34. Vaughn
34
VAUGHN
Six days later
S omething tugged at my consciousness, urging me to open my heavy lids. I didn’t really want to, but there was an important reason I needed to wake up. I wished I could remember what it was.
A strange beeping sound caught my attention. Not my phone. Not an alarm.
Weird .
Someone spoke loudly in the room next door. Shoes squeaked on the floor and then faded away.
And then I sensed her .
Her warmth. Her scent. Her comforting touch.
Hope.
I opened my eyes, blinking at the brightness in the pale-green room, and found my girl asleep beside me on a bed barely big enough for one. Which was kind of perfect because I wanted her as near as possible.
Hope lay tucked against my side, her head on my shoulder and one palm splayed over my bandaged chest .
Bandages? Shit.
Only then did it register where I was. A hospital. And not the infirmary at the lodge in Montana.
Flashes of horrifying memories returned to me rapid-fire. Ortega. His torture chamber. Hope screaming. A big fucking knife.
The machine behind me beeped faster. My heart rate.
I took a steadying breath, willing myself to calm down.
Hope’s okay. She’s safe, I told myself.
I couldn’t wait a moment longer to stare into her honey-gold eyes, so I curled a wayward lock of silky dark hair behind her ear and groaned with sheer happiness when she stirred, snuggling in closer.
At the sound, Hope’s body froze and her eyes shot open. “You’re awake again?”
“Again?” I asked with a raspy voice that didn’t sound like my own.
“Here.” Hope sat up to offer me a cup of water, and I took a few small sips from the straw. “You’ve opened your eyes a couple of times today, but you were kind of groggy. The doctor said you might not remember.”
I tried to sit up—bad idea. It felt like…well, like some asshole had stabbed me in the goddamned chest.
“Whoa.” Hope placed her hand on my uninjured shoulder. “Easy. You’re not going anywhere just yet.”
No objections here. I gritted my teeth as the agony in my sternum ebbed.
“Owen?” I asked, remembering that the last time I’d seen my brother, we’d been on our knees, waiting to be executed. The heart-rate machine ramped up again. Fuck. If anything had happened to him?—
“He’s fine,” Hope said quickly. “Everyone’s fine. You can relax. ”
I reached for her hand and pressed a relieved kiss to her delicate knuckles.
“Owen got knocked out, same as you. Jorge had him locked in a cell while he played his games with us, but Kane freed him as soon as the team had control of the compound.”
Hope wore a troubled expression as she scanned me. “Are you in pain? Should I get the doc?—”
“No doctor.” I tucked her against me and breathed her in. “I don’t want anyone else in here right now. Just let me hold you.” I kissed the top of her head. “Tell me you’re okay.”
Physically, Hope seemed unharmed, but there were a lot of other ways her time in the compound could’ve messed her up.
“I’m okay.” With her cheek squished against me, the words came out muffled.
I clasped her chin between my thumb and forefinger and tilted her face toward mine. “You mean it?”
She gave me a weary smile. “I’m fine. I promise. I’ve just been worried about you.”
The dark smudges beneath her eyes suggested she hadn’t been sleeping well, but there was no lie in her words. She really was all right.
Another knot of unease unfurled within me, and I raked a hand through my hair. “How long have I been out?”
“Six of the longest days of my life.”
“We’re still in Manzanillo?”
“Yeah.” Concern knitted Hope’s brow. “How do you feel?”
Like I’d been run over by all eighteen wheels of a big rig and then the son of a bitch had reversed to finish the job, but I wasn’t about to tell Hope that.
“I’ll feel better once you put your lips on me.”
She let out a quiet chuckle, then scooted up for a kiss. Her soft moan made my cock stir. Good to know everything important still functioned .
Eyes glassy, Hope pressed her forehead to mine and cupped my jaw. “I thought I’d lost you.”
I grunted. “The reaper will have to drag my cold stubborn ass from this earth before I let him take me from you.”
“He tried. Your heart stopped beating three times before he finally gave up. Probably figured you’re more trouble than you’re worth.” She traced her fingertips down my cheek and over the stubble on my chin. “You’re okay with me touching you this much?”
