“I’m so sorry, Liam. For everything. They could have killed you. They could have?—”
I squeeze her wrist, tugging her hand from me to twine our fingers together. “I’m okay. Please tell me what happened after I passed out.”
Lucky releases a heavy sigh. “Connor and I brought you here while Killian called the sheriff and dealt with what was left at the homestead.”
“What about Gizmo?”
Her lips curl, relief in her gaze. “He’s okay. Elaine came and took him to the vet to get checked out. He’s with her right now until we can go home.”
Home.
The mountain.
The place that has always meant safety and security.
All that was shattered last night.
That evil man tried to destroy it, tried to demolish what we have, what we’ve built. He tried to take Lucky from me.
Anger rises, tightening my grip on her. “He’s dead, right?”
I don’t need to clarify which he I’m asking about.
Lucky nods. “He is.”
A relieved breath rushes from my lungs. “Thank God…did you talk to the sheriff?”
She shakes her head and glances nervously toward the hallway. “Not yet. They’ve been keeping him out of the room because they knew I wasn’t in any mindset to speak to him while I was waiting for you to wake up.”
I nod, trying to imagine how frantic she must have been, given how I know I would feel if anything had happened to her. “Probably a good thing.”
Tony Briggs is an excellent sheriff, committed to his job and role, but he’s also an incredible human being. A friend to the McBrides for a very long time.
He wouldn’t push to talk to Lucky if he knew she needed time, which she clearly did. Even now that I’m awake, she’s still trembling, still barely clinging to her composure, trying to keep it together for me.
She releases a heavy sigh and buries her face against my chest. “I’m just so glad you’re all right.”
I wrap my good arm around her and hold her there, letting her cry, letting her release everything she’s been trying to hold in this entire time for my sake.
Lucky doesn’t need to hide anything from me.
She has never had to.
Certainly not now, after she saved my life. Lorell would have killed me in that barn if she hadn’t ignored my order to stay in the cabin. If Gizmo hadn’t come in and attacked him, and if she hadn’t had the strength to face him, Connor wouldn’t have had time to get to us. And I wouldn’t be here.
Her quiet sobs fill the room, and I run my fingers through her hair gently, trying to soothe her the only way I can right now. “I’m not going anywhere, Bluebell.”
Ever.
It would literally take death to rip me away from this woman.
Movement in the doorway catches my attention, and I glance up to see Tony walk in, followed by Killian, Connor, and Willow, who holds a sleeping Niall against her chest.
The sheriff grins, inclining his head toward me. “Glad to see you awake.”
Lucky lifts her head, swiping at her tear-stained cheeks.
I offer Tony a returned smile. “Good to be awake.”
