by Nashoda Rose
Deaglan who was walking. Okay, walking was good. But his left shoulder was soaked with blood.
“Deaglan,” I said, rushing to him, my eyes darting to his hand covered in blood that was pressed to the wound. “How long ago were you shot? Do you feel lightheaded? Dizzy?” I needed to know how much blood he’d lost.
“Seven minutes,” Deck offered as we walked into the kitchen.
“Lie on the island,” I directed Deaglan.
“Eva, I’m not lying on the fuckin’ island,” he said, and instead sat on a barstool. “And I’m not dizzy. I’ve been shot before and this isn’t serious.”
I ignored the part where he’d been shot before. I couldn’t think about that right now. “Any bullet in the body is serious, Deaglan.”
He smirked, but there was a hint of pain in his eyes as he did it. “I like it that you’re worried about me.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I’m a nurse. Of course, I’m worried about you.” But he was right. I was worried because I loved him. And right now, I had to keep that pushed back to the far corners of my mind and focus on what I had to do.
I grabbed the scissors from the first aid kit and stood between his thighs as I cut his shirt off and peeled the blood-soaked material away from the wound.
Immediately the bleeding intensified and I pressed a wad of gauze over the wound. “Hold it there. Hard,” I instructed.
I peered at Deck who leaned against the counter. “He needs a doctor.”
Deck’s eyes shifted to Deaglan. “Your call.”
He shook his head. “It’s a through and through. She can do it.”
“Deaglan. I’m not a doctor and this is a first aid kit. I don’t have any antibiotics. You need antibiotics.”
“No bullet to extract. Disinfect it and bandage it up, baby.”
Jesus. Stubborn bastard.
Vic stood with his arms crossed leaning against the fridge while Tyler pulled out a barstool and sat on it backward, leaning his arms on the backrest.
“Fine. But I don’t have lidocaine and this is going to hurt,” I told him as I grabbed the bottle of disinfectant. “It would be better if you lie down. If you pass out from the pain, I can’t catch you.”
Tyler burst out laughing. Deck chuckled. Vic didn’t do or say anything.
Deaglan lifted his brows with a grin. “I’m not going to pass out.”
“Vic, maybe you can hold him just in case.” This time Vic did something. He grunted. But he made no move to hold Deaglan in case he passed out.
I frowned. “God, you guys are such… men. Why do you have to act so tough?” I glared at Deaglan. “Can’t you drop the hard-ass attitude for ten minutes?”
Deaglan’s voice softened as his fingers curled around my wrist holding the disinfectant. “Eva, I’m good.”
I raised my chin and met his eyes. “Remove the gauze, tough guy,” I said.
Deaglan chuckled, which was sharply cut off when I poured disinfectant into the wound.
He swore beneath his breath, but didn’t move.
I glanced at the exit wound on the back of his shoulder. The bullet had ripped through his flesh leaving it tattered. “This should be debrided then stitched.” Then I added. “By a doctor.”
The guys remained silent.
Shit.
I cleaned the wound as best I could with what I had and grabbed the sterile bandage material from my kit.
I paused, looking at Deaglan who had his eyes on me. “Does you getting shot have anything to do with my rental house blowing up?”
No one said anything.
I glanced at each one of them before my eyes settled on Deaglan again. “I’m treating your bullet wound in my kitchen. I have the right to know.”
“Yes,” Deaglan said. “We were there.”
Oh God, they were there.
“A fuckin’ mad minute,” Tyler said, and Deck shook his head while Deaglan swore under his breath.
I frowned. “What? What’s a mad minute?” I asked, looking at Deaglan, but it was Tyler who answered.
“A firestorm of bullets,” Tyler said.
Deaglan scowled at Tyler.
Tyler shrugged. “What? She asked.”
“Anyone on the other end of this mad minute get hurt?” I asked.
Tyler chuckled. “We were aiming, sweetcakes, so, yeah.”
Oh my God.
