Chapter Twenty-Four Blaze
Chapter Twenty-Four
Blaze
She’s right. I’m a fucking liar. So much more of a liar than she knows.
But if I tell her the truth . . . what she wants to hear . . . it’ll just prolong the inevitable.
Because she shouldn’t love me. I’ll break her heart all over again with everything I am and everything I’ve done.
I stare at Savannah, her deep-blue eyes brimming with emotion, begging for some affirmation that what happened between us today meant more than just the physical release we’ve been craving since we found each other back in Whiskey Creek.
I meant what I said to her. She needs to run the fuck away from me and not look back.
It’s the right thing, but not what I want at all.
“Savannah—”
My phone buzzes, and I grab it out of my pocket, blood rushing between my temples, when I see the text from Colt.
Doctor is on his way to update us.
I jump up from the floor and pull Savannah up before darting back down the hallway toward the emergency room.
Just as we round the corner to the waiting room, a tall man in a white coat walks out of the red double doors toward my father and brother, his brows knitted together. He pulls down his face mask to reveal a tense jaw.
He’s not smiling.
I want so badly to grab Savannah and hold her close, to have her tell me everything is going to be okay because right at this second, reality looks like the exact opposite of “okay.”
“Doc, how is he?” Colt asks.
The doctor looks between us, his lips pulled into a tight line.
“The surgery went well. We repaired the spleen, inserted a chest tube for the lung, and stabilized his ribs. He’s critical but stable.
The next twenty-four to forty-eight hours will be crucial for monitoring internal bleeding and infection.
If he continues to improve, he should make a full recovery, though it’ll take time. ”
My shoulders sag, relief flooding me. “Can we see him?”
“You can go up to the ICU one at a time, just for a few minutes. He’s still heavily under sedation, so he won’t respond, likely for hours. But you can at least see him.”
The doctor walks away. I turn to my father and Colt. “Let me go up first. Please.”
Dad nods. Colt just glares at me like he wants to say shit that’s gonna get his ass kicked.
Savannah stands a bit away from us, wringing her hands together like she doesn’t know what to do or say. “Blaze,” she murmurs. “I’ll just call Nash to pick me up. I don’t want to intrude any more than I already have. You have . . . things to deal with. You need to be here for your brother.”
She thinks I want her to leave. But the truth is, I’ve never wanted or needed her more than I do right now.
I don’t say that, though. I only nod.
And she recoils like I’ve just smacked her clear across the face. Then she turns away and hurries out of the glass doors before disappearing around the side of the redbrick building.
I rake a hand through my hair and twist away from the door, catching my father’s knowing look. My lips twist, and I shake my head before stalking out of the waiting room.
Gritting my teeth, I stab the Up button next to the elevator.
He’s going to be fine. He’s going to be fine. He’s got to be fine.
The ICU is quiet when I step through the double doors.
I give my name to the receptionist, and she points me in the direction of Wyatt’s room, number 342.
I bring a hand to the back of my neck, rubbing out the massive knot at the base of my skull as I walk past each room.
Bleeping monitors reverberate between my ears.
I keep my head down, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone in my path. I stop once I see the number on the right of the doorway.
Jesus Christ.
I wince at the breathing tube taped to the side of his bruised mouth. His lips are split with deep, angry-looking gashes that match the ones on his face. IV lines stick out of his hand, running to clear-plastic bags hanging on a stand next to him.
The sharp scent of antiseptic assaults my nostrils when I walk into the room. Monitors surround the bed, tracking his heart rate, oxygen, and God only knows what else.
Everything’s working to keep him alive. But he lies so still, his skin so pale against the white sheets, save for the streaks of purple and blue that pop against the bedding. If it weren’t for the steady beeping of his vital signs, I’d think the worst.
I swallow hard, slowly approaching the side of the bed.
“Fuck, Wy,” I say, my voice choked. “I let you down so many damn times. If I’d’a been more supportive and a better brother, maybe I would have been there today, rooting for you. Maybe I could have helped . . . maybe I would’ve seen something or stopped something . . .”
My voice cracks and trails off as my eyes catch on the bruises covering his arms. I gently graze his hand, careful not to disturb the IV.
“You know, you were right the other day. I was a selfish asshole for leaving, and I don’t have the right to pretend like nothing happened. I know you all moved on without me. But I don’t want to miss anything else. I already missed too much.”
I sink into the chair next to the bed and scoot it closer to the bed so I can hold on to him. Because what if he needs a lifeline, and I’m the only one he’s got?
I won’t fail him again.
“I’ll be here for you, Wy. I won’t leave you again.” A deep sigh quakes my shoulders. “You may hate me now, but I’m not going anywhere. And I’ll make sure you never feel abandoned. I’m . . . I’m so fucking sorry. You were just a kid. I knew better. But I . . . I fucked up. In so many ways.”
A light knock on the door makes my head jerk.
A pretty blond nurse walks into the room, holding a clipboard. “Hi, I’m Allie. I’ll be Wyatt’s nurse tonight.”
“Nice to meet you, Allie. I’m Blaze.” I turn to look at Wyatt. “How long do you expect he’ll be out for?”
Allie walks around and checks the readings on the machines. “Well, he’s been out of surgery for about an hour. He was pretty heavily sedated for the procedure, so I think he’ll probably sleep for the next few hours, maybe wake up around dinnertime.”
I stand up from the chair. “Okay. I’ll be back later. My dad and other brother will come up in a little while.”
She nods, a smile lifting her lips. “We’ll take good care of him, so don’t you worry, okay?”
