by Becca Van
It could take him a week to plan out how he was going to get her, or maybe even longer, but once he’d chosen his victim, there was no going back. No one else would ever be good enough to take her place.
He watched the ambulance and the sheriffs’ truck head toward town and was about to come out from behind the tree he was using as cover, but froze when he heard the sound of an engine coming toward him. When he saw the tow truck pull up, he sat behind the tree and imagined how it would feel to sink his knife into the soft, white skin of the assistant manager’s body. Would she scream in agony or would she try and fight him off?
He rubbed his hands together and then he grabbed hold of his hardening cock through his pants and squeezed.
He couldn’t wait to find out.
* * * *
Spence parked the truck and ran into the hospital. He spotted Clay pacing back and forth near a curtained off cubicle and knew that had to be where the doctors were with Misha. He could hear a deep voice giving instructions, and though he wanted to go in and see that Misha was okay, he knew that if he did, the doctor would probably kick his ass out.
“Have you heard anything yet?” he asked when he stopped in front of Clay.
Clay combed his fingers through his hair and then scrubbed his hand down over his face. “The doctor’s already set her wrist. Fuck! I never want to hear her crying out in agony like that ever again.”
“Didn’t they give her anything for the pain?” Spence asked angrily.
“I’m pretty sure they would have,” Clay answered.
Spence nodded and began pacing before spinning to face Clay again. “We should have fucking told her about that chef.”
“Yeah,” Clay sighed. “She was pissed and hurt, and she had every right to be.”
“Do you think she’ll understand that we were just trying to protect her?”
Clay shook his head. “Hell if I know. We didn’t do a very good job of keeping her safe, though. I just hope she doesn’t think we kept this from her because we didn’t trust her.”
“Me, too.” Spence glanced toward the curtain again. “Do you think she’ll forgive us?”
“She has to,” Clay said in a hard voice. “I love that woman so damn much. There is no fucking way I’m letting her leave us.”
“I love her, too, Clay. And you’re right. We aren’t letting her leave our stupid asses. Even if I have to get down on my knees and beg.” Spence squeezed Clay’s shoulder in solidarity. His patience was all just about used up and he was about to go to Misha when the curtain opened and a doctor and nurse came out.
“Are you with Misha Collette?”
“We are,” Clay answered and offered the doctor his hand. “How is she, doc?”
“She’ll be fine. She has a concussion and a cut from where her head slammed into the window. She has five stitches and some swelling and bruising, but she should feel a lot better after a day or two. She needs to listen to her body. Rest and sleep. If the headache persists beyond a couple of days, you’ll need to bring her back, but she’s showing no signs of bleeding in the brain.”
“Is she allowed pain medication?” Spence asked.
“Yes.” The doctor nodded. “I have a script already prepared and you can fill it at the hospital pharmacy before she’s released. She will be staying in overnight for observation, but will be released first thing in the morning if all goes well.”
“What about her wrist?” Clay asked.
“It was a clean break and the bone was only slightly displaced. I had no trouble getting it back into place. She needs to keep her arm up in a sling for the first week or two, but moving her fingers regularly will prevent them from becoming stiff.”
“Are the stitches covered?” Spence asked.
“Yes, but the waterproof dressing will need to be changed every day. She can’t get the stitches or the cast wet.”
“Thanks, doc.” Clay shook the man’s hand before moving aside so Spence could do the same.
“Can we go and see her?”
“Yes, she was asking after both of you. Bear in mind, she’s had pain medication and will be very groggy. She may drift in and out of sleep. An orderly will be here soon to wheel her up to a room.”
As soon as the doctor turned away, Spence rushed toward Misha’s bedside. Her face was nearly as white as the pillowcase her head was resting on and the black strands of her hair stood out in stark relief.
He moved around the bed until he was on her left side and gently clasped her hand in his. Her lids fluttered open to half-mast and he could tell by the haze over her eyes the pain medication had taken effect.
“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Spence cringed inside over that question, because she wasn’t okay. She was probably hurting all over.
“Yes,” she whispered and licked her lips.
“Hey, baby.” Clay leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “You scared the hell out of us.”
Spence picked up the cup of water on the table and, after adding a straw to it, placed it against her lips. “Take a few sips, honey.”
Misha took a few sips of water and sank back down into the pillow. She glanced from Spence to Clay and back again. “Did you mean it?”
“Mean what, baby?” Clay frowned as he caressed up and down her upper arm, staying well away from the cast.
“That you love me?” Her eyes drifted shut but Spence could tell by her breathing she was still awake, for now at least, but she was fighting the effects of the drugs in her system.
“I meant every word, Misha. I love you so much, honey. I’m sorry we didn’t tell you that Phillip Smith had gotten out on bond, but you already had so much to deal with and we didn’t want to add to your worries. Please forgive me, sweetheart?”
