Page 18 of Silver Sanctuary (The Silver Springs #3)

Nash started listening to Lacy go through the details of her day.

How nothing had seemed off. How she’d waited for Nash, but when he’d sent her a message about not being able to make it in, she’d gotten ready for her deliveries that day.

Nothing seemed off about those, either—just her weekly trip to the ladies home and a birthday drop off at the local dentist’s office.

“But when I got the last arrangement in the back of my car, someone’s hand grabbed my hair and pushed me to the ground. Whoever it was held me down, while the other one…” Nash’s eyes finally popped off the spot where his fingers were rubbing circles on her leg to see her brushing away a tear.

“Lace. ”

“It’s okay.” She raised her head back up. “He held me down while the other one did all this.”

“He?”

“I heard their voices—two men. I can’t be certain… something about their voices was familiar. I can’t remember, but I know it was two men.”

“I’m so sorry this happened.” Colt cleared his throat. “I know you haven’t been getting the warmest reception being back, but I don’t take this lightly. Silver Springs will be a safe place for you and your daughter to live, I’ll see to that.”

Nash stood, reaching out to offer his hand to the deputy. “Thank you, Colt?—”

“All deputies be advised, large-scale fire in progress at thirteen twelve Willowtail Trail. Requesting response from all available Silver Springs’ units. Single-wide mobile home with threat of expansion to surrounding homes.”

“No.” Lacy’s small voice had Nash’s head whipping around, his stomach plummeting as he took in her pale face. Was she in more pain?

“Lace? What’s wrong?”

“Did they just say thirteen twelve? Thirteen twelve Willowtail Trail?”

“Yes,” Colt answered.

“That’s my address. That’s…”

Fuck. Nash thought back to pulling up that address earlier in the night.

“I’m going to step out for a moment and see what information I can get for you.” Colt turned to the hallway.

Lacy nodded, her eyes going unfocused as Nash sat on the bed next to her legs.

“Lace?”

She wasn’t moving. Not a single muscle in her body was doing anything, and the sight was unnerving.

As much as seeing her cry, sob, or fall apart would have killed him, this was a million times worse.

She just wasn’t there with him—not in the hospital room.

And he had no fucking clue what he should be doing.

His hand slid over her thigh, and she jolted.

“Hey, sweetheart, I need you to take a deep breath. Everything’s going to be okay.”

Her head shook back and forth, and still, his hand detected no air moving in or out of her lungs.

“Lacy. You have to breathe.” With his left hand still on her leg, he brought his right hand up to her chin, gently moving her face so she was forced to look into his eyes. “Now, baby. Take a breath, right now.”

Her body finally listened to his command. Raspy, painful, deep, and jagged breaths sawed in and out of her chest. Her eyes drifted shut as her head slipped backwards onto the pillow.

“Nash… what’s going on? Everything… how am I supposed…” Another sharp breath had Nash stilling the hand that was still running up and down her thigh. “Brie. We lost everything.”

“We don’t know the extent of things yet, but even if everything is gone, you and Brie are safe. And you two are the only things that are irreplaceable. One second at a time from here on out. Promise me?”

“I’ll try.”

Colt had come back into her hospital room not even two minutes later, and the look on his face told her everything she needed to know.

Her home was gone. Home—what a joke. That musty, run down dump wasn’t a home, but it had been theirs.

It had meant safety from the elements. A place for them to sleep that wasn’t the street.

Lacy shuddered at the thought of trying to find a women's shelter close enough that she could keep Embrie in school and keep her shop open.

Whoever was doing this to her, whoever was systematically trying to tear away everything she had, was going to win.

The doctor had walked in just moments after with her discharge instructions, but Lacy didn’t hear a word. It was like he was trying to talk to her through cotton batting. She couldn’t understand what he was saying, but Nash had been locked in.

Instead, her mind wandered to all the things she would need to take care of.

Hopefully Brie had packed her school clothes when Mae and Hawk picked her up.

If not, she’d need to get that sorted. How was she going to tell her that everything was gone?

How was she supposed to pay for everything to be replaced?

At least she wouldn’t have to pay for the hot water heater to be fixed anymore.

A sob that felt way too close to falling over the edge into hysterics bubbled up from her chest. But Lacy swallowed it down.

She could fall apart later. There was too much to do, and she’d be fighting an even bigger battle to find the energy to do it all before morning with her body being in such rough shape.

“Come on, sweetheart. It’s time to get you changed before we go home.”

“I don’t… I don’t have a change of clothes. They cut my shirt…”

“I know.” Nash tugged at his sweatshirt, pulling it off in one fluid motion. “I’m going to help you get into this, okay?”

She nodded, registering how gently he touched her as he pulled the strings apart at the top of her hospital gown.

“I’m going to stay behind you until we get this over your body, okay?”

“You’re not going to try and sneak a peek?”

“SEAL’s honor. ”

The rush of cold air hit her skin all at once, causing her flesh to pebble. But it was the audible gasp from Nash that had her shrinking back.

“Lacy, what the fuck are these from?” His fingers shook against her skin as she felt him trace over the scars left from her mother’s punishments.

“Another gift from my mom. Not only did she turn an entire town against me, she blamed me for everything bad in her life.”

“I’m so sorry, baby. I’m never going to let anyone hurt you, ever again. I promise,” he whispered. The emotion he was choking back nearly suffocated her.

“I’m okay. I’ll be okay.”

His sweatshirt slipped over her body, cocooning her in his warmth. She took a deep breath in, peace settling into her aching bones as the scent of his cologne wrapped around her. Then he stepped back in front of her, reaching into the sleeve to guide her arm through.

“I know you’ll be okay. You are the strongest woman I’ve ever met, Lace, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to go back on my word. You’re safe with me, and I’m not going anywhere. Let’s get you home.”