Chapter 58
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
“Alright, Mr. Callahan, your vitals look good. We will just monitor a few more things and wait for that last scan to get reviewed by a radiologist, but so long as you have a stable night, I don’t see why you can’t be discharged in the morning, alright?
” The doctor nods and turns before leaving the room.
“Hit the call button if anything changes, or you need anything. A nurse will be in soon, and I or one of my colleagues will be back as soon as radiology checks that scan.”
“Thanks, Doctor,” I say, grateful I can use a professional title because I have no memory of what his name actually was. I know he told me his name, but my memory is maxed out for the night.
“Appreciate it, Doc.” My dad steps forward and shakes his hand.
It may be close to midnight, but my dad was waiting for me at the hospital when Harlow and I arrived in the ambulance.
I don’t know who called him, but I was grateful that Harlow didn’t need to feel bad about taking care of some work details without worrying about leaving me alone.
She needed to step out again before the last specialist arrived to examine me, but I’m not sure how long it will be until she comes back.
“Knock, knock.” A voice that shouldn’t surprise me still does as Liam walks into the hospital room. “Were y’all having a party and not telling me, or what?” Dad pulls him into a brief hug before Liam walks over and leans down to gently hug me.
I have to clear my throat before telling my brother, “You didn’t have to come from Timbuktu. I’m in good hands.”
“You know, people underestimate how fast and far you can travel with a private jet in less than five hours. But I think what you meant to say was, ‘Thanks for coming, brother. Appreciate the concern.’ Or something like that, right?” He stands up and softly squeezes my shoulder.
“I had to, Ry. Someone fucked around with my family, and I wasn’t here to help. I’m sorry.”
I rear back at that.
He can’t be serious right now.
I shake my head. “Liam, this was a complete insane situation, but it doesn’t fall on you at all.”
“No, it falls on me.” Harlow’s quiet but deafening statement shocks me for just a second—and that’s long enough to somehow make her think I agree with her. “I can give you guys some privacy and come check in tomorrow.” Her eyes are red. She’s been fucking crying, and now she’s trying to leave?
Hell to the no.
“Harlow Gisela Lane, get your cute little butt over here before I try and get out of this bed and all these wires tangle me up.”
She swipes away a tear from her cheek, shaking her head. “Ryan, it’s okay. I get it—”
“No, you clearly don’t,” Liam interrupts. “You’ve had a long day, but you’re smarter than that, Whiz Kid. You know this isn’t on you.” He walks over and ushers Harlow to my bedside, where I can snatch her hand and tug her to sit on my bed.
Harlow slowly shakes her head while looking at the floor. “No, but this time it is. Ryan was only taken because of me.”
I lift her chin with my finger, so she looks at me.
“No, that asshole took me because he is a serial killer and a psychopath. You were his fixation and obsession, but that does not put you at fault for any single thing that man did. His actions are not on you, Lo.” I reach up with my thumb and wipe away another tear from her face.
She’s been so strong since the warehouse, but I knew it was an act more than once.
And if my girl is going to break, she’s going to do it where I can reach her—and hold her.
So, if that’s at a hospital, then she better get comfortable in my hospital bed with me because I have too many wires connected to me right now, but even they won’t stop me from comforting my girl.
“I’m so sorry, Ryan. I don’t know how I didn’t see it. He was right there in my orbit, and I just … I never considered the risk would be so close or so personal.” She wipes away another tear, but I’m not sure if they are falling from fear or regret.
I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear and love how she leans into my touch. “Baby, you’re wicked smart, and I love that about you, but you are not omniscient. You can’t know everything.”
“Did you learn omniscient from a word of the day calendar?” Liam smirks.
I shoot a scathing look at him. “No, smart-ass.”
“Ha, literally,” Dad chimes in—he’s not wrong. But maybe growing up with a genius brother prepared me to spend the rest of my life with my incredibly brilliant fiancée.
“I was so scared, Ryan. I couldn’t allow myself to focus on it, or the panic would’ve swallowed me whole.
I would never have forgiven myself if I hadn’t done everything in my power to get to you.
But the knife … the drugs…” Harlow’s voice cracks.
“Or the real chance that this could have ended tragically was terrifying.”
“The doctors said his urine toxicology report confirmed he had ketamine in his system, but it should be out of his body in the next twelve to twenty-four hours,” Dad tells Harlow as he steps up and squeezes her hand.
“You got to my boy in time. He has a few cuts, bruises, and some broken ribs, but those can all heal because he’s still here with us. ”
“And for that, our entire family is incredibly grateful for you. If you weren’t already a member of it, you would be now,” Liam adds.
“Well, I’m not officially yet,” Harlow quietly says with a smile.
“Rude. Yes, you are. Stop denying it,” Liam growls at her.
I quickly bark at him, “Don’t growl at my fiancée, asshole.”
“That’s right! I haven’t seen you yet since last week—congratulations! I’m glad you guys got this whole abduction thing done before it could interfere with wedding planning. That would be tragic.” Liam winks at Harlow and a tiny laugh escapes her.
But her momentary smile falls quickly. “Oh, no … we have to plan a wedding!”
I tilt my head at Harlow who looks like she could puke.
“Lo, that’s not quite the vibe I’m going for when it comes to talking about our wedding.”
“No, no, not our wedding. I’m very excited for that, but I just realized I have to plan a wedding, and my mother is Astor Morgan-Lane. She’s going to be obnoxious and take over.”
I shake my head. “No, she won’t.”
“Ryan, I love you, but you won’t be able to stop her. She will insist on doing things her way.”
“Then she better be willing to go through The Brigade to get to you. You guys get to do whatever you want, and anyone that isn’t on board with that, doesn’t get to be near you.” Dad tilts his head toward Liam who nods.
“That’s right. Just say the word.”
“And you’ll what? I’m a federal agent, Liam. Don’t confess to any crimes in front of me, please. It would make the holidays incredibly awkward if I had to arrest you.”
Liam’s laugh echoes off the walls, and I’m grateful no one comes to point out that it’s well past visiting hours. Apparently, when you were held hostage in an FBI case, and there’s an FBI agent with you in the room, there are certain perks, broken ribs excluded.
“It’s going to be okay, Lo. And we are going to be more than okay—we will be great, alright?” I lift my hand and slide it around her waist, pulling her down to me on the too narrow bed. She gently wraps her arms around me, careful not to hit any of my ribs.
I kiss the top of her head. “And anyone who messes with you will face the wrath of our family, okay? Does that sound scary enough to you?”
She nods but not before she swipes away a few tears with back of her hand. “I think it sounds perfect.”