Page 51 of Wrath's Nightingale
“Who taught you this?” Saber asks from behind me.
“My daddy.”
“He did a good job.”
“I’ll tell him you said that he’ll be pleased.”
Our guide turns her attention back to the trail. To the left of the trail is a steep incline. Candy’s eyes are scanning the trail and the incline. I see her expression change from concentration to fear. She drops the horse’s reins and starts down the incline.
I follow behind her. Obvious signs that someone or something crashed through this way. My eyes desperately scan the landscape.
“She’s here,” I cry out as I spot a hot pink top.
I make my way down the incline as fast as I can, sliding a few times. I grab roots to right myself. I can’t do her any good if I break my damn neck. She’s splayed-out face down with her arms and legs akimbo. I race to see if she’s breathing. Relief floods through me when I feel a pulse. I gently turn her head so she can breathe better, but don’t move the rest of her.
“I’ve called 911,” Decker yells.
I turn to see him coming down the incline. Candy is kneeling on Millie’s other side.
“Mimi, wake up. Can we move her? She looks so uncomfortable.”
“We can’t until the paramedics arrive.”
I inspect her. She has tears streaming down her face. I can see the fear in her eyes. I stand up and walk over to her.
“Can I hug you?”
She nods. I wrap her up in my arms.
“Help is on the way. She’s breathing. Her pulse is steady. Our girl is strong.”
Chapter 33
Wrath
The ten minutes it takes to get paramedics on scene feels like hours. During that time, the rescue helicopter lands in the nearest field. I stand back to the side with my brothers and Candy while the paramedics do their work. Minutes later, she’s strapped to a board. The helicopter comes back. They strap the board to a hoist.
“I’m her husband. I’m going with her.”
The rescue workers nod and hand me a harness. I strap myself in while they get Millie attached. It’s not the first time I’ve been airlifted out of someplace. I’ve gone on my fair share of black ops missions with the club.
Yeah, I’m totally trying to distract myself before I go insane. What I know so far. She has a possible concussion. A cut on the back of her head that will need stitches. Her left leg is broken. They won’t know anything else until we get to the hospital and do more tests.
I put on the headgear and strap in before I take my wife’s hand. I doubt she can hear me over the chopper blades, but I lean in as close as I can get.
“Hold on, baby. We’re on our way to the hospital.” Tears prick the corners of my eyes and I swallow the lump in my throat. “If you wanted me to play Nurse Nightingale, all you had to do is ask. I wish you’d open your beautiful eyes.
“I remember the first time I saw your eyes. They reminded me of a forest at summer’s peak. I fell in love with you that day. You were like an angel. My beautiful Nightingale, whose sweetmelodic voice planted seeds in my soul. Those seeds blossomed into the most beautiful love I’ve ever known. You’ve got to be alright, baby. I can’t live without you.”
As the minutes tick by, I continue to pour my emotions out over my wife’s unconscious body. We finally arrive at the hospital. They unload Millie before letting me off the chopper. One of the EMTs rides down with me before escorting me to Millie. The docs have her in a room, checking her out. A few minutes later, one of them comes out of the room.
“We’re going to take her to x-ray, then run a CT scan to check her head injury after we get her stitched up.”
I nod and head to the nearest waiting room. Over the next little bit friends and family pour into the hospital, filling up the waiting room. When two hours have passed and we haven’t received word, I’m about to lose my shit.
I head to the nurse’s station. There’s a brunette behind the desk. She looks up, annoyed, then sees me and her attitude changes. She bats her long lashes at me.
“Can I help you?”