WindSwept Narrows: #15 Rose Maddock

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

He went through what he had seen, his hand gently taking one of hers, barely noticing the mud and grass caught in her fingers and nails.

  Mariah nodded to the woman with the clip board. “Ryan, sign that.”

  He vaguely noted Rose’s name on the top, scrawling his below where the woman pointed.

  “Do me a favor…hold that arm down,” Mariah murmured, snapping the ammonia vial beneath Rose’s nose, her free hand on the other side.

  “Oh!” Rose jerked up, twisted her head to the side violently. “Oh, god…” Pale lashes popped wide, recognizing Mariah and Ryan and sinking back with another groan. “Can’t you guys make something that smells like candy or even tuna, for heaven’s sake…something…geeze…”

  “Count for me, Rose…” Mariah held up some fingers. “With your eyes open…”

  “Two…four…I’m fine…I think I hit a tree…” Her eyes went from one to the other. “The guy…Daphne…”

  “In custody,” Ryan pushed through his teeth.

  “Can you sit up?” Mariah held onto her upper arm, helping her up and checking her eyes again. “Headache?”

  “Yeah…I’m sure it’ll fade…breakfast and some pills…good as new…”

  “Take the weekend off, Rose,” Mariah looked down at Ryan’s hand, her fingers tracing the bruised knuckles. “Try ice…both of you…you can take her home now.”

  “Daphne?”

  “Waiting outside…blaming herself,” Ryan wanted to lift her down, but she hopped to the floor, leaning against the gurney for a quiet minute. “Okay?”

  “Leveling off…” Rose drew in a long breath. “I told Daphne to take off when I hit him…she runs fastest…she could get to you or security faster than I could,” Rose explained, bracing when she saw Daphne running toward her. Arms tangled together in a long hug. “I’m okay…just bumpy. And it’s not your fault.”

  Ryan had his hands on Rose’s waist, holding her up through the hug. Daphne backed up at the same time Vlad Mircea came through the entrance, dark eyes darting and landing on his wife immediately. They’d met the night before at the party. He watched the man take in every inch of his wife, his arms opening just as readily when she turned and knew he was there for her. He pulled her back against him, his mind and body refusing the shudder of relief it was craving even as he held her close.

  “Ryan….I’m okay, honest,” Rose tried again, her sigh soft when his lips touched her ear. “Maybe you can go off and get your run in? While I go to housing and clear the apartment. I can meet you…”

  “Rose, I am not in the mood to run.”

  “It’s not about mood, Ryan, it’s about stress and you enjoy…” Rose stopped talking when Daphne looked from one to the other and took a step closer to whisper in her friend’s ear. She raised her head, smiled at Ryan and put her mouth close to Rose’s ear once more. “Oh. I never thought of that. Are you sure?”

  “Positive,” Daphne said, backing up and fitting snugly next to Vlad. “I’m going to the child center. I’ll talk to you later, Rose.”

  “Okay…why don’t you come with me so I can get cleared of the apartment?” Rose sighed tiredly, closed her eyes with a tight squeeze. “Then I think I’ll go home.”

  “Do you carry any type medicine with you, Rose?”

  Ryan kept his voice low, letting her guide them to the under ground. He leaned on the rail when they stepped on the moving walkway, his hands holding her back against him. She had her pack open and was digging inside. He could see the pain, a wince crossing her face every couple minutes, depending on the light or noise change around them. She surfaced, swayed slightly and had three small tablets in the center of her palm. Her hand closed around them and her head fall to rest against his chest.

  “I’m tired. And I shouldn’t be…”

  “I’m pretty sure meeting up with a tree might have something to do with that, Rose,” Ryan didn’t stop the urge, the need to hold her close. “What did Daphne tell you?”

  “Hmm…she’s a few chapters ahead in the relationship manual,” Rose answered with a weak laugh, raising her head and leading him toward the stairs. “This won’t take a few minutes, Ryan. Then we can snag your gym bag and go home.”

  “I’ll wait for you here,” he told her, taking his palm computer out and leaning against the wall, keeping the entrance and Rose in his line of sight.

