Bonus Scene
There was beeping. Why was there beeping? It didn’t sound like his alarm. Kameron forced his eyes to open even though they didn’t want to. He was so damned tired. And…didn’t he have something planned tonight? He couldn’t remember.
And…he wasn’t in his room. His bed. This bed was hard as a rock and narrow. He moved his left arm. It banged into a…rail.
Kameron didn’t know where he was.
He forced his eyes to open more fully. To focus. Where was he? Had something happened? He’d been meeting Quinn, right? Was she okay?
Her name was on his lips, as he tried to turn his head. He felt so weak. There was something plastic in his damned nose. He tilted his head down, there were tubes in his arm. Other places. What had happened? “Quinn?”
“I’m here.”
There she was. She’d always had the softest, sweetest voice. “What…happened…to me?”
“You were shot.” Then she was there, looking at him.
Those beautiful eyes of hers were full of tears.
Her hair, dark as the richest coffee, was down around her shoulders.
He loved it when it was down. Usually, she wore it up and out of the way.
He always wanted to touch it when it was down like this.
“Who?” His head was clearing. Then he… “Jacob. It was Jacob.”
She nodded. “He did other things…after. Do you remember being found?”
“Cadell was there?”
“Yes. He’d stopped by with the Richison development papers to ask you about something. And he found you in time.”
“Can I…walk?” Would he be able to…run? He ran every day.
It helped him keep his sanity, and he’d long known that.
His entire body felt out of his control.
And it terrified him. He couldn’t remember the details.
Not really. Just Jacob being so angry over something. He was always angry over something.
“You will. After you heal. You may have some problems with your left arm, though. But they say physical therapy will help. They told me everything, since…I didn’t know you had me listed as your emergency contact and things.
” She was touching his hand. He could feel her skin against his. “Power of attorney and everything.”
“Just felt you know me…best. Care the most.” He’d never fully trusted his father with that kind of thing. Not enough to want to be in his dad’s care if something bad had ever happened to him. “Sorry to be a bother…”
Her mouth firmed. “Don’t ever say that again, Kameron Michael. You just don’t get to. You will never be a bother to me. I should be the first person they call, and I want to be.”
“Where is my…dad? Let me guess, taking care of Jacob?”
She hesitated then nodded. Then he knew…something else had happened. “What did that asshole do?”
“After he shot you, he went to…Calloway Grady’s.”
“Is Cal okay?” Jacob had been going on about the old ranch again. Kameron had remembered that. “What happened?”
She pulled in a breath. “Cal was shot, too. Cal and Jacob wrestled for the gun. They are saying Cal pushed Auggie out of the way. They were together at the time. Then he and Jacob fought for the gun.”
“Is Cal dead?” Cal was his closest friend on earth. Him, and Cadell. Fear was very real.
She shook her head. “He’s in the room across the hall.
He’s doing better and will be going home in a few days.
But Jacob was shot in the stomach. Your brother is going to be paralyzed forever.
Your dad told me this morning. He’ll live, but he’ll never walk again.
And he’ll go to prison for the rest of his life, for three counts of attempted murder and some type of kidnapping charges. ”
“I see.” Kameron didn’t know what to think. His brother had always had problems but this? He never would have thought Jacob would do this.
“The cops will want to talk to you when you feel ready. I am not letting them in here until I think you are strong enough.”
“Oh? I think the entire WHP couldn’t take you on when you give that look. It’s always been one of my favorites.”
“Well, I’ve decided I’ve waited long enough for you to get in gear.”
“What do you mean?”
She leaned forward, this woman he’d been in love with since about day four of knowing her. “You have waited long enough to tell me how you feel first. So now you are going to listen to me.”
Kameron just stared at her in shock as a nurse flittered around with the machines near his head.
That nurse just nodded at Quinn and told her to do it.
Finally. They waited until the nurse—her sister Erin—took off with a machine of some sort.
Then Quinn looked at him. She wrapped her fingers around his.
“I have waited long enough. Time is too short to mess around.”
She pulled in a deep breath. “I have been in love with you for months. And I suspect you feel the same about me. So what are you going to do about it, Kameron Michael Neilson?”
He just stared at her for the longest time. Seeing the truth in her eyes.
This was the woman meant for him. Now…time to do something about it.
Not exactly how he had wanted or planned but…
“You are my entire world. I eat, sleep, and breathe for you, Quinn Clary. And I will love you until the moment I take my last breath. For a while…not long enough ago…I thought I had. And my last thought was for you. And what kind of forever I want with you. What we had already missed because I was afraid. So when I can, the instant I can make it happen—I am going to take you to that little country church up the road. The one where your Daddy is the minister, I think you know the one. And I am going to have him marry us. To make it real forever. And then…I am never letting you go.”
She leaned closer. And pressed her lips to his.
It was their first kiss. And there was nothing more perfect than that moment.
Finally.