23. Reese
Reese
Weston has yet to regain consciousness, but his numbers all look good. At least, according to the doctor. We’re currently tucked away at the hospital one town over from Stormwatch Landing, in a back room being guarded by, to my surprise, the guy who owns the very bar we got abducted from.
According to Ryker, Maverick Fargo is a former Army Ranger whom he’d trust with his life. He’s currently sitting just outside the room, monitoring everyone who comes and goes. Thanks to Officer Leopold, we weren’t even technically checked in. Just wheeled back and kept completely off the records.
Which is also why he didn’t officially assign any deputies to the room.
I get to my feet and walk over toward the window. The shades are drawn, but I move to the corner so I can peer through the small slat at the park across the street. The weather is nice, the sun shining. What would Weston be doing today if he weren’t lying in that hospital bed?
Would he be out with the horses?
The cows?
I haven’t been allowed to call my mom, though Zane assured me he was going to go scan her house for any kind of listening devices or cameras, then let her know that Weston and I are safe.
But for how long?
Another wave of all-too-familiar panic settles in my chest like an icicle. Sharp and frozen. The chill spreads through me, and I close my eyes. We are safe. God brought us through. I will not fear.
“I forgot.”
I whirl on Weston’s bed, shocked to see him looking straight at me, the ghost of a smile on his face. “Forgot what?” Tears fill my eyes, and I cross toward him to reach down and take his hand into mine.
“What a beautiful sight you are to wake up to.”
“Weston.” I lose the fight against my tears, and they fall as I sit on the edge of his bed and lean down to press my lips to his. I kiss him deeply, not at all caring that I have no idea what this means or where it’s going.
Because all that matters is he’s here. With me. Alive.
“I never forgot that, though,” he whispers.
“Me neither.”
He smiles up at me, and I slowly take my seat again, right beside him, where I belong.
“Where are we?” he asks, brow furrowed.
“North Ridge.”
“Really?”
I nod. “You passed out, and we floated for a while. Zane found us right before dawn.”
“I’m so sorry, Reese.”
“For what?” I keep his hand between mine, genuinely afraid to let him go. Those few hours, when I wasn’t sure he was going to wake up, were some of the most terrifying of my life. I tore part of my dress and kept soaking it in the cold water, trying to keep his fever down.
His fever had reached 106.4 by the time we got him to the hospital.
“I left you alone.”
“You were right there with me.” I take a deep breath. “Luckily, we were still off the coast of South Carolina. They’re trying to track down the cargo ship now.”
Weston starts to sit up, but groans and grips his side.
“I’ll get the doctor.”
“No, I’m okay,” he insists, keeping a surprisingly firm grip on my hand. “Not yet, please. Just let me enjoy being here with you.”
“You need to stay put. Your initial wound was pretty infected. They had to go in and scrape the inside before re-cleaning it. Seems when Max opened it up, he thought it would be good to literally rub some dirt in it.” I clench my hands into fists, anger burning a hole straight through me.
I went on multiple dates with him.
Sat across the table.
Smiled.
Shared a few kisses.
And the whole time, he was a monster in disguise.
Then there’s Ash. I can’t even begin to process that level of betrayal. Years. That’s how long I knew her. And the entire time, she was helping to plan this.
“Yeah, well, in his defense, they didn’t count on me living very long.”
“You said Brenda was going to kill you.”
“She told me as much.”
My throat constricts as I remember what he told me. “You said that I was going to get married and have kids, but you already knew that you weren’t walking out.”
“She gave me her word that you would walk away and the team would be safe so long as I played along.”
“And you believed her?”
“Not really, but I didn’t have much of a choice but to play along. Getting you out was my only priority. I would have gladly traded my life for yours.”
“I don’t want to live in a world where you don’t exist anymore,” I insist, hating that I have to even speak those words out loud. It should be a given.
“And I can’t live if anything ever happens to you. I lost you once, Reese, I’m not doing it again.”
I open my mouth to respond, but the door opens, and Ryker strolls in alongside Maverick.
“Well, look who’s awake. We missed you, Princess,” Ryker jokes.
Weston grins. “Who else would share a club soda with you in a crowded bar? Good to see you, Mav.”
“You, too. Sorry you got grabbed from my parking lot. I was so busy looking for who we thought drugged her that I wasn’t watching the security cameras.”
“Not your fault.”
