Chapter Twenty-Seven
RHYS
CORBETT AND I stand outside the ER room Kinley is sleeping in. The doctors gave her an IV for fluids after they said she was dehydrated and had mild heatstroke. They had to stitch her heel and said she has to stay off of it for a week or so.
“So, no one knows where Sanders is?” I ask Corbett.
The beeping of machines and a patient down the hall yelling for a nurse make the whole area almost chaotic. The smell of astringent brings back feelings I like to keep buried.
I fucking hate hospitals.
Corbett shakes his head. “We found his locked government-issued SUV at a gas station parking lot in West Tulsa. His gun and badge were in the glove box. He left the keys with the clerk in the store and told her we would be there to get it.”
He would leave everything and take off like a chicken-shit. I never liked him. At least now I know for sure he is working against us.
“What about his phone? We should be able to find him with his phone.”
“He’s turned it off.”
Looking over his shoulder, I cup my jaw as I fight the anger. I can’t believe this happened at my house. That fucker walked right up to my door and tried to kill my coworker and the woman I love.
I do love her.
When Conway said it, I couldn’t put a name to it, but as I flew across town during the lunch rush in a panic, almost causing accidents to get to her, I know what it is now.
I love her.
As I paced outside her room while the nurses and the doctor took care of her, I’ve thought about when she first got under my skin, and my thoughts keep going back to that first night when she offered to give me a twenty for the shirt she spilled water on.
I had trouble admitting it to myself, but when her body melted into mine as I kissed her in that corner outside the club, I wanted her then. Her refusal to back down and her sass had me that night. I knew when I sent that order to the judge that I was in trouble, but I couldn’t help myself.
I’ll do anything for her. Anything to keep her close to me. Anything to see those beautiful hazel eyes look at me like she has the past few days.
Swan is in a different part of the hospital, in surgery. One bullet just missed his heart, and the other punctured his lung. He’s one lucky son of a bitch. I glimpsed his wife when she ran into the ER in a panic, but the nurse took her through a door and I haven’t seen her since.
I turn toward the nurses’ station when I hear a familiar voice. “I’m looking for my daughter, Kinley Harlow.”
Goddamn it.
Taking a deep breath, I ready myself for anything that might happen in the next few minutes.
Kinley’s father and her brother, Mason, are standing at the desk. They are both still in their work clothes, like they came right from the barn after I called them. I had to call them. I can’t trust my team anymore, and I know Kinley is safe with them.
Before the nurse responds, Mason turns in my direction and we lock eyes. He’s pissed. He pats his father on the shoulder and walks in my direction. I can tell by the look in his eyes this is going to be bad.
I don’t blame him, I would be pissed, too. I assured him and their father that she would be safe with me.
“Mason.” His father barks behind him. “Not here.”
Corbett turns and sees him coming and stands next to me, waiting for whatever is about to happen. Mason’s fists are clenched at his side, and he looks like a charging bull. Even with two agents staring him down, he doesn’t back down.
He’s military through and through, from his stare to the way he carries himself to his stance. All of it I’m as familiar with as I am with the back of my hand, from all my years in the military. It’s because of that familiarity that I’m not scared of him.
I can take whatever he brings.
Still, this is on me. I assured them she would be safe, but she was in danger on my watch.
Setting my hand on Corbett’s arm, I push him away from me and steel myself for whatever Mason is bringing.
If he’s Delta Force, I’m sure he knows his way around a good fight, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve as well.
When he swings, I move out of the swing zone, but when he adjusts and lifts his hand again, his father loops his arm around his and throws his other arm over Mason’s shoulder across his chest and holds on.
“I said, not here.” The older man barks into his ear from behind him.
Mason jerks his arm from his father’s grip and points his finger at me, but his father still has his arm across his chest. “You were supposed to be taking care of her.”
He’s right, I was supposed to be taking care of her, but I didn’t predict Sanders’ actions fast enough. I honestly didn’t think he would move that fast or to those extremes. It was a sneak attack if there ever was one. We are all shocked as fuck that he shot Swan. And that he was shooting to kill.
Turning to Corbett, I give him a chin lift for standing with me. “Can you give us a minute?”
