Chapter 21

JANIE STOOD BESIDESawyer as the team from Fortress drove away with the De La Cruz brothers. Two other men drove the brothers’ SUV and followed the Fortress team.

“What happens to them now?” she asked. Honestly, she didn’t care as long as they weren’t turned loose to cause more trouble. Getting rid of these two or putting them on ice was the simple part. The hard part was handling the other 10,000 members who could be sent after her.

She scowled. This was ridiculous. Why were the Vatos Locos going to so much trouble to acquire her? Was it money? Her inheritance from her grandmother wouldn’t hold a candle to the coffers of the gang since Sawyer said they were into everything, including human trafficking. Her money was a pittance compared to the illegal activities in which they were involved.

“The team will take the De La Cruz brothers to a black site where they’ll uncover every bit of information the men have on the gang and why they’re determined to take you again.” Sawyer swung around to face her. “They won’t get their hands on you, Janie. We won’t let them take you again.”

He would try, but what were the odds he would always succeed? The last thing she wanted was for Sawyer and his friends to suffer injuries while protecting her against a constant stream of opponents. As good as the Texas Team was, the odds were against them being successful in defeating every member of the gang without injuries on the side of the good guys.

Sawyer cupped her nape and drew her against him. “Trust me. Trust my team.”

“I want you safe,” she whispered. “I don’t want to lose you or your friends.”

“We’re well trained, careful, and have great incentives to survive firefights.” He bent his head and brushed his lips over hers. “You’ve added to the many reasons I have to live, sweetheart. I don’t take that lightly.”

Beside the SUV, Max whistled. “Let’s go. Clock’s ticking.”

They joined Max and Brody in the SUV and resumed their journey to the safe house. This time, the drive was peaceful, although the operatives remained alert. Several detours later, Brody parked behind the safe house.

Used to the routine by now, Janie waited in the vehicle for the Max and Brody to return after clearing the house. Three minutes later, Brody appeared at the back door and signaled to Sawyer.

“We’re clear.” He climbed out and reached back to help Janie from the vehicle. After escorting her to the safe house, Sawyer locked the door and reset the alarm. “Are you hungry?”

She stared. Hungry? The way she felt at the moment, Janie might never eat again.

His lips curved. “I’ll take that as a no.”

“Just the thought of eating makes me nauseated.”

“Your body needs fuel, whether or not you feel hungry. I’ll prepare dinner. I think at least one item on the menu will be easy on your stomach.”

She’d see. “I thought you didn’t cook.”

“I don’t. I grill.” He winked at her, then nudged her toward a stool at the breakfast bar. “Have a seat. You can be the straw boss.”

“What’s that?”

“The person who tells everyone else what to do on a job.”

“The supervisor?”

“You’re the most beautiful supervisor I’ve ever had.” He walked to the refrigerator and pulled out three large packages of meat, set them on the counter and opened the pantry door. He perused the contents and bent to grab several large potatoes and aluminum foil.

Sawyer dumped the lot on the counter. “What do you think?”

“I think you’re feeding a starving army. Good grief, Sawyer. Do you guys eat this much all the time?”

He shrugged. “Fast metabolism and intense workouts plus missions where we might not get to eat more than one fast meal a day mean we burn calories.”

“Must be nice,” she muttered.

“You’re perfect.”

“I’m carrying too much weight.”

“Not from where I’m standing.”

“It doesn’t bother you that I’m rounder in places than I should be?”

“You’re perfect,” he repeated. “If anything, I think you’d look good with another pound or two.”

“You’re nuts.”

“Nuts about you,” he countered.

“Where were you when I was a teenager, anxious about my appearance?”

“Working to keep food on the table and help my mom with as much of her responsibility as possible. She was always too thin. For several months, Mom said she was too tired to eat much. When we finally caught on to the fact that she was giving us boys her food so we’d have enough, my brothers and I made it our mission to work part-time jobs wherever we could find them and make sure we had enough food in the house so Mom would eat too.”

“Did it work?”

He walked to the spice cabinet, pulled out several bottles, and carried them to the counter. “Took a few months, but Mom eventually regained the weight she lost and was better able to handle the workload and stress.”

“Does she still work?”

Sawyer smiled as he laid the steaks on four plates and sprinkled each with the various spices. “Her job now is a full-time grandmother, mother, and mother-in-law. She also volunteers at a few organizations that are important to her.”

“You and your brothers are taking care of her financial obligations.”

He inclined his head. “We owe her everything. My brothers and I bought her a car and a house. We also deposit money into her account every month for expenses and fun money. Most of the time, we have to beg her to spend money. She still has a hard time letting go of dollars for herself. Now, if you ask her to spend money for one of the grandkids or one of us boys, she’s all over it. Can’t get to the store fast enough.”

Sawyer smiled. “We love spoiling her. Lately, though, someone else has been stepping into that role.”

