Page 4 of Wyoming Bodyguard (Sunrise Security #1)

L ily couldn’t stop her hands from shaking as a doctor stepped through the doors that led back to the part of the hospital she wasn’t allowed to enter.

The part where her father lay on an operating table while fighting for his life.

The sight of every scrub-covered employee sent her heart straight to her throat. She hoped and prayed for answers, but hours later, she still had none.

The older man in blue scrubs passed her and headed for a middle-aged couple in the corner of the waiting room.

Disappointment forced the air from her lungs. Hanging her head, she squeezed her eyes shut and willed the stiffness in her neck to go away.

“Lily?”

The tentative voice opened her eyes.

Eve stood in front of her, her expression pinched with worry and hands filled with a brown bag and to-go cup.

Lily blinked up at the other woman. She’d known Eve most her life and considered her a casual friend. But the hours Lily spent working at the ranch didn’t leave much time to build strong relationships with anyone other than her father, their ranch hands, and the horses she loved so much.

“How are you holding up? Any word on your dad?” Eve asked.

Lily shrugged and shook her head. “Last I heard, he was still in surgery. I don’t understand why it’s taking so long. I just want to know that he’s okay.” She would have cried, but her emotional well was spent.

“Can I sit?” Eve gestured toward the empty chair beside Lily.

“Sure.”

“I hope you don’t mind, but I brought you some things. A clean shirt, some food and coffee.” Eve placed the bag at Lily’s feet then handed over the hot cup.

Taken aback by the unexpected kindness, Lily cleared her throat then took a sip of the sweet drink. “So much better than the crap I got earlier from the cafeteria. Thank you. This was really thoughtful.”

Eve offered her a sad smile. “You shouldn’t be here alone. I found your keys in your truck, and had it dropped off at your ranch, so you don’t have to worry about getting back to town. If it’s okay, I’ll sit with you until you’re ready to go home. I’ll drive you.”

The moisture she thought long dried up pooled in Lily’s eyes. “You don’t have to do that. I’m fine. Really.”

“I’m sure you are, but you’ll be better with a friend with you.”

“You’re right.” Lily reached for Eve’s hand, then a thought nagged at the back of her brain. “How did you know I was by myself?”

Eve winced. “Madden called me.”

Heat slammed against Lily’s cheeks, anger flashing brighter than the fluorescent lights in the godforsaken waiting room. “He had no right to do that. I don’t know what kind of game he’s playing, but I don’t want to be a part of it.”

“Honey, I know there’s no love lost between you two, but Madden’s not trying to do anything beyond being a good neighbor.

He wanted me to know you were here and would need a ride home.

That’s all. But none of that matters right now, so put Madden out of your mind and let’s just focus all our energy on your dad. ”

A little of Lily’s indignation leaked from her system like air from an old tire. She might not completely trust Madden’s motives, but he wasn’t worth another one of her thoughts. And regardless of what brought Eve to the hospital waiting room, she was glad to have a friend by her side.

The doors leading to the surgical unit swung open again. An older woman with tired eyes and a white cap covering her head crossed over the shiny, linoleum floor and made a beeline for Lily. “Ms. Tremont?”

Lily rose on shaky legs. “That’s me.”

Eve stood beside her.

“I’m Dr. Waters. We just finished your father’s surgery. He has a long road ahead of him, but I see no reason why he won’t make a full recovery. He’s a very lucky man.”

Lily swallowed a snort. If he was lucky, he wouldn’t have been shot to begin with. “Is he awake? Can I see him?”

“He’s still heavily sedated and will stay in the ICU for a couple nights at the very least. You may visit for a short time, but he won’t be awake and seeing him with so many tubes and machines may be a little upsetting.”

“I can handle it. I need to let him know I’m here. Talk to him and tell him I’m all right.”

The doctor gave a tiny nod. “I can take you back there now, but we only allow one visitor at a time.”

Eve looped an arm around Lily’s waist and pulled her in for a quick side hug before grabbing the cup. “Go. Visit as long as you can. I’ll be here waiting.”

Gratitude washed over Lily as she followed the doctor down a wide corridor.

The smell of disinfectant hung heavy in the air.

Nurses buzzed from room to room, caring for patients and speaking with doctors.

Lily’s nerves stretched tighter with each step.

By the time they reached her father’s room, anxiety practically oozed from her pores.

Dr. Waters stopped at room 104. “Try to keep your visit brief. He needs rest.”

Lily walked past the doctor and entered the dimly lit room. She ignored the lone chair pressed against the far wall and approached the bed. White rails caged her dad in place. Machines beeped and hummed beside him, broadcasting numbers and stats that might as well be in another language.

Tears clogged her throat and strangled her as she approached her dad. Tubes ran out of his mouth, connecting him to a machine to help him breathe. IVs connected bags of fluid that hung from hooks beside him. “Daddy?”

She held her breath, wishing he’d open his eyes and grin. That he’d shed the medical equipment that kept him alive and tell her it was all a big joke. That he was fine, and they could go home and share a nightcap on the porch.

But he didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Didn’t do a damn thing to take her out of the nightmare she’d endured for the past few hours.

She coughed, clearing the emotion from her throat, and forced herself to be strong.

She placed her hand over his and cringed at the cool, lifeless feel of it.

“It’s me, Lily. I talked to the doctor. She said you’ll be right as rain in no time.

You’ve just got to rest and take care of yourself.

Let the doctors and nurses do their jobs, okay?

I know lying around and doing nothing is hard for you.

But now it’s time to let other people take care of you for once.

Then we’ll get you home where you belong. ”

Minutes ticked by, the sound of the machines her constant companion, until she couldn’t stomach the sight of her father looking so small, so vulnerable.