  “Rose!” Kelly came out of her seat, gesturing her into the cubicle. “Are you alright?”

  “News travels fast here,” Rose said with a sigh, sinking into the chair beside the desk and watching Kelly get the folder out with her name on it. “I’m good…a little bump…I hit a tree…how did you know?”

  “Abby heard from Cassidy…you know we got the best news system in the world here,” she chuckled, sliding papers over the desk and pointing to places to sign.

  “I know being able to predict nut cases would net me a fortune if I found a solution,” Rose said tiredly. “It’s all empty and yours now, Kelly. Thanks.”

  “Does he have a brother?” She asked in a low voice, making Rose look quickly over her shoulder and the Irishman leaning against the wall, busy with his phone.

  “I don’t think so, sorry,” Rose smiled and stood up, her palm flat on the desk and eyes closed for a minute. “I’ve got to get home before I embarrass myself and pass out. Later, Kelly, thanks. Have a great weekend.”

  Rose listened as she stood in the doorway. He’d turned his back to the room, his voice tense and cold.

  “Yes, I’m positive he was in Boston,” he said flatly. “The man is that stupid? When?” Rose didn’t like the sound of that. “Yesterday evening. Amazing. I know you will, Harry. Yes, you have my numbers. Thank you.” The phone snapped closed with a little more force than she usually heard from him. His stance was steady when he turned and found her watching him. Neither of them spoke for a minute.

  “Gym? And home, please,” Rose said softly, finding her comfort spot at his side as they walked. “I can go out and wait in the car, Ryan.”

  “I’m just grabbing my bag, Rose. I’ll change at home once I have you safely settled in bed…and cleaned up,” Ryan hadn’t managed to control the anger or anxiety of the scene playing and replaying in his mind. He’d seen the weak sunlight glimmer off the blade at Rose’s throat. He watched her make her move, both women taking off in opposite directions. He’d contacted his attorney, sending him to contact Vlad’s attorney and make certain the man was treated as the danger that he was.

  “I guess I am a mess,” she said with a glance down at her hands, her shirt and jeans.

  “You’re beautiful, my sweet Rose,” he pushed gently until she was sitting on the bench outside the locker room. “I won’t be a minute.”

  She nodded and let her head go back, wishing the pills would do something to the throbbing inside her head. The small part of her brain willing to think right now considered the conversation she’d overheard. She knew he was talking about Tony Martin. She knew he was angry. Rose slid a little to the side, her pack on the bench and head on the pack. She didn’t want to sleep. She wanted to spend the morning prowling plant shops for the pool area. And she couldn’t make her mind focus worth crap, she growled, a minor thought to idiots intruding upon her life.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ryan’s heart skipped a beat when he came out and found her lying on the bench. In addition to the green grass stains and mud, she’d lost color and was paler than he’d ever seen on her. He would have carried her but she woke and pushed his hands away.

  “No…don’t make me look puny…I’m okay,” she said firmly, standing up and walking toward the stairs and the outside. She inhaled deeply, willing the damp oxygen to keep her upright at least until she made it to the car.

  “Of course not,” he allowed, holding her close at the waist, supporting her weight a little more with each step.

  “I can’t drive, Ryan,” she heard a hint of dismay in her own voice and sighed.

  “I think I can manage to get us home,
Rose,” he lifted the keys he knew dangled off her pack and leaned her against the fender while unlocking the passenger door. It wasn’t until she was strapped in with her head back that he breathed again.

  He didn’t speak as he drove. He wanted her quiet and relaxed enough to sleep off the headache from the strike against the tree. White knuckles curled around the steering wheel, slightly bruised but well worth it. It’d been a very, very long time since he’d experienced that kind of anger, that kind of molten fury. The gates parted for him, his hand working his phone at the same time, sending a quick message to Matt, who would then alert Susan. By the time he was lifting her from the car, the front door was wide and both of them waiting patiently.

  Ryan shook his head after handing over his bag to Susan who carried it into the house while he carried Rose to their bedroom. He pulled her boots free and covered her lightly before going below for a few minutes.

