Hot as Sin (28 page)

He looked up the mountain to where Dianna was still sitting holding her sister, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She was safe. His job was done.

His brain and body could finally shut down.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

THE HELICOPTER landed on the roof of the hospital, and Dianna watched helplessly as Sam and April, both still unconscious, were rushed inside.

Desperate to stay with each of them—and to hear what the doctors had to say about their conditions—she was reluctant to submit to her own rounds of tests. No question, she was tired and scraped up. But mostly, she was afraid. Had the man hurt April during her three days of captivity? What were the extent of Sam’s bleeding and injuries? After years of brutal firefighting, had he finally pushed his body too far?

The short helicopter flight had seemed endless as she’d tried to stop the bleeding in Sam’s thigh by pressing one clean bandage after another against the open gunshot wound. But the bandages filled with blood almost as soon as she applied them.

Even when she’d watched the man push Sam off the trail, she’d been certain that he was still alive. But seeing all that blood, noting how empty of color his face was, how cold his skin, was the first time she’d ever been afraid that the man she loved was going to die.

If she could have, she would have given her life for his, stepped in front of that bullet and let it take her down. Instead, she’d watched from a distance, helpless in the background as she held on to her sister.

An hour after arriving at the hospital, the doctor attending to her held out a small white paper cup with four pills. Despite the unproblematic results of her scans and X-rays, he looked extremely concerned.

“Your body has had quite a lot to deal with this week, Ms. Kelley. It’s time to give it some rest. These pills will help.”

Dianna didn’t take the cup. “What are they?”

“Anti-inflammatories and something to help you relax.”

“No,” she said firmly. “I don’t want any sedatives.”

She couldn’t check out, even if exhaustion was coming at her from every angle. Not when the two people she loved most in the world were injured and unconscious.

The doctor frowned. “I’m going to leave them with your nurse in the hopes that you’ll reconsider, which I strongly urge you to do.”

But Dianna had no intention of taking the pills. After the doctor had left the room, she got up off the bed and went into the bathroom to splash some cold water on her face.

For the second time in a week, looking in the mirror was like looking at a stranger. Who was this woman with wild eyes and tangled hair?

And yet, again, the longer she stared, the more familiar the woman became. She’d buried herself beneath her “perfect” re-creation of Dianna Kelley for long enough. And even though she wasn’t a wild woman, regardless of what she currently looked like, her journey through the Rockies with Sam had convinced her not to waste any more time playing it safe.

Life was precious. From here on out, she was going to risk everything.

Especially her heart.

Stripping off her hospital gown, she turned on the faucet in the small shower and quickly scrubbed herself, head to toe. She could have lived with the dirt and mud, with the tangles in her hair, but she desperately wanted to wash away her memories of the man who’d abducted her sister, of the way he’d pressed against her on the dirt bike, the feel of his hands around her neck, yanking her hair.

The standard hospital pump soap was as sweet smelling to her as any of the luxury brands she’d used over the years. It made her fresh cuts sting, but she was glad for it because it meant she was still alive.

Quickly toweling off, she finger-combed her hair as best she could. Her clothes were wrecked, but they were all she had, so she put the ripped and dirty khaki pants and shirt back on along with her socks and boots.

Three days ago she’d been in this same position, getting out of a hospital bed and getting dressed despite doctor’s orders to rest. There was no way she could have predicted her reunion with Sam or their newfound love.

Moving back into the room, she picked up the phone and dialed a number she hoped was still in service. Thankfully, the warm voice she remembered picked up the phone.

“Connor, it’s Dianna.” Her heart was pounding hard at the news she was about to give Sam’s brother. “Sam’s been shot. I think you should come.”

“Where is he?”

There was no hint of fear in her almost-brother-in-law’s voice, but the MacKenzie brothers hid their emotions well beneath a nearly impenetrable armor of self-control.

“Vail General Hospital. The wound is in his right thigh.” Her voice broke. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have agreed to let him help me find my sister.”

She realized that she wasn’t making sense, that Connor didn’t know about April’s disappearance, but she couldn’t find the words to explain. Not yet.

