The Circle Eight: Tobias Read Online Free PDF Page B

himself. He could barely stand up but he was going to hold onto Will’s leg, no matter what. He dug deep and gritted his teeth while sweat rolled like a river down his face, neck and back.  
    Her hands had to be incredibly strong, pushing and pulling to piece Will’s leg bag together. The contrast of his hairy limb against her delicate skin was yet another oddity in an already crazy situation. “I’ve almost got it. Another minute.” Rebecca’s face was red with exertion as she used her body weight to keep his injured leg in place.  
    “He won’t last another fucking minute,” Tobias growled.  
    Rebecca didn’t reply. She pulled and moved a few more times until the bones were in perfect alignment.  
    Somehow during the last two minutes, Donovan had returned wood and rope. Rebecca held out her hand.  
    “Give me one of the pieces.”  
    Donovan handed her one. She held it against Will’s leg. The animal cries continued to pour from his younger brother’s mouth. Each one scratched Tobias’s ears and heart. He wanted to turn back the clock and erase Will’s injury. To take the pain on himself rather than the most innocent of men.  
    “Finish it.” The words were torn from his throat.  
    “Give me another piece.” She took another from Donovan and placed it on the other side of Will’s leg. “I need two pieces of rope. Now!”  
    The rancher cut two pieces and thrust them into her waiting hand. With an agility Tobias didn’t expect, she tied the ropes to secure the splint in seconds.  
    Will began to calm as soon as she let his leg lie still. Tobias and James slowly removed their shaking hands from his no longer thrashing body. The only sound was heavy breathing from all of them. Rebecca stepped off the bed and let out a shaky sigh. The smell of sweat, fear and blood permeated the air.  
    “I’ll need to wrap it properly but the bones should heal straight now.” She wiped her brow with one sleeve and Tobias noted her hands shook too. No matter how confident she appeared, Rebecca had been affected by what she just did.  
    Tobias got to his feet and swayed as the reality of what he’d just witnessed, combined with his weakened state from no real food for days, all hit him at once. He managed to race out of the room before he vomited up the bile that had laid claim to his stomach.  
     
     
    Rebecca worked methodically from wound to wound. After securing the splint, she checked Will’s head. James stayed in the room while she worked but Tobias and Donovan had fled after the rancher had delivered a basin of water. Men were strong until it came to real pain and then they reverted to the boys they had once been.  
    James surprised her by remaining, silent and stoic, but he stood by the door, his arms crossed. His gaze burned into her, intense and unyielding. It wasn’t the first time she’d been observed while working, but it was one of the most uncomfortable.  
    She told herself to ignore James and focus on the younger Gibson. Will had been quiet until she began to unwrap the bandages around his head. Then he whimpered.  
    “Shhh, it’s all right,” she crooned as she continued to unroll the bandage. He whimpered again and she stopped to cup his cheek. “I’m here to help you, Will. I will do my best not to hurt you but I need to see.”  
    He relaxed enough for her to finish revealing the head wound. She sucked in a breath at the damage. Blood matted his hair but she could see the white bone of his skull. The bone wasn’t in pieces, but it was assuredly dented right above his ear. Rebecca spent the next fifteen minutes cleaning the blood and dirt from the wound. There also appeared to be pieces of gravel and what might have been bark in his hair.  
    “Do you know how he was injured?” She turned to find Tobias where James had been.  
    He was pale and looked worse than he had when she had first seen him five hours earlier, if that was possible. “James said it was a tree.”