Gina's Private Police Force [Men of Montana 3] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) (35 page)

Connor and Jared both jumped up and headed inside. Thanks to a large hole burnt out in the side of the master bedroom, light filled what was left of the room. On the floor near the door was part of the ceiling that had collapsed but it was what was under it that caught their attention.

A burnt arm, shoulder, and head stuck out from under the burnt wood. A piece of gray hoodie lay nearby putting an end to the nightmare that they had been living in for the past few days. Connor knew before he checked for a pulse that he wouldn’t find one, but he had to be certain.

Both Connor and Jared let out a collective sigh of relief before heading back outside to their woman. She remained unconscious, which concerned them, afraid she had inhaled too much of the smoke, but she would soon be at the hospital, receiving the help she needed.

They both held her, letting her know how much they loved her and hoped her psyche could hear them. Next to them, Lawrence held his woman, reassuring his love to her also.

* * * *

The helicopter trip had been agonizing for Jared as it seemed as if they couldn’t get to the hospital soon enough. Gina didn’t regain consciousness during the trip though she was hooked up to IVs and oxygen, and Jared was concerned. Other thoughts went through his mind also as he sat in the flying machine since there wasn’t much he could do.

He worried that the man may have hurt Gina, though her body showed no signs of trauma save the smoke inhalation. Her clothes were still intact so the possibility of rape was slim. From what Lawrence and Angela had told him, they were both out for no more than thirty minutes, so why wasn’t she waking up?

From his stint in the Marines, he knew that psychological trauma could be just as bad as the physical, so he wondered if that was the case with Gina. Was the shock of seeing her husband again too much for her?

Once at the hospital, he defied the emergency room doctors and nurses that said he had to wait in the waiting room and stayed with his lady love. He stayed out of their way, but stayed close enough so he could watch her. When the tests were finished and the doctors had grilled Jared on what had taken place, they went out to confer on what steps needed to be taken.

There was a noise at the door and thinking that the doctors had returned, Jared didn’t bother looking up. He held onto Gina’s hand while he sat on the stool next to the bed. A hand on his shoulder caused him to jump, he was so caught up in his thoughts.

Connor stood behind him, his red hair wild from the many times he had run his hand through it in worry. “How is she?”

Jared’s voice cracked. “No change.”

If anyone had asked Jared six months ago if he minded having that male hand rest on his shoulder longer than it should have, he would have answered with a mighty “Hell yeah,” but now it felt comforting as it belonged to his partner. He knew there wasn’t anything sexual about it between them. It was support from the other man who loved Gina.

There would be times in the future where comfort would be necessary or during sex where things touched and he found he was okay with all of that. It felt nice actually to be held or touched in some way at the moment for the unknown was scaring the crap out of him.

“She’s going to be all right,” Connor said, his own voice unsteady. “She has to be. She can’t leave us now.”

“And why is that?” a weak but raspy voice asked from the bed.

Both men glanced down at the bed. Gina’s eyes were still closed but a small smile played on her lips. Connor rushed around to the other side of the bed and grasped her hand. “Darlin’? Open your eyes and let me see you.”

“Let us both see you,” Jared said. He wasn’t jealous that Connor had said it, he just wanted to make sure that she had really spoken and that she was going to be all right.

Gina’s eyes fluttered several times before opening, fighting the sleepiness she felt but also the light filtering in. Smiling up at both her men, she squeezed their hands. “I love you both so much. I was afraid I lost you and Nathan.”

Connor smoothed her hair back, which now was a wild mess. Removing the oxygen mask, he leaned over and kissed her on the lips gently before replacing it. They both knew she needed the clean air to help her lungs heal.

Jared, still holding her hand, had to ask, to help him verify she was really all right, “Did Frank hurt you, sugar?”

Gina’s head turned to look at him, a bit of confusion on her face. Extracting her hand from his, she reached up and removed the oxygen mask. “It wasn’t Frank,” she answered to the shock of both men.

“What do you mean?” Connor demanded causing her to shrink back a bit. When he saw this, he took her free hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

“It’s all right. And no, he didn‘t hurt me,” Gina replied drawing in a large breath. A cough came along as she did so, but both men knew that her body was trying to heal. They needed her to heal, but they also needed to understand what had taken place so they let her tell her story.

By the time Gina finished her story, both men were in shock as were Doc Anderson and Nurse Patti who had both slipped in earlier. Doc Anderson told both Connor and Jared what lucky men they were to have a woman as strong as Gina, and they both agreed, causing a blush to rise on Gina’s cheeks.

She was moved to a room upstairs and was being instructed by the kind doctor that she was going to be staying at least a week. He said between the concussion and the smoke inhalation, her body needed to rest. He also told the men that if he felt they were bothering her too much, he would have them banned from the hospital.

They were on their best behavior, not even touching her in any sexual manner. They were perfect gentlemen. Flowers arrived for her throughout the first couple of days of her stay all from well-wishers from town who seemed to love her also. The biggest being from Glen, who felt as if his little girl needed to know that she was loved, and not by those two louts who stole her from him. Yes, that is exactly what he had written on the card that arrived with the roses, which caused the three of them to laugh.

Gina realized she found a home with Connor and Jared, but also in the small town of Polson, Montana. She was glad that the guys had stopped her from running away that day, not too long ago. She knew she was home in Big Sky country, but she thought perhaps the state had been inadequately named. Perhaps it should have been called Big Heart country.

