Hero Mine (3B Hero Series) Book 3

Chapter 18

**** Brittany sat in a chair and watched as the morphine did its work. Brick lay quietly on the large couch. His shirt was gone and his shoulder and chest were covered in thick bandages. He was still pale but his breathing was no longer labored and his eye was clear.

Charity smiled, "You should start to feel the pain ease very shortly. You're very fortunate you know. Most men would have gone into shock after receiving a traumatic wound such as this."

Ignoring her later statement Brick gently wrapped his hand around her wrist, careful not to apply pressure so as not to appear threatening in any way, "KB?"

Charity smiled as she gently removed his hand from her arm. "He and Spence went back to search for the sniper's nest. He said they'd gather all your equipment and pack it back here."

Brick shook his head and tried to stand only to have both women gently push him back down.

The nurse before him shook her head, "Don't even think about it, tough guy. You've lost a lot of blood, and need to rest. That morphine can pack a punch as well, so you stay right here while I make some soup."

Turning to Brittany she smiled, "Tany, I need you to make sure he stays down. He should start feeling the fatigue about now. If he gets up he could fall and break those stitches. He can't afford to lose any more blood."

* * *

She was dishing up the soup when Kyle walked in through the mud room door, exhaustion written clear on his face, and limp more prominent than usual.

"How's...."

She smiled, "He's resting now. I removed the bullet, and finally got the bleeding stopped." She lowered her voice.

"I also snuck him a mild sedative, it was difficult to keep him down long enough to patch him up. The sedative should be helping him to sleep about now. If he's not out now, he will be soon." She looked down then back up into Kyle's eyes.

"I think you should also know that Tany...."

Kyle gave an exhausted sigh, "I know. I saw the way she was looking at him. That girl...." He shook his head, "Back when Brick would spend his leave with me on the ranch, Brittany would follow him around like a love sick puppy."

He chuckled, "Brick was a good sport about it though. He'd let her ride with him and even let her join him on a hunt once or twice."

He smiled warmly, "Out of my entire family, he was always closest to Brittany. When he was killed in action it hit her like a ton of bricks. No pun intended."

Charity snorted, but let him continue.

"Everyone of us would write an 'If You're Reading This' letter. His was addressed to Brittany." He shook his head, "He left her everything. The mare, his tack, his rifle....all of it. I still don't understand what he was thinking."

Charity shook her head, "He certainly is impressive. He never once winced while I was removing the bullet. In fact he spent the entire time comforting Tany. By the way, I have the bullet in a zip lock bag for you. I thought that you might...."

He nodded, "Thanks I'll get it to Spence. That slug is evidence."

Together they made their way into the living room. Brittany sat on the sofa (next to Brick) with a book.

Both Kyle and Charity stood silently in the door way. Watching to see what she would do.

"I never would have pegged you for the poetry type." She said softly as she gently brushed the hair out of his face.

He appeared to be asleep so the teenager lifted his head, scooted a little closer and rested the dark head in her lap. She sighed, and lay the book aside to watch him sleep.

Kyle shook his head, "You can't keep him, honey. He's not some lost puppy you picked on the side of the road."

She gave him her best impression of her dad's hard stare. "That's not even a little bit funny, Kyle!"

Brick coughed and took her hand in his. When he spoke his voice was weak and filled with drowsiness. "Let it alone, love. Let 'im stew."

She smiled down at him, once again stroking a finger down his long scar. His beautiful eye was glazed over with the after affects of the medications he'd been given.

Kyle rolled his eyes, "Easy for a former mobster to say."

Brick let his exhaustion show as he looked up into Brittany's beautiful silver eyes. He remembered those eyes. But, really remembered them belonging a young girl. A kid really. But, now they were in the face of a young woman. Her soft, natural beauty was almost devastating to what was left of his heart.

Kyle patted his old friend on the shoulder and smiled, "Brick, get some sleep. You can explain everything when you've rested."

With those words, they all watched as the scared warrior was no longer able to fight the sedative he'd been given and drifted off into a deep sleep.