Chapter 17
One second Kinley was unconscious, and the next she was wide awake. But she didn’t let on. If Simon was still there, she needed to play dead. She knew that as clearly as she knew her name was Kinley Taylor.
But the second she heard Gage’s deep, familiar voice, she moaned.
Had Simon kidnapped him too? Was his life in danger?
“Kins?” Gage asked, and she heard his shocked intake of breath.
She tried to talk. Nothing came out but a croak.
“Easy, sweetheart. You’re all right. You’re safe. Do you understand?”
It was as if he knew exactly what she needed to hear. She nodded, and even that slight movement hurt.
“You’ve got several broken ribs, a broken ankle, one of your lungs was punctured, and you have a severe concussion. The doctors put you in a medically induced coma for a while to try to let your body heal. But you’re okay. You’re alive, and I’m here.”
His words sounded as if they were floating around her head, and she desperately wanted to open her eyes and tell him that she loved him, how thoughts of him had helped her stay alive, but she was so incredibly tired.
“Just relax, Kins. I’m here.”
She squeezed his hand and fell once more into the blissful land of sleep, where she didn’t hurt.
Lefty had never felt so relieved in all his life.
It had been three long days. When he’d first seen Kinley, after finally being allowed into her room in the hospital up in Fort Worth, it had taken all he had not to throw up again.
She still looked horrible.
Her face was swollen and bruised. Her lips were cracked and split from an obvious beating.
The bruises on her throat were horrifying and told their own story.
She’d been choked. More than once, if the overlapping finger-shaped bruises were any indication.
Her palms and knees had deep cuts on them from where she’d crawled to safety.
One night, when the nurse had come in to bathe her, he’d seen the horrific bruises on her torso, which the police assumed had come from the baseball bat they’d found in the backseat of the hitman’s car.
The thought of his Kinley being beaten to within an inch of her life was almost unbearable.
And yet, somehow, she was still here. Alive.
There had to be a reason. The hitman had tried to kill her twice, and failed both times.
That just didn’t happen.
Sitting by her side, Lefty knew he didn’t want to go through his life without her. She was it for him. Everything about her impressed and intrigued him, and he didn’t want to go even one day without talking to her. Laughing with her. He needed her in his life.
As he sat there holding Kinley’s hand, a knock sounded on the door. He turned and saw his mom poking her head in.
His teammates had all been taking turns visiting as well, making the drive up from Killeen to visit for a few hours and make sure he was all right. It meant the world to him to have his friends by his side, and to see them just as worried about her.
Gillian and Devyn had come up as well. Gillian felt guilty for not stopping Kinley from going with the fake FBI agent, but Lefty had reassured her it wasn’t her fault.
And he truly believed that. The hitman was a professional.
Lefty hadn’t even noticed him watching the apartment, and he was trained to notice that shit.
“Can I come in?” his mom asked gently.
Lefty gestured for her to enter. It was just him and Kinley in the room at the moment. His friends had all left for the day.
When his mom had learned what had happened, she’d gotten on a plane and shown up the next day. Lefty had been surprised, but his mom had simply said, “My boy needs me, and a girl needs a mom. And since she doesn’t have one, I’m standing in.”
Lefty had known his mother liked Kinley when they’d talked in Paris, but he had no idea exactly how much Kinley had impressed her.
Molly Haskins tiptoed up to the bed and kissed Lefty’s head. She put a hand on his shoulder and said, “She looks better.”
Lefty did his best not to snort. How the hell she could say that, he had no idea. Kinley still looked awful.
“I’m serious,” his mom said as if she could read his mind. “She’s not as pale and her breathing seems deeper.”
Lefty tried to look at the woman he loved objectively, but it was no use.
“You should go shower. Eat something,” Molly said.
Lefty shook his head. “I’m not leaving.”
“It wasn’t a suggestion,” his mom said firmly. “I know you’re a grown man, but you stink. You won’t be any good to her if you drop over in your chair. I promise not to leave her side until you get back. Besides, you know Cruz isn’t going to leave either.”
Taking a deep breath, Lefty looked back toward the door.