“Of course?” I frowned. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“After what happened underground, I thought you might have…regressed.” Her eyes dropped to my chest, and she swallowed thickly as though she hated letting her mind go back to that hellhole.
“Nothing’s changed.” I took hold of her palm and placed it over the bandages covering my heart. “I still want your hands on me.” Then I tensed when I remembered where I was and that soon, a bunch of different doctors and nurses would be poking and prodding me. “But I can’t have anyone else touching me. You need to get me out of here.”
I tried to shove the sheet from my body, but Hope caught my wrist. “Calm down, big guy. I’ve taken care of that. Once you were out of ICU, I told the nurses about your haphephobia, and they were very understanding. When I mentioned I have some medical experience from helping Daphne treat people and dogs, they showed me how to take your vitals and change your dressings. They said as soon as you’re awake, they’ll let me do all that under their supervision.”
This woman. She’d given herself over to the cartel and tried to keep the team out of the fight so we’d be safe. And here she was, still protecting me.
“Thank you.” I brushed the backs of my knuckles across Hope’s cheek, and as I let my gaze roam her beautiful face, thinking how goddamn lucky both of us were to survive, a tightness clawed at the back of my throat.
Jesus, man. Pull your shit together.
Near-death experience or not, I wasn’t about to fall apart in front of my girl. Except I really had thought I was about to die in Ortega’s torture chamber, and the moments before I’d lost consciousness, believing I’d never have the chance to hold Hope like this ever again, had been excruciating.
“What happened to your father?” I asked.
“He was killed during the siege. He woke up during the gunfight and decided to join in. Old habits, I suppose.” She gave a small shrug of one shoulder and picked at the frayed edge of my bandage. “It was Brandon who took him down. I’ve wanted Carlos dead for so long, but I still don’t know how I feel about it now that he’s gone.” She exhaled deeply, then rolled her lips together. “In the compound, he saved me from something awful. It doesn’t make up for all his wrongs, but it made me think he must’ve cared about me in his own way. I guess I’m just trying to process that chapter of my life.”
I took Hope’s hand and twined my fingers through hers. “It’s finished, then? We did it?”
She nodded. “All the major news channels are reporting Carlos and Jorge’s deaths and the sudden, unexpected downfall of the PCC. There’s also a lot of talk about the mystery group who brought them to their knees. You guys are like superheroes around here.”
A nurse bustled into the room, not at all surprised to find me awake. Apparently, I’d been rude to her when she checked on me earlier, not that I remembered any of it. She asked me a bunch of questions and had Hope check my blood pressure and take a quick look at my dressings. After writing notes in a folder at the end of my bed, the nurse promised she’d return with food and then left .
“You took your sweet time waking up, Sleeping Beauty,” said a familiar voice.
Owen. I’d never been happier to see my kid brother in one piece. Wearing a broad smile and a two-inch bandage across his brow, he walked through the door ahead of the rest of the guys and was the first to reach out for a fist bump.
Kane approached next. “We were about to draw straws to see which one of us unlucky bastards had to lock lips with you to get you to open your eyes.”
I held out my knuckles for the sniper. “Sorry, Bro. You’re not my type.”
Shep came forward. “Thought I was about to inherit your cabin.”
I shook my head. “Still hanging around to be a pain in all of your asses.”
One side of the hit man’s mouth turned up, which was as much of a smile as I’d ever gotten out of him.
Brandon was the last to offer his fist. “Good to see you back in the land of the living, Brother.”
“Nowhere I’d rather be.”
“Sage sends her regards.” Brandon shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “She flew home to Montana with the rest of the team to take care of things at the ranch so I could stick around. These clowns refused to leave, too.” He jerked his chin toward the guys.
And there was that annoying lump in my throat again. Owen was my blood brother, but the other guys in this room were more than teammates. They were the family who’d chosen me despite me giving them a whole lot of reasons not to. I made a silent vow to do better by them. To call more often, to make plans outside of work, and most of all to let them know I appreciated them not turning their backs on me when I’d needed them most.
A light tap at the door drew our attention. A dark-haired woman wearing a loose, flowery dress stood with a tiny bundle cradled in her arms.
“Gabi!” Hope squealed and leapt from the bed to greet her.
