Page 32 of The Fear (The Hillers of Barratt County #7)

Grady grabbed a wheelchair himself when they got to the hospital. His brother Guthrie was working the emergency department.

Guthrie took one look at him and came running over. “What in the hell? Who? ”

“Gia and Hudson. Fire at Hudson’s. Gia has glass in her feet and some burns, she thinks. Hudson probably the same. I don’t want her walking and she’s being stubborn and won’t let me—or him—carry her.”

That was all it took. Guthrie beat Grady to the door.

Hudson was getting Gia out of the backseat, and she was arguing with him. Telling him she could do it herself, that he was just as injured as she was.

Well, that probably wasn’t true. There was a hell of a lot more blood on Gia. And Hudson stood up just fine, even though the guy was barefoot.

Grady solved the problem of Gia himself. She could turn extremely hard-headed in an instant if a guy wasn’t careful. It was best to just do what needed done. Maybe he should tell Hudson that sometime soon? So the guy could be prepared.

Grady lifted her down and plopped her gently in the wheelchair, turned it, and wheeled her right inside. “Guth, she’s all yours. I’m going to go back to the ranch and get Hudson’s sister.”

Guthrie would watch over Gia like a hawk now. Guthrie was stubborn enough that Gia wouldn’t be able to bulldoze him, either. After tonight, Grady wasn’t so sure Gia couldn’t bulldoze Hudson right over, either. The guy…kind of was acting like putty where Gia was concerned and everything.

“She doesn’t have to come here,” Hudson said. “Don’t bring her. She’ll panic even more. Just let her know I’m fine, and I’ll talk to her and Ryan in the morning.”

“You aren’t getting back into your place tonight,” Grady told him. It might even take a week or two, with that kind of damage. “I can almost guarantee that. I suspect it might be a while.”

And Gia was going back home, where he and his brothers could keep an eye on her. Period. Grady had no problem telling her that, either.

He wasn’t going to stand back and do nothing while someone hurt her.

“I’ll drive them to the ranch when they’re discharged. My shift ended ten minutes ago,” Guthrie said, motioning to a nurse to get things started. Fortunately, it was a slow night, apparently.

“I’m sure Guthrie can take care of you now, Giavonna Annalise. For now, Hudson…I’ll go deal with your sister.” Make sure she heard it from him and not anyone else. He knew this was going to scare her.

“Thanks. I know the two of you don’t exactly get along.”

“Well, she’s as annoying as Greer, no denying that. But I think I can handle Hala just fine tonight.”

Gia coughed. That was all it took to have Guthrie taking charge, and Hudson limping along behind her.

Funny, Gia had had an odd look in her eyes—he didn’t think it was smoke inhalation causing her to cough at all.