The Gunslinger's Gift (11 page)

Sophia
reached up to James, wincing when he stepped away from her. That step cut her,
deeply. “James? What’s wrong?” She watched the tick in the side of his jaw, one
that signaled he was seriously pissed off, and she had no idea why. She turned
when she heard Billy’s laugh and moved in closer to James. “You? Seriously, why
hasn’t someone shot you, yet?” she muttered. “You are a delusional asshat.”

“I was
telling James all the things we’ve done today while waiting for him to come to
his death. He’s rather upset with you. Thought you were his. But we both know
that you’ve only ever been looking for your Billy, haven’t you, Sophia?”

James
never took his eyes off Billy. The other man was boasting now, his posture
relaxed. He lifted a hand to adjust his hat, and that’s when James drew. The
gunshot was loud. Before it even finished echoing, he grabbed Sophia, wrapping
himself around her. She felt the jolt to his body, his grunt, and then they
were falling. The entire way to the ground, he protected her so that she didn’t
even touch the dirt.

Sophia
grunted and then her brain caught up with what was happening around them. She
put her hand to the earth and shot her energy through it. Trees sprouted where
none had been before, piercing and impaling the monsters that swarmed in angry
blurs. She was crying as she looked down at James. “James,” she whispered and
leaned into him. “Please be okay,” she begged him. “Don’t you dare die on me. I
mean it. I will be very, very unhappy when I track your butt down in the ever
after and give you a piece of my mind.”

“Not
dying,” James groaned. “Damn well feel like I am, but I’ll live.” He turned his
head, his gun tracking with his line of sight. Then, he relaxed, the barrel
going to the ground as he let out another groan.

“You
got him,” Eric said as he came up next to them and knelt down. “He got a shot
off, but he was already terminal by then. You got his medallion. Amazing shot.”
Eric moved Sophia to her feet and began to check over James.

“Only
time I’ve ever beaten him,” James said. He was panting hard as Eric rearranged
him.

“Shit,
you’re bleeding like a stuck pig. Alex!” Eric bellowed. “Get me the med kit. I
need to plug him up until we can get him back to base. And you—” Eric turned a
glare on her. “What the ever-loving fuck were you doing getting out of the damn
truck? What part of ‘stay in the fucking vehicle no matter what’ did you not
understand?”

“Don’t
yell at her,” James growled.

“Shut
it,” Sophia said at the same time. “Seriously.” She shook her head and looked
down at James. “Second man to bleed on me today. I don’t like this day. Can we
please go back to bed and skip this day?” So, she was freaking out in the
weirdest of ways, but she was holding herself together from screaming and
crying like she wanted to.

James
caught her hand and held on. “Are you okay, Soph?” he asked, his eyes filled
with worry. “Ow! That fucking hurts, you motherfucker,” he snapped at Eric.

“Suck
it up,” the big redhead muttered. Alex dropped a med kit down next to him then
came around James’s other side, nudging Sophia up closer to her man’s head.

“Soph,
honey, are you okay? Did he do anything?” he asked again, between winces, as
Eric and Alex tore his shirt and slapped gauze over the wound.

Sophia
shook her head. “He tried to kiss me and then slapped me because he was a big,
fat coward,” she murmured. “Moronic twit.” She sat down so that she could take
his head into her lap, to offer him some sort of comfort, she hoped. “He seemed
to think that he was my soul mate. He’s an idiot. You’re the one that I’ve
painted and waited for all my life. I might have called you ‘Billy,’ but that’s
only because that’s what many others had called you.” She shrugged.

“You’re
mine, and I’ve known it since I met you. You know that, right?” She was worried
that the things that Billy the Kid had said to James might have gotten him to
thinking she wasn’t his. “Oh crap,
are
we? I mean—?” She was going to be ill again. “Was he losing it when he said I
was pregnant?” Both Billy and Eric had said it, and now, she had to hear it
from James. Him, she would believe. No one else.

“Good
gods, even I’m confused by all that babbling,” Alex muttered.

