We didn’t take Gage to a hospital. Alder said there would be too many questions if we did because of the gunshot wound, so we took him to the private offices of some doctor Deacon knew instead. We, as in Bishop and I. Alder and Deacon…well, they had the body of a sheriff to deal with.

A sheriff Gage had killed so I didn’t have to.

Protecting me right to the end.

I stroked Rex’s coat, needing to keep the poor pup close to me. Bishop had found him unconscious at Gage’s cabin and brought him with us. The poor thing seemed groggy and a little off, but he’d been able to walk and had stayed right by my side all night. Which was just what I’d needed—he was my only tangible link to the man currently under the doctor’s care. The man who’d risked his life and his freedom for me.

I couldn’t even begin to think about what that all meant. “Think this is going to come back at him?”

Bishop didn’t need me to explain what this I was asking about. “I doubt it. Alder and Deacon are going to handle cleanup, and they know what they’re doing.”

“Are they the best at it?”

He glanced at me, his expression screaming that he hadn’t expected me to ask that question. “No.”

Of course not. “Because Gage is.” A quick nod confirmed my suspicion. “You guys do this often?”

“What do you think?”

I didn’t know what to think. Not really. But then I thought of Gage—my wild mountain man. The sweetness inside of him and the care he took with me. The protective streak that could obliterate the sun with its size.

Even though he’d killed, I’d never call him a murderer.

“I think you’re all very good men who sometimes have to do very bad things to keep people safe. But you do them for the right reasons.”

“We do. That I can promise you.” Bishop sat back, looking me over. Assessing me with an unnerving gray stare. “That dog is trying to protect you even though he can’t keep his eyes open.”

I smiled down at the shaggy mess half lying across my lap. “He’s a good dog.”

“That he is.” Bishop sighed, sounding much more serious when he said quietly, “Alder thinks you fired the kill shot.”

“I would have, but Gage did it instead.” I shivered as I remembered his big body surrounding mine, the quiet way he simply took over. The feel of his hand covering mine. The pressure of his finger squeezing mine against the trigger. “He probably thought I was too afraid to go through with it.”

Bishop laughed, the sound almost echoing in the shabby little office waiting room. “I doubt that. Knowing Gage, he probably thought killing a member of your own family would leave a scar too deep to get over, so he took that on for you.”

That sounded more like Gage—a protector to a fault. And being that I had his best friend sitting next to me, someone who probably knew the man better than anyone else, I figured a few questions were in order. I scratched Rex behind the ears as I asked, “He’ll always do that, won’t he?”

“Do what?”

“Jump in and take over to keep me from being hurt.”

“Yes.” No pause, no question, no other option. That yes might as well have been a shackle of responsibility clamped on to Gage’s body.

I huffed. “I hate that.”

“Hate that he cares about you so much he’d do anything to protect you?”

How could I say yes to that? “Well…”

“Because that’s what it is. A love big enough to block out everything else, every rule and guideline and law. I know we can be a little much—Anabeth makes sure to remind me of that every single day”—a cocky sort of grin pulled at his face—“but we can’t help it. And why would you want us to? Gage would rather die than see you hurt, and that’s not a bad thing.”

It wasn’t. Still, Gage hadn’t exactly been completely altruistic. “His tactics could use a little refinement.”

“As could his wardrobe. Have you seen that green flannel shirt he wears? The thing should have been retired a decade ago at least.”

“Are you really complaining about his clothes?”

“He bitches about my shoes, so yes. I am.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Growing serious once more. “Look, Katie. Gage is my best friend, closer to me than some of my brothers. I know just about everything about him, including how much he cares about you. I don’t want to overstep here or say something I shouldn’t, but I’ll give you this. He’s been alone and dealing with just us guys for a long time. If he needs refinements, refine him. I know Anabeth smooths some of my rough edges, and Shye certainly keeps Alder from being a total grump.”

I might not have spent as much time around Anabeth and Bishop, but I had around Shye and Alder. I knew exactly how she kept him even-keeled. “That she does.”

“With Gage, it’s your turn. If you care for him even half as much as he does for you, put a little time in. Right now, he’s like a piece of coal—squeeze him hard enough, and he’ll turn into a diamond.”

“Somehow, I doubt that.”

“Me too, but it sounded damn good in my head.”

I would have laughed, but at that moment, the doctor opened the door leading to the back where they’d taken Gage. Bishop and I both stood, his face just as serious as I knew mine had to be. Our shoulders brushing as we faced Gage’s fate.

The doctor looked right at me, not even giving Bishop a glance before launching into his spiel. “He’s okay, though there’s some damage to his shoulder that’s more than I should be handling. He’s going to need to rehab that joint the same way he did the first time, but it might take longer to get full use back. Shot twice in almost the exact same spot—it’s practically unheard of.”

Bishop huffed a laugh. “The man is nothing if not consistent. First, he dives in front of a bullet to protect me, then he dives in front of a bullet to protect her.”

The doctor pushed up his glasses. “Yes, well. Perhaps he should stop being so brave.”

Bishop bumped me with his elbow. “That’ll never happen.”

I wasn’t ready to joke just yet, though. “What about his leg? He was shot in the leg, too.”

“Through and through. Minimal damage and a clean wound.”

“That sounds…okay?” I glanced at Bishop, who nodded. “What else?”

The doctor gave me a small smile. “He’s going to be in a lot of pain, so I’m going to write a prescription in your name for some pain medications. If anyone questions it, I want you to say it’s for a partial tubal ligation you had done. Okay?”

I was going to have to lie to protect Gage…I didn’t miss the irony of that. “Sure. Whatever I have to do.”

“Good. He’ll need to take them every four hours at first. They’ll make him sleepy and foggy, but they’ll help keep the pain to a minimum so he can rest and begin to heal. They won’t take all of it away, though. If he needs something stronger, call me, and we’ll figure something out. Hopefully, in a few weeks, the pain will subside, he’ll be able to start rehabbing that arm, and you’ll have your husband back.”

“Oh,” I said as heat rushed up my neck and face. “I’m not his—”

“She’s his.” Bishop shrugged when I darted a look his way. “You are. You’ll figure it out eventually.”

Yeah, I probably would. And until then, I’d take care of him because if I was his, that meant he was mine. “Okay, so I’ve got a handle on the pain management. What sort of symptoms or signs should I be watching for in regards to infection?”