53. Arden
53
ARDEN
I winced as Dr. Avery released his hold on my hand and pinned me with a stare. “Are you sure you don’t want those painkillers?”
I shook my head and leaned against the massive sectional in Cope’s living room, Brutus at my feet. “The Tylenol’s good enough.”
Linc’s frustration and anger hit me in waves from where he sat next to me on the couch. “Take the pills. There’s no reason for you to be in pain. It’s something you reminded me of not that long ago.”
I twisted in my seat, resting a knee still covered in silk on his thigh. The poor pink dress had blood splatters on it now. I had a feeling those didn’t come out of silk. “I’m okay,” I promised him. “Need to brush up on disarming an opponent, but Kye’ll deal with that.”
I’d managed to grab Hannah’s wrist and twist her arm behind her back, breaking her grip on the blade. But not before it clipped my palm. It wasn’t horribly deep, but it had been a bleeder, which hadn’t made Linc or Trace all that happy.
“Damn straight. We’ll hit the gym as soon as the stitches are out,” Kye said from the opposite side of the sectional. He was trying to keep it light, but I saw the shadows in his amber eyes. Fallon saw them, too, and was sticking close, making sure he didn’t do anything stupid to try to bury those demons.
My whole family was worried—my friends, too—which was why we were currently piled into Cope’s living space. I was doing my best to assure them that I was okay, but none of them seemed to believe me. All I’d ended up with was a slice across the palm while Hannah had landed in cuffs.
Isaiah scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’m so?—”
“If you say you’re sorry one more time, I’m going to attack you with an X-ACTO knife,” I clipped.
No one laughed.
“Come on,” I pressed. “It’s a little funny.”
Linc leaned in, pressing a kiss to my head. “Gonna take a long time to see any humor in this, Vicious.”
Farah shot me a grin. “I thought it was a little funny. But I also know that if I laughed, Isaiah would’ve smacked me, so…”
My lips twitched. “I can always count on you.”
“To be inappropriate,” Isaiah amended. His gaze gentled on me. “Let me say it one more time, and then I’ll be done.”
I let out a long breath. “Okay.”
“I’m so damn sorry. I had no idea she was fixated on me like that. I thought we were friends. I just—I feel responsible somehow.”
My stomach twisted as I thought of everything Isaiah was trying to parse through right now. And how violated he must feel. Because some of the pictures on that wall were of very private moments.
I leaned forward, making sure Isaiah saw my eyes. “None of this is on you. Hannah’s mind is…broken, and it latched on to you as a life preserver.”
A muscle along his jaw ticked, but he nodded.
“Good,” I said, sinking back against the sofa and Linc.
Dr. Avery smiled at me as he rose from his spot on the coffee table. “Good to see your spirits haven’t been dulled.”
“Never,” I said, returning his grin. “Thank you for coming all the way out here so I didn’t have to go to the ER. ”
He patted my knee as he rose. “Happy to help. But let’s stay out of harm’s way for a while, okay?”
“I think that’s an excellent plan,” Nora said, walking into the space, Lolli behind her. “Here. Some tea.” She rounded the couch and set the saucer on the table.
“I tried to slip the good stuff in, but my girl’s too fast,” Lolli groused.
Nora shook her head. “And I always will be.”
“Remember to keep that hand dry for twenty-four hours,” Dr. Avery called as he headed for the door. “Cover it in plastic wrap if you take a shower.”
“I think I’ll opt for a bath,” I assured him. My muscles needed it anyway.
“I’ll walk you out,” Cope said, rising.
“You need to go, too,” I pressed. “You should’ve left hours ago.”
Cope, Sutton, and Luca were supposed to take Linc’s plane back to Seattle right after the fundraiser so he could attend some important team meetings tomorrow.
Cope stared me down as if I’d grown a second head. “You were attacked. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Barely,” I argued.
“Did someone try to stab you or not?” Cope asked, exasperation coating his words.
“Please, don’t remind me,” Nora said, wringing her hands.
I sent my brother a pointed look. “They may have tried, but they failed. All I got was a cut that barely needed liquid stitches. I’m fine. Better than fine because the person who did all of this is in county lockup. I’m safe. I can breathe. And so should my family.” I took a deep breath. “I love you all so much.” The words burned as they made their way out of my throat, but they left beautiful scars in their wake. “I’m so lucky to have you. But I never want you to stop living your lives because you’re worried about me.”
Cope’s shoulders straightened. “You said you love us.”
“Because I do.”