Oh, now, this was interesting. “Who?”

“Her new beau.”

Her mouth dropped. “Your mother has a boyfriend?”

He flinched. “Please, let’s not call Luke that. We prefer the term friend. Mom is the one who called him her beau.”

How sweet was that? “I think that’s wonderful. Good for your mom.”

Sawyer flipped the steaks over and liberally applied spices to that side as well. “Yeah, she deserves every bit of happiness she can find. My brothers and I give her grief over it, but we’re happy for her.”

“Can I help with dinner? I feel guilty being the straw boss.”

He nodded at the potatoes. “Scrub those, cut them in half, and slather butter on them before wrapping them in aluminum foil.”

Perfect. Keeping herself busy occupied her mind with something other than worry for her brother.

Janie slid from the stool, gathered the potatoes, and got to work. As she finished wrapping the last potato in foil, Sawyer went outside to heat the grill.

When he returned, his expression was grim.

Janie’s heart skipped a beat. “What’s wrong? Is it David?” Had something happened to her brother? She should have stayed at the hospital despite the doctor’s encouragement to rest.

“The surgeon is taking David to surgery. Brain bleed.”

“I have to go back to the hospital.” Her voice broke. What if David died? She didn’t want him to die alone.

“Give me a minute to tell Brody and we’ll go.”

Within five minutes, Max was driving the SUV to the hospital with Janie and Sawyer in the backseat. Brody had agreed to stay at the safe house to finish dinner and wait for Logan to relieve him for a watch shift.

They drove to the hospital in silence, making the journey in less than fifteen minutes. Although Max pushed the speed limit, he didn’t take detours this time.

During the drive, Sawyer kept his hand wrapped around Janie’s. As soon as the SUV stopped at the entrance to the emergency room, he climbed out and reached back to help her down.

The two of them hurried to the ICU floor and the desk where a nurse told Janie that David’s surgery had just begun and not to expect an update for a while on his condition. Once again, they were directed to the family waiting room.

This time when she dropped to the couch, Sawyer sat beside her and gathered her into his arms.

“He has to be all right,” Janie whispered. “I don’t care if we never see eye to eye on anything. I want him alive to gripe at me.”

“I understand.” Losing one of his brothers would devastate him. While holding Janie close, he sent Jesse a text. If his friend was awake, he’d respond.

Less than a minute later, Sawyer’s phone signaled an incoming call. “Talk to me,” Jesse said.

He told the team’s medic what the nurse had conveyed. “We’re in the family waiting room.”

“I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Jesse ended the call.

His teammate’s haste gave him an indication of how serious the situation was.

“What did Jesse say?” Janie asked.

“He’s coming.”

She raised her gaze to Sawyer’s face. “Is that good?”

He could lie to her. He wouldn’t. “The medical issue is serious enough that Jesse feels he’s needed here.”

“I’m glad to have someone knowledgeable about medicine to answer my questions.” She smiled a little. “Medical jargon is tough to interpret.” She rested her head against his chest again.

Minutes later when Jesse walked into the waiting room, Janie was still in the same position. “Updates?” the medic asked.

“Not yet. Thanks for coming, Jesse.”

“We’re family, Sawyer. Our family has expanded to include Janie.”

“I can’t repay you for this,” Janie said. “I doubt you want any products from my store. However, if Simone comes in, I’ll be happy to give her the family and friends discount.”

“She’s already planning to come into Natural Bliss with the other women.”

“I’ll take care of them. I know exactly what to do for them.”

“How long have you been waiting for word from the doctor?”

“About an hour.”

A slight nod. “So, Janie, has Sawyer told you about his encounters with spiders on our missions?”

Sawyer rolled his eyes. Yeah, figured his teammate would tell funny stories on him. Jesse and the others had plenty of stories to tell on each other. As long as the stories occupied Janie’s mind with something other than worry for her brother, he’d allow himself to be the brunt of Jesse’s tales.

Janie straightened. “Oh, this has to be good.”

“Not nearly as good as Jesse is making it out to be,” Sawyer muttered. What man wanted his girl to know his own personal kryptonite?

The team medic grinned. “Depends on who you ask.” He launched into the first story about Sawyer’s close encounter with a Goliath bird-eating tarantula.

Janie shuddered. “I don’t blame you for being afraid of them, Sawyer.”

“Not afraid exactly.” Total lie. “They’re creepy. When they feel threatened, they rub the hairs on their legs together to create a hissing sound.”

“How big are they?”

“The size of a puppy.”

“I guess you don’t want one for a pet.”

“No,” he blurted. “Never.”

She gave him a wicked grin.

Sawyer scowled. “Not nice.”

The lady laughed. “Couldn’t help it. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near one either.”

A doctor walked into the waiting room. “Moran family?”

