Chapter 27
Brewer
I moved my head and felt how heavy it was. But the second I moved my arm, the ricocheting pain brought me fully back to the present. My eyes were sealed shut as panic flooded my veins. I forced my eyes open and tried to sit up, cursing my arm as the pain became blinding. It was hard to move my arm. Hard to sit up. My legs jumped and everything inside of me told me to run. To grab my gun and get the fuck out.
But when I reached for my hip, nothing was there.
Not even my pants?
“Sh-sh-sh-sh.”
I jerked my head at the sound in my ear before a soft hand came down onto my cheek.
“Listen to the sound of my voice, Brewer.”
My body instantly relaxed at that sweet, reassuring voice.
“Makenna?” I asked.
I started coughing as my tongue attached itself to the roof of my mouth.
“Here, drink this.”
My vision was blurred beyond recognition. I felt something dancing along my lips. Something sharp and plastic. I opened my mouth to receive it as that soft hand stroked my cheek. A thumb graced my jawline and soothed the rest of the panic from my system. I drew the liquid through the straw and groaned when the cold water hit my mouth. I chugged and I chugged, pulling as much through that straw as I could until the sounds of slurping echoed off the corners of the wall.
“Let me get you some more.”
My hand came up despite the pain and locked onto her wrist. I gritted my teeth as my body began to shake. I didn’t want her to go. I didn’t want her to leave. Makenna gasped lightly as the cup went tumbling from her hand, crashing down onto the floor next to my bed. I bit down onto my tongue, almost poking a hole through it as I moved her hand back to my skin.
I settled the comforting touch back onto my face as my eyes slowly came into focus.
“Here. Lay back down with me.”
I felt her hand on my good shoulder as she pressed me back to the bed. The mattress I was lying on depressed in as her body scooted nearer to mine. I slid my hand over her knee. Up her thigh. Around her waist until she shifted her body towards mine. Her hand fell from my face and landed next to my head as she leaned towards me.
Her beautiful face came into focus and I saw the worry that blanketed her stare.
“You’re okay,” she said breathlessly. “Just focus on me.”
“Makenna,” I said.
“I’m right here.”
“What happened?” I asked.
She brought her hand up and smoothed over my forehead as tears crested her eyes.
“You were shot,” she said. “In your left shoulder. You lost a great deal of blood, Brewer.”
“Where am I?”
“Now, you’re in a hospital. Towards the back of one of the wings. But you were in an abandoned warehouse not two hours ago.”
“So, we had to call our doctor,” I said.
“Whatever that means, yes,” she said with a snicker. “He patched you up and got you stable there. Then, when you could be transported they brought you here. You’re hooked up to a great deal of pain medication, but I can tell by the look on your face it might not be working.”
“Probably isn’t a good idea to move my shoulder. I’ll be fine.”
“If you need more, I can talk to your nurse.”
“Don’t leave,” I said.
I reached up with my good arm to cup her cheek again. So, I could feel her soft skin against mine.
“The facility in that abandoned place is pretty impressive,” she said with a giggle. “How clean the room was and the type of equipment the doctor had there to clean you up and get you stabilized. I was shocked when I walked in behind Diesel.”
“The guys here?”
“I told them to go get some coffee and food. The sun’s about to come up and they were all slumped over in chairs snoring into their chests.”
“Pussies,” I said with a grin.
She smiled at me, but a tear escaped her eye and dripped down her nose.
“Don’t cry,” I said. “You’re the one that told me I was fine.”
“But you weren’t,” she said as her voice hitched. “There for a while, it was touch and go.”
“What do you mean?”
“When the guys carried you out of your house, you were completely gone. Out. Unconscious. And I insisted I come with you guys. I told them that I could drive your car while they rode their bikes so no one’s stuff had to be left behind. But when they initially got you on the table-”
More tears streamed down her face and dripped onto my cheek.
“Makenna, it’s okay,” I said.
“That doctor had to revive you twice. A piece of the bullet chipped off and was coursing through your body. They had to chase it around for a while before they caught it.”
