Free Black Storm [Panther Key] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Scarlet Day Page B

straining with the weight of the debris. They lifted it up, and Kate’s heart leapt into her throat.
    “Jake!” Kate screamed, and ignoring Blake’s order to stay put, she rushed into the room and fell to her knees next to an unmoving Jake. The heavy roof debris was thrown to the side, and Blake and Drake knelt down to assess their brother.
    Blake felt for a pulse at Jake’s neck. “It’s steady.”
    Kate saw them exchange a glance, and they both nodded, and then they situated themselves to pick Jake up.
    “Wait!” The brothers looked up at her startled yell. “Moving might hurt him more.” Kate knew enough about basic first aid to know that you weren’t supposed to move someone if there was a chance they had a back or neck injury.
    “Kate, it’s more dangerous to leave him here than it is to move him.” Kate looked into Blake’s eyes, and she knew he wouldn’t do anything that would put Jake in more danger. She nodded and took Jake’s hand, refusing to let go of it as Jake was carefully lifted and carried out of the room.
    When they made it to the living room, they laid Jake on the rug. Drake ran to the kitchen and came back with a large first aid kit, and then the brothers set about checking his vital signs. Blake grabbed a small penlight and flashed it in Jake’s eyes while Jake checked his blood pressure. Kate’s hands roamed his legs, checking for broken bones.
    Blake ran his hand around the back of Jake’s head and stopped. “I think he may have a concussion. He’s got a pretty large bump back here.”
    Drake sat back and blew out a breath. “It could have been a lot worse.”
    “But he’s unconscious!” Kate was trying not to become hysterical. It wasn’t working. “What if he has a brain injury? What if he doesn’t wake up?” It was her mother all over again.
    The sobs broke from her body in wrenching gasps. Blake pulled her into his lap. “Shhh, sweetheart. He’ll be fine. We’re not going to lose him. I promise you.”
    “But…but…” She couldn’t get any words out. The tears and sobs made it impossible to talk.
    “Look at me, Kate.” Blake’s hard voice made her look up. His eyes softened. “Our bodies heal very fast. There are very few things that will kill us. His neck isn’t broken, his heart is still beating, and he will be fine.”
    Kate stared into his eyes for several moments. She could sense he really believed what he was telling her. He wasn’t just saying it to keep her from hysterics. Her cat, which had practically been clawing at her brain, started to relax. The rest of her slowly followed its example. She wiped her wet face with the back of her hand and took Jake’s hand again. Blake settled her on the floor next to Jake and stood up then went to his bedroom.
    Kate couldn’t take her eyes off Jake. She was willing him to open his eyes and squeeze her hand. Anything. But all he did was lie there and breathe. Well, that was something, at least. She couldn’t imagine what she would do if she lost him or any of the brothers. How was it possible she had only known these men for a couple of days, and already she felt like they had been permanently stitched into her life?
    She had closed herself off after her mom’s death. Her aunt had begged her to move back to Texas and stay with them, but her aunt reminded Kate too much of her mom, and she just couldn’t see her every day without breaking down. She missed her two cousins, who were really more like sisters to her, but she hadn’t even talked to them in over three months. Her cousins were twins, but everyone always assumed Kate was their triplet when they were together. They looked so much alike. Their birthdays were only a few weeks apart, which had made them seem even more like triplets growing up.
    With her heart miraculously starting to feel again since meeting these men, she felt guilty for avoiding her family. She would make it a point to call them when things settled down.
    Blake returned to the room,