I got it. I mean, I kind of did. These guys had been in the military. They were Special Forces, except Deaglan, but he obviously had experience of some kind, too. They’d been in dangerous situations and killed people. So, it was not a big deal to them. But it was a big deal to me.
I finished bandaging Deaglan’s shoulder. “Will the police be knocking on my door?”
“No,” Deaglan said. “We’ll deal with them. Deck has already put a call in about the bodies.”
I jerked my eyes to Deaglan. “Bodies. What bodies?”
“Only two,” Tyler offered, like that was going to make me feel better. “Really, it wouldn’t have been our first option, to leave them in the house, but the fuckin’ alarm was going when we arrived and the police were on their way. Shit went down fast.”
“You blew up my house to hide bodies?” I said, mouth agape.
“Fuck no,” Tyler said. “Bad guys set the bomb, sweetcakes.”
I didn’t know what to say to that.
Tyler continued, “No way would we blow up all your shit. Do you have contents insurance?” Tyler asked. Before I had a chance to respond, he continued. “If you don’t, Deaglan has a shitload of money. Can’t say if it’s legally obtained money, but he can help out. You two are moving in together anyway, right?”
“Jesus, Tyler.” Deaglan shook his head.
I backed away from Deaglan and turned, placing my palms on the edge of the counter. The reality of what just happened with Deaglan and the house penetrated and the steadiness slowly faded.
Shit. Keep it together, Eva.
“She’s losing it,” Tyler stated.
“Eva,” Deaglan said, and his footsteps approached.
Yeah, I’m losing it.
My hands trembled. My knees, too. And my heart raced. It was like the balloon popped and my body was slowly losing air as I inhaled deep breaths.
Because Deaglan had been shot tonight.
Because there’d been a mad minute.
Because these men, one whom I loved, the others whom I really liked and who had great families, were in a house just before it blew up. And there were bodies, plural.
“Eva,” Deaglan came up behind me. “Sit, baby.”
I shook my head. “I’m fine. I just need a sec.”
Deaglan slowly turned me around and cupped my cheek, his thumb stroking back and forth. “Eva, look at me.”
I closed my eyes for a second.
“Eva?”
He could’ve been killed, damn it. Someone wanted him dead. And it was too late to turn back from loving a man like Deaglan.
“Look at me, Eva,” he said in a firmer tone. He waited until my eyes met his. “Nothing is going to touch you.”
But it already had—Deaglan. And this had nothing to do with me. I was worried about losing him.
His good arm hooked my waist and he dragged me into him. He kissed the top of my head. I wanted to sag into his arms, but I couldn’t because that would lead to falling apart and I couldn’t do that. I didn’t want to fall apart.
I pulled from his hold and glared at him. “Don’t get shot again.” It was stupid to say, because he hadn’t intended to, but I was trying to keep my shit together.
He smirked. “I’ll tell the bad guys I’m off limits.”
I huffed. God, I couldn’t believe I was even asking this. “Who were the men who were killed?”
“We were following a lead on Seth Garrett’s men. We were hoping they’d lead us to Seth. They led us to your house,” Deaglan said.
I swallowed, hard. “Were they trying to kill me?”
“Likely, it was a warnin
g,” Deaglan said. “I want you out of town until we find Seth, Eva.”
“Deaglan, I can’t just leave town.”
“There’s no discussion on this,” he said firmly.
I yanked from his hold, but he snagged my waist before I could walk away. It was his good arm, but he must have wrenched his bad shoulder because a gruff grunt emerged.
I frowned. “If that starts bleeding again, Vic can bandage you up and I’m pretty sure Vic won’t be as gentle as me.”
I’d never seen Vic grin, and it wasn’t exactly a grin… it was more like a flash of light in his eyes.
“Eva.” His fingers curled around the back of my neck and he tugged me into him. “I’d never order you to do something unless your life was at risk. We’re close and he knows it. That was a warning. Next time it won’t be. You’re leaving town until this is over.”
I pulled from his arms and walked out of the kitchen before the tears spilled over the rims of my eyes. Because the words trapped in my throat were that next time, he might end up dead.
