by LENA DIAZ,
She turned around, but steadfastly looked at the floor while he thanked the doctor and discussed the discharge instructions. Her anger had evaporated beneath the shock of what she’d just heard. She hadn’t known about the wood driven into his back. On top of everything else that he’d endured, he’d basically been stabbed, six times, as the remnants of the shack rained down on them. But not one of those pieces of lethally sharp wood had hit her—because he’d protected her. Again. She had no right to be angry with him. And he had every right to be angry with her. He’d be sitting on his dock enjoying a cold beer right now, listening to the rippling water of the stream behind his house if it wasn’t for her. Healthy, content, his only worry the ache in his hip when the tequila and scotch weren’t enough to dull the pain.
What a selfish immature idiot she’d been, thinking only of herself.
The squeak of metal had her glancing up to see him struggling to lower the railing. The doctor must have left while she was consumed with her own thoughts.
She rushed over to him. “Here, let me.” She gently pushed his hands away and lowered the railing. “Just, please, don’t try to get out of bed on your own. I know you don’t want my help, so I’ll get the nurse to help you get dressed.”
“Teagan, I—”
“It’s okay. I understand. I’ll have the car brought up and will meet you and the nurse out front.”
He frowned. “What do you think you understand?”
Without answering, she hurried from the room.
* * *
BRYSON EASED BACK against the pillows that Teagan had just stuffed behind him so he could sit up in the hotel bed. “Thank you.” He motioned toward the impressive fifteen-hundred-square-feet, two-bedroom suite that she’d reserved for them at the Omni hotel. The accommodations were luxurious, but more important, it was close enough to the hospital that he hadn’t had to endure the agony of a long car ride. And since she’d insisted on him taking more pain pills after reaching the hotel, he was feeling pretty good right now. Physically at least. “Thank you for everything, Teagan.”
She seemed surprised by his words, acknowledging them with a quick nod. Then she turned to finish putting away his clothes that she’d had brought from the other hotel he’d originally been staying in, closer to The Woods subdivision. Her surprise that he’d actually thank her had him feeling like even more of a jerk than he had since the moment he’d woken up in the recovery room.
All the memories of what had happened had slammed into him, stealing his breath. He’d made so many mistakes that could have cost her life. The very first one was in agreeing to take her with him to that ill-fated interview at the Brodericks’. Everything had gone downhill from there.
The worst part was knowing what had driven him to include her, to give in to her request even though he was the one experienced in law enforcement and knew better, knew the dangers. What had driven him was pure selfishness, his ridiculous fixation on her and desire, no—need—to be around her as much as possible. His obsession had clouded his reason. And just as soon as he was able to manage on his own, he’d set her free, break this tenuous bond that had developed between them. He’d ensure that none of his bad decisions could ever risk her life again. Obviously he hadn’t learned the lessons of his past—from his sloppy handling of the Kentucky Ripper case to his failure to save Hayley from the person who’d ended up shooting him in the hip all those months ago. He had no business thinking he could really protect Teagan.
She was much better off without him.
Finally she stopped running around the suite putting things away, and stood by his bed. “I guess it’s good that you already had a wheelchair and had it at your other hotel,” she said. “Saved me from having to rent one while you’re here. Goodness knows you’ll need it for a while until you’re back on your feet.” She motioned beside the bed where she’d stored it within easy reach. “There’s a cane too, for when you’re feeling good enough to try to walk. It’s nothing fancy. I got it at the hospital gift shop. Your other one, unfortunately, is locked up in evidence. It practically took an act of Congress just to get my purse released after the police took it from the Brodericks’ home. They wouldn’t even discuss the cane, for some reason. Anyway, in case you’ve forgotten your discharge instructions, they’re in writing in the top drawer of your bedside table. But part of it is that the doctor wants you to try to stand and take at least a few steps several times a day. If you’re in bed the whole time you could get blood clots and—”
“Teagan.”
“Do you need something? A glass of water? Soda? There’s a bar over there but you really shouldn’t have any alcohol with the pain meds you’re—”
“No. Thank you. I don’t need anything. I—”
“Okay, then. I’m going to explore my room, catch up on some sleep. I haven’t slept well at the hospital and—”
“Teagan.”
“—if you need something, just text me on your phone. I left it on the nightstand. The police have both our phones in evidence so that’s a new one. I had Mason program your team’s numbers in there, so that should help. My new number’s in there too, obviously, so you can text me. I’ll check on you in a couple of hours.”
“I need to talk to you.”
“No, right now you need to sleep. We both do.”
“Wait, please. Just give me a minute to—”
She hurried into the other bedroom, shutting the door hard behind her. But she hadn’t turned fast enough to hide the tears in her eyes.
He swore and punched a fist into the mattress beside him.
Chapter Twenty
After spending five grueling days and nights in a tension-filled hotel suite with Bryson, Teagan was more than ready to see the last of the place, no matter how amazingly luxurious it was. She could have had a home health-care nurse take care of him while he recuperated. But since part of the reason that Mason had suggested they stay there together was to ensure that both of them were out of sight in case the killer came looking for them, it just made sense for her to take care of him herself.
