Page 92 of Gunner

She nodded. “I am. Infection is my biggest worry, but he’s not doing so well. His vitals are slowly deteriorating. I can’t figure out what’s wrong. He should be getting better, but he’s not.”

Throwing the cover back, I growled. “Take me to him.”

“Sarah, you need to stay in bed,” my mom said, trying to cover me back up.

“No, mom!” I yelled. “I know what he needs. He needs me. He thinks I don’t need him. We had a fight. It was stupid. He was driving me nuts. I said something I shouldn’t have. He left. Then that asshole happened. He needs to know I need him as much as he needs me. I can’t explain it. Just take me to him. Now.”

“Let her go, Beth,” my dad said, holding out his hand for my mom.

“I can’t,” my mom cried. “She’s been hurt. She needs me.”

“She needs Gunner and Gunner needs her. She belongs to him now.”

Bailey wheeled me next door, as Claudia opened the door for me to enter. Gunner’s brothers all stood around, King and Pyro sitting in chairs on either side of the bed. All the brothers looked tired, worn out as they stood vigil over Gunner.

With Bailey’s help, I got to my feet, ignoring the pounding in my head as I shuffled closer to the bed. King immediately stood, making room for me as I pulled the covers back and carefully slid into the bed next to him, mindful of his bandaged stomach and the tubes. Laying my head on his shoulder, I placed my rightarm around his waist and whispered. “You listen and listen well, Cord Brian Montclair. If you leave me, I will never forgive you. I’m not raising our baby without you. I need you. I can’t teach a kid to drive. I can barely drive myself. I can’t even operate that stupid phone you have at the house. I didn’t even finish college, for crying out loud. How can I raise a kid when I can barely take care of myself? I need you to get better and help me. I need you to fight. Fight for both of us. Please, baby, please fight. I love you Cord. I always have. I don’t want to do this without you. Please don’t make me.”

The steady beeping of the heart-rate monitor picked up.

Claudia moved to look at the machine before reaching for her stethoscope and listening to Gunner’s heart. After a few seconds, she stood back up, smiling. “It’s stronger. His heart is picking up.”

Brothers hugged, slapping each other on the backs. My mom cried into my dad’s chest as he winked at me. King kissed Bailey, before leaning over me, kissing my cheek and saying. “You wonderful, beautiful woman. Thank you.”

I was sleeping peacefully, snugged up on the bed, when I reached out to find his side of the bed empty. Quickly sitting up, I yelled, “GUNNER!” just as my stomach rebelled.

Covering my mouth, I ran to the bathroom, dropping before the toilet just as my stomach erupted in spectacular fashion.

“Babydoll?” I heard him in the room as I vomited again. The next thing I knew, he placed a cold cloth against the back of my neck as he held my hair and rubbed my back. “Maybe we should see Claudia. Your morning sickness is getting worse.”

Flushing the toilet, he helped me to my feet as I sat on the toilet. Kneeling before me, dressed in only his jeans. His chest bare, I carefully touched the pink scar running between his pecs’.

A zipper scar.

That’s what they called it.

All I know, it’s a constant reminder that I almost lost him. His hand covered mine. “I’m fine,babydoll. Claudia gave me a clean bill of health yesterday.”

“I know,” I muttered. “I thought I was going to lose you, Gunner. You scared me.”

He chuckled. “You take on a raging bitch who stabs you with a nail file, a crazy ex with a gun, and the man who bought you, but my little scar scares you.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I know, baby. I was scared too. But we survived it, didn’t we? We came out stronger than ever.”

I nodded.

“Why don’t you jump in the shower and freshen up. I want to take you somewhere today.”

“Where?”

“It’s a surprise,” he grinned.

“Okay.”

After my shower, I walked into the bedroom to find a cute flowery summer dress laying on the bed. Shaking my head, I dropped my towel and got myself ready. I didn’t know what Gunner had planned, but with him, anything was possible.

He still wasn’t one hundred percent back to his old self, but he was getting there. He still smiled, laughed and joked around with the brothers, but with me, he was a bit more serious and reserved.