Page 75 of The Hero She Loves
“Your warning meant that he didn’t hit anything vital.”
“Let me see.” She lifted his hand and her breath hitched. Iciness pooled in her belly. It looked bad. She pushed her palm down hard on the injury and he grunted. “We need to stop the bleeding.”
It was clear that Olson had been aiming to kill. Just a few millimeters in the other direction and…
Her throat tightened, a storm of emotions raging inside her.
She couldn’t lose Park.
Vander crouched on the other side of Park.
“Where did you come from?” Park said.
“I was in the neighborhood.”
“Always had uncanny timing.”
“You do too.” Vander held up Park’s HK. “Think this belongs to you.”
“Thanks.”
Vander slid a sleek backpack off his shoulders and pulled out a small first aid kit. A moment later, he pressed a bandage to Park’s wound. He met Jenna’s gaze. “Olson is our mess to help clean up. I called some friends, and we came as fast as we could. I found out that you’d tracked Olson here to Valdez.”
She was sure Vander had all kinds of contacts in law enforcement, and probably in shadier circles as well. He liked to keep his finger on the pulse of everything.
Footsteps echoed on the pavement and a tall, muscular man appeared. He wore a flannel shirt and had a strong jaw and a steady gaze.
“Olson got away.” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “He’s slippery.”
“Hi, Boone,” Park said through gritted teeth.
“Hey, Park. You doing okay?”
“He needs stitches,” Vander said. “Shep can do it. He’s surprisingly neat at it.”
“Except he has a rotten bedside manner,” Boone said with a smile.
“Shep’s here too?” Park said.
“Yes, and so is Ren,” Vander added. “Sawyer would’ve come as well, but he’s out of the country with Hollis. Boone, this is US Marshal Jenna Sheridan.”
The man in the flannel nodded at her. “Bad circumstances, but nice to meet you.”
“You too.”
“We’ve got a room at a nearby hotel.” Vander straightened. “Let’s get Park back there before he bleeds to death.”
Both men helped Park up, and kept him between them with his arms draped over their shoulders. Park’s shirt was soaked with blood and Jenna bit her lip.
“He needs a hospital.”
“No, I don’t,” Park bit out. He met her gaze. “No hospitals.”
Her heart squeezed.
“We can treat him, Jenna, I promise,” Vander said.
Together, their small group made it out onto the street. They walked toward a large black Suburban. Vander helped Park into the backseat while Boone circled around and got behind the wheel.