He knew the FBI agent felt responsible for what had happened to Kinley, just as he did.
He’d personally been standing guard outside the hospital room since Kinley had arrived.
He’d only left one time that he knew of, to debrief his superiors and to take a quick three-hour nap.
He was concerned because the hitman hadn’t yet been found, and Cruz was obviously just as worried as Lefty and his team about Kinley’s safety.
What the plan was next in regard to Stryker, Brown, and Kinley testifying, Lefty didn’t know.
Nor did he care. All he cared about was seeing Kinley’s beautiful hazel eyes opening and recognizing him.
“All right. I’ll only be fifteen minutes or so,” he told his mom.
She shook her head. “An hour. If you’re back before then, I’m gonna tell Cruz not to let you in.”
Lefty pressed his lips together. He wanted to be there in case Kinley woke again. He didn’t want to miss it. Couldn’t miss it.
“I’ll call you if I think she’s waking up,” his mom promised, reading his mind. “Go, son. Take a break.”
Sighing, Lefty nodded. He brought Kinley’s hand up to his mouth and kissed it. “I’ll be back,” he whispered. “I love you.” Then he stood, kissed his mom’s cheek, and headed out of the room.
Time had no meaning in the hospital. Kinley knew she was there. Knew Gage was at her side. But every time she woke up, it was so hard to stay that way. But this time when she woke, she felt as if she had more energy.
She opened her eyes—and immediately closed them again.
“Close the curtains,” Gage ordered someone. “Sorry about that, Kins. Try again. Open your beautiful eyes and look at me.”
Not able to resist the order, Kinley squinted…and looked right into Gage’s eyes.
“Hey,” he said with a smile.
Licking her lips, Kinley croaked, “Hi.”
Gage closed his eyes for a moment, then she was once more looking into his intense brown eyes. “How do you feel?”
“Terrible,” she said immediately. “But I’m alive, so I’m great.”
“Yes, you are,” Gage told her.
One of his hands came up and rested against her cheek. It hurt, but Kinley made sure not to let that show, as she loved him touching her. Especially since there was a time very recently when she didn’t think it would ever happen again.
“Water?” he asked.
“Please.”
He moved his left hand, not taking his right from her face. He brought a cup with a straw up to her mouth and she gratefully took a few sips. It hurt to swallow, but the cool water felt amazing on her sore throat.
“Better?” Gage asked.
“Yeah, thanks,” Kinley told him. “How long have I been here?”
“Six days,” Gage said.
Kinley blinked in surprise. “Really?”
“Yeah. You’re in Fort Worth. You were flown up here from Austin. You were treated for a collapsed lung, and you’ve got several broken ribs. The doctors put you in a medically induced coma to try to help your body heal. They’ve been weaning you off the drugs though.”
Kinley nodded. “What else?”
“Broken ankle, cuts, scrapes, bruises, concussion,” Gage told her without hesitation.
She appreciated him not beating around the bush.
“Simon?”
“What?”
“Simon King. He said that was his name,” Kinley told him. She watched Gage’s face harden, and he turned and snapped his fingers. “Mom, get Cruz in here.”
Kinley jerked, and Gage obviously felt it.
“What?” he asked with concern.
Kinley tried to lean over to see who was in the room with them, but inhaled sharply at the pain that tore through her body at even the slight movement.
“You’re safe here,” Gage reassured her, misunderstanding her inhale.
Within seconds, Kinley saw the FBI agent standing by Gage’s side. “She’s awake?” he asked.
“Yeah. Simon King. That’s the asshole’s name.”
Cruz nodded and pulled out a small pad of paper. “What else does she remember?”
“I’m lying right here,” Kinley complained. “You can talk to me.”
Cruz grimaced. “Sorry. Since you’ve been napping, I’m just used to talking to Lefty here.” He winked, letting her know he was teasing. “What else can you tell us?”
Her throat hurt, and sleep was already pulling at her, but Kinley forced herself to concentrate. “Same guy who tried to kill me in DC,” she said. “Said Stryker was paying him two million dollars to kill me.”
“He told you Stryker hired him?” Cruz asked.
“Yes.”
