Clint
“You really want to marry me? You meant it?”
“Be still, woman. They are trying to examine you,” I said gruffly, still worried out of my mind.
“There is no need for, ahem, all of you to be in here,” the doctor said sternly, looking behind me. I wanted to laugh but I couldn’t. Not when I was so worried about my woman.
The Delancey boys were standing behind me, crowded into the tiny area around Phee’s bed in the emergency room. And the doctor had just scolded them. I made sure to remember this moment so I could relish it later, when I knew Phee was out of the woods.
Lord knows the Delancey brothers needed to be put in their place. Their arrogance was legendary. Of course, they had earned a lot of that arrogance, but I didn’t want to think about that.
“We are her family. You leave,” Jackson said coldly, almost as if he had heard my thought and wanted to prove his point.
“Is this true?” the doctor asked with a worried look. His eyes dropped to Phee’s hands, which were holding mine tightly. “What do you want, young lady?”
“I want him to stay,” Phee said, a fearful look in her beautiful eyes.
I shot a triumphant look over my shoulder and was rewarded with a scowl from Jackson and a surprised look from Daniel. Good. I was proud as hell of Phee for taking a stand. My heart felt like it was growing ten sizes.
“I do want to marry you,” I whispered as I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her perfect, shell shaped ear. Even the woman’s damned ears were sexy! “In fact, I’m going to have to insist on it. Because I love you too damned much.”
Her answering smile was so bright it lit up the whole damned room.
“Now, go on and get. The lady needs to be seen by this here doctor,” I drawled with a glance over my shoulder, squeezing my lady’s hand for reassurance. The doctor cleared his throat, and the boys did as they were told. I had a feeling that was a damned first.
My soon-to-be-fiancé confirmed it.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen them follow an actual rule. Other than their own rules, of course.”
“Of course,” I said softly, holding her eyes and distracting her as the nurse drew blood and took her blood pressure. Phee looked a little nervous. Beautiful as all get out, but nervous.
Goddamn but that drove me nuts! I wanted to squash anything that made her worried or upset! I wanted to kill it!
Of course, in this case, I couldn’t. She’d gotten thrown. It happened to almost every rider. There was no one to blame but the big dummy who had startled the animal. I immediately forced myself to set aside the bloody revenge fantasies that tried to take over and focus on my woman. I smiled reassuringly, even though I was tangled up inside.
I vowed never to let anything hurt her again.
My phone pinged and I ignored it, waiting patiently while the doctor examined her. I didn’t even glance at my phone until Phee was wheeled off for an MRI with contrast. I sat in the waiting room outside the imaging section, having trailed after the gurney like a lost puppy. I didn’t want her to be alone for a second, but I couldn’t go in the room with her. Even I knew that.
Her cousins eyed me warily while we waited but said nothing.
My stomach dropped when I saw the text. It was from Mrs. Van Cleese. I hadn’t heard from her since we parted ways, though I had seen her from time to time at horsing events. But only from a distance. We both knew it was best not to reopen that particular can of worms. She was the last damned person I ever expected to hear from.
It only said three words. Three words that filled me with dread.
You were right.
I did a search for the name. I didn’t have to look far. There had been an accident. The same kind of accident I had predicted three years before.
Thomas. It was Thomas. He was dead.
I hung my head, feeling a stab of pure regret. Maybe if I had stayed… maybe I could have helped him. Maybe I could have stopped this.
I clenched my fists and took a gulp of air. I was on the verge of punching something. Hard. The wall maybe. Or one of the Delancey boys.
Instead I took off, walking briskly until I was outside in the sunshine. Sunshine Thomas would never see. Sunshine that could be stolen at a moment’s notice. Sunshine that my darling Phee might miss out on forever.
And I would be alone.
That was the moment I felt calm wash over me. Phee was done riding. It was over. I would keep her safe. It didn’t matter if I had to wrap the woman in bubble wrap and keep her in a glass jar. I didn’t give a damn.