His eyes move from me to Mason and then back to me. “Sure, I’ll be over there if you need me.” He points to the nurses’ station not far away.
I nod and wait for him to get out of earshot before looking back to Mason and his father. “I need your help.”
This catches both of them off guard and gets me confused looks. It also disarms Mason, who narrows his eyes as he tilts his head to give me side-eye and his father lets him go.
Taking a chance, I step closer to both of them so we won’t be overheard and tip my head toward Kinley’s room. “Can we talk in here?”
After I close the door to her room, I turn to them and speak in a hushed tone so I won’t wake Kinley.
“The man who did this was part of my team. He’s a mole for one of the groups we’ve been trying to bring down.
The men who are after Kinley are part of this group.
This has been a shock to all of us, but I can’t protect her when I don’t know who I can trust. She trusts you, so I need your help. ”
Mason looks at me like I’ve grown another head and whispers angrily. “We don’t need your help, we’ll take it from here.”
Keeping my eyes locked on his, I square my shoulders and shake my head. “I’m not leaving her side.”
Her father narrows his eyes at me, and I realize how much father looks like son. “Why aren’t you leaving her side?”
Kinley’s soft voice breaks through our whisper fight. “Because I don’t want him to.”
All heads swing in her direction, and Mr. Harlow transforms from a bear about to attack to a teddy bear as he quickly takes her hand, all anger gone from his face. “Are you okay, hun? Is there anything I can get for you?”
Standing away from the bed to give them space, I question my decision to take her from her home.
But how could I have known we had a fucking snake on our team?
Kinley was unsure about putting her trust in us from day one, and I was the one who told them all that I could keep her safe away from them.
Kinley nods her head as Mason turns from me to step up behind his father. “I would love some water.”
“I’ll get it.” I say. Her eyes meet mine as I turn and leave the room so they can talk.
Corbett is in the hall when I close the door. “The cleanup team is at your house right now. The rug in your entryway had to be removed. Too much blood.”
Rubbing my forehead with my fingers, I hang my other hand on my hip. “I don’t care about that.”
“That’s good, because there’s more.” He cups the back of his neck with his palm as he cracks his neck in frustration. “Finney was knifed in the cafeteria today, bled out on the floor.”
I turn away and curse under my breath. “Fuck!” When I turn back to him, I say, “We just got him to sign the fucking witness papers.”
Corbett nods his head. “Yeah, he pretty much signed his death warrant when he did that.”
Fuck!
Finney and Kinley in the same day, almost at the same time. “Sounds like a coordinated attack. Kill the two people who are a threat.”
“Well, I guess it’s a good thing Sanders is a shit shot.”
“What about Finney? Do they know who did it?”
He shakes his head. “Nah. It was a walk-by. They didn’t even know he had been stabbed until he fell off his seat.”
“Back to square fucking one.” I remember why I’m out here and give him a pat on the shoulder. “I’m supposed to be getting water. Will you check in on Swan?”
“Sure thing, boss.”
As I turn to the nurses’ desk to ask where I can get water, I see a man standing by the double doors that separate the waiting room from the ER exam rooms. He’s dressed well, and he’s watching me.
Our eyes are locked, me trying to figure out who he is while he looks at me like he’s daring me to do something.
The hair on my neck stands up, he must be one of Ghost’s men. He has to be. Who else would be here? In the ER with Kinley?
As I take a step toward him, he turns and walks out the double doors into the waiting room.
“Stop! Stop right there!” I yell as he disappears into the crowd of people on the other side of the doors.
Pulling my gun from its holster and holding it down in front of me, I hurry to the waiting room and look around, but I don’t see him.
Pushing through the people, who are making a path for me when they see my gun, to the front doors, I step outside onto the sidewalk where the ambulances are parked and running near the doors.
He could be anywhere. There are people, cars, and emergency vehicles in every direction. I step toward the most obvious hiding places and move between the ambulances that would create the most cover. He’s not behind any of them.
Fuck!
Walking back to the sidewalk, I keep my gun at my side in my hand and look around, knowing I won’t find him and not wanting to put too much space between me and Kinley.
When I turn and walk back into the waiting room, a nurse is standing close. “I called security.”
Trying not to scowl at her, I nod.
Just great, more fucking paperwork.