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"You lost a lot of blood" Judd’s voice "Full recovery will take ti Judd "Hold on," she whispered in his ear, knowing he wouldn’t want to display weakness in front of the others "Can you walk?"

A small nod, but she didn’t really believe hi color This orse than at the cabin She got to her feet "Let’s get them both inside"

Her comment snapped everyone to attention Within seconds, Dreas loaded onto a stretcher soht to fetch, and Riley and Tai were carrying him off to the den Lara hovered anxiously at his side Dis the other men, Haent down on his haunches, threw Judd’s arht

"To ue and not much later, Judd was in the bedroom He supported himself, one hand on the wall "No assistance"

Hawke looked to Brenna "Is he serious? I’ll have Lara in here as soon as she checks Drew out"

"No," Judd said again

She wanted him in bed "He’s still conscious and able to make a decision," she said to Hawke "Let hiet the medics herself

Hawke scowled "If you need anything, holler" He glanced at Judd "What you did today - I’ve never seen anything like that I didn’t think it was possible Get some rest and then we’ll talk" He left

Brenna was the only one who heard Judd’s reply "According to my trainers, it isn’t" He swayed on his feet

She rushed to hold him up "In bed Now"

"I need to shower"

About to say absolutely not, she realized he was covered in sweat and blood It would hardlyhi at his clothes He stopped her with a hand on her wrist "No"

She was ready to push him off when she saw the look on his face Pure hed "But if I don’t hear fro out, she kept every one of her senses on high alert as she turned down the bed and whipped up a high-energy drink from a mix Drew often used The shower turned off after exactly four ot back into the bedroo down the drink, she brushed damp hair off his forehead, the tenderness in her heart overwhel "God, I love you" She kissed his te in hiot up and began to pick up the clothes he’d left crumpled on the floor in what struck her as a very uncharacteristic bit of messiness

Ironically, Dreas up and around before Judd He ca twelve hours later, just after she’d finished breakfast - a bit of a misnomer, as she hadn’t actually slept, too worried about Judd He was in such a deep sleep, she kept checking to see if he was breathing "How are you feeling?"

"Fantastic for a guy who apparently had half his chest blown off"

She was careful when she hugged him, aware the repaired wound had to hurt "Drew, you stood in front of that bullet for me" It had happened so fast she still couldn’t sort out the sequence in her head

He laughed "I , she broke the hug "I love you"

"That’s what baby sisters are for" He opened his fist to reveal the bullet she’d picked off his chest "Do you know the naht of that twisted piece of al as hell" His expression was pure fury "It’s meant to spread into five sharp points on i it touches" He put it into a pocket "Whichmiracle I’m told it’s thanks to your boyfriend"

"So he’s my boyfriend now?" A very important concession

He scowled "Don’t rub it in Lara says I’ some flesh from lower down in my chest and that’s just e can see - it’s like he aps"

"He did" She’d seen it happen in front of her eyes "Will you be lopsided?" She was trying very hard not to cry A world without Drew to fight as unied her anyway "Nah It’ll fill back out" A pause "Probably" His arainst his chest "And no, I’lad you’re okay"

He crushed her to hi anywhere Need to stick around to ht"

"He will" She sh that she could look up at hie him by his Ice Man persona He’s different"

"No, he’s not, sweetheart," Andrew said "I think Judd’s the same as any wolf in the den - he si, being called an anihest of compliments

Chapter 33