Maya Banks - No Place to Run

Not even the sound of the helicopter fazed her. She just sat there, her eyes vacant, her face dusty and tear-stained.

“Sam,” Ethan called. “You need to get her aboard. Mom and Resnick are going to stay with me and Van. We’ll drive out. There’s room for both you and Sophie.”

Sam gathered her close in his arms and carefully lifted her from the truck. She lay limply against him as he hurried across the ground toward the waiting helicopter.

Donovan leaned down to take Sophie from his arms when Sam arrived.

“How’s Garrett?” Sam shouted.

“Stable,” Donovan yelled back. “I’ve stopped the blood and applied a pressure dressing. He’s hurting like a son of a bitch, but he’ll make it.”

Sam closed his eyes and inhaled deeply in relief. Thank God.

Donovan crouched in the helicopter and situated Sophie on one of the seats while Sam climbed in behind him. Garrett was on a litter on the floor, his legs and one arm immobilized.

He opened his eyes and stared up at Sam.

“Sophie?” he mouthed.

Sam leaned down close to his brother’s ear. “She’s okay, I think. Thanks to you.”

Garrett tried to shrug but then paled in pain.

Sam put his hand on Garrett’s chest and stared down fiercely at the big man.

“Thanks, man. I can never repay what you just did for me. You saved . . . you saved my future. You saved my life.”

Garrett smiled faintly. His mouth worked, but Sam couldn’t hear him over the roar of the engine. He leaned closer.

“She means a lot to you, man. I was wrong about her.”

Sam returned his brother’s pained smile. “So was I.”

“All set?” the pilot yelled back.

Donovan hopped out of the back and then gave the pilot a thumbs-up. Sam scrambled up and sat next to Sophie who still stared at Garrett with numb shock.

Sam leaned in close, touched her cheek, then nuzzled through her hair to her ear.

“He’s going to be just fine, honey, I promise.”

For the first time she seemed aware of Sam, and she turned her anxious gaze on him. She tried to say something, but he lost it as the helicopter lifted into the air.

She looked back down at Garrett so close to her feet. Garrett smiled. Sam knew it had to be difficult when it was obvious he was hurting, but he lifted his free hand up to Sophie.

She grasped it and Garrett squeezed. He would have dropped his hand back down, but she held tight and leaned over to hold it between her knees.

“I’m okay,” he mouthed up at Sophie. “You?”

She only nodded, then grimaced and held up her right hand to show him the swollen, misshapen fingers.

Garrett winced in sympathy, but he kept holding Sophie’s other hand as they hovered over the terrain.

Some of Sam’s anxiety and the tightness in his chest dissipated as he watched Garrett soften toward Sophie. Garrett looked at Sam, and Sam knew his brother had seen the same fragility in Sophie, almost like she was teetering on the edge of a complete breakdown.

Sam leaned over and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her in close and slid one hand down to cup her belly. He wanted to feel the reassuring thump of their child, but her stomach was still and rigid.

He wouldn’t borrow trouble and wouldn’t expend energy worrying needlessly. Their daughter had to be okay. Sophie had to be okay.

He couldn’t live without either.

SAM sat in the chair next to Sophie’s hospital bed with his foot propped on the edge. And he simply watched her sleep. He watched the little red lines feed across the machine that monitored her for contractions, content that for now, all seemed well with their child.

She’d been poked, prodded and checked over within an inch of her life. Sam had insisted. She’d had a CT scan and multiple X-rays, her head had been stitched up, and her right hand had a partial cast.

The rest of the family was waiting for Garrett to get out of surgery. The bullet hadn’t been a clean through-and-through. A fragment of it had lodged in Garrett’s shoulder, and they were going in to remove it.

Sam had already called Sean to get a report on their father and to let everyone back home know that Marlene—and Sophie—were safe.

He should have felt on top of the world. The nightmare was over. Resnick and company were crawling all over Mouton’s compounds, but Sam had taken the key from Garrett before he went into surgery.

Whatever was done with it now would be Sophie’s decision. Sam wouldn’t take that away from her. She’d fought too hard and risked everything to keep it from the wrong hands. He trusted her to do what was right.

“Sam?”

He turned to see his mom standing in the door.

“Hey. Come on in.”

“I wanted to see how she was doing but didn’t want to disturb either of you.”

Sam smiled and motioned her inside. “Sophie’s sleeping. She’ll probably be out for a while.”

He got up, but she all but shoved him back into his seat.

“You sit.”

He reached for her hand. “How are you, Ma? Really.”

She sighed and then smiled. “Better now that I know my boys are okay. Ethan talked to Rachel. She’s holding up well. Sean said she’s been a rock for Frank and Rusty.”

“I talked to Sean too. He said Dad was doing better. Should be ready to go home by the time we get there.”

Marlene put her hand on Sam’s shoulder and squeezed. “How are you doing, son?”

He was silent for a moment, and he looked over at Sophie, watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest.

“I love her, Ma. I want you to love her too.”

Marlene smiled. “I already do. How could I not love someone who so fiercely loves my son? She risked her life for me. She’s a very courageous woman.”

Doubt crowded Sam’s mind. “I hope she can forgive—”

“Forgive what?” Marlene interrupted.

Sam sighed. “I didn’t trust her at first. I didn’t trust her there at the end. I thought she’d lied to me. She has to know that.”

“Before you torture yourself needlessly over something that may not be, wait and ask her. I think things will be a lot better than you think.”