The way her face scrunched up killed a part of me inside. So many things a woman like her should never have to experience because of my life. And it pained me inside that she had experienced all of it in such a short amount of time. I planted my good hand into the mattress and rose up, capturing those plump lips against mine. She drew in a sharp breath as my tongue swiped against her skin, begging for entrance so I could swallow her cries and turn them into moans.
I smiled the second she parted her lips for me.
When I kissed Makenna, all was right with the world. When I felt her against my body, everything settled into place. I wrapped my arm around her and brought her with me, lowering us both back to the hospital bed. She wiggled on top of my body. Steered clear of the tubes running around us as I parted my legs for her. She planted her hands next to my body and rose up, pressing her lips deeper into mine.
I felt them swelling with the contact and it caused my cock to pulse.
“I didn’t mean it,” she said with a whisper.
I opened my eyes and watched her pull back to look into mine.
“I know you didn’t,” I said.
“You could never be a mistake, Brewer. And I never should’ve said it. I was angry and confused and hurt. I hate being lied to and I hate being kept in the dark. My ex did that shit all the time and I just-”
“I love you.”
Those three words stopped her in her tracks as a grin crawled across my face. It felt right. Good. Unrushed, despite the little time I had known her. I lifted my hand to smooth my thumb over her cheek, brushing away her tear trails and gathering her warmth on the tip of my finger. I tucked a strand of loose, wild hair behind her ear, my eyes dancing along her beautiful face.
“What did you say?” Makenna asked.
“I love you,” I said.
“That’s what I thought,” she said with a whisper.
“I know you didn’t mean it. I know I didn’t handle our evening together quite like I needed to. But, if it’s any consolation, I’m pretty sure this injury takes me out of the game plan anyway.”
Her lips fell back to mine as my good arm encompassed her. If she wasn’t careful, I’d have to sin all over the hospital bed with her. My hand splayed along her lower back, pulling her body closer to mine as her tongue slid along the roof of my mouth. I parted my legs further to feel more of her. To get her as close as I could while surrounded by so much shit I wanted to shove out the door.
“I love you too,” she whispered into my lips.
My eyes flew open and I saw her staring back at me. I released her lips and watched a small smile trickle across her cheeks. Her forehead fell to mine as shock rolled through my system, and my heart lit up with so much joy I could hear my heart monitor pick up the pace.
Faster.
And faster.
And faster.
“If you aren’t careful, that nurse is going to barge in on us,” Makenna said with a grin.
But I couldn’t help it.
The woman I had fallen in love with loved me in return.
“After all this?” I asked. “After all this, you love me?”
“I know. Weird, huh?” she asked.
“But Ana-”
“The mere fact that you would bring her up tells me I’ve chosen the right man,” she said as she pressed her finger to my lips. “Your care for my daughter is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. And she loves you, let’s face it. If she had the choice between me and you for the rest of her life, I’d be the dead one.”
“Don’t you dare joke around like that,” I said.
“All I’m saying is-”
“You’ll always be protected so long as you’re with me. The both of you. Death is not coming for any of us if I have anything to do with it.”
Her expression softened as my eyes danced between hers. The mere joking mention of something happening to Makenna boiled my blood. I wrapped my good arm around her as she sank her head to my neck, curling against me as we laid there in that slim hospital bed. I rubbed her back. I pressed kisses into her forehead. I felt her sigh against me as her lips turned to kiss my neck. How I had gotten so fucking lucky was beyond me, and I had every intention of doing whatever it took to keep them safe during this debacle with the crew.
“I’m never leaving your side, Brewer.”
Her voice was so sweet and laced with so much truth and dedication. I pulled her closer into me, closing my eyes so I could cherish the moment. I drew in a deep breath as my heart settled back out. Makenna’s body draped over mine as I held her tightly to my body. I wasn’t going to let her go. Not if I could help it. I knew she would have to leave in a few hours to pick up Ana from her sleepover, but until then I could lie there with her and take in every single moment I had with her.
But I knew one thing was for certain. One thing above all else that rushed through the corners of my mind.
Those fuckers were going to pay.