Chapter 5

Brady drank in her warm-chocolate eyes. Coffee? After all these years? “Shouldn’t you be going to the hospital with your sister?”

Heather’s eyes darted to the empty road. Dust still floated in the wake of the two vehicles that had driven away. “Oh, yeah, I probably should. But—”

But what? You want to have that talk we never had? You have questions that are still unanswered? What was she about to say? Brady dreaded anything she might say next.

If only he could have died in Iraq. Instead of surviving the bank building’s IED. Had he not been cursed with the creature’s blood, like any normal human being, he would have died instantly when the building collapsed on top of him. But like so many other lethal situations he had faced, the monster awakened, giving him superhuman strength and a thick hide that bullets nor shrapnel couldn’t penetrate.

However, the multi-story bank building proved to be more than even the monster could withstand. It crushed his hip, pelvis, and several vertebrae. When the rescue team dug their way through the rubble and found Brady alive, it was thought to be a miracle. Only he knew it was quite the opposite. Several surgeries, modern technology, and time let him walk again and sent him packing from his commission with the Seals. If it hadn’t been for Brockman, who knows where Brady would have ended up?

A shiver threatened his spine. The thought of living under a highway overpass as another faceless, homeless, wounded veteran filled his mind with real possibilities. But Brockman somehow learned Brady was taking the medical discharge and contacted him. The monster had saved a lot of men’s lives during the war. Just self-defense, but beneficial for Brady’s troop. He had no choice but to accept the fact that he had lived through everything the Iraq War had thrown at him. At least settling in a little bitty community such as Penrose, Colorado, he could help some folks out with yard beautification, employment, and rescue a kid or two on the side. In a small way, it made up for the fatherless kids he orphaned, and the cold-dead eyes of those he couldn’t save.

“Brady? Did you hear me?” Heather’s voice penetrated his flashback.

“What?” He swallowed. “I’m sorry. What?”

“I said, can I buy you a lousy cup of coffee at the hospital while we wait for Mable to get checked out?”

“Oh. I-uh. I need to put my Dick up ... I mean— my horse.”

“Uh-huh.” She tipped her head back. “Well, how kind of you.”

Brady simply shrugged. “Anyway, I need to take him back, and ... feed my dog.” He gathered the reins, running them through his hand. “Then I could meet you.”

What are you doing? Brady’s conscience screamed at him! He knew better than to open that floodgate! What was he thinking?

“Great. Poppy texted me. They are going to Penrose St Francis Hospital in the Springs.” Her eyes dropped to his hands. “You got your cell?”

“Oh. Yeah.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled it out.

Heather took the phone and pushed numbers. “There, that’s my number. Text me when you get to the hospital and I’ll come find you.”

Say no! Make up an excuse! Don’t do this! “Okay, I’ll be thirty minutes or so, but I’ll be there.”

“Great.” She hesitated. “Great.” She turned to walk away. “Stop looking at my ass.”

He smiled. “You got eyes in the back of your head now?”

“Maybe.” She chuckled and continued to her car.

With each sway of her hips, Brady’s heart beat harder. The heat of lust coursed through his veins. He forced himself to stop watching and turned to his horse.

“Shut up. What do you know?” He guided him to the trailer.

Brockman broke into his brooding. “Hey, man. Good job out there.” He looked Brady over. “You okay?”

“Sure.” Brady lied. “Turns out I know them. Long story.”

John nodded. “Looked to me like the sister had the hots for you, my friend.”

Brady choked. “No. We just knew each other— back in California.”

“Whatever you say, buddy.” John slapped Brady’s shoulder. “I think I know burning lust when see it.”

“Not possible. Trust me.”

Brady loaded his horse, closed the tailgate, and climbed into the truck. Brockman waved as Brady made a U-turn and drove away. “This is a big mistake.”

“Hudson!” Brady stepped out of his truck, muttering to himself. “There’s no way I’m going to that hospital.”

The Great Dane lopped through the huge dog door that opened only because of the receiver on Hudson’s collar. He slammed to a halt at his master’s feet, and raised up on his hind legs, placing his front paws on Brady’s shoulders. His long tongue hung to one side of his gaping maw.

“Good boy.” Brady rubbed his ears. “Come on, let’s brush Dick down and let him loose in the meadow.”

Brady and Hudson walked the horse to the barn. “You won’t believe who I ran into today, Hudson.” Brady unfastened Dick’s saddle and put it on the pony wall. A laugh erupted from his throat. “She wants to have a lousy cup of coffee ... at the hospital.”

He lifted the horse blanket and hung it on the side of the stall to dry. “Her niece is probably just fine.” He brushed the horse’s sweaty coat. “I don’t got any business going there. It’s not like we’re going to start anything up again.” Brady brushed out the mane and tail.

“She was just being polite. She’s a widow now.”

He checked the horse’s feet and removed the bridle. “Okay, boy. Go graze.” He slapped Dick on the rump and watched him canter out to the fenced field. “There’s no reason for me to catch up with them like I got a vested interest in the girl’s well-being.”

Brady hung the bridle on a large nail and walked out of the barn. Hudson bounced at his side. “I saved a kid. Like I do when I’m called. Thanks to the curse, she and I survived a rockslide. No telling what she’s gonna tell the docs about that.”

Doggy save me. He remembered her sweet voice. Surely they’ll think she was delirious. Dehydrated. A four-year-old blabber. Her tender, sweet eyes floated into his mind. His heart twisted. What a chance in a thousand, Heather and her sister live around here, in the very area he had settled? Her niece would get lost in Phantom Canyon and Brockman would call him to go look for her. Not a single trooper could find her. Only Brady.