The last time I’d seen Ortega’s wife, she’d sent a bunch of bullets into her piece-of-shit husband. I still recalled the rage in her eyes as she’d pulled the trigger again and again. What had that asshole put her through?
Hope and the guys gathered around Gabi, so she peeled back the pale-yellow blanket, revealing her newborn. “She arrived two days ago. My family made it in time to be with me during the birth. Meet Hope Isabela Carrillo Reyes.”
My Hope blinked her wide eyes. “You named her after me?”
Gabi smiled. “I want her to have your courage. If it weren’t for you, I’d still be living my nightmare, and my little angel would never truly be free.”
“I don’t know what to say. I’m honored. Can I hold her?”
“Of course.” Gabi handed the baby over carefully.
“She’s perfect.” Hope’s gaze met mine, and she mouthed oh my God before beaming at the sleeping infant.
The guys offered Gabi their congratulations and greeted her warmly, so I assumed they’d come to know each other while I’d been in a coma. That didn’t surprise me. Given the traumatic circumstances of Gabi’s rescue and that she would’ve been alone, scared, and heavily pregnant, I knew the men in this room would’ve stepped up to support her in any way they could.
“Come on.” Hope waved Gabi toward my bed. “There’s someone I want you to meet properly. Gabi, this is Vaughn.”
She gave me a cautious smile. “Hope and your friends have told me so much about you. I feel like I know you already.”
I winced. “That can’t be good.”
“I think you’d be surprised how much respect and affection the people in this room hold for you.” She clasped her hands together. “I’ve already thanked the others, but I wanted to extend my gratitude to you also.”
“As I see it, I’m the one who should be thanking you. You saved our asses underground.”
While I’d been strung up in that godforsaken torture chamber, I’d noticed Gabi approaching the open doorway on unsteady feet, her hands shaking as she grasped the drawn weapon. I’d done my best to distract Ortega by taunting him, but if Gabi hadn’t arrived when she had, who knew how things might’ve ended for us.
“Hope’s bravery inspired me to act.” Gabi glanced at my girl, who looked like a natural holding that tiny baby.
Did Hope want children one day? It was a sobering concept I’d have to give a lot more thought to. All I knew was if something was important to Hope, I’d do my damnedest to make it happen. But if having kids wasn’t in the cards for us, I’d happily spend the rest of my days worshiping the woman I loved.
A short while later, Gabriela excused herself to change and feed her little one, and Hope ducked out to grab a coffee from down the hall. Then the guys went to buy gifts for Gabi and the baby, but Brandon stayed behind.
“So what happened during the siege?” I asked.
He sat in the visitor’s chair and angled it to face me. “You mean why did we take so long to get to you?”
“Something like that.”
Brandon leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees. “Remember that guard you took down by the dorm rooms? Turns out he was protecting the exit point of the tunnel system. Narco soldiers came rushing out of there like rats from a flooded storm sewer. Took us a while to deal with them in a way that kept the kids safe.”
“And did you? Keep them safe, I mean?”
“Not gonna lie, it wasn’t the most clinical of firefights, because the team’s emotions were running high. Unfortunately, there were a few injuries among the children. A boy took a bullet to the leg when he tried to make a run for it instead of getting low like we told him. A few others copped fragments, but they’re all going to be okay.”
That was a relief. The injuries were regrettable, but at least no innocents had been killed.
“The cartel tunnel system is”—Brandon’s cheeks ballooned as he exhaled—“elaborate. Ortega’s crew could’ve lived underground for a year with the supplies and infrastructure down there. During our search, we rescued twenty-two trafficking victims and found stockpiles of drugs, cash, and weapons. Never seen anything like it.”
I was glad to hear the siege had been a success, especially the part about so many women being freed, but there was something else I needed to know.
“When are you breaking me out of here, boss?” I asked.
Brandon’s expression tightened. “Doc says you’ll need at least another week.”
Not likely. “I’m staying two days max.”
Hope chose that moment to walk through the door with two steaming cups in her hand. “I’m not at all surprised to learn that you’re a terrible patient.”
All of us guys were. We didn’t tolerate idle time well.
She laid the hot drinks on the side table and perched herself on the bed.
