Three Years in My Fiance's Brother's Bed Novel

Chapter 17 " What did you just say ? " Cole's voice pitched higher , and the room tilted as a black haze swept his vision . He grabbed the doorframe to steady himself . Carter lurched to his feet and knocked over the vanity stool , his heartbeat slamming so hard that it seemed to miss a beat . On the phone , Matthew rushed to clarify . " We traced Ms. Reed to the Aygate region . A report just came in that a newly arrived Doctors Without Borders team was attacked in the conflict zone . " Two of the victims are reportedly women from our country .

The identities haven't been confirmed yet , but the description is a close match . " " Impossible ! " Cole's nails bit into the wood . He forced out the words through his teeth . " She's not dead ! I'm going to find her right now ! " Carter swayed , then bolted past Cole , taking the stairs two steps at a time . Cole pocketed his phone and followed , sliding into the passenger seat as Carter gunned the engine . Carter drove like the city had emptied for them alone . His hands were veined and white - knuckled on the wheel , his mouth trembling . Cole booked the fastest flight to Southville .

After a mad scramble for passports and gear , they sprinted for the airport . On the long - haul flight , neither of them shut an eye . Red veins webbed their stare , and the fear grinding in their chests never let up The only thing keeping them going was the hope of finding Maya alive . They told themselves that she would survive because she was tough and brave However , it was a war zone . In a place torn apart by armed clashes , could anyone say for certain that she was still alive ? " Damn it ! " Cole drove his fist into the armrest . It was all his fault .

If he hadn't believed Valerie and had faced his own feelings , Maya wouldn't have left in despair and thrown herself into danger . He hated himself more than words could describe . Carter clasped his hands together , his lips trembling as he stared out at the bright drift of clouds . Whether she was alive or not , he would bring her back On the verge of breaking down , they endured more than ten hours on the flight . As soon as they landed , they rushed straight for the border .

They reached out to local aid groups , immediately funded a truckdoad of supplies , and asked for only one thing - to join the convoy entering the conflict zone to search for Maya . Meanwhile , in a field hospital , Maya was performing surgery . A little boy lay on the table . His leg had been blown apart , and he was being prepped for an emergency amputation . " Dr. Reed , we're low on anesthetic . We only have a small sedative dose left , " a nurse said . The boy's cries pitched higher . On a nearby cot , his sister tried to soothe him .

Her forearm was torn open and ended in bandages where her lower arm should have been . She was the next patient in line . " Give him what we have , " Maya said quickly , already disinfecting her tools . She bent down to explain the procedure to both children , then nodded to the scrub tech and asked the girl to help hold her brother steady . The saw bit and drew back . The boy screamed and bucked on the table , fighting , even as three pairs of hands pinused him down . Blood sprayed across Maya's temple and speckled her mask . She never wavered , and even her breathing remained steady .

Patient after patient came through the flap , and she kept going until long after dark . When the final stretcher was taken away , she finally let herself relax . Her hands trembled as she flexed and rolled her fingers , trying to work out the pain of overuse She shoveled down a few bites of food and stepped outside . She sat on the packed dirt beyond the ward lights , tilting her head back . The moon hung coldly over the camp . For a moment , she simply looked at it and let her mind fall silent .