“I know,” he croaked. “We all know. But you almost never say it. ”
My gaze flicked to Linc, staying there. “Someone taught me that it’s important to say the words.”
“Hell,” Cope muttered. “I wanted to at least give Linc a black eye for hooking up with my sister, but he’s good for you.”
Linc chuckled, turning to Cope. “Sorry?”
“You should be. You stole my brotherly right.”
Sutton crossed to Cope and wrapped her arms around him. “I think you’ll live. But Arden’s right. We should get back to Seattle. You’re working too hard to get back on the ice to throw it away now.”
Cope’s eyes met mine. “You’re sure?”
“I’m sure.”
Just as they were about to get Luca from his movie fest with Keely, new voices sounded. Trace and Anson strode down the hall, coming up short at the full house that had gathered. They both looked…tired.
Trace no longer wore the expression he used to hide his fury. Instead, everything in his demeanor read resignation, maybe even a little sadness.
Linc’s arm went around my shoulders, pulling me to him. “What’s the update?”
Trace sighed. “Hannah was transported to county holding a few hours ago. We’ve been executing searches on her apartment and studio space. We found the mask she used in the break-in and her little brother’s football pads to make herself look bigger in the video footage. It took us a little while to find her vehicle, but when we did, we found a rifle in the trunk. Matches the caliber of bullet found at the campsite.”
My gaze moved to Anson. “Did you talk to her?”
If anyone could put together the broken pieces of Hannah’s mind and understand her motivation, it was him. And I needed to understand.
Anson gave me a slight nod, and all the eyes in the room moved to him. “I haven’t spoken with her long enough to diagnose her—even if I did still have my credentials. But Hannah’s life hasn’t been an easy one. She hasn’t been shown a lot of kindness.” He glanced at Isaiah. “You were kind to her after an especially nasty dustup with her parents. She latched on.”
A war of emotions flashed across Isaiah’s face. “I wasn’t the only one who was kind to her. So were Farah and Arden, even Denver.”
“It’s not always logical,” Anson explained gently as his focus shifted to me. “Just like it’s not logical that she blamed you for not getting what she wanted. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a root.”
“And what’s the root here?” Shep asked, leaning forward as Thea rubbed his back.
“Isaiah represented kindness and respite when Hannah didn’t have much of that in her life.” Anson cast a quick look at me. “Arden had so much of what she wanted but didn’t have. More acclaim and notice for her art. A family that loved and supported her. Isaiah’s attention.”
I curled closer to Linc, wishing I could disappear into him. His lips ghosted over my hair. “It’s not your fault.”
“He’s right,” Anson agreed. “It isn’t on either of you. It’s not even on Hannah’s shoulders. That’s what makes it so damn heartbreaking.”
Farah’s eyes flashed. “You guys are being a little too kumbaya about this. She’s been stalking Isaiah. She attacked Arden. And who knows what else?”
I suddenly felt so exhausted I could barely keep my head up. “She’s sick, Farah. And that’s nothing but sad.”
Farah made a disgruntled noise in the back of her throat. “Leave me to my angry-girl ways.”
One corner of my mouth kicked up. “We all have our methods of processing.”
Trace shifted, his arms crossed over his chest. “The prosecutor will want to know how hard you want to press.”
If only I had been hurt, I’d be begging for the least possible punishment. But it wasn’t just me. She could’ve killed Linc. I looked up at him, those swirling hazel eyes gazing down at me with so much love.
“She can’t hurt anyone else,” I whispered before forcing my gaze away from the man who held my heart in his hands. “She needs help, but she also needs to be somewhere she can’t do any more damage. ”
Trace nodded. “I’ll talk to the prosecutor about requesting a secure mental health facility as opposed to prison.” He glanced at Linc. “You good with that? You’re the one she shot.”
Linc held me tighter. “I’m good with whatever Arden wants.”
“And what she is too nice to tell us all right now is that she wants some alone time with that hunk of hers,” Lolli said.
Kye made a psh noise. “Arden isn’t too nice about anything.”
Fallon smacked his arm. “She is too nice. You should know that by the fact that she let you slide with that sloppy takedown the other day.”
Kye whipped around in Fal’s direction. “My takedowns are never sloppy.”
Fallon arched an amused brow at him. “You sure about that?”
He frowned. “I want a replay.”
“Sure, you do, fight boy,” Fallon said, pushing to her feet and dragging him with her.
Everyone slowly began making their way to the door. Cope squeezed my shoulder. “You sure you’re okay with us leaving tonight?”
