25. Chapter 25 #2
Heath leaned against the wall just outside, arms crossed, watching the numbers on the screen like they could tell him something new. The past eleven hours had been one long, grueling fight.
Rawlings was still critical, but stable enough that Heath could finally let himself exhale. His stomach had started reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since the night before. He was thinking maybe—maybe—he could sneak down to the hospital café for a sandwich.
And then Sandra appeared, breathless and wide-eyed.
“You’re here,” she gasped. “Thank god.”
Heath straightened. “What’s going on?”
She stopped in front of him, chest rising and falling like she’d just sprinted across the entire ICU.
“I didn’t have your number—I’ve been looking for you—Maddie—” She shook her head, struggling to get the words out. “They found her, okay? The police—”
Heath’s entire body went still. “The police?”
“I don’t know all the details. The hospital’s been trying to reach her all morning.
Zaire was about to drive to her place. And then the cops were calling—asking where she was.
Something about a break-in at her house?
” Sandra winced. “They found her, she’s okay, but it was chaos.
No one knew where she was, and obviously no one told you because… ”
Because no one knew they were anything to each other.
Because Maddie had been alone, and he hadn’t known.
Heath’s jaw clenched so tight it ached.
Sandra shifted, voice softer now. “Look, I don’t know exactly what’s going on between you two, but I know it’s not just friends.”
He nodded once. Barely.
She gave him a sympathetic look. “I just thought you should know.”
Before he could speak—before he could react—her pager went off.
“Shit.” She glanced down. “I’ve gotta go.”
And she was gone.
Heath stood there, fists tight, heart pounding.
A break-in.
The police.
And she hadn’t called him.
The monitors behind him beeped in steady rhythm. Rawlings’ vitals holding. He couldn’t leave. Not yet.
He scrubbed a hand down his face. Tried to keep the rage buried beneath the professional calm he was supposed to project.
Then he heard it.
A voice, low and smug, behind him near the hallway corner.
Heath turned slowly.
David was leaning against the wall just out of view, arms crossed, a faux-curious smirk on his face like he’d just stumbled onto gossip at a country club and was delighted to weaponize it. He was deep in conversation with a nurse, pretending not to notice Heath standing ten feet away.
Then David looked up. “Hm. There’s the new distraction.”
Heath’s voice dropped. “Excuse me?” And he took one step forward.
David didn’t reply. Just stared.
“Careful,” Heath said, voice calm but cold enough to frost glass.
David didn’t flinch. “She’s unwell. Don’t take advantage.”
That did it.
Heath closed the distance in two steps and got in David’s face.
“You listen to me very carefully,” he said, voice low, deadly, inches from exploding. “You ever talk about her like that again, and I will make sure you’re the one the police come looking for. Do you understand me?”
David paled, just slightly.
Someone paged overhead. The hallway buzzed. Nurses passed behind them, oblivious.
Heath stared him down another second, every muscle in his body taut with restraint. He wanted to put David through a wall. Wanted to wrap his hands around that smug throat and choke the smirk right off his face.
But he didn’t.
Not here.
Not yet.
“Walk away, Walsh,” Heath said. “Before I decide not to.”
David held his gaze for half a beat longer, then scoffed and turned, muttering something under his breath as he vanished down the corridor.
Heath didn’t move.
Not until his knuckles stopped twitching.
Not until he was sure he could go back to Rawlings’ bedside without bringing this whole damn hospital down around him.
Maddie was out there. Something had happened. And now David knew something, too.
Heath wasn’t sure what, exactly—but it was enough to make his blood run hot. As soon as Rawlings was clear, he was going to find out what the hell had gone down. And if David Walsh had been anywhere near it?
There would be no more warnings.
* * * * *
Heath stood at the nurse’s station, jaw tight, pulse steady only because he forced it to be.
David Walsh had disappeared down the hall fifteen minutes ago, and Heath hadn’t seen him come back. He wasn’t about to leave anything to chance.
Sandra passed by, clipboard in hand, mid-shift chaos buzzing around her like usual.
“Hey,” Heath said, low.
She turned, immediately picking up on his tone. “Yeah?”
He stepped closer. “Keep an eye on Walsh.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “What?”
He nodded. “If he leaves the hospital, I want to know. I don’t care if it’s for lunch or to walk to his car. Let me know.”
Sandra blinked once, then grinned. “Are we talking, like… casual surveillance? Or full black ops?”
He didn’t smile. “Somewhere in between.”
“Got it.” She snapped off a mock salute. “Officially on the watchlist. I’ll text you if he sneezes too loudly.”
“Appreciate it.”
He stepped back, phone buzzing in his hand.
Her.
He answered on the first ring. “Maddie?”
There was a pause, then her voice—soft, a little tired, but intact.
“Yeah. It’s me.”
He closed his eyes for a beat. Relief washed over him like cold water. “Baby, where are you?”
“I’m at the police station,” she said. “Downtown. I’m okay.”
“You’re at the station?”
“Yeah.” She exhaled into the line. “Someone broke into my place last night. Neighbour called it in.”
“Maddie—” His voice was tight. “Why didn’t you call me sooner?”
“I’m okay. Really. And I didn’t want to pull you from Rawlings.”
He laughed once—sharp and humorless. “That doesn’t matter when you’re at a precinct filing a burglary report.”
There was a pause. Then someone called her name faintly in the background.
“Okay,” she said, voice softer now. “I gotta go. I’ll try to make it quick. It’s okay, Heath. I’m okay. I’ll see you later.”
He gripped the phone tighter. “No.”
Another pause.
“You don’t just say you’re okay and hang up.”
“Heath—”
“Promise me,” he said. “You’ll wait for me. Don’t go home. Don’t go anywhere alone.”
“I’ll try to—”
“No,” he said firmly. “Be good. Wait for me. I’ll finish this shit up and I’m coming.”
Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Okay. I promise.”
The call ended.
He stared at the phone for a second too long.
Then he turned, found a clock, and started counting the minutes until he could leave this goddamn hospital behind and get to her.
Because someone had come for her.
And Heath had no intention of letting it happen again.