A haunted look rose in Evan’s eyes as Marshall approached.
He looked defeated. Not triumphant or hopeful. Destroyed. His eyes welled up with tears.
“I’m sorry, Marshall. I tried to get in there. He got me before I could save her,” Evan said, his eyes red with tears. His hand trembled as he scrubbed his face. “It all happened so fast.”
Evan could barely catch his breath.
Marshall pulled his friend into his arms and squeezed him. Relief flooded him that his friend was going to be okay. But right now, Marshall had somewhere to be.
Chip called out to him, letting him know the truck was ready.
Marshall gave Evan a final pat on the shoulder.” You did your best. I have to go. I need to know she’s okay. If I drive fast, I can catch up with the ambulance.”
Evan nodded with a sob and swiped at his eyes with his hands, smearing the dusty smoke residue on his skin. “I’m so sorry.”
Marshall didn’t have time for apologies. He was on a mission. He had to reach Colette. He would follow her to the ends of the earth if it meant they could be together. They had only just foundeach other, and there was no fucking way she was leaving him now. Marshall wasn’t coming back to Rosebud Ranch without her.
CHAPTER 54
Aglow of light beckoned her to awaken.
Colette wasn’t ready yet.
The first discernible sound she heard was someone clearing his throat, then a deep voice.
“And then his hand slid up her thigh. Her chest heaved as his touch sent shocks of desire all the way to her…” Marshall hesitated, his voice getting gradually quieter. “I’m gonna skip this part. I’m getting a little…anyway. This is inappropriate for reading out loud. I’m realizing this only now.” He coughed.
The darkness began to clear in her mind, and his voice pulled her, a tether bringing her back to the surface. No, she wanted to sleep more. Everything hurt. She gave a soft moan and sensed him immediately. A chair creaked nearby as he stood and leaned over her.
“Colette? Baby?” he whispered, his voice full of emotion. Hope.
Her eyelids fluttered as she attempted to open them. If only he would keep reading. She found it so relaxing. A simple word attempted to escape her mouth, his name. It was the only word she could manage.
Her throat was parched, and the word slowly dragged itself up her esophagus. She wasn’t even sure if the word came out right, but it was something.
Marshall cursed under his breath.
“Nurse, nurse!” he cried out into the hallway, then came back in the room and pressed the call button repeatedly. “She’s awake. She’s awake!”
Someone raced into the room. Colette still couldn’t quite open her eyes. Familiar sounds of beeps as something was placed on her finger, the nurse checking her vitals and pressing fingers to her wrist.
“Well, sir, your wife must have liked story time, because her vitals are looking good. Colette? Can you open your eyes?” the woman asked. “I’m Ingrid, and I’ll be taking care of you. Your husband and I are so happy to see you awake.”
Using all her muscle strength, Colette opened her eyes and kept them open. She turned her face to lock eyes with a familiar set of warm green eyes. Heat bloomed in her chest. Marshall. She had missed him so much. She had so much to tell him.
“Marshall…” she scratched out, her throat unused to speaking.
“I’m here, darlin’,” he said, a tremble in his voice as he took her hand carefully. “Right here.” Tears shimmered in his eyes and her own began to fill.
Colette blinked. It was easy to see in his haunted gaze how close she had come to losing all of this. She had no idea what would come next.
But she knew who she wanted to do it with.
The nurse bustled around them, then walked out of the room, only to return with a fresh cup of ice water. The woman searched Colette’s expression for signs of discomfort as she pressed the button to raise the bed slowly.
“Let me know if this is too much, Colette.”
When her body tilted and bent slightly, the pain lanced through her from the wound at her side. She had forgotten. Of course, Jarrett had stabbed her.
