“What the hell were you thinking?” It was her brother’s voice now. When had he returned from his wedding trip? She tried to open her eyes, but they were so heavy.
“I’ll never forgive myself. Dear God.” She’d missed him. She’d even somehow missed Charley, the woman he’d married.
She was lying on something cold. Grass. And it was wet. Dew.
“We need to stop the bleeding.” Was that Chase’s hand applying pressure to her side?
“Take my coat,” her brother said.
“Damnit, Westerley.” Chase’s voice broke. “Get the surgeons over here!”
The sensation of the bullet tearing into her hadn’t hurt nearly as much as she’d thought it would. A short burst of agony followed by stinging, which seemed rather minor in comparison to the knowledge that she was going to die.
“Bethany! Sweetheart! Wake up!” Chase’s voice sounded very close.
She forced her eyelids open and when she focused, she was glad she did. Because his face, this man’s beloved face, would be the last thing she ever saw.
“What in the hell were you doing?” he asked.
Only she wished he wasn’t frowning like that.
“Move aside so the doctor can look at her.”
Bright sunlight landed on her face, causing her to squeeze her eyes shut once again, at the same time annoying hands began prodding where the bullet had entered her flesh.
She needed to explain to both of them why she’d come—before she died.
“Had to stop you,” she croaked. “Couldn’t let you kill each other.”
Warm hands held her head. “Damnit, Bethany, you little fool. We weren’t going to kill each other.” It was Chase holding her. It was his fingers threading themselves through her hair.
“I’m not a little fool,” she protested, hating that they would argue during her last few moments alive. “I had every right.”
“We were going to delope. You idiot!” Of course, those words came from her brother. “You had no business running over like that.”
“Did too,” she argued with her brother.
Her brother… the person who had justshot her!
But then she dragged her gaze back to Chase. “You should have told me.”
“I couldn’t.” He winced. “You would have worried.”
“I worry anyway.” Her throat went dry. “I realized Westerley must be back… the business that was so important…” And just when she was happier than she’d ever been, she was going to have to die.
“God, Bethany. I wouldn’t kill your brother. That’s why I missed the dance. I discovered he was outside, so I met him there—explained to him that we’d married. And that both of us were happy.” Chase didn’t sound nearly as angry as her brother, and he was holding her, stroking the sides of her face. It was almost as though he—
She gasped when the hands fussing at her side felt as though they were reaching inside of her.
There was that pain she’d heard about.
She cried out again when it only seemed to worsen. “You made me so very happy,” she murmured. “But I need to tell you. Before I go.”
“You aren’t going anywhere.” Her dear sweet husband’s voice tore at her heart.
“I love you. Triston Aaron Corbet.” These would be her last words. “I love you.”
“And that makes me the luckiest man alive. You know that I—”
