First and Only (Callaghan Brothers #2)

“Excuse me?” Ian stood, power radiating from every limb.

“Do you know how many times I’ve been in hospital rooms like this? How many times I’ve stared out the window, waiting for her to wake up?” Aidan turned from the window, looking at Ian as if he was a child. “This disease is life-threatening, Mr. Callaghan. Lexi knows exactly what she must do, knows that even the slightest deviation could have devastating effects. Yet here she is, her body battered beyond limits, and not enough medicine to see her through the week. Why do you suppose that is?”

Ian didn’t have an answer to that as the gravity of Aidan’s words fell over him like a heavy shroud. Aidan. The one with whom Lexi had entrusted her secrets. The one whose timely arrival had probably saved her life.

“You are in love with her.” It wasn’t a question.

Aidan smiled slightly. “Yes. But not in the way you think. She is family to me. And she is in love with another man; I have always known this.” He paused briefly. “I always wondered what kind of fool would let a woman like that go. Now I know, don’t I?”

“I never knew.” But he had, hadn’t he? If he was honest with himself, he had to admit that some part of him knew. Some part of him recognized her feelings for him, and capitalized on them without reservation.

Aidan shook his head. “That makes you even more of an idiot then, doesn’t it? Even now you still don’t get it. Lexi risked her life. And for what? To spend a few more days with you.”

*

Lexi heard their hushed low voices through the haze. She’d been drifting in and out of consciousness over the past day or so, her blood chemistry finally returning to some semblance of normalcy. Her body still felt like she’d been the bulls-eye for a freight train, but at least she was breathing on her own, so technically, she’d been worse, a lot worse.

She hadn’t been able to work up the courage to face any of them yet. Only Michael knew. He’d asked lots of questions. Lexi explained what had happened in the woods, but that she’d already been in pretty bad shape by then. That yes, Ian had caused some of her injuries, in a way, but it wasn’t his fault. Michael had to understand that without her meds, even a jostle in a crowd was the bruising equivalent of a blind-sided tackle.

She left out many of the details, but Michael was smart. He’d already pieced most of it together, and his exams were thorough. His expression had remained calm, his blue eyes caring, his touch gentle, but she could sense his discomfort every time he looked at her injuries. She didn’t have to go into graphic detail for him to figure out exactly what had happened.

She would have expected to feel more ashamed than she did. As it was, her biggest concern was defending Ian, stressing the fact that he hadn’t known, that he was always careful with her. It was hard to determine if Michael really believed her, but she did her best.

“Aidan.” Aidan looked into familiar golden eyes as they opened. He felt the weak squeeze of her hand in his as she forced out the words through her parched throat. “I knew you’d come.”

“As if I would be anywhere else,” he said tenderly, leaning over to kiss her forehead.

“Are you alone?” she rasped.

“For the moment. You really scared me this time, Lex,” he told her as he poured a glass of water. He gently placed one hand behind her back to support her and held the cup to her lips.

“I’m sorry, Aidan. You always get stuck taking care of me, don’t you? Sucks for you.”

Anger flashed quickly across his features before he smoothed them back into concern. “Don’t ever say that again,” he said softly, smoothing the hair away from her face in an easy, familiar gesture. “We take care of each other.”

Lexi saw the telltale bandages along his arm, traced them with her fingers. “You gave me another transfusion.”

“Yes. But it wasn’t enough this time. A woman named Taryn donated as well.” His lips curled in a smile. “Bold, that one, but I like her.”

“Yeah, she’s awesome,” Lexi agreed with a weak smile. She would miss Taryn. The woman came closer than anyone else to being a real friend, something Lexi never really had. “And you’re a good man, Aidan. What would I do without you?”

“I don’t know, Lex. I leave you alone for a week and look what happens.” He attempted a smile, but Lexi didn’t share it.

Aidan might have been teasing, but he was more right than he knew. She didn’t do well on her own, obviously. Her innate tendency to let her heart rule over her head got her in trouble more often than she cared to admit. If anything, this had reminded her none too subtly that she could not lead a normal life, not ever.

“I want to go home, Aidan.”