But it hadn’t been easy.
They’d hardly said two words to each other after their arrival. And since it wasn’t looking promising that the killer would be found any time soon, it was time for both of them to try to get on with their lives. Well, as much as possible anyway. The police would have someone watching her parents’ home while she was here, not that anyone expected the killer to be brazen enough to try to hurt her again. He was long gone, on the run.
Now, as the rented limo pulled up at her parents’ home to drop her off so Bryson could fly in Mason’s private jet back to Gatlinburg, she was so antsy to get away from him that she was pulling open the door before the driver had even come to a complete stop on the street out front.
“Wait,” Bryson called out. “Let me walk you to the door.”
“I’ve got it. No need.” She grabbed her one piece of luggage from the seat beside her and hopped out, not even giving the driver a chance to open the door. “Take care, Bryson.”
She heard him swearing as she slammed the door shut. Tears were already running down her cheeks by the time she sprinted across the front lawn and threw open the front door. “Mom, Dad, I’m home. Don’t get up,” she yelled, hurrying toward her old bedroom on the right side of the house. “I’ll put away my stuff and freshen up. Talk to you in a few.”
“Teagan? Are you okay?” her mom called out from the kitchen where insanely amazing smells were coming from. She must be cooking dinner.
“I’m great. Need to use the restroom, that’s all,” she lied, hurrying to toss her bag on the bedroom floor then running into the bathroom before her mother could stop her.
She shut the door, then turned around and slid to the floor, finally letting the tears fall that had threatened all morning. She hated crying, especially since she’d probably cried more lately th
an most people cried an entire lifetime. But it seemed to be the only outlet for her tumultuous emotions. Admitting to her mom that she was more upset over the way the relationship between her and Bryson had ended than the fact that a killer was still out there wasn’t something she was keen about. Especially since the so-called relationship had never really begun in the first place. It wasn’t real, none of this. It couldn’t be. They hadn’t even dated. So how could she possibly be in love with him? It wasn’t love. It was lust, and shared trauma. In a few weeks, or months, this ache deep in her soul would be gone and she’d forget all about Bryson Anton.
Now if only she could convince her heart of that brazen lie, she’d be just fine.
After crying for a ridiculously long time, she actually felt better. She blew out a shuddering breath, then climbed to her feet. The mirror above the sink was not her friend. Her eyes were puffy and red. Her hair was escaping her customary braid. And her makeup was a disaster.
Thankfully, her mom and dad wouldn’t care about her makeup. But they would care if they realized she’d been sitting in here crying for the past ten minutes. She grabbed a washcloth from the cabinet under the sink and washed her face, scrubbing off all of the makeup she’d painstakingly applied in the hotel bathroom. Not that Bryson had noticed. Her throat tightened. Good grief. Stop it, Teagan. He’s not worth it. She lifted her gaze to the mirror and shook her head. Maybe if she kept lying to herself, she’d eventually believe the lies.
Straightening her shoulders, she drew a bracing breath and headed off to find her parents. Her mom smiled at her from the archway into the kitchen.
“Teagan, baby. Finally you’re home.” Her mom tossed a dishcloth onto the countertop and wrapped her arms around her.
“It’s so good to be here. I missed you and Daddy so much.” After a good long hug, she let her mom go and glanced around the kitchen. “It smells amazing in here. Did you cook all my favorites?” She crossed to the stove and bent down to smell the tantalizing aroma rising from the huge pot. “Jambalaya. You’re the best, Mom.”
“There’s apple pie baking in the oven. It’ll be ready by the time we finish supper.”
She turned around to hug her mom again, then froze. Bryson was leaning against the wall beside the table at the other end of the kitchen, looking like a model out of a magazine in his charcoal gray tailored suit.
He straightened away from the wall and smiled. “Hello, Teagan.”
“What...what are you doing here?” she demanded. “You’re supposed to be on your way to the airport.”
“I wanted to pay my respects to your parents and they invited me to dinner. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Well, of course I mind.” She put her hands on her hips. “You need to leave.”
“Teagan Ray,” her mother chided her. “That’s not how we treat our guests, especially your fiancé.”
“He’s not—”
“Teagan!” Her father had just stepped inside from the backyard, holding a pitcher of sun tea that her mom must have had steeping on the porch table. Behind him, Zeus lay on the grass, sunning himself. Her father’s mouth widened in a broad smile. “Your mom said you were finally home. Come over here and give dear old dad a hug.” He nodded at Bryson, apparently unsurprised to see him, and set the jug on the table.
She reluctantly stepped into his embrace, glaring at Bryson over her father’s shoulder. This farce had to end now. No way was she going to sit through dinner pretending everything was okay. When he let her go, she moved back beside her mother.
“Mom, Dad, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“You can relax,” Bryson said. “I already told them.”
Her jaw dropped open. “You told them?” She glanced from her mom to her dad. “Neither of you look furious with me. What exactly did he tell you?”
Her mom pressed a kiss against her cheek. “The truth. That you were never engaged, that you weren’t even boyfriend and girlfriend. He explained how you told the hospital you were his fiancée so you could be in on his care plan, which I think is really sweet. I was just teasing you a minute ago about being engaged. I shouldn’t have done that.”
