CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
“You did it. You’re done,” Sawyer soothed against the side of Angela’s head. He wasn’t finished holding on to her, even though the threat had been neutralized. Once again, he’d found himself lying in a hospital bed with Angela. This time, he wasn’t fucking around and told the world that she was his. Paramedics. Nurses. Doctors. Anyone who had suggested that his role wasn’t to be right by her side had been told in no uncertain terms that they could fuck off. Sawyer was staying by his woman. His very medicated woman.
“I did it.” She curled into him, agreeing, “I’m done.”
No matter what happened with Pham’s trial, Angela had sat at the witness stand, chin up, and given one hell of a testimony. The defense didn’t have a leg to stand on other than a series of objections that judge had shot down.
As for what had happened in the courtroom, Sawyer didn’t know who or why. The timing made no sense. But truthfully, he didn’t care. Angela was safe, and she was done.
A woman in scrubs with a cheery disposition was allowed into the room, introducing herself as a radiology tech. “Ready to go to X-ray?”
“It’s not broken.” Angela, a little dopey from the recent painkiller, sat up with help.
“Then that’s what we’ll confirm.” The cheery tech positioned a wheelchair next to the bed. “Can you get down or—” She smiled at Sawyer. “Can you get her down?”
Carefully, Sawyer placed a groaning, protesting, somewhat giggling Angela in the wheelchair. He thanked his lucky stars she was entertaining, which kept him from recalling how much he hated hospitals.
Angela held out a foot. “Do you think I’ll get my missing shoe back?”
“No.”
“Ugh, that’s a tragedy.”
The tech rolled Angela toward the door. “We’ll be back in about twenty, thirty minutes or so.”
“If you don’t mind,” he said in a way that brooked no discussion, “I’ll tag along.”
The ensuing trip to the radiology lab was quick. Waiting for the results was not.
Angela had the benefit of painkillers. Sawyer sat beside her, vigilant and growing slightly bored. That was preferable to the panicky feeling hospitals usually gave him.
Finally, a doctor walked in, brisk and hurried. He logged into the computer attached to the wall as he introduced himself. After a few keystrokes, the X-rays appeared on the screen for Sawyer and Angela to see. “Great news. A simple dislocation.”
Her arm and shoulder had been immobilized pending the X-ray, but now the doctor moved to the bed and started to unfasten the bandages and harness that the paramedic had tied her into.
Sawyer knew this process would hurt like hell. If Angela did, she was too medicated to worry.
“This part won’t be fun,” the doctor warned him. “But then it’s done.” He ran his fingers up her shoulder blade and down her collarbone until he gripped the joint. “Take a deep breath.” She did, and he popped the bone back into place.
Angela screamed.
“All done,” the doctor said.
Sawyer retook his spot by Angela’s side. Her eyes were wide, and though she looked like she might kick the doctor in the groin, she also seemed to notice relief in her shoulder.
The doctor warned about arm weakness, directed them to see a physical therapist, and promised that a nurse would follow up shortly with their release paperwork. Sawyer settled back into Angela’s bed, certain that wouldn’t be happening soon.
To his surprise, the door swung open. Jared Westin, not the nurse, strode inside.
“Boss Man,” Angela said with a slight slur. “What are you doing here?”
Jared shook his head. “Looks like I have another couple on my hands.”
Her goofy smile brightened. “We’re going to get married.”
Jared stepped back as though Angela had swung a bazooka his way. “What?”
Sawyer laughed but didn’t dispute what Angela said.
Jared pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jesus fuckin’ Christ, I can give one hell of a pep talk.” After a long moment, with deep lines creasing his brow, he added, “Congratulations.”
“Where’s Pham?” Angela asked.
“Sitting in a prison medical unit. They needed to check him out before transporting him back to whatever hole they’ve been keeping him in.”
Sawyer raised his eyebrows. “What do we know?”
“Other than Angela wrenching her shoulder while trying to escape a federal agent?” Jared shrugged. “Best guess is they’ve given up trying to eliminate testimony and are simply trying to break him out of custody.”
“From a federal courthouse?”
“He wasn’t behind bars. They knew where he was, and there were a shit ton of civilians for officers to protect once shit went down. I can see the tactical advantages—and the desperation.”
“Yeah,” Sawyer said. “But she’s testified. She’s done.”
“I’m done,” Angela repeated.
“Agreed. Short of retribution, their attention has been turned elsewhere.”
Sawyer didn’t like that. For years, Pham had made retribution his calling card, but not much of that had occurred since he had been arrested. Still, Sawyer’s guard would never go down completely.
“I said what I needed to say. That’s all I care about,” she said.
The corners of Boss Man’s lips quirked, and he asked Sawyer, “When are they releasing her?”
“Soon as the paperwork arrives.”
“I have a doctor near headquarters. Doc Tuska. She should see him for any follow-ups needed. I’ll make sure Parker sends the contact information your way.”
“I want to go home.” Angela leaned against Sawyer. “All the way back on a jet.”
The corners of Jared’s eyes crinkled as if he were trying not to laugh. “We’ll make sure that happens soon as Doc clears you.” Boss Man turned to leave but caught himself. “Marriage doesn’t mean you share trade secrets. You hear me, sunshine?”
“Oh, no.” She crossed her heart. “I wouldn’t dare tell your secrets.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to know about your psych training the team or anything,” Sawyer muttered under his breath with a chuckle.
Jared dropped his head back and shook it. “People falling in love right and left. What a headache.”
“Give it a try, Boss Man.” Angela laughed. “I think you should do it, too.”
“It takes two to tango.” Sawyer snorted. “And I can’t imagine the woman who would put up with you.”
“Yeah, no. I like my life the way it is. Camden and I will hold our own on Team Bachelor.”
“Don’t forget you have the US team,” Angela added, her eyes a little goofy. “If Sawyer wasn’t the best-looking man ever, I might have noticed you employ seriously good-looking commandos.”
Again, Jared dropped his head back and stared at the ceiling. “That’s about all of this that I can handle.” He managed a rough laugh. “See you back in Abu Dhabi.”
The door shut, and Sawyer retook his spot beside Angela. “When are we getting married?”
“Soon as you put a ring on my hand.”
His heart squeezed. “I’ll make sure that’s arranged. Anything else you want?”
Angela wrapped her good arm around him and laid her head on his shoulder. “Nothing but you.”