“There’s a local sedative,” the vet, whatever his name is, informs me, rolling a tray to my side. “And a sedative calculated for a human dosage.”
“Numb my wife,” I order, while Candace calls out, “Lucifer says Max is in sight, fleeing town.”
In other words, Max isn’t about to walk in and start shooting. That news alone eases the pressure of the moment, but it’s not enough. And while I know Candace is hurting, she won’t be for long, and right now I have no choice but to use her. “Call Blake, baby,” I say, unwrapping Adam’s arm and trying to control the bleeding to assess the damage. “Tell him what happened. Have him call the locals and control the situation.”
Thank fuck for the supplies I now have at my disposal. I focus on clamping off a vein, and then try to find the bullet. By the time I’m done, Candace calls out. “Blake is on it. Apparently, Dexter is here helping Lucifer.”
I scowl and Adam says, “I knew he was here. Be glad he is.” He grunts in pain.
I grab the sedative. “Time to go to sleep.”
He lifts his head. “No sedative. I can’t be knocked out when—”
I shove the needle into his arm and he growls. “Bastard!” and relaxes against the table.
The vet—I still don’t know his name—chuckles. “He should be glad you made that decision for him. I got Candace numbed up.”
“Feel better, baby?” I call out.
“Better,” she confirms. “Yes.”
At that moment, I can hear the front door open, and then a shout of “EMS!”
“I’ve got this,” the vet says, rushing away.
Sixty seconds later, an EMS tech, a tall, bald fucker so white he glows, is standing across from me. I pull the bullet from Adam’s arm, drop it in in a tray, and spurt out my credentials, before I say, “Check my wife. Take her vitals and make sure she’s got enough pressure on that arm to stop the bleeding. She’s not going with you. He is. I don’t think he has arterial damage but without the right equipment, I can’t be sure.”
The tech just blinks.
“Move,” I snap.
He jolts into action.
Another EMS tech steps in front of me, a redhead with a ruddy glow about him. “What can I do?”
“Check his vitals,” I say. “I didn’t exactly have time to do this right.”
“Police,” someone shouts from behind me, in the doorway. “Rick Savage?”
“A little fucking busy right now!” I call out.
The man in blue steps across from me next to the tech who’s already checking Adam’s blood pressure. “It’s low,” he announces.
I glance at the reading. “He’s fine.” I eye the cop. “What?”
“We’ve put out an APB on Max Bryant. He won’t get far.”
“No,” I say tightly. “He won’t.”
I finish the last stitch needed in Adam’s arm and step back, eyeing the EMS tech. “Get him to the hospital and tell them to scan for arterial damage.” I back up and step next to Candace, as the other EMS tech tightens a bandage around her arm. “How are you, baby?”
“He says it’s not that bad,” she murmurs. “And I’m numb now, so it doesn’t hurt, but I feel shaky.”
“Adrenaline from the drugs and shock,” I say, glancing at the tech, with a silent question.
“I can’t move my fingers,” she says, sounding slightly panicked. “Is that normal?”
I settle my hand on her head. “It’s the numbing agent, baby. You’ll be good as new soon.”
“You’re sure?” she asks, moving her fingers slightly. “I think I’m moving my fingers. I am, right?”
My lips curve at the control freak in her that has to solve this problem right this minute. “Yes,” I assure her. “You are.”
“She was lucky,” the tech interjects. “She needs antibiotics and stitches and she’ll be good as new. You sure you don’t want her to go to the hospital?”
“No hospital,” I confirm, not about to put her in a public place where Max can get to her. He tried to kill her. I’m not giving him a second chance to make that happen.
The tech gives a nod and steps away, helping to roll Adam out of the room.
About the same time, our vet with the “medical office” steps to my side. “What can I do?” he asks.
The dude is nothing if not generous with his aid. I reach into my pocket, pull out my wallet, and offer him a few large bills. He waves them off and says, “What else can I do to help?”
I shove the money into my pocket. “Supplies to stitch her up when I get her someplace safe, with a stock of pain meds and antibiotics.”
“You got it. What else?”
“You aren’t going to ask what this is all about?”
“And ruin a chance to hear all the town speculation and gossip with full interest? How boring would that be?”
It’s an answer I respect. “The name is Rick Savage. You need a favor, you find me. New York City.”
“Joe Montgomery,” he says, shaking my hand. “Ex-military myself, son. If you ever need me again, you know where to find me.”
I don’t ask how he knows I’m ex-military. There were plenty of clues and he’s clearly not a dumb man. I give him a nod, call a car, and when I would carry Candace, she waves me off. “I’ll walk.”
I help her to her feet, hold her to my side to keep her steady. Joe hands me the supplies, and I guide Candace to the door, dropping the cash on the front desk. I used his supplies. I’m not making him eat those expenses. Once I get Candace into the car, I direct the driver to take us to the hotel. Not my first choice, but Max isn’t hunting us right now. He’s being hunted. And the hotel is a quick shelter and a place my team can find me.
The minute we’re in the backseat, I turn to Candace and cup her face. I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. I don’t even know what to say to her right now. She almost died today and so did Adam. Because of me.
CHAPTER FORTY
Savage
I kiss Candace hard and fast, the taste of her on my lips sweet, the only thing sweet about me. She’s my opposite, right where I’m wrong. Light where I’m dark. Too good for me and yet exactly what I need. And I don’t know what to do with that on a night like this one. I pull back, but she catches my hand.
“This wasn’t your fault. I see that in your eyes, Rick Savage. The blame, so much blame. You need to stop. It’s not good for us. It’s not good for you.”
My lips press together. “It’s the truth.”
“It’s not the truth.”
My cellphone rings. She inhales and releases me, turning away, obviously aware that I need to take just about any call headed in my direction right now. In this case, it’s Blake.