Back From Hell (Marine For You Book 2) (Contemporary Military Veteran Romance) by Marissa Dobson Page B

reason they were there. “How is she?”
    “It’s serious, but she has one of the best heart surgeons in Tennessee.”
    “Sir.” A nurse stepped out of the room directly behind Colin. “You can go in now.”
    “Come on, they’re taking her for surgery soon.” Colin turned on his heels.
    When she tried to follow, the nurse stopped her. “Excuse me, only family is permitted in there at this time.”
    “I’m her daughter.” When the nurse looked to Kyle, she added, “My fiancé and if he’s not allowed in there, then Colin shouldn’t be either considering he’s not family by any means.” She knew she sounded snippy and as her mother would say, she’d have caught more bees with honey than vinegar, but she wasn’t in the mood to deal with this. She wanted Kyle with her and she’d go to whatever lengths necessary, even pissing off her mother and Colin.
    “Very well, but don’t upset her.”
    As the nurse moved away, he leaned in close. “Fiancé? Wow, how things have progressed.”
    “Keep quiet or I’ll have security boot you to the curb,” she teased.
    As much as she thought she was, she hadn’t been prepared to step into her mother’s room. To find the strong woman she knew in the hospital bed, her pale face drawn and all the wires, proved almost too much. She’s going to be okay, she tried to reminder herself, but panic rose within her. Kyle wrapped his arm around her waist, his fingers pressed tight against her hip as if to cement her in the moment instead of being carried off with fear.
    “Daughter, it’s nice that my heart attack brought you home after months of being away.”
    Staci ground her teeth and refused to be bated. “Mother, you know with college, work, and everything else, things have been busy. I promised to visit once I finished.”
    “I see you brought a man home with you. Unscrupulous timing though. You can send him away now.”
    “Mother.” She was embarrassed by her behavior. After everything Kyle had done for her, to have her mother treat him like that was beyond rude. “Kyle was nice enough to come here and support me. I won’t have you being disrespectful. Now, Mom, why don’t you tell me what the doctor said?”
    “Oh, no. We’re not going to gloss over your friend.” Her mother pressed the button on the bed to raise it. “Come a little closer so I can get a better look. What did you say his name was?”
    “Kyle.” She tried to keep her patience but right now discussing Kyle was the least important thing. Her mother was about to have surgery and she wasn’t even sure of the full extent of things.
    “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Pence.” Kyle forced them to step closer to the bed.
    “My daughter always wants to fix everyone.” She shook her head. “But no matter how much you fix him you can’t help him regain his arm. You don’t even have the common sense you were born with. Stupid child.”
    “Mother!” Tears welled in her eyes. Kyle went still beside her.
    “I might agree that Staci’s timing to bring a man home is unfortunate but that was out of line.” Colin stepped close to the bed.
    “I’m only pointing out the obvious. She must have picked him up at that dreadful hospital.”
    “Ma’am, my injuries cost me more than I care to discuss, but they also brought an amazing woman into my life.” He glanced down at Staci. “I care for your daughter, and while you may say what you’d like about me, there’s no reason to disrespect her. She has traveled many hours to be here with you.”
    “You bring a man home with you in an emergency and you didn’t even tell me you were seeing anyone. Or did you just pick up the first man you found in order to get me off your back?”
    “Mom, this is not the time.”
    “I think it is.” Her mother took a deep breath. “I’m about to go in for major open heart surgery, I think I’m entitled to know if my daughter is screwing…”
    “That’s enough.” She decided to go with the same line she’d