James
shot the other man a dirty look before turning a smile up to her. “Soph, honey,
lean down here for me, will you please?” When she leaned in, he put a hand to
her neck and squeezed the nape gently. “You are mine, always have been, always
will be. William was trying to get to you. It’s what he did. He liked to get
his targets riled up with that cocky attitude of his. Anything he said,
disregard.

“Although,
he was right about one thing. We
are
pregnant. The doc said you’re six weeks along. She also wants to do some tests
and make sure both you and the baby are okay. Which I’m going to insist on,
after today.”

“That
would mean—” Her cheeks heated. “Oh God, that means that we would have gotten
pregnant the first time, for the most part.” She heard some coughing and
laughing and shot an angry look over her shoulder. “Seriously?” she muttered.
She looked back to James and added, “No looking over me until you’re okay. I
mean it. For the love of God, you were shot, and yet you’re worried about
me
seeing the doctor? James, what in
heaven’s name am I going to do with you?” she asked, with a smile on her face.
“Besides loving you for the rest of time, that is.”

“Yeah,
but it’s already healing.”

Eric
and Alex were both nodding when she looked to them. “It’s true,” Alex said.
“Once we start to clot, the healing kicks into high gear. By the time we get
back to The Mountain, he’ll be mostly healed up. The bullet was a through and
through, right into meat and not much else. At least Billy’s aim was off. I’m
pretty sure he was aiming for her head.”

“Heart,”
James murmured. “He was aiming for her heart, knowing it would kill her
instantly.”

“Given
where he was hit, he’s right,” Eric agreed. “Okay, everyone up on your feet.
Let’s get out of here. Since he’s not dying, we’ll drive him. The Marines can
burn the Monsters then take the chopper back.”

“Wait,
what?” She looked with wide eyes to James. “He was going to shoot me? Why? Why
would he shoot me when he had it in his stupid brain that he was going to have
me as some kind of gift? I don’t understand.” She had never once thought about
her safety, only in getting to James. “Oh, God.” She felt dizzy.

“I’m
ready to go home, and I don’t think that I’m going to go back outside ever
again,” she whispered. “Mercury will just have to turn something into a massive
greenhouse for me, so that I can get my fix of nature.” She looked down at
James and touched her fingers to his cheek. “You saved me,” she whispered in
awe. “Thank you.”

“We’ll
get you some plants,” Alexander piped up as he stood. Between him and Eric,
they got James to his feet. Alex held him up as they walked to the truck, Eric
carrying the medical bag with a hand on her back. “I’m sure we could turn one
of the rooms up top into a solarium for you. We just take out the roof of that
cavern, put in some bulletproof, double thick polymer to let in the light, and
there you go.”

“I like
that thought.” Sophia was nodding as she moved. “That way I can have both
nature and safety. And you’re sure that my protection detail is okay?”
Hasher
. She needed to remember his name,
because he had saved her too. “Hasher. He’s okay. Right?” They had told her
that he was, but she was just trying to fill the space with chatter. It was
what she did when she was nervous. She talked about the oddest of things, even
if it was repetitious.

“No
word,” Eric told her. She caught the look he shared with Alex when they were
getting James into the truck. Both men appeared concerned, which meant that
things were not looking good for the Marine. Alex helped her into the back with
James before he went to the driver’s side and climbed in, while Eric settled
into the passenger seat.

Sophia
linked her hand with James’ and leaned her head on his shoulder. “Mercury
should save him,” she stated, without hesitation. “His Guardians have dwindled,
and he needs to refill the ranks, so to speak. And Hasher is a hero. He died
keeping me safe, if that’s the case, and he should be saved.” She hoped that
made sense. She was so upset right then that she found she was talking in
circles.

“Agreed,”
James said. His cheek was resting against her hair as he squeezed her fingers.
“Eric, call Merc and find out his status. Let him know our thoughts on this,”
he told the big man. “Soph is right. Hasher took a bullet for her. Did his best
in a really bad situation.”

Sophia
nodded. “Thank you for understanding,” she whispered to James. “Are you going
to be okay, really?” she asked and moved her thumb over the back of his hand.
“And are you going to be okay with us having a child?”

