“Well you don’t look much better.”
She grinned, and he felt the heaviness in his chest ease.
“Aww, fuck,” she muttered.
He followed her gaze to see Sawyer and Cam standing by one of the police cars. They both looked worried as hell, but when they recognized him and Reggie staggering toward them, he could see relief lighten their features, drawn harsh by the glare of flashing lights.
He glanced back down at Reggie and saw the haunted look in her eyes, the fear and strain crowding her features. He tightened his arm around her.
“You two look like shit,” Sawyer said.
“Aren’t you observant,” Reggie said snidely.
Cam heaved an exaggerated sigh. “They probably think they deserve special attention. I’m not doing all the cooking.”
Reggie glared at both Cam and Sawyer while Hutch did all he could to hold in his laughter. God, this was what he needed. For a moment he could forget that he’d almost lost everything that was important to him to someone who had once meant everything to him.
Reggie trembled against him and started to sag. He made a grab for her, but his own knees buckled, and they went down in a heap on the ground.
He groaned and looked up to see Cam and Sawyer staring down at them, both shaking their heads.
Sawyer made a tsking sound. “Pathetic.” He reached down to haul Hutch up while Cam reached for Reggie, cradling her in his arms.
“Be careful with her,” Hutch rasped. “She took a beating in there.”
“Yes, I see,” Cam said quietly.
Two medics from the second ambulance on scene hurried over, jump bags in hand. One of them reached for Reggie, only to be halted by Cam’s steely glare.
“Let us check her out,” the paramedic said.
Sawyer was holding Hutch up, which was a good damn thing, because he’d lost all the feeling in both feet.
“I’ll carry her,” Cam said. “Where do you want her?”
“Over by the truck.” The medic gestured toward the flashing ambulance twenty yards over. “Can you walk?” he asked Hutch.
“I’ll make sure he gets there,” Sawyer said grimly.
“Thanks man, I owe you,” Hutch said as Sawyer half dragged, half carried him toward the ambulance.
“No offense dude, but I think I’ll wait to collect until you’re looking a little better.”
Hutch snorted. “Big of you.”
There was silence as he and Sawyer followed behind Cam. Then in a low voice, Sawyer asked, “How bad is she, Hutch? What happened in there?”
They got to the ambulance, and Cam laid Reggie on a stretcher while Sawyer leaned Hutch against the back of the ambulance.
“She stuck up for me,” Hutch said quietly. “The little fool gave herself up for me and taunted Daniel into letting me go in exchange for killing her. Then she tried to beat the hell out of him. Succeeded for the most part.”
Sawyer shook his head. “It doesn’t surprise me in the least.” He chanced a glance at Reggie, who was being checked over by the paramedic. “You think she’ll be okay?”
“Yeah, I do,” Hutch replied. “She took a beating but she gave as good as she got. We’ll both feel like shit in the morning, but I don’t think it’s anything serious.” He hoped. God, he hoped.
His gaze found Sawyer’s. “I understand why she did it,” he said quietly.
Sawyer cocked his head. “Did what?”
