Page 53 of The Fear (The Hillers of Barratt County #7)

He refused to lose consciousness. He wasn’t going to scare her that way. The paramedics had loaded Grady on a stretcher first. Then lifted Hala in next to him. She sat in a jump seat, watching him.

“I’m okay, Grady. I promise.” She leaned closer.

Her lips brushed his forehead. “I knew…I knew you were coming for me. We’re going to get you taken care of, and then…

we have a romantic getaway to go on. I am allowing you to delay it by three days, no more.

I’m…I’m going to seduce you in that cottage, you know. I had it all planned.”

He could hear her tears in her voice. She was breaking his heart.

She was afraid.

Grady tried to reach for her. He didn’t want her to be afraid, to remember the accident where she’d lost her family.

He knew…she still had nightmares about that.

About not being able to help the ones she’d loved, especially her baby sister.

Only Hala had been in any condition to get out of the car on her own, and it had caught fire as she’d been trying to get her sister out. She’d always have the memories of it.

Just like he’d always have the memories of what had happened to Greer. But…it hadn’t been his fault. He knew that now. It had been Kevin Chase and Dwayne Yunderhall—them. They had been the ones to make the choices that had led to his sister being hurt that day. Led to Kevin Chase dying.

Just like what Jessica had done today had led to this.

He just held Hala’s hand, until they pulled in at the hospital. And they were wheeling him in.

Once he was out of this damned hospital, he was taking her to that cottage. And keeping her there, as long as she’d let him. Forever. Eternity. That was the one woman meant for him. And Grady was going to stop being afraid.

Guthrie was there. And Aubrey. Those two were rather inseparable now. And Genny. Hala was leaning on the paramedic’s arm. She felt woozy and weak. The paramedic had done what she could in the ambulance, to stop the bleeding. Hala needed stitches. But Grady…he was in and out. And the knife…

She would never forget the sight of that knife sticking out of his chest, or…coming at her and Wynnie. She’d never forget.

Panic threatened again. Hala forced it away.

Genny came running. The look on her face when she saw her brother…

“What happened?”

Aubrey was telling a doctor—a blonde woman no taller than Hala, with very similar wild curly hair—to get Grady into a trauma room. Aubrey was there. She was in charge of this ER. It would be okay.

Someone touched Hala’s shoulder. She turned. To look into beautiful Hiller-man eyes. “Guthrie. We’re here. It’s all going to be okay now. You’ll take care of him for me.”

“We will. Tell me what happened, kid.” He even sounded like his brother. Hala just sort of tilted then. Right into Guthrie’s strong arms. He lifted her up. Just like his brother would.

That was really all she remembered after that.

They were safe now.