Thunder Horse Redemption

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Book: Thunder Horse Redemption by Elle James Read Free Book Online
Authors: Elle James
Tags: ROMANCE - - SUSPENSE, AmerFrntr/Western/Cowboy
face him, anger at herself digging a hole in her gut. “I didn’t want you to come back around. It wasn’t your problem. I called the sheriff and Deputy Duncan came out, asked questions and said he’d check into it.”
    Pierce snorted. “You should have called me back before I’d even left.”
    She flung her hand in the air. “Hindsight isn’t doing Jim any good now.”
    A nurse emerged from Jim’s room, pushing a cart of bloody gauze and surgical equipment. She gave Roxanne a reassuring smile. “Dr. Rhoads will be out shortly.”
    Her stomach knotting, Roxanne quickly settled herself in a chair as she felt her knees start to give way. Her breath caught and held in her throat as she waited for the doctor to appear. A crash cart hadn’t been wheeled in. That had to be a good sign. The nurse had smiled. Another good sign.
    Jim had to be all right.
    She gulped back the sob that threatened to rise in her throat, calling on all the anger that had been simmering to force herself to stay strong and in control.
    When the doctor emerged, Roxanne practically pounced on him. “How’s Jim? Will he be all right?”
    The doctor’s brows dipped. “Are you his next of kin?”
    “I’m his boss and the only family Jim has. That makes me next of kin.” Roxanne stared up at the doctor. “I have power of attorney, but the paperwork is back at the ranch.”
    “Good enough.” Dr. Rhoads nodded and laid a hand on Roxanne’s shoulder. “He’s pretty banged up, but for a man his age, he’s in good physical condition and should pull through just fine.”
    Roxanne let go of the breath she’d been holding. “Thank God.”
    “He’s got a broken arm, sprained ankle and two broken ribs. Had a helluva time getting his boot off. Ended up cutting it away. Since he took such hard knocks to the head, we’ll keep him overnight to make sure he doesn’t have any swelling on the brain.”
    Roxanne’s chest tightened at the recurring image of Jim tumbling down the steep walls of the canyon. “He fell a long way.”
    Dr. Rhoads laid a hand on Roxanne’s arm. “We’ll keep him in the intensive care unit overnight and check on him every half hour. The good news is that he did recover consciousness while we were patching him up and asked for Miss Roxy. I assume that’s you?”
    Roxanne’s eyes clouded with tears. Jim hadn’t called her Roxy since her father had died. “That’s me. Can I see him?”
    “He’s hooked up to monitors and oxygen, but yes, though only for a few minutes. He won’t be awake for long, I have the nurse administering a sedative in his IV. It should kick in pretty quickly.”
    Pierce flipped out his credentials. “I’m with the FBI. If he’s awake, I’d like to ask Jim some questions about what happened.”
    Dr. Rhoads’s lips tightened. “Don’t take too long. He’s been through a lot.”
    Roxanne shook the doctor’s hand. “Thank you so much for taking care of him.” Then she scooted around him and into the room, Pierce close behind.
    Another nurse was inside, adjusting an IV bag. When she saw them, she smiled and left them alone with the foreman.
    Jim lay in the hospital bed, his rugged, sunbaked skin a sharp contrast to the crisp white sheets.
    Her chest squeezing tight, Roxanne tiptoed to his bedside and took his work-worn uninjured hand in hers, carefully, afraid she’d hurt him.
    Her old friend’s eyes blinked open and stared up at her for a long moment. “Watch that first step,” he said, his voice like gravel, rough and broken. “It’s a doozy.” He chuckled and winced.
    A tear slipped from the corner of Roxanne’s eye. Jim always had a way of making her laugh when times were at their worst. “You never did like following the leader,” she said. “You had to go and make a path of your own, didn’t you?”
    He closed his eyes and whispered, “Faster.”
    She squeezed his hand, reminded of just how quickly it had happened, even in the slow motion of her traumatized view.

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