So close to death.

She raised his hand and pressed her lips to the thin skin on his knuckles before placing his arm gently at his side. “I’ll be back, Dad. I love you.”

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Lily gathered what was left of her energy as she prepared to peel herself from Eve’s car. Blood still stained her shirt since she hadn’t found a need to change on the way out of the hospital, but she’d forced down the sandwich Eve had brought.

“You can drop me off at the white barn,” Lily said.

Eve maneuvered the car over the gravel drive, past the large cabin, and parked in front of the old structure that housed her horses. “Why the barn?”

“Horses don’t care if I’m tired. They still need to be fed.” As much as she wanted nothing more than to stand in the shower for an hour and wash away this horrible day, she couldn’t shrug off her responsibilities. Not even for one night.

“Would you like help?” Eve asked. “I might not know my way around a ranch, but I’m pretty good at taking direction. We can get those pesky chores finished in half the time.”

“You’ve already done so much. I couldn’t ask you for more.”

“Then it’s a good thing you didn’t ask, and I offered.” Eve turned off the engine and hopped out of the car before Lily could refuse.

Because as much as she didn’t want to put Eve out anymore, the thought of getting into the shower even faster was just the push Lily needed to climb out of the vehicle and into the warm night air.

Her body yearned for the comfort of her home, but a peacefulness washed over her as she pushed open the barn door and breathed in the scent of hay and horse.

This was her sanctuary.

She led Eve to the storage room at the back of the barn and showed her where the horse’s food was held and how to access water for the buckets inside their stalls. “If you can feed and water the horses, I can muck the stalls.”

Eve went right to work while Lily grabbed a shovel and wheelbarrow.

By the time she got to the last stall, sweat dripped down the back of her neck and her muscles ached.

She was tired as hell, but a good tired.

The kind of exhaustion that only came after hard work, and would help her mind shut off when she crawled into bed at night.

Queenie, her golden American quarter horse, whinnied then butted her long nose against Lily’s shoulder.

“I see you, lady.” Lily rested her forehead against Queenie’s soft muzzle and sighed.

She’d always loved her mother’s horse, and their bond had grown after her mom passed away. As though the two needed each other in a way no one else understood.

And now, she needed the unconditional love of this animal who meant so much to her.

The clearing of a throat shifted her head so her cheek pressed against Queenie.

Eve wiped the back of her wrist across her forehead, smearing dirt on her skin. “Everyone’s fed and watered.”

“Thank you. Really. You can’t understand how much this means to me. I owe you big time.”

Eve ran a palm along the strong muscles at Queenie’s neck. “Are you kidding me? I was like a kid in a candy store with all these horses. Just wish it was a different situation that brought me out here.”

“Me too. How about I buy you a round of drinks soon? A girl’s night out.”

“You mean at the bar I own?” Eve asked, grinning.

Shrugging, Lily chuckled. “I’ll figure something out. But for now, why don’t you head home? It’s getting late.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Positive. Thanks again.”

Once Eve left, Lily spent a few more minutes with her favorite horse and let Queenie work her magic.

By the time Lily walked up the porch steps, her anxiety had dropped a few notches.

Warm, hot water spraying down on her would untangle the rest of her worries—well, maybe not all of them but hopefully enough to let her get some sleep.

Stepping into the home she shared with her father, unease crawled over her skin.

She flipped on the lights in the entryway to chase away the darkness.

Quickening her pace, she bypassed the living room and kitchen and hurried to the hallway, turning on more lights as she went until the housed blazed like midday.

Slips of paper on the burgundy rug caught her attention, and she plucked them off the floor.

Inventory lists stared back at here. What the heck?

Apprehension settled in the pit of her stomach as she ducked her head into her father’s office. Moonbeams streamed in through the large windows, highlighting the papers spilling out of the filing cabinet and overturned furniture.

Someone had been inside. Were they still there? Waiting for her?

Not wanting to stick around to find out, she ran outside, jumping into her truck and locking the door. Her heart raced as she found her phone and placed a call to the sheriff’s department.

“Hello, Cloud Valley Sheriff’s Department.” The female voice was smooth and stern.

“This is Lily Tremont. Someone broke into my house.” Her voice shook as badly as her hands.

“Are they still inside? Are you safe?”

“I’m outside, sitting in my vehicle. I didn’t check the rest of the home.”

“I’m sending deputies out right now.”

“Thank you.” Lily disconnected. She studied the area, hoping no one would jump out of the bushes or emerge from the side of the cabin. Each second passed slower than the last. She felt like a sitting duck, alone and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

She could call Eve. Ask her to head back to the ranch. But if danger lurked, she didn’t want to put Eve in the middle of a bad situation.

She could call Madden.

The idea struck her like a bolt of lightning. She didn’t trust him. Hell, she didn’t even like him.

Memories of his gentle touch and kind eyes floated back to her. He’d stayed by her side for hours today, even if his intentions were annoying. Not to mention he could get here a whole lot faster than a deputy coming from town since he was right next door.

Swallowing her pride, she found the business card he’d thrust at her before he’d left the hospital and quickly made the call before she lost her nerve.

“Hello?” His voice was low and raspy like he’d gargled a handful of rocks.

“Madden, it’s Lily. Can you come over to the ranch? Someone was in my home, and I’m scared.”

A beat of silence pulsed on the line, and she held her breath. Hating the anxiety ping-ponging in her gut.

“I’ll be there in five minutes.”

Disconnecting, she kept a firm grip on her phone, her eyes on her house, and ignored the tiny pulse of excitement about seeing Madden McKay.