Page 129 of Hush (Fighting Fate)

“It’s not your fault so stop blaming yourself,” she said.

“Baby, I should’ve-”

“No,” she said again. “Did you teach me how to shoot?” When I didn’t answer, she narrowed her eyes. “Exactly, so stop it. It might have been inadvertently, but you still protected me. I’m safe because of you.”

I wasn’t sure if I could agree with her, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to argue with her right now.

“Are you okay?” I asked, brushing the hair off her face so I could inspect the bumps on her forehead and cheek. Seeing them made something inside me hurt. I didn’t know what I would’ve done if anything had happened to her.

“I think so,” she said, although her gaze seemed anything but sure.

I was glad when Adam came in a couple of minutes later with his paramedic’s bag in hand. I needed to know she was really okay and not just saying it.

“Let me take a look at those bumps,” he said, sitting on the sofa beside me. “Dad called Walt,” he said to me as he touched Kaeli’s face. “He’s coming to take the statements.”

“Good.” At least I knew it’d be done properly.

“Does it hurt anywhere else?” he asked Kaeli.

“Mmm,” she murmured. “The back of my head.”

“What happened to it?” he asked, his tone all business.

“I head-butted him. Twice,” she said, sounding quite proud of herself.

Adam’s lips curled up as his fingers ran over the back of her head. “You did a good job of it. You’re going to be sore tomorrow. Anything else?”

She sighed, her hand reaching up to caress her arm. “My shoulder.”

Adam’s gaze fell to her hand. “How did that happen?”

I clenched my jaw, knowing I wasn’t going to handle hearing the reason very well at all. She shifted uncomfortably, and I knew she was thinking the same thing. “Aaron pushed me against the wall.”

Motherfucker. I just wanted to go out there and shoot him myself. I really had to restrain myself from clenching my hands into fists.

Adam made Kaeli lift her arm a couple of times and move it around. “Anything else?”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t think so.”

Adam let his eyes travel over her a little, a tiny smile appearing on his lips. “I actually think you did more damage to him than the other way around. And that’s without the bullet.”

I gave him a confused look, needing him to explain.

“He has a broken nose, a broken finger and a torn ear drum, not to mention some pretty wicked scratches on his face that’ll leave scars for sure.”

He gave me an intent look that told me just how proud of her he was. I was fucking proud of her too. “I think you just need some ice packs on those bumps,” he said, patting her knee.

His smile dropped as he looked at her and then, startled, he glanced at me.

When I looked down at Kaeli and saw the tears brimming her eyes, I understood why. “What’s wrong, baby?” I said, worried she was in pain.

“I’m so sorry, Adam. I ruined your engagement party. Kara’s going to hate me.”

Adam’s eyes widened and then he looked at her like she was crazy. If he was going to say something to make her even more upset, I was going to punch him. “No way. Most. Memorable. Party. Ever. No one’s ever going to forget this. They’ll still be talking about it when Kara and I are grandparents. It’ll be like folklore.”

I couldn’t help laughing. The picture he’d painted was just too funny. Then Kaeli laughed, thankfully finding the funny side of it too.

Adam grinned. “I’m just going to go get some ice packs. Stay here.”

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