She blinked at her mom, then shot Bryson a confused look. “What did he tell you about why I said that he was my boyfriend?”
“He is standing right here and can speak for himself,” Bryson teased, sounding lighthearted, which had her even more confused after everything that had happened. “I explained that you didn’t want them to worry about you because of the bad breakup with your ex. You wanted to protect them, to keep them from thinking you hadn’t moved on in your life.”
“You said that?” she whispered, her throat tight.
“It’s the truth, isn’t it?”
She slowly nodded. “I still don’t understand why you’re here. You should be on the plane.”
He stepped toward her, his limp barely noticeable. Then, to her complete and utter shock, he took both her hands in his.
“I couldn’t leave with things the way they are between us,” he said. “I need to explain why I’ve been a complete and utter jerk since waking up in recovery.”
Her chin wobbled, and to her horror she realized she still had tears left to shed. She furiously blinked them back and glanced at her parents, who were both avidly watching without making any pretense at not trying to listen. She leaned forward, lowering her voice, even though she was certain they could still hear. “You don’t owe me any explanations.”
“Yes. I do. We can talk now, in front of your parents. Or somewhere private. But I’m not leaving until I apologize and give you an honest explanation.”
“Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?” She leaned in so close she was almost touching him and whispered, “You don’t owe me anything, Bryson.”
He slowly shook his head. “I owe you my life.”
“Damn it,” she muttered, stepping back. “You’re making me cry again.”
“Teagan—” her mother began.
“I know, I know. Language. Sorry, Mom.” She wondered if her mother would still treat her like a kid when she hit thirty. She swiped at her wet eyes. “We’ll talk in the backyard, Bryson. Then you can go.”
“After dinner,” her mother said. “Whatever you two have to say can be settled later. Now go wash up. Henry, show Bryson to the other bathroom so he can wash up too.”
Teagan’s face heated with embarrassment at being ordered around in front of Bryson. But since he was currently following her father to the master suite to the second bathroom, at least she wasn’t the only one being bossed around like a child.
“You can thank me later,” her mother whispered. “Now go fix your face before that handsome man comes back.”
She gasped in dismay, remembering that she’d washed off her makeup, and ran for the bathroom.
* * *
“YOU DIDN’T NEED to put on any makeup, you know,” Bryson said after dinner as they both rested their arms on the top of the picket fence and stared out over the backyard pond.
Her face heated yet again. “I’m amazed you even noticed.”
He sighed heavily. “I owe you a tremendous apology. I’ve been an absolute beast since waking up after the explosion.”
She hesitated, his words surprising her. “I didn’t think of it that way, that when you woke up in recovery it was your first time being awake since the explosion. You must have been really confused. In your place, I think I would have been terrified. Not knowing what had happened.”
He turned to face her, his left hand braced on top of the fence. “I was beyond terrified, about you.”
“About me? But... I was right there in the recovery room. You saw that I was okay.”
“By the grace of God, yes. Teagan, what were you thinking coming back inside that shack? Just a few seconds earlier and that madman would have still been there to kill you or
take you with him. A few seconds later and you’d have been killed in the explosion. You shouldn’t have risked your life like that, especially after promising me you’d run as fast as you could and wouldn’t stop.”
“Sort of like you promised me that you’d run out of the shack too? If you’d told me you’d been shot, I would have helped you instead of running off and leaving you. If you’d been killed, how do you think that would have made me feel? How could I live with that kind of guilt on my conscience? If you think I’m the kind of woman who thinks it’s romantic for a guy to die for her, then you don’t know me at all. I don’t want you to die for me. I want you to live.”
His jaw tightened, and he turned to face the pond again.
She did the same, counting silently until she could speak again without her voice shaking. “So that’s it then?” she finally said. “You’ve been mad at me ever since then because I couldn’t bear for you to die if there was anything I could do to prevent it? Is this your apology? Because as apologies go, it totally sucks.”
He suddenly turned and grasped her forearms, pulling her close. “Don’t you get it, Teagan? When you walked in my door in Gatlinburg, you changed everything for me, everything. You made me care when I didn’t want to. You made me want...you. And instead of shutting myself away to protect someone else from being hurt by another one of my lousy decisions, I decided to give it another try. I thought maybe, just maybe, I could help you and not be a bringer of doom. But look at how that worked out? I’m a jinx. Bad luck. Whatever you want to call it. If it hadn’t been for me, you wouldn’t have been at the Brodericks’.”
She shook her head. “What you’re saying doesn’t even make sense. Mason told me what happened with Hayley, when you were shot in the hip. You were the only person for miles around who saw her with the kidnapper. You rammed her truck with your car to try to save her, and paid for it by getting shot.” He started to interrupt, but she pushed his hands away to stop him. “The only one who thinks you were a failure in that incident is you. From what Mason said, the delay you caused before the abductor took off with Hayley again was enough of a delay to save her life. It gave other Seekers the time they needed to catch up to them. She’s alive because of you. Period.”