He smiled and reached up to cover her hand where it lay on his shoulder. “You always have a way of simplifying things and making me feel better. Sometimes I feel six years old again, confident in the knowledge that Mom can fix everything.”

She leaned down and kissed his cheek. “I hope you never lose that, baby. I don’t know a mother alive who won’t always try to make things better for her children, no matter how old they are.”

“There are going to be changes, Ma. You need to realize that. This . . . what all that’s happened . . . has changed everything. I need to know that you and Dad are safe. That the family is safe.”

Her smile was achingly sad as she stared down at him. “I know, Sam. And I want you to know something. I want you to know how proud your father and I are of you. Even with everything that has happened, I wouldn’t change who you are and what you do for anything. Sometimes sacrifices have to be made in order to make the world a better place. Your father has always believed that, and he’s passed that ideal on to each and every one of his sons. Yes, your father will grumble and make noises over change, but he’ll accept it with the same grace that he’s always accepted knowing that each of his sons risks his life every day because he wants to make the world safer.”

“I love you. Do you know that?”

She enfolded him in her arms and squeezed. “I know, but it’s nice to hear.”

“I didn’t even ask about Garrett. Is he out of surgery? Is that why you’re here now?”

She nodded. “They took him to recovery a while ago. They said I could go back when he starts to come around, but they don’t expect that for another half hour or so. I wanted to come check on you and Sophie.”

“Thanks. I’m good.”

“I won’t even ask if you’re bringing her home,” Marlene said with a smile.

“Over my dead body will she go anywhere else,” he said gruffly.

Marlene glanced at the monitor with a wistful look. “I admit, I never expected you to give me my first grandchild, but in a way it’s fitting. You’re the oldest.”

Sam leaned forward. “Did I tell you? Of course I didn’t. How could I? She’s having a girl. I saw her for the first time at the hospital where Dad is.”

Marlene’s face lit up. “A girl! Oh, won’t that be so much fun. She’ll have you wrapped around her finger for sure.”

Sam’s chest expanded, and he felt such a surge of anticipation that it made his skin tingle. He imagined a blond-haired, blue-eyed little girl. The spitting image of her mama.

“They both will,” he said huskily.

His mother chuckled. “Yes, I suspect you’re right.”

She patted his cheek and cast one last look in Sophie’s direction. “I’m going to go back to Garrett. I expect he’ll be grumpier than a hungry rattlesnake when he comes around. I’ll need to make sure he doesn’t scare off the nurses with all his growling.”

Sam laughed and rose to hug her. For a long moment he just hung on to her. She felt very precious in his arms. He had a lot to be grateful for. He owed her life to Sophie.

“I can arrange to have you go home ahead of us so you can get back to Dad. He needs you.”

She hugged him fiercely. “Right now my sons need me more. I’m not going home without Garrett. Your father would have a kitten if I even thought of leaving. He’d want me to be here.”

She pulled away, gripped his arms and stared hard at him. “I know you’re worried about Sophie, but you need rest, Sam. Even a couple hours in the chair would be better than nothing. You said yourself she’d be out for a while.”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “Okay, Ma. I’ll rest. Promise.”

After a final pat to his cheek, she turned and walked out of the room.

SOPHIE opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Sam slouched in a chair beside her bed, his head tilted sideways in what looked like an extremely uncomfortable position.

She was on her side, her casted hand resting on her hip. Her other hand was tucked underneath her pillow. Not wanting to move, she lay there still, watching as Sam slept.

He hadn’t left her. During the helicopter ride, the landing, the hustle and bustle as the emergency room had run countless tests and the obstetrician had examined her and assured her the baby was doing well.

He’d been with her through it all, his steady, reassuring presence more comforting than anything she could imagine. No words had been exchanged. They hadn’t had a single moment alone to talk, and now that they were by themselves, she couldn’t bring herself to wake him.

He looked exhausted.

Carefully she brought her casted hand down over her belly. To her delight, the baby bumped and kicked and did a little somersault inside the womb. She glanced down, her chest tightening at the wonder of knowing her daughter was alive and well.

When she looked back up, she was surprised to see Sam watching her, his gaze intense as it drifted to her hand.

“Hi,” she whispered.

He lowered his feet from the bed and sat forward. He rubbed his hand over the stubble on his jaw and then through his hair in a weary motion.

“Hey yourself. How are you feeling?”

He scooted the chair closer and cupped his hand over her forehead. He stroked over her hair in a soothing motion, then leaned down to kiss her brow.

A light fluttery feeling rose in her chest and escaped in a breathy sigh.

“Okay. Nice actually. A little numb maybe. I feel almost disembodied. I suppose that sounds weird. I feel like I’m up high somewhere. Removed from reality.”

She dropped her gaze, embarrassed by the babbling.

“Makes perfect sense,” he said softly. “You’ve been through a lot. You’re entitled to feel a little out of it. I’m glad you’re not hurting. Is our little one moving around? I saw your hand bump a bit when you put it over your stomach.”

She smiled and then reached tentatively for his hand. She bumped awkwardly against his fingers with her cast, but she clutched on and guided him to her belly.

His face lightened, and suddenly the gray, tired look lifted as he stared in wonder at his hand.

“That’s so amazing. I wonder what she thinks of the world around her. If I were her, I’d want to stay inside her mama where it’s safe forever.”

“How is Garrett?” Sophie asked hesitantly.