Page 60 of Trapped (Sheppard & Sons Investigations #6)

Ashley

I refused to leave Nathan when they put him on a gurney and transferred him to the ambulance. I held his free hand while they checked his vitals and inserted the IV needle.

Kroupa said he’d follow and drop AJ off at the emergency room before taking Havoc to the vet.

No one promised me Nathan would be okay. Which I appreciated as much as it pissed me off. I didn’t want false hope, but I needed someone to tell me everyone would be okay.

There wasn’t much more the paramedics could do. The tourniquet had stopped the bleeding. They said the doctor would remove it later. They replaced the bandage on his side, but then they did nothing. Or at least that’s what it seemed like.

“Will he be okay?” I asked.

The paramedic looked at me, then at his notes. “He’s stable for now.”

I could’ve done without the for now part, but hearing Nathan was stable helped me breathe a little easier.

“Ma’am, are you injured?” the paramedic asked.

“No.” I looked like hell warmed over, but I wasn’t hurt. I was dirty and stinky but uninjured. “I’m fine.”

He asked me for personal information about Nathan, but I didn’t have any.

What kind of girlfriend was I that I didn’t know his date of birth? Or anything else about him. A bad one . “I swear I’ll learn everything about you if you’ll just be okay.”

The sirens cut out as the ambulance stopped.

“We’re here.” The paramedic helped me out before he and his partner wheeled Nathan out and into the emergency room.

I followed them until they told me I couldn’t.

I was standing in the ER waiting room, staring at the doors Nathan had disappeared through, when AJ walked in.

“Have you seen a doctor yet?” he asked, pulling my attention away from the swinging metal doors.

I shook my head. “You need one more than I do.” I pointed at his leg. The red stain on his bandage was spreading.

“Let’s go to the counter.” He wrapped his arm around me and steered me to the waiting nurse.

AJ took the forms, insisted on filling out mine before his, then brought them back to the nurse. The ER doors opened again before he sat back down. Paramedics rolled John in on a gurney, with Jay following close behind.

Jay said goodbye to his dad before plopping down in the seat next to me.

“You see a doctor yet?” he asked.

Why was everyone so concerned about me? I was the least injured person here.

“No, you need to see the doctor before I do.”

“AJ first.” He nodded at AJ’s leg. “How bad is it?”

“Not sure. Hurts like a motherfucker.”

Jamie and Jack walked in and beelined to us. “Any news?” Jamie asked.

“No, we just got here,” Jay answered. He was probably right, but I felt like I’d been waiting forever.

“Andrew,” the nurse called.

AJ shuttered. He still hated being called Andrew by anyone not Blake. “Keep me updated.” He fist-bumped the guys and hugged me.

Tears stung my eyes as yet another person I cared about disappeared behind the doors.

Jamie took AJ’s seat. “How are you holding up?”

I shook my head as more tears flowed. “Not good.”

“Come here.” Jamie wrapped his arm around my shoulders and held me. “Jay, you need to see a doctor, too.”

“I’m fine.”

“It wasn’t a suggestion.” Jamie sounded a lot like his father. He’ll be a great dad .

“Sir, yes, sir,” Jay said, standing up and saluting him.

Thinking of Jamie being a dad reminded me I needed to tell him about my negative test. “I’m not pregnant.”

“That’s good. Did you tell Nathan? He was insane with worry,” Jamie asked.

“Yeah, I did.” Though he might not remember since he’d passed out again after.

“Wait, what? How’d I not know?” Jack asked.

I’d just assumed Jamie and Nathan would tell the others. Guess not .

“Need to know,” Jamie answered. “You didn’t.”

“Damn,” Jack said without venom. He plopped down in Jay’s seat. “You need me to get you anything?”

“Water would be nice.”

When Jamie let go and walked away to find a phone, Jay stole his seat. It was like musical chairs in the waiting room. That wasn’t entirely true. The only seats that are never empty are the two on either side of me.

“Where are Doug and Cate?” I asked, realizing they hadn’t joined us.

“They stayed behind to deal with the local LEOs,” Jack said.

“Kroupa at the vet with Havoc?” Jay asked, never taking his eyes off his form.

“Yeah, he said he’d be back as soon as he could,” I answered.

“Ashley,” a nurse called out.

Jack and Jay stood with me. Jack said, “We’ll be right here.”

In the room, the nurse took my pulse and blood pressure, and gave me a gown. “The doctor will be in soon.”

I was actually happy to take off my stained pants, even if it meant my ass was hanging out.

Unable to sit still, I wandered around the room, reading everything on the walls to occupy my mind.

The door opened, and a young male doctor walked in. “Ashley?”

I nodded, backed my way to the bed, and sat back down.

He reviewed my chart. “Does it hurt anywhere?”

I shook my head. “No.” I fidgeted with the bottom edge of my gown, drawing his attention to my hands and arms.

He washed his hands and put on blue medical gloves. “Let’s have a look.”

My only injuries were a bruise from Al’s slap and scratches from the cuffs, ropes, and chain.

The doctor’s hands were warm as he held my arms and checked my injuries. He confirmed I didn’t need stitches, or even bandaids, as he cleaned the wounds.

“I’ll have the nurse bring you some Gatorade and ibuprofen. Once you’ve finished, you’re free to go. Any flavor preference?”

“Orange.”

He made a note. “You can get dressed now.”

“Is it possible for me to borrow some scrubs? I really don’t want to put my pants back on.” I’d have to overpay for them, but I could live with that.

“I’ll see what I can do. For now, you’re welcome to keep the gown.”

I wonder if I can make a skirt out of it?

Only it was see-through thin, and my underwear needed to be burned.

“Thanks.”

