Chapter 38
Jordan paced the waiting room, ignoring Alex’s offer of coffee. The other guy had driven like a maniac to the nearest ER, and Daisy had immediately gone into surgery. He’d been waiting with him ever since. More than an hour now.
Lucy Aston and Detective Tobias Granger pushed inside the door.
“Is she okay?” Lucy looked frantic.
“Still in surgery.” Jordan was numb with dread, but he looked at his old friend from school and swallowed the knot in his throat. “I owe you an apology. You didn’t betray my family.”
Granger held out his hand, and Jordan shook it. “I didn’t, but I’m as guilty as you are when it comes to their deaths, and I’ll never forgive myself.”
“Maybe it’s time.” Emotions rushed up through the numbness. “Maybe it’s time we both forgave ourselves for doing our best to get a monster like Bocharov off the street—and failing.”
“You got him today.” Tears glistened in the other man’s eyes. “You got him today.”
“Daisy killed him, but let’s keep that need to know.”
Granger nodded. “No one will hear it from me. I’m gonna get some coffee. Lucy?”
The former spook nodded, and they went to hit the cafeteria for supplies.
After they left, Jordan pulled on his hair until it felt as if he might wrench it out of his head. “What is taking so long?”
The door opened again, and there stood Kurt Montana, looking as if he’d walked all the way from England.
“Where is she?”
Jordan shriveled inside. He’d promised to keep this man’s daughter safe and ended up almost getting her killed, twice. “In surgery. Bullet hit her arm. She lost a lot of blood, and they suspect she has a concussion, but they didn’t want to wait to operate in case the bullet had fragmented.”
Kurt knew the dangers of a bullet wound. Jordan didn’t know why he was explaining.
Row pushed through the door behind him and came over to grab his hand. He noticed the big sparkling diamond on her left ring finger. “Is she okay?”
“As far as I know. The doctor might tell Kurt more.” He sank to the nearest seat, staring at nothing. Feeling hollowed out and numb.
Row sat beside him and squeezed his hand. “Can you tell us what happened?”
He shook his head.
Thankfully, Alex started talking them through the day’s events.
Jordan zoned out. All he could think of was how pale she’d been when he’d last seen her. What if part of the bullet had entered her bloodstream and caused a clot? How could he have delayed so long before rushing her here?
She’d seemed fine.
He swallowed and then felt a hand grip his thigh. He looked down. Then Kurt took his hand and squeezed tight.
“You take good care of her, son. Promise me.”
Jordan could barely speak. “If she’ll let me.”
Kurt snorted. “Got that right. She came out that way. Obstinate and scrappy.”
“I wonder where she gets it from,” Row said dryly.
“Wait until you meet her mother. Fuck.” Kurt ran his hands through his hair. “You’re gonna have your work cut out with your mother-in-law.”
“Not with me though.” Row squeezed his forearm.
“I forgot to say. Congratulations.”
Kurt nodded.
Row smiled determinedly. “We’ll celebrate when Daisy’s better.”
Yeah.
But a sinking feeling hit Jordan. Was this his fault? He’d always believed he was cursed. What if that was true? What if he was the reason Daisy…
He couldn’t think it.
But he was so used to the people he loved dying.
Emotions pummeled him. He couldn’t do this. He had to get out of here.
His stomach clenched, and he stood.
A doctor came into the room wearing scrubs and carrying a clipboard. “Daisy Montana’s family?”
“Yes.”
Kurt stood. Cleared his throat. Took Row’s hand as he said, “I’m her father.”
“Your daughter lost a lot of blood and suffered a mild concussion, but she’s going to be fine.”
Jordan collapsed down into the chair and held his face in his hands as the tears came. She was going to be fine, and he felt as if he’d run ten marathons in a row.
He swiped them from his face and went to stand next to Kurt. “Can we see her?”
“You are?” the surgeon asked.
Jordan straightened. “I’m her partner.”
The surgeon glanced from Kurt to Jordan and nodded. “She’s being taken from recovery down to the surgical ward. In about half an hour, you can visit with her for a short period. Two people at a time.”
Jordan wiped his eyes again and then swung around to face the door as the guys piled in. All of Gold Team, minus Hugo the Belgian Malinois, crowded inside.
“She’s okay,” Kurt said holding up his hands for quiet. “And I’m not going to kill him.”
The whoops started, and the surgeon grinned and turned away. Suddenly, Jordan was lifted off his feet and passed from operator to operator. They finally put him down when the charge nurse came in and scolded them all for being noisy.
“You got a ring, pal?” Ryan Sullivan asked wryly.
Jordan’s heart hammered. “Not yet. Shit. We’ve never even been on a date yet. Too busy saving the world.”
The side of Ryan’s mouth pulled back in a slow grin. “Reminds me of when my brother got hitched.” Ryan’s eyes held Jordan’s with a look of all seriousness. “About that other thing.”
Jordan looked over at Donnelly, who was laughing at something Grady said. “What other thing?”
Ryan clapped him on the back. “Exactly. Oh, looky here. Looks like the doc is calling you over. I’m gonna go chat up the pretty nurse at the front desk. Some of us have a reputation to uphold.”
Jordan was already pushing through the crowd.