“Is he alright? Coherent? What about Mallory?” I climb into the truck, grab a hold of Jade by her waist, and pull her onto my lap. No damn way is she sitting in the back cab. I need her as close to me as fucking possible.
“He’ll be fine. Mallory’s shaken up quite a bit.” Thank god. If anything had happened to either one of them, that nightmare would have haunted me for the rest of my life.
“We need to get you checked out too. I’ll take care of calling your superior.” I place my hand on her head while her body relaxes into mine.
“Thank you,” she whispers. She’s changed me. This woman whose photo ran across my desk months ago has single-handedly changed me.
She’s softened me. Whether I want to believe it or not, she has. My life is much more complicated with another person to worry about, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
“I love you.” I have to say it to her again. I have to smell her hair and feel her skin. The chaos of my mind since I left her bed proves to me I’m much better with her than I am away from her.
CHAPTER TWENTY
KALEB
I hold Jade until we get to the hospital. She allows me to caress her back and whisper into her ear, but I can feel that she’s distant. I’m fighting to figure out if it’s the psyche of being kidnapped and tortured, or if it’s about us.
“Tell me he didn’t rape you.” I guide her face to meet mine. I need to see her reactions to everything I ask.
“No, he didn’t.”
“Tell me what he did.” I try not to hate a man whom I’ve already made pay for his torture for her, but I can’t. I look down at a cut down her cleavage and feel my anger boil even higher.
“Kaleb, I’m not reliving that again. I’m fine. He’s not a threat anymore, and we made it out alive.”
“Tell me what you’re thinking then.” She won’t look at me now and chooses to lay her head back against my chest.
“Nothing. I just need to see that Harris and Mal are ok.” I can give her that. I feel the same way.
“We’ll get you checked out and I’ll have the guys update us on them. I promise we’ll do what we can to make sure they have the best medical treatment possible if they need anything.” I try to make her feel better, all the while hoping I’ll feel some relief myself.
“Some things can’t be fixed like that, Kaleb. It’s not the surface scars I’m worried about.” Her words hit home for me. The internal hurt is far worse than any damage done to the surface.
“I know.” I can’t say anything different about that. I do know. I can’t make her feel any better, knowing she’s probably right. I just pray to god my brother didn’t do anything detrimental to either of them. Caressing her back calms me. I feel close to her even though I can feel her pulling away.
We pull into the hospital drive, where medical personnel meet us outside. Jackson is instantly asking about Harris and Mallory, while I’m guiding Jade out of the truck. She refuses a wheelchair like the stubborn woman she is, and we walk inside to a small room to wait for a doctor.
She won’t look at me, and it’s getting to me. I shouldn’t be making this about me, but it is about us. I’d give anything for just one normal fucking day with her.
“Jade, why do I feel like you’re checking out on me?”
“Kaleb. We can talk once I know Harris and Mallory are ok. Until then, I’m still in my own war zone on a mission.” She scoots onto the hospital bed, and I step outside in hopes of seeing some sign of the others. Jackson is walking down the hall toward me, so I watch for any signs he has bad news. He seems to be indifferent.
“Mallory is upset and Harris is in surgery. I asked them to get Jade and Mallory in the same room as soon as possible. They’re going to move Jade here in a few minutes.”
“What’s the prognosis of Harris’ injuries?”
“Shoulder is all I’ve heard. Should be out of surgery in a few hours.” A few hours will feel like an eternity with Jade and Mallory together while we wait for his news, but I’ll be there for both of them.
Jade is standing in the doorway with me just as the doctor comes in. “Alright, Ms. Elliott, let’s see your injuries.” She steps back into the room and unties her shirt as I close the door. The jagged cut down her torso isn’t too deep, but any blood shed from her body is too much in my opinion. I’m just glad she won’t require stitches.
“Were you sexually assaulted?” His cold question heats me up with rage. I’m so damn thankful her answer is no, because I can’t even imagine the guilt I’d feel if it were yes.