“Thank you so much. I’ll be in touch with a list of contents.” I hung up with the insurance company.
I was leaving town, but Ally was coming with me and we were going to Charlotte’s farm three hours north. Deaglan was sending Vic with us to make sure we weren’t followed. The hospital let me take some last-minute vacation time and I called my dad to let him know I was going to Charlotte’s. I didn’t tell him about Deaglan being shot or my rental blowing up, though.
“Eva.” I lifted my head as Nurse Greta spoke from behind the desk. “That’s the man who was looking for you last month.”
I glanced in the direction she was looking, assuming it was Luke.
My cell slipped from my hand and bounced off the floor.
It was like being catapulted into a sealed cistern.
Lungs screaming for air as I suffocated in the darkness.
I tasted metallic on my tongue. But I didn’t know if it was now or then. Real or imagined.
My scream echoed in my head. Memories of the sting as his hand struck me across the face and sent me crashing into the granite counter assaulted me.
The pain.
The fear that sucked the air from my lungs.
Cold. His eyes had been so cold and unemotional as his fist came toward me.
Crushing agony.
Then his face as he picked me up off the floor by my hair was all I could see.
His words echoed in my head like fingernails scraping a chalkboard. “You think you can walk away from me. Leave me, Evangeline. No one walks away from me. No one.”
“Eva?” Nurse Greta’s voice penetrated the horror but didn’t stop it.
Because he was here.
Striding toward me.
Curran Carrick.
He had an imposing attractiveness and an heir of royalty about him. Untouchable. As if a tornado would change paths just to avoid him.
I’d been attracted to his confidence. To his politeness. To his charm. But I didn’t see any of that now. All I saw was a cold, callous monster.
“Eva? Are you okay?” Nurse Greta asked, her hand reaching out to rest on my forearm.
He can’t hurt me anymore. He can’t touch me.
And all it took was one phone call and he’d end up back in jail.
I crouched and picked up my phone, ready to call the police.
His penetrating black eyes drilled into me as he stopped in front of me. “Evangeline.”
Cold shivers jarred my body at the sound of my full name on his deep, smooth voice.
He can’t touch me. He can’t hurt me anymore.
I lifted my chin and met his stare. “Are you looking to wear an orange jumpsuit again, Curran? Because if you don’t turn around and walk back out those doors, I will call the police and you’ll be back with your friends.”
His eyes briefly flicked to my cell in my hand before they steadied on me again. “I’m not here to harm you, Evangeline. What I did was unconscionable and I’ll never forgive myself for destroying what we had. For hurting you.”
I crossed my arms, then uncrossed them again because it appeared weak, and I never wanted to appear weak in front of this monster again. “Hurting me? You nearly killed me, asshole.” I heard Greta’s sharp intake of breath. “And I want nothing to do with you. Leave before I call the police.”
His jaw clenched, but his eyes contradicted the action as they filled with what looked like regret. But I didn’t believe for a second he regretted what he did to me. He was only capable of regretting being caught.
Curran Carrick hid behind a red velvet curtain of deception. But slowly the curtain was peeled open and the monster emerged.
“Can we speak in private, Evangeline?”
The ever-polite Curran. Guess a year in prison hadn’t changed him much. I used to like that he was polite and courteous to people, but now I knew it was condescending and everything about him was a lie.
It was ironic that Deaglan once stood here asking the same thing, and yet there was nothing similar about these two men. Nothing.
“Your fists spoke a lifetime of words, Curran. And I don’t have to listen to you anymore.”
He shifted slightly. “I’d never expect you to forgive the unforgivable, Evangeline.”
My phone vibrated in my hand and my heart leapt as I glanced at the screen. Deaglan.
Do I answer it? Tell him that Curran was standing in front of me?
Deaglan would kill him. What happened to his mother rooted deep and if he walked in here right now and saw Curran, he’d never let him walk out alive. Not that I cared if Curran died, but I cared a hell of a lot if Deaglan went to jail for murder.
I pressed End and the vibrating stopped.