The lump in my throat practically stifles my ability to draw in oxygen.
“I appreciate that.” I back away from the bed and duck out the door, leaving Allie to check Wyatt’s vitals while he sleeps.
I take the elevator to the lobby and storm out the hospital door. I need information about that accident. Someone on the circuit must know something. I stop and am pulling out my phone when a male voice interrupts my plans.
“Excuse me,” he says. “You’re Wyatt Hartman’s brother, aren’t you?”
My eyes narrow. “How did you know that?”
“My name’s Kenny. I’m a friend of his,” he says, taking his hat off. “I figured I’d take a shot since he looks exactly like you. I know I’m not family, but I was hoping to see how he’s doing.”
“Not good,” I say in a tight voice. “Were you there today? Did you see anything?”
Kenny shakes his head. “Nah, I didn’t see anything, but the bull was goin’ nuts before he got into the chute.
He was jerkin’ around like he was panicked.
More aggressive than usual, but that can happen.
The weird thing is that the bull didn’t calm down after the ride.
Everyone was sayin’ how something was off with it.
Got spooked, maybe. I’m just glad it wasn’t worse. ”
Cold dread surges from my stomach. “Do you know what could have happened? Was there someone with the bull who shouldn’t have been there before Wyatt’s ride?”
Kenny shrugs. “I honestly don’t know. I didn’t see or hear anything. It’s all just real strange.”
“Thanks for coming. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.” I nod toward the door. “My brother and father are in there. Wyatt’s in ICU now. He’ll probably be awake in a few hours.”
“I’ll be prayin’ for him,” Kenny says, moving past me into the hospital.
So many thoughts pop between my ears like bullets. I’d bet my left nut there was foul play of some kind. And I think I know the motherfucker responsible.
I shoot off a quick text to Colt.
Was just in with Wyatt. He’ll be sleeping for the next few hours. Go on up with Dad. I’ll be back later. Got something to take care of.
Colt’s response is abrupt.
Ok.
Nothing else. Like I’m a stranger in my own family.
And ironically, it’s all my father’s doing.
I head to the parking lot and jump into my truck because someone is going to fucking pay.
Rage rumbles in my chest the entire way to Wilkerson’s building on the edge of town. I park and storm into the place. I ignore the girl sitting at the reception desk, walking straight past her without so much as a glance.
She springs up from her chair. “Excuse me. Mr. Wilkerson is in an important meeting. You can’t just—”
I slowly turn, narrowing my eyes at her. “I can. And I am.”
My palms shake, anger snaking around my limbs like white-hot flames as I push open the door to his conference room. Wilkerson reigns at the head of the table like a fucking king, his peons scattered around him like adoring fans.
His eyebrows fly upward. “Hartman, this is a private meeting. Who let you back here?”
I approach him slowly, watching him back slightly away from me.
“My brother almost died today. Interesting timing, don’t you think?” I say.
Wilkerson stares at me, then looks at the group. “Let’s take a few minutes.”
His men scatter like cockroaches, practically tripping over themselves to get out of the room.
When we’re alone, Wilkerson pushes back his chair. “How dare you interrupt me like this.”
“And how fucking dare you go after my brother to intimidate me?” I grip the back of the chair tight. “I told you I’d do your job. And I did. So you fucking stand down. Do you understand me?”
“Don’t you come in here threatening me.” Wilkerson slams his chair against the table, fury glittering in his beady eyes. “I didn’t have anything to do with your brother.”
“I don’t fucking believe you. I think you’ll do anything to make your point known, and I don’t trust you. At all.”
“I don’t give a flying fuck whether or not you trust me. But you owe me. Let’s not forget that. And I’m tired of waiting around while you drag your feet in getting me that ranch because you’re being led around by your dick.”
I suck in a sharp breath. “I can destroy you with everything I know about your organization.”
“More likely that I will destroy you, and we both know it.” He slowly walks toward me. “I broke you. I own you, and you will never be free. So if you so much as think of exposing anything, just remember how much power I have over you and your family. I can hurt any of you at any time.”
The bastard is right. He’s got so many fucking dirty cops and politicians in his pocket. He loves having power over me, over everyone. And betrayal of Wilkerson is an unforgivable sin that would put targets on the heads of everyone I love.
I can’t do a damn thing.
“So if you don’t want that to happen, you’re going to create chaos at that ranch. I want the Carlson girl gone in two weeks. No excuses.” Wilkerson steps closer, his cologne polluting the air around me.
“What more am I supposed to do?” I ask through clenched teeth. “I’ve done your sabotages. Taken pictures, gotten you proof of what I’ve done. She’s gonna see this through because she doesn’t want to let go of her family’s legacy.”
“Unless there isn’t any bit of her family’s legacy to hold on to.”
My heart sinks. “What the hell does that mean?”
The corners of his lips curl into a malicious smirk. “Cut the fence. I want the livestock to escape. Can’t run a cattle farm without cattle. And it’ll be your job to make sure that’s what happens.” His smirk fades. “Do it tonight. Make her realize she can’t hack it as a rancher.”
Heat crawls up the back of my throat, scorching my tongue before I can tell him what I really think of him and his damn plans.
Because if I let those words out, I will be severely fucked.
“And by the way, Blaze.” Wilkerson leans in close.
“If I’m going to launch an attack on you, it won’t be a surprise.
I’ll make sure you know it’s coming. Today?
That was just life. Don’t confuse the two.
” His expression twists into something bordering on demonic.
“Or I’ll have to show you the difference. ”