Chapter 6 #3
“Hey, you. How are you feeling?” He set the vase of flowers on the small chest of drawers and walked back to the bed.
Chase felt sick to his stomach seeing her like this.
Her vibrant hair was in a messy halo around her head, and she was almost as pale as the sheet covering her.
Her arm was in a sling and she generally looked miserable, even though she smiled when he entered.
“Never been better…after being hit by a Mack truck.”
He chuckled, then immediately sobered. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
She waved her right hand in dismissal. “Don’t be. It just goes to show me we’re not safe anywhere.”
The nurse tsked. “Your blood pressure is rising. Maybe you should talk about something less exciting.”
“Okay, we will.” Chase assured, though he knew they wouldn’t.
Meri had too many questions for which he didn’t have answers.
Once the nurse left, he returned his gaze to Meri.
“What I don’t understand is how he knew we’d be there and where in that enormous facility.
He’s got someone working for him, probably in the ticket agency, but that still doesn’t explain how he got in with that gun.
I think you should move in with me for a while.
You need someone to look after you and you need to be somewhere safe while you recover.
I’m sure your mother would like to come and take care of you, but I’m also sure he’ll be back.
Your place is too easy to breach and those floor to ceiling windows are perfect for someone using a rifle. ”
Meri sighed. “Actually, I was thinking the same thing myself. I planned on checking into a hotel.”
He sat on the end of her bed and placed a hand on her leg.
“No, my place would be safer. Since I live in the penthouse at the top of my building, it will be difficult for anyone to get to you. There are taller buildings on the east side of this building, so I built walls on that side. There are no taller buildings on the west side. I’ll have my employees at the elevator on each floor and in the stairwells, plus outside my door. ”
She shrugged and put her right hand on top of Chase’s hand on her leg. “Okay, I agree. I couldn’t very well ask my mother to check into a hotel for two weeks with no other security. She’d be too vulnerable.”
Chase heaved a sigh of relief. “Exactly. I’m glad you agree. I can take care of you, and I promise not to be too much of an ogre while I do it.”
That made her laugh. Then she grimaced and grabbed for her left side. “Stop. Please. Don’t make me laugh. It hurts.” She chuckled.
He clenched his teeth at her obvious pain. “I didn’t mean to make you laugh. I was just stating a fact.”
“Okay, but it was still funny. I can’t picture you being any sort of ogre.”
“Oh, I can be, and I can be a stern taskmaster. Just ask my employees. I won’t let you do anything that might hurt you. What’s the sling for?”
“It’s just to keep me from hurting my side and moving the stitches. It’s only for a few days.”
“Where did he shoot you? I didn’t get any information from the doctor. He took you away to surgery right away.”
“Oh, by the way, where am I? It’s not a hospital. I don’t see or hear any other patients.”
He gently squeezed her leg. “You’re in my medical facility.
I have it for my employees who get seriously injured.
Our facility is equipped for any kind of surgery.
You’re not the first person to be treated here for a gunshot wound.
Dr. Schneider is the best at what he does, which is general surgery. ”
“How was Alexandra?”
“She asked about you. She was concerned when I told her you weren’t feeling well. But she rallied when I told her we took you to the hospital and they would make you feel better.”
Meri closed her eyes and shook her head. “I’m just sorry this happened around her. He could have hit her instead of me.” She shivered.
He let out a breath and shook his head. “I know. I have nightmares as it is.” He whispered, “I can’t imagine how I would feel if she had been hit. I already feel responsible.”
Meri’s eyes narrowed. ”Stop that right now. We were both at the scene of that crime. He saw both of us just as we saw him. I have the feeling this isn’t the last we’ve seen of him.”
“I’m afraid you’re right. Something that bothers me is he sort of matches the description of the man that I think killed Paige. I can’t believe he would still be free, but they haven’t ever caught that man and almost three years have passed.”
“That’s a definite cold case.”
“I’m sorry the man he shot lost his life, but I can’t help but feeling they knew each other. It was not some random mugging gone wrong.”
“I agree. I don’t think it was random either.”
”Did you talk to the doctor? Did he say how long I have to stay in here?”
“I don’t know for sure, but they might release you tomorrow, depending on how you’re doing.
So let’s make sure you’re doing well. My employees downstairs will make sure you aren’t disturbed.
I haven’t called your parents since I don’t have their number.
I thought you might do that yourself. It was just as well they didn’t wait for you to get out of surgery. ”
“What if he disguises himself as one of the doctors or nurses you have here?”
“Impossible. All my employees here are vetted and they know each other. If I don’t introduce a new employee and it’s someone they don’t know, he’ll be taken into custody. Period.”
“Okay, I won’t worry about that then. I need my phone to call my parents.”
“Your clothes, except your bloody shirt, and your purse, are in the chest. I’ll get your purse for you.” He stood and retrieved her handbag.
She took out her phone and started to call her parents. “I can’t call them. They’ll want to visit and I’m not ready for that. I’ll see them after I get out of here.”
“Whatever you want to do. I need to leave so you can rest.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
“I am tired.”
“Your body is trying to heal. I’ll be back a little later.
” Because he couldn’t resist her touch, he picked up her right hand and kissed the top of it.
“I’ll see you for dinner. The food we serve here is much better than in any hospital.
Our chef was trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.
So, if you don’t mind, I’ll join you for dinner.
What time do you want it? I’ll let him know before I leave. ”
“I usually eat around six, but I don’t know that I’ll have much of an appetite.”
“Great, I do, too, if I’m home. You eat what you can, but if you don’t feel like it, don’t. Just do what makes you feel better.” He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. “I’ll see you in a few hours. Get some rest.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Chase walked out of the room.
The personnel he’d assigned to her security detail had arrived and were already in place.
He left, knowing she was safe, and went back to the office. He called and had the guest room sheets changed. Then he made sure she would be comfortable in the living room watching TV, with him right beside her.
After he made sure the apartment was ready, he realized it was nearly six, and he headed back to the hospital.
When he walked in, Meri was sleeping, so he sat in the single chair in the room and tried to read on his phone.
He couldn’t concentrate and finally gave up, content to watch her sleep.
He would gladly watch her forever. Did that mean he was falling in love?
What happened to his resolve to never fall in love again?
He remembered how he felt after Paige’s death.
He’d hidden away for months. Until his parents finally pushed him to living again.
Chase had thrown himself into his work and started the security company.
And he’d been working hard ever since. His first billion when he hit thirty, his second just two years later.
The games he created were selling like hotcakes all over the world.
He could create them in his sleep as a matter-of-fact a few of them had actually come from some dream he’d had.
Throughout that time, Paige’s murder had haunted him. The grief. The guilt that if he’d been with her, she would probably still be alive and they’d be married and have kids by now.
Logically, he knew he wasn’t to blame, but his gut reacted differently.
Dinner arrived at six, a young brunette woman carried in a large tray with two silver domes and condiments on it. But he wasn’t hungry and Meri was still sleeping.
“Please, tell the chef that Meri is sleeping and I’ll call when she’s ready for dinner. He can serve whatever he’s got ready, and he’s not to worry or give any of his staff grief over this, since it is completely my fault.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. Harper. I will extend your regrets and tell him Ms. Anderson was not available at this time for dinner.”
“Great, thank you, Erica.”
“You’re welcome, sir.” She left, closing the door softly behind her.
Was he ready to try it again? To honestly give a relationship a shot? Because if he wasn’t ready, he needed to let Meri go after they caught this man. He couldn’t in good conscience leave her alone to face a madman.
But what happened after he got caught? What then?