  “What happened?” Susan demanded, watching him dig in the fridge and surface with one of the canned drinks Rose drank in the mornings.

  “Every two hours. Wake her. Make her drink some of this and in four hours, give her some pain medicine. I’m sure we’ve something in the bathroom upstairs,” Ryan slammed the chocolate drink to the counter, his fingers tight and eyes closed for a minute. “A friend of hers has been troubled by a stalker who escalated in his attention. He escaped and made another attempt today. Daphne and Rose were together outside when he grabbed Rose with a knife to her throat. Rose managed to disarm him and the women ran in opposite directions. Daphne is a runner. Rose, is not. He followed Rose. She fell, kicked, was released and struck a tree.”

  “And this?” She gestured to the traces of blood on his knuckles.

  “I caught up with him before security arrived,” he said coldly. “I can’t avoid this morning, but I’ll be back by one, Susan. I’m going to change,” he went back upstairs, checked on Rose and went into the closet, taking his gym bag and suit carrier with him.

  Susan had a small ice pack ready for him when he came downstairs, a cup of coffee to go sitting next to it. She had another one prepared to take to Rose along with the canned protein drink.

  “She likes pedicures. I’ll find someone to come to the house…” Ryan stopped when Susan clapped her palm lightly on the counter. A dark brow arched patiently.

  “She’s not one of your companies, Ryan. It’s sweet but she doesn’t need a CEO or manager,” Susan told him firmly. “With the exception of people butting into her life, Rose enjoys managing her own life. You don’t want to cage her, for all your good intent.”

  For an instant she saw something unfamiliar to her flair to life in his eyes. They’d known each other for just under seven years. She knew where the line was between employer, friend and employee. Rose was a new addition to all of those.

  “She only wants you, Ryan,” she added softly.

  “It’s bloody…” he closed his eyes and tipped his head back for a long, silent minute. “It’s difficult to not care…to not want to…”

  “I know. Get her a gift card to a day spa and a sweet little card. She’s capable of managing herself. And I think it’s called love,” Susan said with a crooked grin when he looked at her, brought a hand up to touch her face and kissed her cheek.

  “You’re too good for the likes of him,” he told her with a wink and a nod toward the patiently waiting Matt.

  “That’s the same thing he says about Rose and you,” Susan laughed. “I’ll watch out for her, Ryan.”

  “Damn…that fool from Boston,” he grabbed up his briefcase and checked his watch. “Keep the gates locked and the alarms set. He’s left Boston and is here somewhere. Harry is trying to find him now. I’ll call, Susan.”

  “Go. I’ll handle things,” she promised, kissing Matt and walking with them to the front door, making certain the alarms were engaged before getting the ice pack and chocolate drink from the kitchen.

  Susan found Rose sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at her hands. She dropped the ice pack on the nightstand with the drink and went to her side, slipping her arm beneath hers.

  “Let me help…” Susan helped her into the bathroom and out of the mud and grass stained clothing.

  “I’m a mess…” Rose said quietly, gratefully sitting on the vanity bench and draping her hands beneath the warming water of the sink. She accepted the nail brush and bottle of soap, scrubbing carefully. “Well…nothing’s broken…” She said, flexing her fingers and letting her hands soak in the basin. She looked into the mirror and winced. “That’s gonna be less than attractive…”

  “I brought you a set of pajamas. I think with the rain outside and what you’ve been through, a nice quiet day at home is just what you need,” Susan set a satin set in emerald green on the counter. She almost laughed at the puzzled expression on the younger woman’s face.

  “Those are mine?”

  “Hmm…found them in your drawer,” she held up the delicate tank top and capri length pants.

  “Huh…go figure…maybe they came with the house,” Rose just shook her head. “It’s probably a dig at my nightshirt…”

  “There’s another set in there in brilliant red and a gorgeous copper set,” Susan remarked with a chuckle. “I think he shops when he’s in between meetings. He likes exploring the small shops around where his temporary office is.”

  Rose lifted her hands from the basin, glad all the mud and grass were gone and her hands looked normal again. She dried her hands and touched the silken fabric, quickly slipping the tank top over her head and letting it caress her.