“Spence is right. We should have told you as soon as we heard the judge’s sentence but you’d only just begun to smile again. We didn’t keep it from you to betray your trust, or because we don’t trust you.” Clay sat on the edge of the bed, placing his hand over her upper thigh. “I know we haven’t been together long, baby, but you’ve given me so much joy. After fighting in the Rangers overseas, I was so numb to emotion, so closed off. You’ve pushed that cold right out of my heart and filled it with so much warmth. I love you more than I could ever tell you, Misha. I hate seeing you in pain, and if I could trade places with you right now, I would in a heartbeat.”
Spence saw Misha’s lips twitch as they curved up slightly and knew she was smiling, or trying to. She’d been trying to keep her eyes open, but no matter what she did, they kept on closing.
“You, too,” she whispered right before her breathing evened out as she fell asleep.
Spence’s heart flipped in his chest and his breath backed up in his lungs. He glanced over to see Clay looking at Misha with his heart in his eyes. “Do you think she was trying to tell us she loves us, too?”
“I think so, but we’re going to have to be patient until she wakes up by herself before we can ask her.”
“Shit, Clay, you know I won’t disturb her rest. She’s going to need a lot of it in the next few days.”
“She’s also going to need our help,” Clay said.
“Do you think she’ll come and stay with us at the ranch if we ask?”
“Again, we’ll have to wait until she wakes up, but in the meantime, I think I’ll have to reorganize the roster. No matter where she is as she recuperates, one of us is going to be with her twenty-four seven.”
Spence pulled a chair over and sat down to wait for Misha to wake up. Hopefully, when they put their questions to her, her answers would be yes.
* * * *
Misha opened her eyes and wished she hadn’t. Bright sunlight was streaming through the window and she had to squint to see, but the light also made her aching head hurt more. The only plus right now was that the ache had dulled down to a low drumbeat inside her skull instead of the symphony which had been going on in there hours earlier.
She glanced to her left when she caught movemen
t from the corner of her eye and her heart melted when she saw that Spence was sitting in a chair beside the bed with his head resting on the mattress near her hip, and he was fast asleep. She turned her head and met Clay’s bloodshot blue gaze.
“How are you feeling, baby?” Clay asked. He stood and kissed her softly on the forehead.
“Better,” she answered quietly, not wanting to disturb Spence’s sleep.
“You’re not really, are you?” Clay asked. “I can tell by your eyes that you’re still in pain.”
“I am, but it’s not as bad as last night.”
“Thank God for that.”
“Have you been here all night?”
“Mostly,” Clay said. “I ducked out to the office and the ranch for a while to organize Tanner, Cooper, Dawson, and Kent to take over our shifts for today and I brought you some clothes.”
Misha eyed the designer label on the shopping bag and hoped he hadn’t spent too much money on her, but she was glad that she was going to have something to change into before she left the hospital.
“The doctor advised that you aren’t to be left alone while you’re recovering. I think it would be best if you came back to our ranch while you’re recuperating so we can keep an eye on you.”
When Clay glanced away, Misha knew that he was nervous. He and Spence had told her they loved her, and while she’d tried to reciprocate, she wasn’t sure she’d been able to before the drugs had knocked her out. She wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity to be with them, but before she answered his question, she needed to know he and Spence weren’t putting their life on hold because of her.
“What about your work? I don’t want to be a burden, Clay.”
Spence squeezed her hand as he sat up and covered his mouth with his free hand when he yawned and met her gaze. “You could never be a burden to us, sweetheart. We love you and will do anything and everything we can to make sure you’re comfortable.”
“You don’t need to worry about our shifts, baby. We both have today off and then we’ll alternate each day so that one of us is there to help you out.”
Misha cleared her throat. “I would probably be fine on my own.”
Clay shook his head as he sat on the side of the bed. “No, you won’t. How are you going to manage in the shower by yourself? You aren’t allowed to get the cast or the stitches in your head wet. What if you slipped and fell while taking a shower? We can’t and won’t risk you getting hurt more, just because you’re used to being independent and stubborn.”
Clay’s jaw was clenched and she could tell by the stubborn jut of his jaw he wasn’t about to relent. Not that she really wanted him to, she just hated having to rely on them, and upsetting their lives.
“Okay,” she acquiesced with a smile.
“Good.” Clay pecked her on the lips and picked up some papers she hadn’t seen on the portable table. “Your release papers are already signed. As soon as you’re dressed, we can leave.”
Misha let Clay and Spence help her from the bed and into the bathroom. She couldn’t believe how stiff and sore her body was, but after being in a car crash and jolted from pillar to post, she should have expected it. They left her to her privacy so she could use the facilities, which was awkward since her right hand was dominant and wrapped in a cast and her arm was in a sling, but she managed it and washed her hand as best she could. Clay had left a new toothbrush with the toothpaste already on the bristles on a piece of paper towel on the side of the sink, and she brushed her teeth. She stared at the dark bruising on the side of her head that wasn’t covered by the white waterproof bandage and, by the lump underneath it, knew she had quite a goose egg.
After rinsing her mouth and drying her hand, she eyed the new hair brush, but it was still in the packaging and she realized she wouldn’t be able to open it by herself. With a sigh of frustration and resignation, she slowly walked toward the door and opened it.
