Khan (Bowen Boys, #2)(51)

It took him only seconds to see what they were doing, and he dropped his gun and took Caitlynne’s corner from her. They had her and Khan going through the doorway in seconds. It had been tricky for a second, but Bill had suggested Khan climb on the sheet with her and they got them across the hall. They had to put the sheet on the floor and drag it so they wouldn’t lose them both, but it worked.

Laying her on the bed, each man stood by while Walker listened to her heart again. He felt tears roll down his cheeks, and he was unable to speak for the lump in his throat. He nodded and held his wife to him. “Her heart is slow, still very slow, but it’s getting stronger. I don’t f*cking know how, but she’s might just make it.”

Caitlynne hugged him and took off. She had work to do as well.

Khan shifted again and they both sat next to her. Her chances were better of making it, but she still had to shift. If they could bring her around and get her to shift, then she’d heal much quicker. And her loss of blood would make her weak. Walker thought of his own mate’s conversion and decided that the next time he saw her, he was going to fall at her feet and tell her over and over how much he loved her.

“The man, do you think anyone will believe that he was mauled by a wild animal and the animal got away?”

Walker looked at his brother.

“I wouldn’t.”

“Neither would I, but Caitlynne will make them believe it. And she said that having to shoo those other idiots out will help. She told them that the animal was spotted on this floor. I think her plan is to tell them that they found Barr like that and leave it at that.”

Khan nodded. “Is she going to be pissy with me for long? I didn’t exactly do what she told me to do. She said that I could kill him, but not make it too messy. The CIA was picking up the bill.”

Walker laughed a little, needing it as much as his brother did. “I think she’ll get over it soon enough. I’m going to tell her that it’s a cat thing.” He listened to her heart again. It was still slow and not any worse than before. He wrapped some of the wounds, and stitched two of them up until Khan asked him to stop. It was hard for him to let him touch her without hurting him.

“It won’t matter anyway. When she shifts, they’ll be gone.” Walker looked at his brother. “Would you have killed me? In there when I was helping her, would you have killed me?”

Khan looked at him, and Walker could see the answer in his eyes. He would have. He would have killed him and they both knew it. When Khan looked back at Monica, he spoke softly.

“I hate myself for that. You warned me that you were going to help her and that I needed to back off. But that man had hurt her and I…the kill was still on my mind and in my heart. His blood was still coursing through me. I saw you standing over her and…” Khan looked from Walker to her and back to him. “I would ask that you forgive me, but I can’t forgive myself. I would have killed you without thought to anything other than having you dead.”

Walker didn’t say anything. He and Khan would have to talk again about this, but not now. First of all, he wouldn’t listen to him. No matter what he said or how much he told his brother that he had already forgiven him, he wouldn’t listen. Maybe never would. Secondly, he knew that in order for him to heal from this, it was going to take the love of the woman lying between them. If she lived, and Walker had to believe that she would, then Khan would be a better man than he’d ever been.

He heard the commotion down the hall. Neither of them moved when there were shouts and orders being given for the rooms to be evacuated. Caitlynne told him to stay put through their connection, that no one would enter that room but her. He heard the door open and close a few minutes later and Caitlynne walked in. He shook his head at her.

“They have cleared the floor and no sign of an animal. They’ve declared Barr dead at the scene and are currently looking for a female that may or may not have been murdered in the room by him.” She looked at Khan. “You doing okay?”

“Yes. She’s still with me.”

Caitlynne nodded.

“I can’t leave her just yet if you need me to go downtown.”

She looked at Walker and then back at Khan. “You think I turned you in? Not f*cking likely. She’s going to kick your ass bad enough when she finds out you made another big decision without consulting her first. She is mighty picky about that.”

Khan laughed and then nodded. “I can’t wait to hear it. I plan on reminding her of this daily so I can hear her yell at me for it. I deserve it. I think that I will welcome it.”

Caitlynne snorted. “I wouldn’t tell her that, if I were you. She might just find other ways of kicking your ass to the curb if you did. Khan, she’s going to be fine. She’s entirely too stubborn and pigheaded to die. Especially at that bastard’s hand. We both know that.”

Walker checked her heart again. It had improved and he told them both. When he took her blood pressure, he noted that it was up as well. He breathed a sigh of relief and looked at his brother. “Mom and Dad want to come up. They have been in constant contact with me since Dylan went down to them. Mom said she wants to come up and bring you something to eat and some things for Monica. She said that she’ll need some clothes when she wakes.”

Khan brushed the hair from her forehead and nodded. “She’ll want a shower too. I know that I want one as well. I need to get the stench of that man off me.”