The nurse came in with a pair of green scrub pants tossed over her arm, a bottle of orange Gatorade, and a little paper cup with two pills.

I took the pills and chugged the Gatorade. Not only was I in a hurry to get back to the Sheppards and ask about Nathan, I was seriously thirsty.

“Doc said you asked for these.” She handed me the scrubs.

“Thanks. Can I have a bag for my clothes?” I hated being so needy, but I wanted to seal off my gross clothes.

“I’ll bring it with your discharge papers.”

When I was finally free to go, I rushed back to the waiting room.

“Where’s Jay?”

“He’s with a doctor,” Jamie said. “What’d the doctor say?”

“I’m fine, just need to hydrate.” I set the tied-off bag under a chair and sat.

“Here.” Jack handed me a water bottle. He’ll be a great dad, too .

“Any news yet?” I asked.

“No. Not yet, but I’m sure we’ll hear something soon.”

Every second we had to wait lasted an eternity.

Cate and Doug arrived before Kroupa. When he finally did, he told us Havoc needed stitches but would be fine. “He’s resting at the vet’s for the night.”

Jay also needed a few stitches and would be fine. His brothers teased him about having the same injury as Havoc, lightening the mood.

“It’s not my fault you two let us do the heavy lifting,” Jay teased right back.

The banter died down as we waited to hear about John, AJ, and Nathan.

“Mr. Sheppard.” A doctor called out.

“Yes,” John’s sons answered as they stood and hurried to the doctor.

A few minutes later, Jack and Jay returned. “He’ll be fine. The knife missed his lungs and other vital organs.” Jack paused as a collective sigh of relief filled our area of the waiting room. “He needed surgery to repair his muscle.” He closed his eyes and took a second. “But he’ll be okay.”

Cate hugged Jay. I hugged Jack.

Thank God . Now we had to wait for news about AJ and Nathan.

After using the phone at the nurse’s station, Jack said, “The girls will be here soon.”

Oh, my God. “What about Gran?” Why hadn’t I thought of her sooner?

“Sammie’s bringing her,” Jack answered.

It was all too much. Too many things to think about. Too many people to worry about. I turned back into Jack’s arms and cried.

“It’s okay.” He rubbed my back. “Everything will be okay.”

Finally, someone cared enough to lie.

“Ashley!” Gran called out as soon as the automatic doors opened.

“Gran.” I jumped up and ran to her. I thanked Sammie over Gran’s shoulder as I hugged her. A fresh wave of tears, this time from relief, flooded my eyes.

Gran pulled back and glanced at my wounds, puffy face, and awkward appearance. She raised her eyebrows, questioning the scrubs.

“My clothes got ruined,” I answered her unspoken question.

“You okay?”

“I will be. But Nathan’s still in surgery, and I’m scared.”

She hugged me again. “He’s a strong boy. He’ll be okay.”

I prayed she was right.

Not long after, Mary, Beth, Meg, Emily, and Blake rushed in.

Beth handed out cell phones while Mary hugged everyone.

When it was my turn, Mary squeezed me tight. “I’m glad you’re home safe.”

“Thank you.” I wiped my tears when I pulled away. So did she.

“Jackson, take me to my husband,” Mary ordered.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, kissed the top of her head, and led her down the hall.

After hugging me, Emily handed me a bag. “Jamie said you needed clean clothes.”

I snatched the bag, grateful to change out of the scrubs. “Thank you.”

Jamie and Jack were in the waiting room when I came back, feeling refreshed. And grateful Emily and I are about the same size . I sat next to Blake. We weren’t close, but I reached over and held her hand anyway. I needed the extra support and figured she did too.

“He’ll be okay, right?” She asked, trying to hold back her tears and failing as she squeezed my hand.

“He said it was only a graze, and he’d be fine.” I reassured her. But he’d been gone longer than I’d expected for a minor cut. What if he lied? It wouldn’t be the first time one of them had lied about the severity of an injury.

Blake jumped when she heard the doctor call her name.

Jack stood beside her, offering emotional support.

When Blake left with the doctor to go see her fiancé, I was the only one left waiting to hear about the person I loved. Because yes, somewhere along the line I’d fallen in love with him. Hell, I’d probably loved him since Vegas.

He has to survive .

Meg and Emily sat on either side of me. They each wrapped one arm around me while holding my hand with the other. I didn’t need to tell them I was terrified of losing him. They knew. They understood.

What if the bullet hit his spine, and he never walked again? I’d still love him, but would he be okay? Did his lungs collapse? Did they have to… Oh God, I don’t even know what they do for collapsed lungs.

I gripped Emily’s hand tighter.

“AJ’s fine.” Jack’s voice pulled me out of my head. “Doc said they needed to take skin off his hairy ass because the tear from the bullet was too wide for stitches.”

Subdued laughter filled the room.

“The doctor said hairy ass?” Jay asked after breaking eye contact with me.

“No, I paraphrased.”

“How do you know AJ’s ass is hairy?” Jay raised an eyebrow, then turned towards me and winked.

Is he doing this for my benefit? Trying to make me laugh?

It worked. Though my laugh was more of a strangled chuckle. At least I was no longer on the verge of panicking.

“Are you telling me you’ve never seen another man’s ass?” Jack asked.

“For the love of all things holy, can we please stop talking about AJ’s ass?” Cate asked.

“If AJ were here, he’d suggest talking about yours just to piss off Jay,” I said, surprising everyone.

This time, the laughter wasn’t subdued, and I joined in.

When a doctor asked who was here for Nathan, ten people stood up and turned.

I was the only one whose knees wobbled.

The clock stopped ticking until Jamie said, “Come on, Flirty, let’s go.” His hand on my shoulder helped remind me that I needed to breathe.

Please let him be okay.