“Anything else?”
“He’s been here for weeks. But he couldn’t get to me,” she continued.
Then Kinley remembered something else Simon had said…
He told her he’d have gone after Gage or Gillian if he hadn’t gotten to her soon.
She swallowed hard, and tears came to her eyes, both at the pain swallowing caused and the thought that her friends had been in danger because of her, just as she’d thought might happen.
That was her fault.
She didn’t say anything though; she knew they’d tell her not to worry about that now.
“Fuck,” Gage swore.
“Language,” a woman reprimanded from behind him.
“Why is your mom here?” Kinley blurted. “Are you all right?”
For some reason, Gage smiled. “She’s here because you got hurt,” he said.
Kinley was shocked. “Really?”
“Really,” Gage said.
Then Molly Haskins appeared at the other side of the bed. “Why so surprised?” she asked. “You’re important to my son, you were hurt, I like you a lot, so here I am.”
Kinley was so touched, she wanted to cry. “But you barely know me,” she whispered.
“I care about you, Kinley. You’re an amazing person, and I’m so glad you came into Gage’s life.
I know you love Notre Dame as much as I do.
I know you’re smart and funny and you need a mom.
I mean, Gage is great, but he can’t take the place of a mother’s loving touch. So I thought I’d come and lend a hand.”
Kinley stared at her for a beat, then closed her eyes tightly and really did start to cry then.
Molly’s hand rested on her forehead and smoothed her hair back. “Shhh. Don’t cry,” she crooned.
Until Gage had taken care of her when she’d been sick, no one had ever gone out of their way to be there when she wasn’t feeling well.
Not once since she could remember. But here was Gage’s mom, treating her as if she was important.
Loved. It was overwhelming, and Kinley wanted so badly to be this woman’s daughter, it was almost more painful than what Simon had done to her.
“Give us a sec, Mom, Cruz,” Gage said.
Kinley didn’t open her eyes, but she heard them leaving the room.
“Look at me, Kinley,” Gage ordered.
Too tired to fight him, she did as he requested.
“I love you,” Gage said as soon as she met his gaze.
Her heart sped up, and the monitors next to her actually beeped in alarm.
Gage smiled, but didn’t look concerned. “It’s probably not fair of me to spring that on you right now, but I don’t care.
When I heard you’d been taken, I swear to God my life stopped.
I couldn’t breathe, and I knew if I didn’t get you back, I’d never recover.
I’m not telling you to put any kind of pressure on you.
We’ll continue as we have been. Slowly and steadily. But I couldn’t not tell you.
“My mom’s here because of you, Kins. You’re incredible, and she knows that. No matter what happens between the two of us, you’ll always have her. Understand?”
Kinley nodded.
“You’re tired,” Gage observed.
She nodded again.
“You in pain?”
“A little.”
Gage reached over and pushed the button attached to her IV. “A little morphine should take the edge off. Close your eyes and rest, sweetheart.”
“What about Simon? Was he caught?”
She knew what the answer was before Gage said anything, simply by the look on his face.
“Unfortunately, no. He was stopped by state troopers the night you were found, but he ran, and the dogs couldn’t catch his scent.
But don’t worry, you’re safe,” he said quickly.
“He made a mistake and left his phone behind. From what I understand, the last number he called was to a burner phone in Paris. There’s no question who he was calling.
No matter what it takes, I’m gonna make sure he doesn’t get to you. ”
A lump formed in Kinley’s throat. Simon was still out there.
And he hadn’t managed to kill her. He’d be pissed about the two million dollars he probably wouldn’t get now, and he’d be back for her.
Next time, he’d make sure she was dead. No more “playing” with her.
He’d shoot her in the head and be done with it.
She knew that as well as she knew her name.
She wouldn’t survive a third attempt. But more importantly…who would he go through to get to her?
“Sleep, Kinley. Cruz is here watching over you, and my commander gave me some leave to stay here until you’re released. You’re safe.”
She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but the contentment she’d felt a moment ago at hearing that Gage loved her was gone. She wasn’t safe. And neither was anyone she came into contact with. How had her life gotten so damn complicated?