“I tried to talk him out of going to Colorado,” Connor said. “I tried to tell him it was a bad idea to see you again.”

She sucked in a shaky breath. Of course he would have cautioned Sam about coming here. Connor had been there to pick up the pieces. She hadn’t.

“I didn’t know that,” she admitted. “But I understand why you did it.”

“Forget about me. The only reason I’m saying any of this is to let you know that Sam wanted to go to Vail despite all of my good reasons to stay the hell away. He wanted to be with you, Dianna. Simple as that.”

She was amazed to realize that it really was that simple. She and Sam were two people who wanted to be together. Who belonged together. Sure, it was messy. But it was real. And pure.

“I’m sure I’ll find out what’s happened soon enough,” Connor added, “but the one thing I know for sure is that if Sam wants to do something, if he wants to help somebody, there isn’t anything anyone can do to stop him. Even if we think he’d be better off going on without us.”

She quickly realized he wasn’t simply talking about all Sam had done to help her find April. He was also referencing what Sam had done to save Connor’s life in Desolation Wilderness the previous summer.

“I’ll take the next plane out.” Their connection went dead.

Hanging up, as she stepped into the hall, her brain took her back ten years, to the day that she’d told Sam she was pregnant and he’d quickly proposed.

“I’ve never done anything because I have to”
was what he’d told her then.
“From the moment I saw you, I wanted you.”

She knew that Connor was right. Sam took care of people. Strangers. Family. Her. He would never change. And she didn’t want him to. She loved him just the way he was.

Slowly walking over to the nurses’ station, she finally started to notice how bruised and beaten her limbs felt.

Knowing she should be friendly and polite to the extremely helpful hospital staff, but not having an ounce of extra energy for a smile, she said, “I need to see April Kelley and Sam MacKenzie.”

“Of course, Ms. Kelley,” the woman said, obviously recognizing her despite her current au naturel look. “I’ll take you to your sister,” the petite woman said, standing up and coming out into the waiting room.

“I need to see Sam, too,” Dianna insisted. “I need to know how he’s doing, if he’s going to be all right.”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Kelley,” the nurse said, “but I’m afraid I can’t speak to you about his case.”

“I know I’m not his wife,” Dianna pleaded, putting her hand on the woman’s arm, “but I have to be with him. He needs me.”

The woman’s brown eyes were full of empathy. “I can’t guarantee anything, but after I take you to your sister I’ll contact his surgeon and see if we can set up a visit.”

“Surgeon?” The one word was hollow with fear.

She’d known he’d been hit by the bullet, but she’d hoped it had merely grazed the skin. Had his injuries been worse than any of them knew, especially given his terrible fall off the cliff?

Suddenly, she could hardly breathe.

The nurse took her arm. “I think you should rest, Ms. Kelley.”

Knowing she had to pull it together or she’d be sent off for more tests, Dianna said, “I’m fine” in a steady voice. “And I appreciate your help.”

The nurse pressed her lips together, clearly disagreeing with Dianna’s self-assessment, but she continued to lead the way to April’s room.

“You’ll be glad to hear that your sister is doing very well. She was extremely dehydrated and a bit bruised on her face, but it looks like she’ll be just fine.”

“Thank you,” Dianna told the woman once they arrived at April’s door. “I’ll wait here for news of Sam.”

Nodding, the nurse walked back to her station. Stepping inside April’s room, she saw her sister lying on the bed beneath a thick white blanket, her skin pale, her eyes closed. She looked so tiny in the hospital bed that Dianna’s throat clogged with tears as she looked at the little sister she loved so much.

Moving to her side, Dianna covered April’s hand with her own and was surprised when she opened her eyes.

“Hi,” April croaked.

Dianna picked up the cup of water beside the bed and put it to her sister’s lips. After she’d drained the cup, she had to ask, “Did he hurt you?”

“Only right here, with his gun,” April said, touching her cheekbone. “That was his big move, I guess,” she said, looking at Dianna’s matching bruises. “But I think he was waiting for you to really do something.”

