Page 55 of The Chase
“I’m looking forward to it. Go. Gunn will keep me in line, I’m sure.”
But there was a satisfaction in Gene’s tone that Kurt understood completely.
Kurt just went along with it. He was starting to feel it now.
“I think that asshole actually got me a few times, now that I think about it.”
It took everything Kurt had to keep himself on his feet as Guthrie Hiller led him to Greer’s side.
Then he was looking at the woman he loved. The woman he would love until the day he died. “Greer Katarina Hiller. You are my world, my heart, and with my two little girls, you are myeverything.I will love you until the day I leave this earth.”
Kurt really didn’t remember much after that.
Except the blood.
He’d remember the blood. And the fire that was igniting in his chest and his shoulder.
That bastard had gotten him harder than he’d thought.
52
Greer was still shaking.They’d checked her out in the ER, and told her the baby was fine. Her head would be hurting for a while and she had two broken ribs, and there were numerous cuts and bruises and abrasions. The tape had ripped some of her skin, too. But she was going to be okay.
And her baby was doing okay. Guthrie had told her that himself. The baby was going to be okay.
She didn’t know if that was true of her baby’s daddy. Now she was just waiting.
Her family was there. She had already told Charlie—Chantal’s brother—what had happened. He was a detective with Major Crimes. With Ronnie’s brother Murdoch. They had had a big man interview her already. He was the head of homicide out of Finley Creek or something.
Commander Rodriguez had told her he was sorry this had happened to her, that the system had failed her by letting the man out of prison in the first place. Greer had just nodded, and then told him what she remembered. While she waited.
Guthrie had told her that the blade had gone into Kurt’s shoulder and broken off. It might have knicked something like an artery. She wasn’t really certain.
All she knew was that he was back there, in surgery. And Chad had gone in with Kurt—for her. Because she’d asked him to. Kurt was in there alone—she hadn’t wanted him to be alone.
His babies were in the waiting room now. Aubrey and Genny had brought them. Everyone was there, except Ronnie and all the kids. Her mother held Bronte, now. That precious little baby was sleeping. Greer’s father held Bristol, just rocking her quietly. He was an old hand at kids, her father. One of the best.
Her dad caught her watching him, after Commander Rodriguez had stepped outside to speak with Gunn and Gene about what had happened. “I’m sorry, Greer. If I hadn’t hired them fifteen years ago…I just wanted to help them somehow.”
There was a bitterness in her dad’s tone she never wanted to hear again. Her father was a good man, who had tried to help those less fortunate. It had just…gone wrong with Dwayne Yunderhall and Kevin Chase.
“It isn’t your fault. That man made his choices. He could have done better. Made something out of himself,” Grady said, from beside her. “Even after getting out of prison. He just chose not to. We all…have choices, Dad. You taught us that.”
Greer nodded. She agreed with her big brother. She reached out and adjusted Bronte’s blanket. “Can I hold her now, Mom? I really think I need to.”
Greer wore spare clothes given to her by Aubrey. Aubrey was a lot thinner than Greer, but the clothes were stretchy. She was clean. There were three bandages on her arm from the blade, and her ribs had been wrapped by Genny personally. She would get through this—as soon as she knew that man was going to be okay.
Herman. Her toad.
He had fought for her.
“If you think you can, honey.”
“I do. I’m going to be holding them both for a long, long time to come.” Forever. She was going to take her man home as soon as she could, and together they were going to build a family. The two of them, the two beautiful little girls with her now, and with the baby they had created. Any others they created, too.
Her mom shifted the baby into Greer’s arms gently. Greer just held Bronte while she slept, while her father rocked Bristol to sleep right next to her. As she waited.
No more time for mistakes. She told herself that as she looked at the couples around her. George and Ronnie had just walked in—without all the kids. To be there, for her. Gene and Chantal, Genny…waiting for Chad. Aubrey and Guthrie, Ayla and Gunn. Hala fussing over Grady, who was probably up a bit too long today. Gia and Hudson, both on their phones now—but with their hands linked, and Gia tucked up against his big, broad chest. Her parents, who just burned when they looked at each other. None of them wereperfect.Every pair of them had things they had or would have to work out.
