heart. “She’s in there because of me. Maybe I was right the first time, leaving her.”
Grim looked at him and shook her head. “God, men are so dumb. Not everything is about you and what you did or didn’t do. Do you not remember her ex got her in so much trouble she had a hit out on her? Someone wanted her alive for five-million dollars. People die and get hurt each day.”
Hudson closed his eyes and groaned. “I know, but if I’d figured out what Rock had planned, we wouldn’t be here waiting to see if Siena…”
“Stop thinking negatively. She’s going to make it out of surgery, and you two can spend the rest of your lives together.”
“I don’t know if I can keep putting her in danger.” He paused. “How do you do it?” The question was directed at Gumby, who tapped his fingers on the chair.
“Do you love her?” Gumby asked, and Hudson nodded. “Well, there’s your answer. All rational thought leaves your head when you find the woman you love. You will do anything in your power to protect that person. Grim made a good point. Siena can get into trouble even without you. Look at Sidney. She was tangled up, trying to save a dog. Your emotions are running high. You need to talk to her. Look what happened last time you took the decision out of her hands. Don’t be an idiot a second time.”
“I agree with Gumby,” Kaiden said. “Siena’s part of our family.”
The employee entrance doors flung open, and a doctor walked out in blue scrubs. He scanned the room, and his eyes landed on their large group. “Davenport family?”
“Yes.” Hudson stood and walked over to the doctor. “How is she?”
“Siena’s strong, and she made it through surgery. That doesn’t mean things aren’t going to be touch and go. We had to remove her spleen, and she also had damage to her pancreas. I know you want to see her, but she’s in recovery. A nurse will let you know when you can go back, but only one person at a time will be able to see her.”
The smell of bleach and antiseptic hit Siena as she tried to recount the last few hours. Pain shot through her side as she shifted. The events of the day rushed back. She remembered Tamara showing up with three men who carried guns.
Siena’s eyes popped open. The room was dark, only lit by the blinking lights of the medical machines. A soft hum filled the air. Hudson was sleeping in the chair next to her bed. His hand rested next to her.
Hudson’s eyes opened, and he smiled at her. His smile alone took away some of the pain and stress.
“Siena,” he said, his voice rough with emotion.
“You didn’t have to sleep in the chair,” she said, worried his back would hurt.
His head tilted. “The chair is better than most places I’ve slept over the years. There was no way I would want to be anywhere else.”
“Angel and Yara?”
“A few scrapes and bruises, but they’re both fine. We don’t need to talk about what happened. You need to rest.”
The incident at Angel’s house rushed back, and tears formed in her eyes. “I killed her.” It had been pure instinct when she saw Rock wrap his hands around Angel’s throat and Tamara raised her gun to shoot her. Siena’s only thought was about saving her friend. So she’d pulled the trigger.
He shook his head. “You did what you had to.”
“I don’t feel bad.”
“You might not now, but you will. Trauma is a weird thing and can sneak up on you days later, when you least expect it. At the moment, you have drugs rushing through your body.”
“I believe you. You’re right—it will hit me at once.” She tried not to think of Tamara’s scream when she shot her or the copper smell of the blood.
“I’m sorry you had to go through all of that. It’s my fault.”
Tough men were always trying to protect her. “Why are you saying sorry? A crazed woman and three men weren’t your fault.”
“Because if I’d taken Rock and Buddy down in Yemen, you might not be in a hospital bed right now.”
“Tamara contacted someone. No matter what, you would’ve brought her back to the states. It was just a matter of time before they came for her.” Siena couldn’t believe Hudson was trying to fall on the sword for this incident. “And if you even think about breaking off our relationship, we