“I’m sure. I’m going to take a bath and go to bed. I need to sleep for a week.”
“Vampire,” Cope muttered, dropping a kiss to the top of my head.
“Love you, pucker,” I called.
“Love you, too.”
Nora gave my arm a pat. “Call if you need anything. I’ll drop some food at your place tomorrow afternoon. Any requests?”
I looked up at her, a smile playing on my lips. “Mexican casserole?”
She chuckled. “You’ve got it.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Her eyes misted. “Get some rest.”
Neither Linc nor I moved as everyone left. We listened as car doors slammed and engines started. But neither of us said a word until silence reigned for a few solid minutes .
Linc brushed hair away from my face. “My heart stopped when she dove for you.”
I curled into him more. “I’m sorry. I’m right here. Not going anywhere.”
He pressed a hand over my heart. “Just going to need to remind myself of that for a while. I hope you don’t mind a clingy boyfriend.”
My mouth quirked. “Boyfriend, huh?”
Linc chuckled, the sound skating over me. “Ridiculous term. But it’ll have to do until you let me have husband .”
Everything in me seized. “Linc.”
“Not yet.” He dipped his head, brushing his lips across mine. “But soon.”
My stomach flipped, and I waited for the fear to creep in, the kind that made its home because I knew just how much someone meant to me, and how much it would cost if I lost them. But it didn’t come. We’d made it through too many battles for it to win now.
“I love you,” I whispered across his lips.
“I know.”
I laughed, pushing off his chest. “I want to take a really long, hot bath,” I muttered.
“Want to do it in my room here? Tub’s bigger.”
He was right about that. Cope had gone so ridiculously over-the-top in every bathroom in this place. But tonight, over-the-top relaxation was exactly what I needed. “That sounds good. Can I borrow sweats to change into?”
“You know I love you in my clothes.”
“Possessive.”
Linc grinned against my mouth. “With you? Always.”
A cell phone ring filled the air, and Linc cursed, pulling it out. “It’s Ellie.”
“Answer it,” I urged. “Can you take Brutus out with you so he can do his business?”
Linc nodded, getting to his feet as the phone continued to ring. “Come on, B-man. She’s kicking us to the curb.”
I just shook my head as Linc led Brutus into the backyard. As I started up the stairs, I could feel the strain in my muscles. A bath would be good. But as soon as my hand healed, I was getting my ass back in the gym. If the dustup with Hannah had shown me anything, it was where I was weak. And I’d attack those weaknesses with a single-minded focus.
Making my way down the hall, I stopped at the room Linc had been half-staying in. Cope had decorated each spare room with one of our siblings in mind. This one had been for Shep. The artwork on the walls was a series of stylized architectural drawings, and the furniture had a rustic air to it that matched Shep’s tastes.
I moved to the dresser, searching for a tee and some sweats. My fingers ghosted over the soft cotton of a worn Seattle Sparks T-shirt, so I pulled it out and tossed it onto the bed. Then I found sweatpants I knew I would drown in but figured the drawstring might save me.
Crossing to the bathroom, I flicked on the light. It felt brighter than necessary, and I couldn’t help but study my hand. The liquid bandage stuff Dr. Avery had used had done the trick. The angry slice across my palm was nothing more than a red line now.
But it would scar. And that scar would remind me of tonight. Of all Linc and I had been through. I found I wasn’t sorry about that. Because it would also be a reminder of all we’d overcome and how strong we were when we stood together.
I lightly traced the line, feeling gratitude instead of pain and letting that sink in.
Finally, I dropped my hand and moved toward the massive tub. But as I reached for the faucet, I was plunged into darkness.
Panic flashed hot and bright, digging into my muscles. Breathe. I gave myself the command over and over as I cursed myself for not having my phone or keys—the ones with the new flashlight Linc had given me.
Dark spots danced in front of my vision as I gripped the side of the tub. No. I wouldn’t let this fear win either. It was just a stupid power outage, probably caused by record-setting temperatures earlier in the day .
I forced myself to straighten, focusing on keeping my breathing even. Linc was downstairs, right outside. I’d find him, and we’d be fine.
I slipped into the bedroom, and that’s when I heard it. Footsteps. Not hurried ones the way Linc’s would be if he knew the power was out, but slow and measured. Deliberate. And then I heard a voice.
“Let’s play a game, Sheridan. You hide, and I’ll seek. I’ll even give you to the count of ten. Run while you can.”