Doc Anderson had insisted Gina stay in the hospital for a week this time to recuperate, for he knew that if she went home too early those men of hers wouldn’t let her rest. Nurse Patti worked every day that week to make sure the doctor’s orders were followed. Amanda was there also, helping out.

After she had been taken to her room the first day, she provided Connor and Jared the phone number to her parents. It was time to let them know where she was and what was happening. They could also help with Nathan since Angela had been admitted to the hospital also.

There was some confusion on why Angela had been admitted since the bump on her head from where Tim had hit her wasn’t so bad, but perhaps Doc Anderson didn’t want any complications. It seemed to be a well-known fact that in these parts, women who left the hospital early seemed to come back quite soon. Angela was released a few days later.

* * * *

Connor and Jared showed up at the hospital on the day Gina was to be released, dressed to kill in suits and ties. They had been there every day until Nurse Patti sent them on their way at night. Gina had actually been concerned that they spent too much time with her and not out doing their job, but they had told her not to worry about it. She was more important than their jobs, which of course brought out a blush.

When they entered her room, she was reading a magazine and she glanced up and then back to the article she was reading. Doing a double take at how handsome both men looked, she laid the magazine down and stared at them.

Connor wore a dark blue suit, which brought out his brownish-red hair that had been combed back but still hung loose on his neck. A lighter blue shirt was under the coat and his tie was striped with dark blue and yellow. On his feet were his customary cowboy boots and in his hand he carried his black Stetson.

Jared sported a gray suit. He wore a white shirt along with a red tie. Dress shoes were his choice and in his hands he carried a bouquet of roses. No hat for him. He only wore one while he worked. Perhaps one day Connor would make a cowboy out of him, but for now, no hat outside of work.

Gina had already dressed and had been sitting on the bed waiting for them to spring her from the hospital. The guys had brought a dress the day before for her to wear along with a pair of boots and some makeup though Amanda had to bring in more due to the fact that they were men and didn’t bring the right items.

Their only request was that she was to be dressed and ready to go when they arrived so they could take her someplace special. They had been tight-lipped on what was to happen no matter how many times she had asked them, only that it was something they needed to take care of.

The dress she wore was a light blue, slightly darker than her eyes. It buttoned down the front and was low cut so there was ample cleavage there for the men to feast their eyes on. It came to right above her knees while the boots she wore came up to her knees, so not much skin was exposed for the cold winter air to hit. A long coat had been left for her also, which she now stood up to put on.

Both men rushed forward to help her into the coat and once it was on, they each took a turn kissing her.

Once Jared pulled away from his turn, he looked down into her eyes, which seemed to sparkle. “You look beautiful, sugar. I love you so much.”

Connor moved in for his kiss, letting his tongue sweep through her mouth with promises of what was to come. He, too, looked into her eyes when he pulled back. “I love you. I can’t tell you how much, but I do.”

Lifting her hands, she caressed both their cheeks at the same time. “I love you both. You have been angels sent from God, giving me a second chance at life. You have both accepted me and my son into your lives and I’ll never be able to thank you enough for that.”

Connor shook his head, “No, darlin’. It is Jared and I that can’t thank you enough for giving your love to both of us. I know at the beginning it was hard for you, but you have accepted both of our hearts and you will hold them for the rest of our lives.”

Jared nodded at Connor’s sentiments before kissing her again. “We need to get going so we aren’t late.”

Gina looked up at him in confusion, but she let them escort her from the room.

After a long drawn out good-bye to the staff, which Gina had become close with over the past week, they were on their way. The drive back to Polson was a nervous one for Gina. Connor seemed to be going over the speed limit, but she sat in the backseat quietly, putting her trust in both her men on where they were going.

Arriving in Polson, they pulled up to the courthouse. Gina was even more confused. The men got out and Jared opened the door for Gina. “Why are we here?”

Nervously, Connor, who had come around to their side of the Tahoe, answered, “We have to take care of some business before we go home.”

“Then why don’t you two do what you need to do. I’ll stay here,” she said, not really wanting to be out in public just yet. “I have a magazine and I’m sure you won’t be too long.”

“Darlin’, you are not going to stay in the car in the middle of winter. You just got out of the hospital and you can’t afford to get sick right now.”

There was an edge to Connor’s voice she hadn’t heard before but she knew he was right. Shoving the magazine into her purse to keep her company while they conducted business, she held out her hand for one of them to help her out of the vehicle. She let out a squeal when Jared placed his hands on her waist and lifted her out and set her on the ground.

The three of them walked into the courthouse and up to one of the judge’s chambers. Gina expected them to knock right away to gain entrance, but before she knew what was happening both men were down on one knee before her. Connor held an open ring box where a lovely one caret solitaire sat upon a Black Hills band. Jared held up another ring box with a ring that held their wedding bands, which were three rings set together so when they moved, they could move around each other, but never come apart. A symbol of their love that would never end.

“Virginia Picard,” Connor started, having to swallow hard to continue. “We both have been blessed with you in our lives. You have shown us love and how to love in return. You have brought with you a child that we will love as our very own. We love you very much and would be honored if you would marry us.”

Both men looked so expectant and ill at the same time. Gina was afraid of the future with the disastrous past she had, but she knew in her heart her future was with both of these men. They were good for her and for Nathan. They proved they would protect her and their bodies proved they would ignite what passions she had for them.

With each passing second, the men looked more green around the gills. Were they fearful she would say no? Yes. The night before Tim set the fire, they had shown her she was capable of keeping up with them. She would be their equal in all things, except in the bedroom. Then she was their little slave girl.