Page 106 of The Science of Attraction

“Zach?”

Zach cursed softly at the sound of Norma’s panicked voice. She was standing just inside the doorway with Paddy leaning heavily on his quad cane alongside.

“We drove up as soon as we heard the shot.” Norma’s gaze dropped to Jules and her eyes sprang wide at the pool of blood lying under her son. “Oh, dear God.” Her hand flew to her mouth and she raced over.

Paddy stayed in place, staring at Jules as his face drained of all colour, his legs trembling. He stumbled to the wall and collapsed onto a nearby bench.

“He’s gonna be okay,” Zach insisted, and I tried to cling to his confidence and ignore the bleak look on his face, but it wasn’t easy. “He’s gonna be just fine.”

Was he?I stared down at the man who’d come to mean everything and something inside me steeled at the thought of losing him.No.Just fucking no. The word rumbled like thunder through my brain. Losing Jules wasn’t an option. I wouldn’t let it happen. Not on my watch. Not when I’d only just fucking found him.

I gathered my resolve and put my lips next to his ear. “Now you listen to me, sweetheart. I never got a chance to tell you that I came up with a plan for us last night, and it’s a really good one. Because this is me, right? Mister control freak. But if you want to know what that plan is, you’re going to have to get through this. I’m not giving it up for free. You arenotgoing to up and die on me when I’ve only just found you or I will break your damn legs, do you understand me?”

Zach snorted. “You guys have the sweetest pillow talk.”

I ignored him. “I love you, Jules Lane, and miraculously you seem to love me back. So don’t you dare give up—” My voice cracked open in a sob, and I paused to take a breath. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I want you, and I want to tryushowever we can do it. I don’t care if that’s here in your precious mountains or in Dunedin or on fucking Mars. I want to take that next step and see if we have what it takes. Spoiler alert—I have zero doubts about that.”

“He’ll be okay, son.” Norma’s hand landed on my shoulder, and I looked up into her tear-filled eyes.

“It was an accident, Paddy, I swear.” Marty’s plea came from behind. “I never meant to hurt him.”

“You... sh-shot... my son?” Paddy stared at him, incredulous.

“No, no—I tripped—it was my stupid legs. Honest to God.”

“Shut up, Marty.” I fired him a blistering glare. “Just shut the fuck up.”

Paddy shot me an uncertain look, but I turned away. I could barely look at either of them. I didn’t give a fuck about Marty’s excuses or reminding Paddy how he’d given permission for Marty to hunt in the first place. Jules had told me everything. I wanted to point fingers and shout at them to look what they’d done. And if Jules didn’t come through, I was going to do a lot more than just shout. But right then, nothing mattered except Jules, so I turned away and left them to their guilt.

Spencer reappeared with a large red medical bag and nudged me sideways. “How is he?”

“Hanging in there,” Zach answered as I kneeled above Jules’ head and began stroking his face. “I imagine he’s too fucking scared not to after Liam read him the riot act.”

Spencer looked up from pulling equipment out of his bag, his brows bunched. “Are you two—” He glanced Paddy’s way and snapped his mouth shut.

“Together?” I finished the question for him and then answered loudly and somewhat defiantly. “Yes, we are.”

Spencer simply nodded. “Good to know.” Then he asked Zach to remove the pressure pad and began pouring some kind of powder into the wound.

I frowned. “What’s that?”

“It helps create a seal and stop the bleeding,” Norma answered. “I’ve seen Spencer use it on animals, but never?—”

“It’s also fine for people.” Spencer and Zach turned Jules to treat the exit wound as well. “Now, let’s get a line in him before his veins collapse. Keep an eye on his rhythm, Zach.”

“One fifty,” Zach answered. “Not too bad, considering.”

“He’s g-gonna be okay, right?” Paddy’s voice shook, raw misery filling his eyes, his expression as helpless as I’d ever seen it.

“It’s working.” Spencer breathed out a long sigh of relief and I spun back to find the steady flow of blood had slowed to a sluggish trickle.

“Oh, thank Christ.” I took the first decent lungful of air since I’d walked into the woolshed and pressed my lips to Jules’ forehead. “You’re doing so good, baby. Hang in there.”

The sound of pounding feet on the ramp was quickly followed by Connor bursting into the woolshed. “What the hell’s going on? There’s a chopper screaming up the valley.” He caught sight of Jules on the floor and came to a screaming halt. “Holy shit. What happened?”

The quickly closingthwump-thwumpof the helicopter left no time for explanations, the iron roof clattering and vibrating with the downdraft as it passed overhead. Spencer immediately sent Connor to get the tarp from his truck to use as a carry sling, and he and Zach began packing up supplies.

I cradled Jules’ face and pressed my lips to his ear, my wet cheek sliding against his cool, clammy skin. “Here’s your ride, baby. We’ve got this.”

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