“Thank God,” Dianna said, glad at least that the man hadn’t raped her sister. “Don’t ever scare me like that again, okay?”

“I hope I never do,” April replied, her lips curving up in a small smile.

Her baby sister was beautiful, Dianna thought. A gorgeous young woman with her whole life ahead of her. She could do anything. Be anything. If only she’d believe in herself the way Dianna believed in her.

April sucked on her lower lip, just like she used to as a toddler. “Thank you for coming for me.”

Dianna shook her head. “Are you kidding? Nothing could have kept me from coming to get you. Nothing.”

April closed her eyes, the dark smudges beneath them mirroring the ones Dianna had seen beneath her own eyes in the bathroom mirror. Still holding April’s hand, Dianna sat down on the chair beside the bed, planning to stay with her for as long as the nurses would let her.

“I never should have come to Colorado,” April said finally, her words soft and regretful. Opening her eyes, she said, “If you hadn’t come to meet me in Vail, you wouldn’t have gotten in that crash. And then that guy wouldn’t have …”

Her face twisted and her words fell away.

“Don’t you dare blame yourself,” Dianna said. “The crash could have happened anywhere. And I’m glad I went to the commune. I met your friends and heard about the work you’ve been doing. I was wrong to assume it was a bad place without checking it out first.”

“I didn’t exactly invite you up for tea,” April acknowledged.

A small laugh escaped Dianna. The short burst of happiness felt amazingly good—and very unexpected given the circumstances.

Opening her mouth to let her sister off the hook the rest of the way, a sudden flash of insight held her back. She couldn’t go on as she had before. Not if she wanted things to change. Besides, April didn’t need to be coddled anymore. She’d always been tough, and managing to escape not once, but twice, from her kidnapper only proved her strength yet again.

“I heard you’ve been cooking and helping with children. I want you to know that I’m proud of you, April, but I think it’s time you and I came clean with each other.”

April’s eyes grew big and Dianna was tempted to back off, but if there was one thing she’d learned during the past few days, it was to get everything out in the open.

“Why did you leave?”

The words were barely out of her mouth when she realized it was the exact same question Sam had asked her.

He’d been right when he said that she and her sister were more alike than she’d ever thought; they both ran away from people when they were scared.

Nodding, as if she’d expected the question, April rubbed her eyes before answering. Despite how thin she was, how fragile her body looked, Dianna couldn’t miss the new maturity in her sister’s pensive expression. The April she’d known in San Francisco would have immediately gone on the defensive.

“I overheard your PR staff telling you I was bad for your image.”

Shocked, Dianna sucked in a breath, but before she could say anything April held up a hand.

“Please, let me try and get it all out, okay?”

“Okay,” Dianna agreed, “I’ll try not to interrupt.”

April needed to tell her story, no matter how painful. For the first time, Dianna needed to listen. Just listen. Just as she should have listened to Sam so many years ago.

“I’d been wanting to get away for so long and I told myself it would be better for both of us if I just left. I thought if I was gone then you wouldn’t have to worry about me anymore and I wouldn’t keep disappointing you.”

God, it was hard not to say anything, Dianna thought as she let April continue.

“I guess part of leaving was wanting to hurt you,” April admitted. “It never seemed fair that our mother kept you and not me. I kind of hated you for it. For being better than me. For being more lovable. But once I got to the Farm and started making friends, they helped me see that I wasn’t being fair.”

April sighed. “Actually, what they really said is that I’d been acting like a spoiled brat. They helped me see that I was so busy trying not to be you all these years, I forgot to try and be myself.” Her mouth quirked up in a rueful half smile. “I know it’s hard to believe, but when I asked you to meet me it was because I was trying to figure out a way to apologize.” Another quirk of the lips. “I really am sorry for being such a jerk all these years.”

Even though she’d vowed to stay silent, Dianna couldn’t help but say, “It didn’t help that I immediately jumped down your throat, though, did it?”

“I guess neither of us invited the other person to tea, huh?” April joked.

Wanting to get everything out on the table, Dianna knew April wasn’t the only one who needed to apologize.