“I said, don’t move,” the school nurse snapped. “We’ve got to stop the bleeding.”
Cali stood back as the nurse applied pressure to Roberto Garcia’s neck and head wounds. The copper scent of blood filled the cubical-sized room, making her stomach twist with guilt. This was her fault. She’d messed up. If she’d told Brit earlier about the calls, maybe Stan would have been caught and Roberto would be okay.
She heard footsteps and when she turned, Brit came to a halt at the door. His face looked as colorless as the white walls.
“Brit?” Had she wished him here?
In two wide steps, he reached out and touched her arm. “I thought...” Relief washed over his expression. He pulled her close. His deep intake of air vibrated through Cali, and she breathed in his scent.
His embrace ended quickly and he looked at Roberto. “What happened?”
“He said Stan caught him in the back of the school. He tried to stop him from leaving. They fought and Roberto fell on some broken glass on the pavement. He cut himself badly.”
“Lowell,” Roberto ground out, trying to sit up, only to be pressed back down by the nurse.
“I told you to stay still,” the nurse said, her voice firm.
Cali moved in closer. “Please listen to her.”
“I almost had him,” Roberto said. “He was trying to sneak in the back entrance. I had them bring Miss McKay in here just in case he tried to come back.”
Cali saw Brit frown at the sight of the blood. “I knew I could count on you.”
“It looks worse than it is,” the nurse replied, obviously seeing their concern. “But he’s going to have plenty of stitches to show off.” She turned when her patient tried to sit up again. “Until you stop bleeding, you don’t move!”
“I’m fine,” Roberto said. “Hell, I’ve been shot before.”
Cali wrung her hands together. “I’m so sorry, Roberto. This is all my fault.”
“Hog wash,” Roberto said. “You didn’t do this.”
The nurse removed a bloody cloth she held against Roberto’s neck wound. “The bleeding is slowing down.”
~
Fifteen minutes later, Brit watched the ambulance drive away with Garcia.
Brit hadn’t left Cali’s side. She looked like a woman about to shatter into delicate pieces and when she did, he’d be there to catch her.
Quarles, who’d shown up a few minutes ago, stepped up beside him. “What now?”
Brit looked over at Cali then moved a few feet away to talk to his partner in private. “You go to the hospital to get a report. I’m going to get Cali situated at my place before I join you at the surveillance.”
The expression on Quarles’ face darkened. “If Adams finds out she’s staying at your place, he’s going to crawl up your ass and camp out for a few days.”
“He can roast marshmallows while he’s there for all I care. And I’ll swear you didn’t know a thing about it.”
Frustration pinching his brow, Quarles left. Brit spotted Mrs. Jasmine walking up to Cali. He never considered himself an opportunist, but damn if he’d let this one pass.
He hurried to stand beside Cali. “You look as if you could use some time off.” He saw Cali cut him a don’t-go-there look, but he had his compass set in just that direction. With Garcia at the hospital, Cali was not staying at the school.
If she’d listened to him about not coming to work today, this whole thing wouldn’t have happened. And if she’d called right away this morning, Humphrey wouldn’t even be an issue.
Focusing on the principal, Brit continued, “Don’t you think so, Mrs. Jasmine? Isn’t it best all the way around that Cali take some time off?” He felt Cali’s baby blues blistering him.
“Maybe we should talk about this in my office?” Mrs. Jasmine started back inside.
As Mrs. Jasmine walked away, Cali gave his elbow a squeeze. “Don’t do this,” she seethed.
He didn’t answer her. The way he figured it, he’d be answering for a lot later because there was no changing his mind. If Cali wouldn’t listen to reason, her principal would. And when he got Cali alone, he was going give her a ration of shit for not calling him. No doubt about it, Cali and he were about to have their first “real” fight.
Panic started buzzing in his gut. Normally, this was Brit’s bail-out time. The moment any issue arose that invited tempers to flare, Brit called it quits on a relationship. He’d experienced too many domestic battles growing up; he simply refused to be a part of them as an adult. It wasn’t that he really believed he’d fight unfair, but why the hell take chances?
But this fight, the one brewing right now, wasn’t going to send him running. He’d stay and see it through.
~
“You did that on purpose,” Cali said as they left the school fifteen minutes later. A cold wind made her shiver, or was it her anger?
Brit matched her steps, one for one. Clip, clop.