Maverick nods. “Still. Let me know if you need anything else,” he says to Ryker. “Heal up,” he tells Weston, then offers me a curt nod and leaves the room.
Weston turns toward Ryker. “Any word on Brenda?”
Ryker’s expression darkens, turning borderline murderous.
I’m pretty sure a chill runs through the room.
Though that could be my imagination. All I know is, Ryker Granger is not a man whose bad side I ever want to be on.
“Not yet. Sawyer brought Tucker Hunt into it, and they’re working the trace from two separate sides.
Cap is currently letting her handler have it for not looping us in when she escaped.
” He crosses his arms. “She who worked you over?”
“Nah. Malcolm’s brother, Max, had that particular pleasure. Coward had me chained up the entire time.”
“We’ll be sure to return the favor. You just need to get healed up first.”
“Brenda’s coming for us, Ryker. She threatened every one of you, as well as Garrison’s family, Tessa, and Anastasia.
We need to make sure everyone has eyes on them.
Max was also getting into Vivian’s house and adding benzodiazepines to her pill box in hopes she’d call Reese home. It was all orchestrated.”
“That’s what Reese said. Don’t worry, we’ve got eyes on everyone.
Vivian and Momma Knox are with Sawyer and Anastasia right now, and Garrison’s got eyes on his family as well as the Hardings.
Sawyer and Anastasia are moving into Momma Knox’s guest bedroom until this is over, and Zane and Tessa are going to be in their place, right next door.
I’m staying with Vivian until you’re back on your feet. ”
“Did you tell her what I said?” I ask. “That she should leave town for a while? Go stay with my aunt in Dallas?”
“She refused to go anywhere,” Ryker tells me with a grin.
“At least until you two are back and she has eyes on you. Bradyn Hunt has offered to send a private jet out and collect anyone we want to keep hidden. He said he and his brothers can set them up on the ranch and keep eyes on them there in Texas.”
“She needs to go. Max said—” I take a deep breath. “He said that if it were up to him, he would have killed her. The woman is in her seventies, and he was going to kill her.”
“Monsters like that don’t have any care or concern for morality,” Weston tells me. “But we won’t let him get anywhere near her again. I should have noticed something was off; the fact that I didn’t is on me.”
“Hardly,” Ryker replies. “There were no signs that we had anything to worry about. You couldn’t have known.”
“He’s right,” I tell Weston, then squeeze his hand gently. There is absolutely no way he could have known anything was off.
Weston’s jaw clenches, and while I’ll let it go right now, I won’t allow him to carry that guilt. Especially not with everything else he’s holding onto.
“Seems a lot happened in the past few days,” Ryker says with a knowing smile.
“As soon as it’s dark, we’re loading you up and getting you out of here.
The doctor is giving explicit instructions on what you can and can’t do, but since your fever is under control and you’re all bandaged up, we all agree it’s better you don’t stay so exposed. ”
“I appreciate that.”
He nods. “I’m going to step out and let him know you’re awake. He’ll want to see you before discharging you.”
“Thanks.”
Ryker leaves the room, and I raise Weston’s hand to my lips, pressing a light kiss to the top. He was so cold when he got into that little boat. Then, minutes later, he was burning up again.
Now, his temperature is normal, and I am so grateful for that.
“I am so sorry you got wrapped up in this,” Weston says.
“None of this is your fault.”
“Brenda was a loose end we thought was tied up. Apparently, that wasn’t the case.”
“Doesn’t make it your fault.”
“Violence seems to cling to me,” Weston says softly. “It might be better if—”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence, Weston Hayes. Violence does not cling to you. And it would not be better if I kept my distance. We both know that’s what you were about to suggest.”
“How can you say that? My dad—”
“Was an abusive drunk. You were just a kid.”
“My sister—”
“Was murdered by a monster. Also, not your fault.”
“If you knew what I’ve done. The lives I’ve taken—”
“You were a Navy SEAL, Weston. From what I hear, you were responsible for saving a lot of lives.”
He arches a brow. “Been talking to Tessa?”
“She filled me in on things.” I take his hand. “Look, if you want to put space between us because that’s what you want, then just man up and say it. Don’t make excuses.”
“Space is the last thing I want,” Weston says quickly. “But if anything happens to you—”
“It still won’t be your fault. For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve carried the weight of the world on your shoulders. When are you going to see that you don’t have to do that? When will you realize that you are not single-handedly responsible for every person in your orbit?”