“Your boyfriend?”
I failed to hide the gasp that escaped my throat. “How do you know I’m seeing anyone? Did you forget the restraining order includes stalking?”
His brows lifted. “You’re stronger than you used to be.” He glanced at Nurse Greta behind the desk and lowered his voice. “I’m not often surprised, but learning you’re with a man like him was rather shocking, Evangeline.”
“You know nothing about him. Go back to whatever hole you’ve been hiding in for the last year, Curran. That’s where you belong.” My phone vibrated with a text.
His thin lips curled up. “But I do know him, Evangeline. And I know about his girls in Ireland. The question is, do you?”
I jolted, and he noticed because a satisfied gleam hit his eyes. Girls in Ireland? What the hell was he talking about?
Don’t believe anything he says. He lies. He’s lying.
“Fuck you.” I raised my phone to call the police when I saw Deaglan’s text.
Deaglan: I need to see you. Do not leave. I’m on my way. Two minutes.
I froze.
Shit.
Deaglan was coming here.
And as much as I hated Curran, I didn’t want Deaglan to end up in prison. And he wouldn’t last a half second in the same room with Curran without going right for him.
My eyes flew to Curran’s face, then to the hospital doors. “I suggest you leave before you end up in a body bag.”
He stiffened, eyes narrowing. “Is Deaglan Kane coming to protect one of his girls?”
I didn’t know what to grasp first. The ‘one of his girls’ part or that he knew Deaglan’s name. Had he been stalking me? But Deaglan would’ve known. He’d know if I was being stalked.
“You know nothing about Deaglan.”
Curran smirked and my heart skipped a beat. “Oh, but I do know Deaglan Kane, my love. Or should I call him Crown, that’s what they chanted in the cages when he fought.” What was he talking about? Cages? “That’s what he named his… what should we call it? Establishment? Or would whorehouse be more accurate?”
It was as if he’d slapped me and I staggered back, shaking my head. No. That wasn’t true. “You’re lying. I don’t believe you.”
He grinned and
a spark gleamed in his eyes. “He never told you about his fighting? His famous Crown? I can’t say I’m surprised.”
Crown? Like the crown his mother called the earmuffs when he hid in the trunk to block out the sounds. Kai… he’d mentioned something about his Crown collection. Could that mean…
Bile rose in my throat.
Curran continued, “Deaglan Kane’s house of sluts, as I like to call it. Beautiful women who are well looked after, but then he has the funds to do that.”
No. Please, no.
He’s lying. It’s what he did. He knew how to change the truth to whatever he wanted the truth to be. My fingers curled around the counter as my knees shook. No, my entire body shook. “You’re lying.”
Why? Why would Curran risk coming here to tell me this? Why would he lie?
His brows lifted as he offered a subtle grin. “Ask him. Ask him about the girls he has living in his house. Ask him about the cage fighting. How many men he killed with his bare hands.”
I struggled to find something to cling to. But my head spun with his words.
Deaglan. Crown. The girls. Cages.
They were lies, except I knew… I knew they couldn’t all be lies.
I had to leave. I couldn’t be here. I had to get out of here. The shock of his words was like a leech slowly sucking the blood from my veins and coldness penetrated.
I grasped the last morsel of sanity as I turned to Greta. “Call security. Have this man removed from the premises.”
I shoved past Curran and ran down the corridor. I didn’t know where I was going. I just needed to escape.
I stumbled as my legs nearly gave out. I placed my hand on the wall for support and stopped, inhaling several deep breaths.
“Whoa, Eva. What’s wrong?”
Ally. Ally was here. I can’t breathe.
I was suffocating under the weight of the lies. Or were they truths?
God, I didn’t know. I didn’t know what to believe.
She hooked her arm in mine. “Shit, what the hell happened? What’s wrong?”
I let Curran get to me. Why would I believe anything he said? Why did I let him get to me? Because he knew Deaglan. Because he called it Crown and it had meaning. Because Deaglan didn’t talk about his past. About his life.