Page 131 of The Formation of Us
Duke felt woozy, but he needed to talk to his brothers before he got sucked under again. A spear of pain shot through his shoulder, and he struggled to ignore it. “You could have gotten yourself killed, Boyd,” he croaked.
Boyd arched his eyebrow. “Did you have a better idea?”
“No. Not one. Thanks for being there.” He directed his thanks to all of them, forcing himself to confront the truth. “Will you look out for Faith and the children if I . . . if this turns bad?”
One by one his brothers nodded, gravely silent.
Radford gripped his hand. “Damn it, Duke, I saw men get their legs and arms blown off in the war, and they survived. If they can pull through that, and I can fight my way back from being half-insane, you can fight your way through this.”
“This may be bigger than me,” Duke half-whispered.
“Bullshit.” Boyd laid his hand over his brothers’ clasped hands. “You’ve always said nothing is impossible if the four of us tackle it together.”
“That’s right.” Kyle covered their hands with his. We’re here, Duke, and none of us is quitting. Got that?”
Duke got it—their strength, their commitment, and their love. His brothers would be there for him, no matter what.
Chapter 40
Adam stood outside Duke’s bedchamber door, unable to stop shaking. He’d gotten to Radford, he’d brought the sheriff, but he didn’t know if he’d gotten them in time to save Duke.
Duke’s brothers and mother were in the room with him now. Aster and the doctor had taken the bullet out of his shoulder. Faith slipped in and out of the room, but Cora whimpered the whole time she was away. No matter how many times Faith told Cora the judge was dead, Cora insisted he would come back and get her. She was terrified of the man. And like Adam, the thing the little girl feared most was that her new daddy would die.
Nobody was telling Adam anything, and that’s why he couldn’t move away from the door. No matter how many people came and went, he didn’t budge. Not even when Duke’s brothers Kyle and Boyd brought their mother out to wait with the others in the parlor. Not even when Duke groaned, and Radford’s low murmur responded; Adam didn’t move, because if he left that spot, then his silent plea to Duke might not be strong enough to reach him.
The door opened again, and Radford Grayson came out, his face drawn, a fat tear streaking down his left cheek. He wouldn’t cry unless Duke was going to die.
Adam’s heart cramped, and a big, ugly sob burst from his mouth. He hung his head, not even caring that his nose was starting to run. Nothing mattered now. Duke was the only man he’d ever looked up to. Ever loved. The only man who’d ever been nice to him.
“Come here, son.” Rebecca’s father pulled him into a hug, and Adam sobbed like a five-year-old against the man’s hard chest. All Adam knew of having brothers was from the memories Duke had shared with him. Without Duke’s stories and his advice, Adam would have to guess how to become a decent, honorable man—like the sheriff, his father, his friend.
“He’ll pull through, Adam. I know my brother, and he won’t let us down.”
Adam stepped away and wiped his nose on his sleeve, ashamed of his tears. “Sorry I messed up your shirt.”
Mr. Grayson pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, and handed it to him. “I owe you an apology, Adam. Your interest in Rebecca was no reason for me to suspect you of bad intentions.”
Adam dried his face on the soft cloth. “I should have stayed away like you said, sir.”
“Rebecca told me what happened when you two met in the gorge.”
“I didn’t know she would be there.”
“I know. I judged you unfairly. You’re an intelligent, courageous young man, and today your quick thinking protected your family.”
Adam shook his head. “You did that, sir.”
“No, Adam. If you hadn’t done what you did, my brother could be dead.” Mr. Grayson gripped Adam’s shoulders and looked him square in the eye. “Thank you.”
o0o
As soon as Faith got Cora put to bed, she hurried to her bedchamber to check on Duke. Adam was sitting in the hall with his head against the wall, sound asleep. He hadn’t budged from the spot since Duke was carried into the bedchamber twelve hours earlier.
Faith squelched her urge to kiss her brother’s forehead as she’d done so many times when he was a round-cheeked baby, but Adam was more man than boy now, and her fussing would embarrass him. She would wake him so he could see Duke, but first, she needed to see her husband alone.
Duke was sleeping when she entered the room. Dr. Milton said he was doing as well as could be expected, but Faith understood too much about wounds to feel comforted. Duke’s face was drawn and white as the pillowcase. The sheet and blankets were drawn up to his chest, leaving his shoulders exposed. A bulky bandage covered his left shoulder, and she gave thanks that the bullet hadn’t hit his chest and struck his loving, forgiving heart. His mother and Kyle were with him in the room, but they stepped outside with the doctor as Faith entered.
She laid her palm on her husband’s hot forehead. He had a long struggle ahead of him. He’d lost a lot of blood and was subject to infection and fever and a host of other things. Her stomach twisted in a knot of worry.
