Page 35 of The Prey (The Hillers of Barratt County #6)

Her head was killing her and her shoulder was on fire.

It took far too long for Gia to get herself back together than she wanted to think about.

George insisted on following the ambulance to the hospital.

She didn’t really remember when her brother had shown up.

But he was there, and so was Mac. She could see George and Mac when she opened her eyes a little. Protecting her.

Hudson was there. Somehow, he was there when they lowered her gurney out of the ambulance and wheeled her inside. The hospital where Genny and Guthrie worked.

Her sister was right there, waiting at the entrance. Genny wrapped her hand around Gia’s. “We heard there was something going on at the courthouse and we had injured incoming. I didn’t know it was you. What happened?”

“Gen…” Gia’s eyes closed. Someone else was on her other side.

She looked up. Into bright blue eyes. Aubrey was there.

Aubrey and Genny. Some of the panic lessened.

People who cared about her. George and… and that was Guthrie up by her head now.

And she could hear Hudson, too. He was there.

She was okay. “Safe now…family…and Hudson’s here… too…”

Aubrey leaned over her, her hand wrapping around Gia’s. “You’re safe now, Gia. I promise.”

She let the darkness take her for a little while.

When she came back to the world, she was in an exam room. Genny was staying at her side. Genny and Aubrey were there.

Aubrey patted Gia’s free hand with her own free hand. Aubrey still wore a cast from when she had been attacked. “Hey, welcome back, Gia.”

“So what’s the damage?” She hurt, no denying that.

“Dislocated shoulder. That’s where most of the pain is coming from. Your throat is going to be bruised for a little while, too,” Aubrey said. “We’re going to wheel you up to radiology, get a few pretty pictures before we determine the best treatment.”

“ I am going to stay with you,” Guthrie said. “Since the love of my life is still on medical leave and everything, in spite of what she seems to believe.”

“Is Hudson’s hand okay? He hit the guy with his cast, I think I heard them say in the ambulance.”

“Chad has him a few rooms over. Hudson might have injured his wrist again. Hudson’s going for an x-ray after you are,” Guthrie said, patting her on the foot.

“George said it was pretty impressive—he and Barratt saw the whole thing. Said Hudson punched the guy, then threw the asshole through the air and he crashed into a table?”

“I don’t really remember that part.” They’d given her something in the IV for the pain, she thought. She felt a little floaty now. But… “I remember Hudson being there, after.”

Holding her close. Promising she would be okay. That he’d make sure of it. “And George was there. I could hear them talking. I knew things would be okay—I could hear Hudson, and Mac, and George, and I knew…”

“You’ll be okay now, Gia. I’m not going anywhere,” Guthrie said.

She always felt safe with her family.

But it was dark brown eyes she couldn’t get out of her head as she drifted into the darkness once again. She really wished Hudson was right there with her now.