Chapter 6 #4
He paused at the door of the room Bron opened up for him. It was in a part of the house that he’d never entered before. The furnishings were serviceable and the bed was large. Brown drapes covered the window, and there was an attached bathroom.
“Servants’ quarters,” Bron explained. “Still fancier than my apartment.”
“It’ll do. What are you going to do about that huge hole?”
Bron shrugged. “Fill it up and make sure never to put a safe room below ground level again. That could’ve been the president in there.
We learned a valuable lesson.” He tapped one meaty hand against the doorframe as if assuring himself that this room, at least, was sturdy and safe.
“Do you want me to tell Kai where you are?”
“No. Can you keep it to yourself?”
“They’ll be worried.”
“Yeah.” Rehz blinked back his exhaustion. “Send the medics up here.”
“They’re already on their way.” Bron bowed. “Thank you, Rehz Akran. Your quick thinking saved a lot of lives today.”
“I think you’ll find that was all down to Anna Lee.”
The door at the end of the hallway opened, and three people dressed in white converged down the hallway toward him.
Rehz groaned. “I hope they’ll be quick.”
Bron left him, and he braced himself for the invasion of the medical staff. He was sick of medical facilities, sick of fighting, and so tired of it all . . .
He went into the bedroom and started to strip without being asked. The faster he cooperated, the sooner they’d leave. He didn’t want to think things through. He just craved the oblivion of sleep.
When Anna opened her eyes, Aled was sitting in the chair next to her bed, reading something on his screen. She tried to speak, but her throat hurt.
“Hey.” He got to his feet and picked up a beaker from the bedside table, then brushed the straw against her swollen lower lip. “Here you go. That Ungrich made a good attempt to rip out your throat on the way down. The medical team said they’ve repaired most of it, but you’ll never be a singer.”
She sucked the icy-cold water and allowed it to trickle down her raw throat. “Thanks.” She managed a whisper this time.
His left arm was immobilized in a sling and bandaged tightly across his chest. He looked even paler than normal, his freckles standing out in stark relief on the high arches of his cheekbones.
“I’m sorry about your arm.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You damn well should be. What a fucking irresponsible thing to do.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I was trying to save your life.”
“I know that, you fucking idiot, but still . . .” He sighed and sank back in the chair. “I thought Kai and Rehz were going to tear Palk limb from limb for hurting me until I mentioned that you were the only one doing any shooting.”
“I bet that went down well.” She grimaced. “I hated doing it, Aled. I wanted the Ungrich to think you were dead so they wouldn’t take you as well.”
“Yeah, I worked that out for myself,” he said dryly. “Fucking hero.”
“Where’s Kai?”
“He’s being interviewed—or should I say interrogated—by the president’s special security board. They don’t care what happened to us. They’re more worried about what might have happened to the president in his supposedly one-hundred-percent safe room.”
“Typical.” She moistened her lips. “And . . . Rehz?”
Aled shoved a hand through his hair and avoided her gaze. “I think he’s still sleeping.”
“Was he wounded?”
“Just a few minor scratches, like Kai.”
She compressed her lips together hard. She wouldn’t ask why Rehz wasn’t with her. She’d heard him before she’d lost consciousness, blaming her for everything. He’d sounded absolutely furious. And he was right to be so. She’d taken a terrible risk with everybody’s lives.
The door opened and Kai came in, his gaze fixing on her like a laser.
“Good, you’re alive. Now I can fucking kill you for shooting my male.”
Aled rose to his feet and touched Kai’s rigid shoulder. “Don’t start. She was trying to save me from the Ungrich . Can we just leave it at that?”
Kai looked away from her and back at Aled. His hard gaze softened. “I’m glad you made it.”
“Then shut the fuck up.” Aled glared at Kai. “You should be thanking her, not bawling her out.”
“Yes, master.” Kai wrapped his hand around Aled’s neck and kissed him. “Just because I let you be in charge in the bedroom doesn’t mean I’ll put up with your shit in public.”
Aled’s dimple appeared. “Good to know.”
Anna wanted to look away from the adoration in Kai’s expression, but she made herself watch. This was why she’d done what she’d done. To make sure at least one set of them was happy.
“Where’s Rehz?” Kai asked.
“I don’t know,” Aled answered him quickly. “No one’s seen him since yesterday.”
“Ask Bron.”
“I did. He said Rehz was being treated by the medics for exhaustion and various strains and cuts and that he was sleeping.”
Kai’s sharp gaze cut to Anna. “You’ve seen him, though?”
“I just woke up.” She managed to shrug. “He might have been here when I was out of it, but—”
“Nope. I’ve been here all day,” Aled said softly. “And before that, you were surrounded by a medical team.”
Kai’s gaze immediately went to Aled’s as if seeking his support. “He’ll be here when he wakes up. I’m sure of it.”
She nodded and leaned back against her pillows. “I think I’m going to take another nap. Thanks so much for sitting with me, Aled.”
He glanced at her and then at Kai. “It’s all going to be okay, Anna Lee. I’m sure of it.”
She smiled as they left together, Kai’s arm around Aled’s good shoulder. She stayed where she was as the bedsheet became transparent with the constant drip of her tears. Rehz was probably just exhausted and sleeping it off. She shouldn’t read anything more into his nonappearance.
Even if he were there, what would he do if she crawled into his lap and fell to pieces?
She couldn’t be strong anymore. Just for once she was going to hide under her covers and pretend that everything would go away.