Sawyer helped Janie to her feet.

“I’m his sister. How is David?”

“We had to remove part of his skull to relieve the pressure on his brain and get to the bleeder. He survived the surgery, Ms. Moran, but I won’t know how much damage was done before he wakes up.”

“He’s still comatose?” Jesse asked.

The doctor studied Jesse for a moment. “It’s Jesse Phelps, right?”

“Yes, sir. I’m a friend of Janie’s.”

“I see. Yes, Mr. Moran is still comatose. We got him into surgery quickly, which saved his life. The question remains if he’ll have lingering repercussions from the brain bleed.” He pulled a phone from his pocket and scanned a message. The doctor sighed. “I’m sorry. I have to go. The nurse will give you updates and let you know when you can see Mr. Moran again.” And he was gone.

Janie turned to Jesse. “What did he mean by lingering repercussions?”

“You want the truth or a cleaned-up version?”

“The truth. I’d rather know so I can prepare myself.”

“Look, the doc is right. You’ll have to wait until David wakes up before you know the extent of the damage. However, depending on where the bleed was located, your brother could have paralysis, vision problems, memory loss, and coordination issues, among other things.”

She stared.

“The good news is he was in the hospital when the bleed occurred. That means he received immediate treatment, which gives him a better chance of recovering fully.”

“But not a guarantee of full recovery,” she murmured.

Jesse shook his head. “When he wakes, we’ll see how he is. The doctors here are among the best in the nation. We also have some of the best rehabilitation facilities in the country. David will have many options available to help him recover as much as possible.”

Janie sighed. “In other words, I won’t know anything for a while.”

“I’m sorry.”

“At least he’s alive, so I have hope. The brain bleed is the result of the beating, isn’t it?”

Jesse inclined his head.

“I wish I could get my hands on those jerks,” she muttered.

Sawyer held back a smile. His lady was fierce. Good for her. “You’ll have to get in line behind me and the team. You can have what’s left.”

She pointed at him. “I don’t think so. I get first crack. You and the Texas Team can mop up.”

Jesse grinned. “Nice. Sawyer, she reminds me of Simone. I’m impressed.”

An hour later, a nurse walked into the waiting room. “Ms. Moran, your brother is back in the ICU if you’d like to see him for a couple of minutes. He’s still in a coma, but his vitals have stabilized.” She glanced at Jesse and a big smile curved her mouth. “Hey, Jesse. Good to see you again.”

“Thanks, Daisy. You’re David Moran’s nurse?”

She nodded. “I’m on duty until 7:00 tomorrow morning. I know you’re a paramedic, but I’m only supposed to let two people at a time into the room. Family only.”

“No problem. Janie and Sawyer will visit David. I’m here to offer moral support and jargon interpretation.”

Daisy laughed. “All families should be lucky enough to have you explain medical terms.” She turned to Janie. “Is Sawyer your husband?”

“I will be when I convince the lady to set a date,” Sawyer said.

“Aww. Congratulations. I’m happy for you. If you’ll come with me, I’ll escort you into the ICU. Remember, only two minutes, all right? It’s even more important for David to rest after this second surgery.”

“We won’t stay long,” Janie promised. “I want to remind him I’m close, and he will get better soon.”

“He has more bandages now,” Daisy warned. “Don’t let it upset you.”

This was tough for anyone, much less someone who had a rocky relationship with her brother and feared he wouldn’t survive. But Janie was made of sturdy stuff. She could handle this. Sawyer had faith in her.

Daisy led them to the nurses’ desk and inclined her head toward the room David was assigned.

Sawyer threaded his fingers through Janie’s and escorted her to the room.

She walked to David’s bedside and wrapped her free hand around her brother’s. “David, it’s Janie. You’re going to be fine. Do you hear me? You had a setback, and the doctor took you back to surgery. You came through with flying colors, bro. I’ll be close if you need me. Daisy, your nurse, will have my number, and she’ll call me when you ask her to contact me. I love you, David. Rest, and I’ll be back later to check on you.” After squeezing his forearm gently, she turned to Sawyer with tears in her eyes.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and walked with her from the room. In the hall, he nodded at the Fortress bodyguard assigned by Brent to watch over Janie’s brother. Thankfully, the hospital administration was cooperating because of the extreme circumstances and ongoing threat to David’s safety. “Let’s talk to Jesse, then we’ll return to the house.”

They found Max and Jesse in the waiting room. Both men rose. “How is he?” Jesse asked.

“Bandaged up like a mummy,” Janie said. “He looks rough, Jesse. Worse than when I saw him earlier.”

“It’s normal. Bruising and swelling will increase over the next few days, then recede. He’ll be colorful for a while.”

“What about security?” Max asked.

“A bodyguard is on duty in the hall outside David’s room,” Sawyer said.

