He gave her a knowing look. ‘Not long. I’m going back to the hospital.’
‘Take me with you?’ Gwyn begged. ‘Please? Thorne keeps texting and I know he’s losing his mind. I just want to be there with him.’
‘Security is good there,’ JD said after considering it. ‘Give me a few minutes with Lucy and I’ll be back out.’
She threw her arms around his neck. ‘Thank you.’ He patted her back, but his face looked stunned when she stepped back. ‘What?’
‘That’s the first hug you’ve given me. Like that, I mean.’
Because she’d met JD right when everything with Evan hit the fan. But now I’m back. I’m really back. ‘It won’t be the last.’
Baltimore, Maryland,
Tuesday 14 June, 5.40 A.M.
Hospitals were noisy places, even at night. Gwyn remembered that from the two days she’d spent in the hospital after Evan. But she mostly remembered the relief at being able to leave. The arm Thorne had placed around her as he’d helped her into his car. The gentleness with which he’d laid her in his bed and kissed her on the forehead and told her that everything would be all right.
It’s always been him, she thought, slowing her step as she and JD approached Phil’s room in the cardiac ICU. His room was easy to spot – it was the only one with an armed police officer standing guard outside.
There had been a lot of armed officers elsewhere in and around the hospital. They stood outside the rooms belonging to Sam and Agent Ingram, and by the doors to the waiting rooms where their families and friends had gathered.
The waiting room was where she and JD had gone first. Joseph was there, sitting with Mrs Ingram, who’d been weeping. That did not bode well. They found that Sam had been moved to a regular room and Ruby was with him. She’d had a sonogram, at Sam’s insistence. Word was that the baby was okay, so the news wasn’t all bad.
Gwyn got to meet Sally Brewster, the pediatric nurse, who’d come to sit with Frederick during her break. Frederick looked worn and so damn tired. But clean, because JD had driven him home for a shower and a change of clothes.
JD had been simply amazing, which really came as no surprise. She’d observed him being amazing to Lucy for the last four and a half years.
Now he was being amazing to Gwyn herself, walking her to Phil’s room, where Thorne and Jamie kept vigil. Because now that she was here, she was a little apprehensive. Thorne had told her explicitly to stay at Clay’s. She was nervous about what he’d say when he saw her.
Then she raised her chin. This relationship didn’t have a chance of success if Thorne thought he could command her. She’d nip that in the bud right away.
Still, she was glad JD was with her.
‘You sure you want to do this?’ he whispered.
‘If this were Lucy’s dad, would you?’
‘If this were Lucy’s dad, I’d have set off firecrackers to send him over the heart attack edge,’ JD said dryly. Because Lucy’s dad had been an abusive bastard. ‘But I get your point. I’d want Lucy with me if I were in Thorne’s position.’
‘Thank you.’
She approached the room on tiptoes. As she peeked around the doorway, her knees went weak. Phil’s eyes were open and he was looking up at Jamie, who held his hand. Thorne stood off to the side, tears on his face. But she could see that they were good tears.
Thorne inhaled then, and his shoulders stiffened as his body turned toward the door. His dark brows furrowed, his jaw going tight. ‘What. The. Fuck?’ he whispered loudly.
‘Shh,’ Jamie scolded, then followed his line of sight. ‘Come in, Gwyn.’
Gwyn obeyed, her feet carrying her to the bed, her eyes not looking at Thorne. She leaned in and stroked Phil’s pale cheek with one finger. ‘Hey there.’
‘Hey, Amber Kelly,’ Phil whispered, one corner of his mouth hooking up. ‘Thorne is not pleased with you.’
‘I know,’ she whispered back. ‘But I think he’s going to have to get used to that.’
Phil’s eyes were tired, but they managed a small sparkle. ‘I knew you had it in you.’
Jamie’s chuckle was watery. ‘Mount St Thorne is about to explode. Take him home. Or somewhere.’
She kissed Phil’s cheek, then went around the bed to kiss Jamie’s. ‘Taking him home now. I’ll make sure he sleeps.’ She reached for Thorne’s hand. ‘Come on.’
He let her take his hand, but he didn’t say a word. Not until they were outside in JD’s SUV. Then he let it roar.
‘What the actual fuck?’ he shouted, so loudly that her ears rang. ‘JD, what were you thinking?’
‘That we had excellent security at the hospital and that she was likely to be duct-taped to a chair by everyone at Clay’s who was trying to sleep but couldn’t because she kept pacing and asking everyone if they had news.’ JD sighed. ‘And that you might need her.’
Thorne huffed out a breath. ‘It was stupid.’
No, it wasn’t stupid. And Gwyn was aware that he hadn’t denied needing her. So she’d see where this went. An angry Thorne could be interesting.
Which was interesting in and of itself. Because there wasn’t one bone in that man’s body that frightened her, even when he was about to explode with what he considered to be justified rage. He’d never hurt her.
‘Can we go to my place, JD? Or even a hotel? Clay’s house is completely full and I think Thorne’s going to need to yell at me a little.’
‘A lot,’ Thorne muttered.
‘You’re still under surveillance, Thorne. Joseph has someone waiting outside Gwyn’s place already. That’s where we figured you’d go.’
And for that, Gwyn gave JD another big hug when he walked them up to her condo and made sure they were locked safely inside for the night. Then she turned to Thorne, who was staring out the window, his expression thunderous and brooding.
‘Go ahead,’ she said. ‘Let me have it.’
Sixteen
Baltimore, Maryland,
Tuesday 14 June, 7.15 A.M.
Go ahead. Let me have it.
Thorne knew what she meant by the words. Which was not the way he wanted to take them. He stood at her window, his hands fisted at his sides because he wanted her so goddamn much. He wanted to turn around and grab her, kiss her, throw her over his shoulder and toss her on the bed. He wanted to strip her, touch her. Worship her.
He was vibrating with it. His skin felt too thin, too tight. Like he’d split out of it any minute. Let me have it. His brain replayed the words over and over, taunting him, because he couldn’t do what he wanted to do. Not tonight. Not ever.
I wasn’t drugged the whole time. Evan had hurt her. Broken something inside her. But she’s healing. Not broken anymore. She said so herself. So let her have it.
It would be so simple to listen to the devil on his shoulder. But he wouldn’t. He couldn’t. It was why he’d told her to stay put tonight.
Yes, he wanted her safe, but logically he’d already come to the same conclusion that JD had. There’d been plenty of security at the hospital. She would have been safe there.
From shooters. But not from me.
The realization had shaken him soundly. She’s not safe from me. He’d kissed her tonight. He wanted to do it again. So much.
‘Hey.’ She was behind him all of a sudden. Poking him in the back. ‘Hey. I’m talking to you. Don’t ignore me.’
‘Like I ever could.’ He flinched. He hadn’t meant to say the words aloud.
She grabbed a handful of his shirtsleeve and pulled. ‘Talk to me, dammit.’
He whirled then, gripping her shoulders and holding her at arm’s length. ‘You don’t want to hear what I have to say right now,’ he warned in a low growl that he didn’t even recognize as his own voice.
Her eyes widened. Then narrowed. Twin streaks of ruby red rode high on her cheekbones, and she was breathing very deliberately. ‘What do you have to say?’ she asked, and then her tongue stole out to wet her lower lip and he couldn’t stifle his groan.