Spence was standing right outside and turned to face her. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
“Can you please brush my hair?”
“Sure, honey.”
“I’ll bring your clothes in and we’ll help you change,” Clay said as he picked up the bag.
Misha nodded and backed into the bathroom, giving Spence and Clay room to enter. They helped her change into the brand name sportswear, which was more taxing than it should have been, and her wrist began to ache since they’d had to remove the sling to get the hospital gown off over her casted arm. Neither man looked at her body in a sexual way as they helped her get dressed, but they did curse over the numerous bruises that covered her skin. When she was finally dressed, she was exhausted and wanted to curl up on a bed and go back to sleep, but she didn’t want to stay in the hospital, so she didn’t tell them that she was tired. However, Clay and Spence seemed to notice every little thing about her.
“Almost finished, sweetheart.” Spence grabbed the brush, removed it from its packaging, and started to brush her hair.
Misha groaned as the bristles stroked gently over her scalp and through the black strands, and hoped she wasn’t swaying on her feet like she felt she was. She’d closed her eyes and knew that had been a mistake when it was hard to pry them open again. She felt some gentle tugging and forced her eyelids up, and watched in amazement as Spence had no trouble getting her hair into a ponytail.
When he caught her staring at him, he grinned and winked. “I used to have long hair before I joined the military.”
“Do you have any photos?” she asked. She tried to picture Spence as a teenager with long blond hair but couldn’t do it. She’d only ever seen him as a mature man with short hair.
“I’m not sure. I might, but it could take time to uncover them.”
Misha nodded and reached out blindly toward the sink when she got dizzy.
“I’ve got you, baby,” Clay said as he swept her up into his arms. “Let’s get you home and into bed.”
Misha rested her head on his chest with her eyes closed and sighed. Home. She liked the sound of that and knew once she was back at their ranch, and in their house, that she would never want to leave again. They’d told her they loved her but that didn’t mean they wanted her living with them permanently.
And she still hadn’t told them that she loved them back, but when she felt Clay begin to walk, she decided to wait. Declaring her love in a public hospital wasn’t the most romantic of settings. She didn’t care that it was where she’d heard that Spence and Clay loved her, but she was a woman and didn’t want other people, strangers, hearing what was in her heart. If she could remain awake on the ride back to the ranch, she would tell them then.
That was her last thought as she drifted to sleep in Clay’s arms.
Chapter Fifteen
Misha rolled to her side and lifted her head when she came up against a hard, warm body. Clay lifted, turned to his side, and brushed a few stray strands of hair off of her face.
“How are you feeling, baby?” he whispered.
“Much better.” She glanced about the room she’d slept in the last time she’d been at the ranch, and when she saw that the sun was high in the sky, knew she’d been asleep for quite a while. “How long did I sleep?”
“Nearly twenty-four hours.”
“Really?”
Clay nodded and leaned up on his elbow. “I’ll bet you’re hungry.”
“I am.” Her stomach was growling and so empty she almost felt ill, but she didn’t care. She was just glad that the incessant headache was nearly gone. She still had sharp pain and throbbing in her wrist, but she could deal with that better than the headache from hell.
“Why don’t you use the bathroom while I fix you something to eat?” Clay suggested as he rolled from the bed. She hadn’t even noticed that he was dressed until then.
“What time is it?”
“Nearly eleven.”
Misha nodded and took Clay’s hand after he came around the bed and offered it. She was still wearing the sportswear he’d brou
ght into the hospital for her. She desperately wanted and needed a shower but didn’t have anything clean to put on.
“Can I borrow some of your clothes?” She nibbled on her lip. “I want a shower and don’t want to put dirty things back on.”
“Sure, baby, but you can have a bath instead of a shower. It’ll be easier to manage washing if you’re sitting down.”
“Okay,” she answered and walked toward the bathroom. When she looked back over her shoulder, she found Clay was right behind her. “Can you give me a minute? I need to use…”
Misha didn’t finish her sentence as she hurried into the bathroom and the enclosed toilet. She heard the water running into the bath and sighed with relief. Her bladder had been so full it had been aching. She walked over to the sink and washed her hand and perused herself in the mirror over the vanity. She was still pale, which made her eyes look bigger than they were, but right now she didn’t care what she looked like. She’d survived being forced from the road and was thankful to be alive.
“Let me help you, Misha.” Clay met her gaze in the mirror, and after she’d given him a nod, helped her remove the sling and her clothes. He lifted her from her feet and lowered her into the filling tub. “Don’t move, baby. I forgot to wrap your cast. I’ll be right back.”
Clay hurried out. Misha took her time getting comfortable in the warm water using her left hand while keeping her casted right arm resting on the rim of the big tub. Clay came back with a plastic bag and some tape and wrapped the plaster up. “Do you need anything else?”
She was glad they had a liquid soap dispenser on the tile wall because she wouldn’t have to worry about trying to get a bottle open, and there was a sponge in the soap holder. “Can you please get a clean towel and roll it up? I want to put it behind my neck.”
Clay smiled and nodded. After rolling up the towel, he placed it where she wanted it.