In His Keeping (Slow Burn #2)

“What happened, Beau?” Ramie asked softly as she took the seat next to him on the sofa.

He noted she was careful not to touch him and it was just as well, because she’d instantly be blasted with his rage and dark thoughts and that was the last thing he wanted for his sister-in-law. She’d had enough violence and evil in her young life. He’d be damned before ever being the cause of further pain.

Just then the buzz sounded from someone wanting to gain access through the security gate at the entrance to the long winding driveway. Zack strode over to the call box and briefly exchanged words with the doctor, all the while studying the video monitor carefully to make sure the physician was the sole occupant of the vehicle. He buzzed him in and Beau rose, unwilling to have this conversation with his brother until he was assured that Ari was all right.

“Zack can fill you in on what we know,” Beau said. He narrowed his gaze at his older brother, staring intently, not looking away even for an instant. “But Caleb, this one is mine. Zack will work it with me and he’ll handpick his team.”

Caleb’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Dane is the head of security. Shouldn’t the call be his?”

“I sign Dane’s paychecks,” Beau ground out impatiently. “He has a job going on and I’m not going to pull him off for this. Not when Zack and I are perfectly capable of handling this situation.”

Caleb’s frown deepened, and he looked at Zack in question, obvious impatient for a report on just what this case involved.

The door opened and the doctor, an old family friend, walked into the living room, carrying two medical bags. Beau went to greet him, ignoring the others as he led the doctor to Ari’s room.

He knocked softly to alert Ari so she wouldn’t be startled when he entered with a complete stranger. But he shouldn’t have worried. When he quietly pushed the door open, Ari was curled into a protective ball, lying on her uninjured side, and he was struck by the image she portrayed.

Even in sleep, her features were marred by fear and exhaustion, as if her dreams were taking her straight into hell. Her forehead was wrinkled and furrowed as though she were in pain, and he cursed softly when he saw the slow trickle of blood seeping from her nose.

He went to the bed and eased on to the edge, reaching up to smooth her hair from her forehead, gently stroking the lines to ease her strain. She stirred and her eyelids fluttered open, her eyes droopy from fatigue, cloudy with confusion.

“Beau?”

“Yes, honey. It’s me. I’m sorry to wake you but you’re bleeding again and the doctor is here to see you.”

She reached self-consciously to her nose, but before she could wipe it away with her hand, Beau caught her fingers and reached for the washcloth he’d discarded earlier. Carefully, he wiped the blood away and then turned so she could see the doctor standing a few feet away.

Her pulse leapt. He could feel the sudden surge of her heartbeat against the hand he now had against her neck.

“It’s okay,” he said soothingly. “He can be trusted.”

“But I’m all right,” she protested. “I don’t need a doctor.”

Doctor Carey moved forward in his brisk, no-nonsense fashion and set his bags down on the bed in front of Beau.

“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that, young lady?” he said kindly.

He glanced sideways at Beau. “Would you like to step out while I examine her?”

Ari’s respiration immediately sped up and she glanced in panic at Beau as if her were her lifeline.

“I’ll stay,” Beau said firmly.

Ari sagged in relief, her eyes closing briefly as she settled more comfortably on the pillows.

“My head hurts,” she admitted. “Much more than my side. The bullet wound just stings a bit but my head is killing me.”

Beau looked at the doctor in concern. “She had a serious psychic bleed. She was bleeding profusely from her ears and her nose. I’m concerned she could have incurred a brain hemorrhage or permanent damage.”

Ari choked out an instant protest, looking frantically at Beau as if she couldn’t believe he would betray her confidence.

Beau instantly put a reassuring hand to her cheek. “It’s nothing he hasn’t seen before. He can be trusted, Ari. I wouldn’t put you at risk if I weren’t certain of his trustworthiness and his complete and absolute discretion in this matter.”

The doctor frowned. “That does sound serious indeed and is evidence of great strain on your brain. I’d like to do a scan just to make sure there is no bleed or that it’s continuing to bleed. Left unattended, it could be life threatening. But first let me see your bullet wound and then we’ll decide what’s to be done about your head.”