Be With Me(99)

“No offense dude, but I think I’l wait to col ect until you’re looking a little better.”

Hutch snorted. “Big of you.”

There was silence as he and Sawyer fol owed 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 kil ing her. Then she tried to beat the hel 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’l be okay?”

“Yeah, I do,” Hutch replied. “She took a beating but she gave as good as she got. We’l 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?”

Hutch took a deep breath. “When I was in there, and Daniel was whaling on Reggie, when I thought for sure he’d kil her and I’d lose her forever, I realized why she deceived us, because in that moment? I’d have done anything to protect her. I’d lie, cheat, steal. I would kil a man and I wouldn’t give a shit about the consequences. But you know what?

It doesn’t mean I don’t love her. It just means I’d do anything to keep her safe. If she loves us half as much then I understand why she lied to us.” Sawyer heaved a sigh, looked away then glanced back at Hutch, his eyes a little wild in the headlights and flashing blue and red. “Yeah, I hear you, man. I feel the same way. But in the end, she has to want to stay, you know? We can’t force her, and I wouldn’t want to.”

Hutch nodded, but he felt a little lighter and not as panicky as he had earlier. She loved them. She had to. He wouldn’t believe that it had al been an act. No one was that good.

Hutch waved off the medic as he walked over to check him over.

“I’m fine,” he said.

“Are you sure?” the medic asked.

Hutch nodded. “Yeah, I’m good. Just check Reggie out. Make sure she’s okay. Make sure she hasn’t broken her damn wrist. It was already injured.” The medic chuckled. “I think she’l be just fine.

She’s steadily cursing my partner over there. I left before she started threatening me as wel .” Sawyer laughed, and Hutch could hear the relief in his voice. If Reggie was making threats, she was just fine.

Chapter 36

Regina lay curled in a bal on the ambulance stretcher, scowling as one of the medics poked and prodded at her. Cam’s fingers were laced with hers, a gesture she drew comfort from. He couldn’t hate her too much, right? He was here. He and Sawyer both were here. Only she’d lost track of both Sawyer and Hutch in the confusion.

“Sawyer? Hutch? Where the hel are they?” she demanded. Where the hel were they? Surely they wouldn’t leave. They couldn’t be that angry with her, could they?

The grip around her fingers tightened. “Calm down, Reggie. They’re here.”

What wasn’t Cam tel ing her? Had Hutch been hurt worse than she thought? Panic tightened its grip around her, squeezing mercilessly.

She struggled against the hands holding her down, fought to sit up. “Hutch!”

“I’m here, baby.”

She saw him push his way through the people surrounding her, and she went weak with relief.

“Where’s Sawyer?”

Her gaze scanned the faces. They al swam in the cascade of flashing lights, and she blinked to try and make sense of it al .

A strong hand gripped her shoulder and shoved her back down on the stretcher. Relief caved her chest inward. Sawyer.

“Don’t make me strap your ass to this stretcher,” Sawyer growled. “Quit giving the medics such a hard time, and let them check you out.”

“Make sure Hutch is okay,” she said groggily. “His hands were a mess.”

“How ’bout you let me worry about Hutch, and you concentrate on patching your pretty little ass up, okay?” Sawyer said.

“I’m not going to the hospital,” she huffed. “I’m fine.

Want you to take me home.”

Cam squeezed her hand, and Sawyer stroked the hair from her face.

“And where is home, Reggie darling?”

She frowned. “Wherever the hel you take me.” Sawyer chuckled. “Good answer, honey. Good answer.”

“Where’s Hutch?” she demanded again.

“I’m right here, baby,” he said, and she turned her head to see him standing there beside her. Concern creased his brow as he stared down at her. “I wonder if you shouldn’t go to the hospital and let them scan that noggin of yours. You seem a bit fuzzy.” She pushed Sawyer’s hand away from her shoulder and sat straight up. “I don’t need to go to the goddamn hospital. What I need is for everyone to back the f**k off so I can breathe. And then I want to go home.” She was desperate for home. Their arms.

Being with them.

The paramedic gave the guys a look of sympathy and then retreated with his jump bag. “She’s al yours,” he said.