“I’ll let you argue with Vaughn over the timing of his hospital discharge.” Brandon rose from his chair. “I’ve got work to do, but I’ll come visit tomorrow.”
We said our goodbyes, and Brandon left the room, leaving Hope and me on our own again.
She pressed her warm palm to my forehead. “Are you feeling okay? You look tired.”
“I’m wrecked, but I want to stay awake so I can be with you a little longer. I’ve missed you. ”
“I’ve missed you, too.” The small smile that’d been on Hope’s lips slowly fell, and she wrung her fingers in her lap. “Are you upset with me for leaving the trackers on the airplane?”
I took hold of her hands to steady them. “Right now, I’m just so damn thankful you’re safe that I don’t have room to be angry.”
When I’d first realized Hope had ditched the trackers intentionally, I’d experienced more intense emotions than I could handle. Fear. Worry. Anger. Disbelief. Betrayal. But when it all boiled down, the only thing I’d wished for was the chance to hold her in my arms again exactly as I did now. So how could I stay mad?
Her eyes met mine. “I’ve already apologized to the guys, but for what it’s worth, I’m sorry for deceiving you and making you worry about me. It felt shitty.”
“Apology accepted. But I need you to know that from now on, your problems are my problems, too, and we’ll work through them together. Got it?”
Hope nodded, the very picture of contrition.
“And if you even think of pulling a stunt like that again, I’ll chain you to me for the rest of your days.”
Her lips quirked. “You know, that almost sounded like a really unromantic proposal.”
My expression turned serious. “Gatita, when I ask you to marry me, I won’t screw it up. It’ll be the one thing I do right in my life.”
Hope stared at me in surprise. I didn’t think she’d blinked once since we’d started on the topic of marriage.
“So I won’t be popping the question from a hospital bed, because as soon as you say yes, I’m gonna need to be inside you, and I can’t do that when I’m plugged into all these damned machines, feeling like half a man.”
“Vaughn.” She laughed nervously. “I was only joking. ”
“I’m not. Don’t you want to marry me someday?”
“Yeah, but…oh my God, you’re nuts to be talking about this so soon.”
“You know I’m in love with you. You know I’d give my life for you.” I traced the pad of my thumb along Hope’s bottom lip. “Why wouldn’t I want to lock that down forever?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t think you were the traditional type.”
My brows shot up. “You didn’t think I was the type to put a big fucking diamond ring on your finger so every asshole out there knows you’re mine? Just thinking about it makes me hard.”
Hope dropped her forehead to my shoulder as her body jostled with laughter. Then her amused eyes came back to mine, her face flushed from giggling and a smile brightening her features. “One day, huh?”
“One day soon . I’ll make the proposal memorable. I promise.” I curled my fingers around the nape of her neck. “Now, I need to hear it.”
She tilted her head. “Hear what?”
“That you love me. Or did you only say that because you thought I was dying?”
“No. I meant it. It’s all happened so fast, but I don’t care.” Hope moistened her lips and her amber eyes searched deeply into mine. “I love you, Vaughn Decker. And God help the person who tries to take you from me, because I will come for them like a shark after blood. You’re mine, and I’m keeping you.”
My Gatita. Just as fearsome as her man.
And I had to admit, it was a lot sweeter hearing those words when there wasn’t a six-inch blade jammed in my chest.
“Even if I’m being a jerk?” I asked, unable to keep the satisfied grin from my face.
“I’ll love you at your best, your worst, and everything in between. ”
Which was lucky because I’d be lost without her.
“I love you, too, Hope Robinson. I want a life with you, a home with you, and I want to rescue a fuckload of dogs with you. Whatever makes you happy, I’ll give it to you if I can.”
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “You make me happy. I just need you.”
Then she kissed me. Her warm lips against mine felt more healing than any treatment the hospital could administer.
I hadn’t died in that tunnel in Venezuela, but in a way, my life had ended. Piece by piece, this incredible woman had brought me back, body and soul. And even though there was still a long road ahead in my recovery journey, I was no longer a slave to my trauma.
The world could be a cruel, fucked-up place, and we didn’t always have control over the things that happened to us. Hope and I, we’d battled our demons, we’d fought hard to survive, and we’d more than earned our happy ending.
We’d start living it today.