“Good.” Jesse turned to Janie. “I know you want to stay. You can’t help your brother that way. He’ll need you at full strength when he wakes.”

“If he wakes.” Her voice broke.

“He’s stable for now. That’s a good sign. Go back to the safe house and rest, Janie. Taking care of yourself is the best thing you can do for your brother.”

“Although I know you’re right, I hate to leave him here alone.”

“He has a good nursing staff here as well as top flight surgeons and physicians. He’ll be well cared for. What the staff can’t do is take care of you.”

“It’s our job to watch your back,” Max said. “Sawyer wants to take care of your needs. Let him.”

She looked at Sawyer.

“They’re right.”

Janie’s eyes narrowed. “No one better try to convince me to leave the hospital if you’re the one in ICU. I won’t have it. They’ll have a fight on their hands.”

“Wouldn’t think of it. In that case, you’d get a different support. This is what’s best for both you and David. It could be hours before we know anything. The nursing staff will watch over him. When he’s out of danger and awake, you’ll help care for a grumpy patient.”

“How do you know he’ll be grumpy?”

“We would be. Men don’t make the best patients.”

She held up both hands. “I give up. You’re right. Let’s make sure Daisy has a contact number and we’ll go.”

Sawyer squeezed her hand. “I’ll take care of it. Be back in a minute.” He walked to the desk and spoke to Daisy. After confirming she had the number for Fortress, Sawyer walked a few paces away and called Zane.

“What’s the latest on David Moran?” his friend asked instead of a formal greeting. After an update, he whistled. “Buddy, I hate to hear that about anyone. Look, just because David had excellent care within minutes of the bleed doesn’t mean he’ll recover fully. As good as they are, doctors aren’t miracle workers. Sometimes, the best care in the world isn’t enough to reverse the damage.”

Zane knew that from personal experience. An IED had injured the Navy SEAL in the Sand Box and, despite heroic efforts of the medical personnel, he was paralyzed and rode a wheelchair from one place to another.

“This is going to be a long road to recovery, and the surgery and therapy might not be totally successful,” Zane continued. “I don’t want to hurt her, but Janie should be prepared for that outcome.”

“She knows it’s a possibility, Z. Although Jesse was careful, he was straight with her.”

“Sorry,” the tech guru muttered. “Sore spot.”

“No apology necessary, my friend. If David has side effects from the brain bleed, Janie will need someone who’s been through something similar and come out the other side to a full and successful life, though a different one.”

“Keep us updated, all right? It’s obvious Janie is important to you. If we can help her or her brother, we will.”

“Thanks, Z. The hospital is supposed to call with updates on David’s condition. Make sure the person covering the comm system knows to contact me immediately.”

“I’ll take care of it. Do you want a satellite phone for Janie and a set of tracking jewelry?”

“The sooner, the better.”

“Done. I’ll have an operative deliver both to the safe house. He or she will send you a text to let you know they’re on the way.”

“Good. Surprise visitors won’t be greeted with kindness.”

“Copy that.”

Sawyer ended the call and returned to the family waiting room. “All set. Daisy has the contact information for Fortress. The tech and communication staff know to contact me if a call comes through from the hospital.”

Relief flooded Janie’s face. “That’s great. I’ll have to put together a gift bag for Zane’s wife in thanks for all his extra work on my behalf.”

“Unnecessary, but Claire will love it.” He held out his hand to Janie. “Let’s get you home so you can rest. You won’t sleep in the waiting room.” Neither would he nor his teammates. Too much movement and too many exits to watch while protecting Janie.

He and his teammates headed for the stairs. Minutes later, they reached the first floor exit.

Max held up his fist to signal the others to wait, then opened the door enough to see the parking lot and scan for threats. He glanced over his shoulder and nodded.

Excellent. The sooner Sawyer escorted Janie away from here, the better. His skin was crawling. Not a good sign. “Spiders,” he murmured to Jesse and Max.

They both palmed their weapons. Jesse fell in behind Janie while Max led the way to the vehicles.

Somewhere nearby, a vehicle’s engine idled. Sawyer scanned the parking lot. No vehicles had their lights on, so he couldn’t pinpoint the location. He didn’t like it.

Max’s head swiveled to the right. “Dark truck,” he said over his shoulder.

“Copy.”

“What’s wrong?” Janie whispered, pressing closer to Sawyer’s side.

“We have company. Hear the engine running?”

She nodded.

“No lights on inside or out.”

“Not again.”

“We’ll handle it,” Jesse said. “You do exactly what Sawyer tells you to do. Max and I have your backs.”

“Dandy. Who has yours?”

The medic chuckled. “I like her, Sawyer. Hang on to this one.”

“That’s the plan.”

The idling engine revved.

“Move,” Max snapped, shifting to stand between Janie and the truck peeling from the parking space.

The dark-colored truck raced toward them.