Oh crap, I’m going to be a mom!
That thought raced through her
mind and made her feel more than a little dizzy. She didn’t know how to be a
mom. She had thought she would have plenty of time, time to be able to spoil
her nieces and nephews and learn from them. She never dreamed that she would be
the one having a baby first.

“Oh,
crap.” She looked up at Jason and said, “When you tell Viv, please make sure
that there are no weapons anywhere close?” Vivian loved her, and Sophia knew
it, but she was still having trouble accepting James as Sophia’s other half,
and Sophia had no idea why.

James
pulled his hand from hers, but only to loop his arm around her shoulders. He
did so with a wince, but let out a breath as he hugged her close. “I’ll be
fine. The medallion is already doing its thing. I’m no longer leaking all the
stuff I need on the inside. As to our child, I’m actually kind of excited.
Terrified beyond all belief, but also excited.” He pressed a kiss to her
forehead and gave her a squeeze. “As for Vivian. Sorry, sweetheart, but I
intend on being inside the bunker, armed to the teeth, when
you
tell her about us having a baby.”

“Wait,
what? I was hoping that I would get to hide out with you while Jason told her,”
Sophia said, with wide eyes. “I would much rather hide away with you, please?”
She was teasing him. She loved being able to tease him, and it felt good to be
able to do so, even in the shadow of what they had just gone through. “I’m
happy,” she whispered very softly then, for James alone, with her hand over her
belly, wonder in her tone.

“I like
that plan even better,” he agreed. Nuzzling at her cheek, he slid his free hand
over hers, lacing their fingers together, and let out a breath. “Can’t believe
I managed to get you pregnant practically on the first go,” he murmured. “How
are you feeling? I know you weren’t doing so good earlier. I could tell from
how pale you were. Better now?” he asked, rubbing his nose along her jaw.

“Yes,
much better now, thank you. I was feeling more than a little sick. At least now
I know that it’s not the flu.” They were pregnant.
Holy balls, I’m going to be a mom.
“Are you going to be okay with
us having a baby so soon in our relationship?”

“Considering
our chat a few weeks back, I think I should be asking you that question, Soph.
I know you were hoping to have time just for us, to do our thing and be a
couple for a period of time. I’m more than fine with having a child, because
you will be its marvelous, spectacular, gorgeous mother.”

Sophia
blushed at his proclamation and licked her lips. “I’m good with it. Nervous as
crazy, but I know having you there beside me, it’s going to be good. Very good.
Now that I know.” She couldn’t help but put her hand back on her flat stomach.
“It’s surreal. And yes, I’m happier than I can possibly tell you,” she
whispered.

“Good.”
He smiled. Leaning in, he pressed a kiss to her lips and laughed softly. “I
love you, Sophia Anne Duffy. You’re amazing to me, honey. Gods, what you did
out there…holy hell,” he whispered. “I know you did it to protect us all, but
sweetheart, I think you might have just outed yourself.”

Sophia
shrugged. “I couldn’t let anyone else be hurt,” she spoke honestly and moved
closer so she could hide her face against his neck. “I might have outed myself,
but it was for a good reason. Now at least they’ll understand why I need to be
out in nature.” She hoped so, at least.

“No
matter what, Soph, I’ll ensure you get a green space. If I have to do it all
myself, I’ll make sure you have a garden.” He kissed her cheek and held her
tight for a moment before he relaxed. “Thank you for what you did.”

“Thank
you
for that.” She smiled. “And I did
what I did because I couldn’t let you be hurt. It would have destroyed me, and
I won’t allow that to happen. Period. I love you, James Hickok, and I’m going
to make you keep me, forever.” She pulled back and looked at him, grinning as
she added, “I think it’s funny. I was in a support group for those that were virgins
or born-again virgins, so to speak, and here I am—pregnant and not married. Two
things I swore wouldn’t happen.” The connection they had was far, far more than
a marriage though, and she knew it.

He
flinched at her words and shot her an apologetic look. “Should I say I’m
sorry?” he asked, quietly. “I love you, Soph, and I’ll gladly do whatever you
want to ensure you’re always happy with me. You know that, so tell me what it
is you need, love.”