  “It will definitely look better when the bruise is gone…” She sighed, meeting Susan’s eyes in the mirror. “Is Ryan alright? Seriously…he was…livid…”

  “I think he still is…but he hides it well,” Susan took the dirty clothes and waited in the bedroom for Rose to come out. “I brought you an ice pack and one of those drinks you like. If you’re hungry, I can make something for you.”

  “I tried telling him I’m alright…”

  “Rose…you’re not alright,” she held up a hand when Rose opened her mouth to protest. “And when that bruise finishes developing, he’s not going to be less than livid for a week. You’ve got a bump on your head and you have a headache. There’s nothing wrong with accepting that. Let him pamper you a bit…it’ll calm him down.”

  Rose sat on the edge of the bed, the cold can of chocolate half empty and held between both hands. “I was scared, Susan…scared for Daphne…he…we didn’t see him come up behind us,” her voice dropped and shook a little. “He’s already caused her so much grief…shot her in the side…how do you stop behavior like that? How do you make them just…just leave you alone?”

  “You survive,” she answered quietly.

  “So many unknowns…” She accepted the pills Susan brought from the bathroom, taking them with the rest of the drink. She didn’t protest when Susan took the empty can. She scooted to the center of the bed, her face peering out the rain drenched huge windows. “I’ll just lay here awhile…my head hurts…” She lay the ice pack on the side of her head, eyes closed and a long sigh breaking free.

  “I’ll be below if you need anything.” But she was positive Rose was already drifting off.

  Susan answered the phone two hours later, the readout making her smile.

  “Hello, Ryan. Rose is sleeping. I helped her clean her hands and got her to drink a whole can of that protein stuff and gave her some pills. One thing you’d best be prepared for…did that…person…hold her around the throat?”

  “Yes. His arm…” Ryan recalled their position, his tone colder. “She’s bruised.”

  “Very. But she wanted to make sure I told you she’s alright,” Susan said, a little humor in her voice. She heard the soft curse from his lips. “Oh, and she wanted to know if the new pajamas came with the house.” That, she thought, brought a little laugh from him before he signed off and went back to his meetings.

  Ryan and Matt entered the hou
se shortly before one. Alert, blue eyes scanned the huge open space before walking to the archway leading to the main living area. When he found it empty, he went to the kitchen.

  “She’s in the office,” Susan told him without waiting for a question. “She was on the computer but it didn’t last long. I’m not sure the headache is all the way gone. I made some soup for lunch…but she wasn’t hungry.”

  “I’ll get her to eat, thank you for staying,” Ryan said confidently.

  “If you need anything, call us, Ryan.”

  “Go take your weekend. I’ll see you Monday,” he answered firmly, carrying the briefcase to the office and setting it on his desk. He moved to the large cushioned leather sofa, dropping to his heels at her head. His fingers shook slightly when he saw the brutal black and blue coloring around her delicate throat. He brushed the hair from her forehead and met the slowly opening amber eyes.

  “You’re home…did your meetings go well?” Rose asked, blinking and working to come back from sleep.

  “Productive and over. I now have all the property I was going after and we begin the clean up on Monday,” Ryan ran a very light finger over her jaw.

  “Good. I’ve driven past the property,” she saw surprise in his eyes. “It’s a big job…the clean-up…” She lifted a palm and took his hand. “I’m okay…a little purple…but okay…”

  “Headache?” He laughed when she tried to look distracted. “Not quite gone.”

  “You might kiss it…”

  “I might…you believe a kiss has healing properties?”

  “Don’t you?” She teased, sitting up slowly without wincing.

  “Hmm…how about you come to the bedroom with me while I change out of this suit…and we can test your theory…” Ryan stood, his palm wrapped around hers as they walked through the house and up the slightly curved, wide staircase.

  They missed lunch and while his suit was hanging up, he never got as far as jeans and a shirt. He lay on the large bed on his back, waiting for his heart beat to return to normal. Rose lay with her head on his chest, eyes closed and a light blanket over them both. His palm stroked softly along her arm, her lips brushing his chest with her sigh.