Then he clicked the door closed and left her alone. He heard the water in the shower running shortly after that. In his mind's eye, he could picture her naked in his bathroom. Water glistening over her beautiful curves. He let the fantasy play in his head. What he wouldn't give to join her… But she could do without him mauling her tonight. So he leaned back on his sofa and tugged open his jeans. He wrapped his hand around his rock hard cock and started to pump.
His climax hit him fast, but the physical release was unsatisfying. His body craved hers. Anything less was mediocre at best.
The shower stopped and he scrambled to wipe away his mess before she found him. He'd just slid his belt back into place when she opened the bathroom door. He listened as her soft footsteps came down the hallway.
"Mason? Where are you?"
He rolled the tissues in a ball. "What do you need? I'm in the living room."
She appeared at the entry to the room. She was wearing his terrycloth robe, which was too big for her. One little tug on that half-knot she'd tied in the sash and she'd be bared to him. Her face was flushed with the heat of the shower and her long hair hung in thick wet cords around her face. She never wore much, if any, makeup, so seeing her barefaced was not anything new. But there was still something about this moment that made him ache, not in a desire for sex but in acknowledgement of the intimacy. The vulnerability.
If they lived together, he could see her like this every day.
"Aren't you tired too?"
Of course he was.
&nb
sp; "Come in here, with me."
She extended her hand to him and he stepped forward to slip his hand in hers. Then she led him back into the bedroom. The robe covered her. Hell, she was clothed more than some people he saw on the street outside his condo, but his body was hardening again in anticipation as if she were standing in front of him in nothing at all.
She closed the door behind them, then, without ceremony, she loosened the knot that was holding the robe in place. The thick fabric sagged open. Then she pushed it from her shoulders and it fell to the ground. She was naked for a moment. This comfortableness in her own body was such a change from the night in the honeymoon suite. He had tried to show her how beautiful she was to him… Had she believed him?
Then she crawled beneath the covers and dropped to the mattress. She winced at the jolt.
He rushed to her side. "What happened?"
"Just this stupid arm." She smiled wearily at him. "Come here, Mason."
He pulled off every bit of his clothing except his underwear. He preferred to sleep commando, but not right now. All Anna needed was him to hold her.
And he could do that. He would hug her all night long and for the rest of eternity if she let him.
TWENTY-FOUR
Anna woke in a strange bed, but she knew exactly where she was the minute she inhaled. Mason's scent was all around her. It soothed her. Calmed her.
She shifted and a fresh wave of pain gripped her arm.
Mason bolted upright beside her.
"What? What happened?" He patted the bed frantically, as if to make sure she was still there.
"It's okay, Mason," she said, taking his hand in hers. "It's just my arm. I twisted it when I moved."
"You cried out," he whispered. "I thought…"
The city's million lights flickered through the window like their own personal Milky Way, shedding enough of a glow that she could see the tension in his face.
"Come here," she said and she tugged him, encouraging him to join her again. "I'm fine, honestly."
He lowered himself to the mattress and slipped his hand lightly around her waist. Then he froze. "Maybe I should sleep in the other room. I don't want to knock your arm by accident when I'm sleeping."