Chapter 19
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Hours later, afterGrant made love to her in the sweetest, most affectionate way, Brynnon woke to the sound of a phone ringing. Lost in a sleep-riddled haze, she heard him answer. She thought he uttered a low curse before mumbling something else and ending the call.
With a hand to her shoulder, Grant gave her a gentle nudge. “Sweetheart, wake up. We have to go.”
The alarm in his voice broke through the fog. Looking up at him, Brynnon blinked against the last remnants of sleep. “What is it? Did something else happen?”
“Coop just called. It’s your brother.”
“Billy?” She sat up quickly, her heart beating faster as her hands swiped at the wild hair in her face. “What happened? Is he okay?”
Regret filled Grant’s tired eyes. “He’s been shot.”
“What?” she gasped. “Oh, my god!”
Wide awake now, Brynnon threw the covers off her legs and jumped out of bed. Dressing like a mad woman, she began firing out questions as she slid on a pair of jeans and the nearest T-shirt she could find.
Her chest heaved with rapid, shallow breaths as she spoke. “I-is he okay? Do they know who did it? W-where was he? Did someone break into his apartment, or was he—”
“Brynnon!” Grant spoke sharply. Dressed in only his boxers, he wrapped his large hands around her shoulders, forcing her to stop and look at him. “Sweetheart, take a breath.”
Her eyes shot to his. “It’s my brother.” She tried worming her way free from his grasp.
“I get that, but you’re no good to him if you’re passed out cold.”
His words resonated within. Following his example, she drew in several slow, deep breaths.
Grant gave her a nod. “Good girl. Now, all I know is that Billy was found shot in his apartment a few hours ago and taken straight into surgery.”
“Okay.” Her mind whirled. Licking her lips, she repeated herself. “Okay. Dallas Regional isn’t too far from here, right?”
Seeing she was no longer on the verge of hysteria, Grant let her go, dressing as he spoke. “Your father arranged for him to be transported to Homeland’s private medical facility rather than the public hospital. Coop’s headed there now with your dad. I told him we’d meet them there.”
She hastily slid on her boots. “Homeland has a private hospital here?”
“They do. It’s southwest of the city, near the Dallas Executive Airport.”
Brynnon finished tying the last shoestring and stood. Running a hand through her untamed hair, she blew out breath. “Okay. I’m ready.”
Not wasting any time, Grant shoved his gun into his waistband at his lower back, his wallet into his back pocket, and threw on his coat. Grabbing his keys, he headed for the door with Brynnon in step behind him.
The ride to the hospital was one of the longest of her life. Staring out the window, memories from when she and Billy were just kids plagued her mind as they sped through the night.
