“Are you okay? Is your injury bothering you?”
“Surprisingly, no. It’s felt fine all day.”
He joined me on the bed, and I lay down so we could face one another. Davin’s fresh, familiar scent washed over me.
Even though all I wanted to do was sink into him and forget about the world, I didn’t. Instead, I opened my mouth to talk more about Zoe, the virus, and where we could go from here, but he brought a finger to my mouth. “Shh.”
He then replaced his finger with his lips.
I automatically locked my arms around him. Our bodies pressed tightly against one another’s. His hard to my soft.
Groaning, he pulled me even tighter to him until I was fully enclosed within his embrace.
The all-too familiar ache began low in my belly as we kissed and explored one another. I shifted even closer until his hard thigh parted my legs.
“When?” I whispered when he moved to kiss along my jaw and down my neck. His kisses burned, leaving a trail of fire, making me want to beg for more.
He didn’t stop and only paused long enough to reply, “When you’re fully healed.”
“Isn’t that now?”
He chuckled and nipped my earlobe. “No. I’d probably hurt you if we did it now.”
“But I’ve felt fine all day!”
He moved to lie on top of me but kept his upper body positioned above. All of his weight rested on his forearms.
Even now, while desire swam through his gaze, he was still conscious of my injury—he held back just enough to not put any pressure on my healing ribcage.
“The doctor said it will take several more weeks.”
I groaned and threaded my fingers through his silky soft hair. “That’s so long.”
He chuckled and lowered his head to nibble my lower lip. “You’re worth waiting for.”
When it became obvious no amount of pouting would sway his decision, I settled with his compromise to order a pizza to take our minds off one another. I also noticed that Davin was once again making sure I ate.
Half-an-hour later, we were sitting cross-legged atop the bed with an open pizza box in front of us. Biting into a slice of thick sausage and mushroom that cost half of what our hotel room did, I closed my eyes and savored it. During the past few months, when anxiety had ruled my life, I’d neglected to notice how food tasted or how comforting a full belly was. Now, those small pleasures were slowly becoming the norm for me again.
“You look like you’ve died and gone to heaven.” Davin’s eyes twinkled.
I laughed and finished swallowing. “This is quite possibly the best pizza I’ve ever had.”
He ripped off his third piece and ate half of it in one bite. “I think you may be right.”
I WOKE THE next morning to the feel of Davin’s arms around me. We didn’t waste any time packing and getting ready to go. Sharon and the twins would be arriving in a few days. And since I was still banned from the Compound and we’d both be leaving for California next week, I wanted to make the most of their visit.
“We’ll have to find a way to buy more food during their stay.” I shoved my dirty clothes into my bag and zippered it closed. A slight twinge in my shoulder followed.
As much as I hated to admit it, Davin was right. I still needed to heal.
“My food allowance won’t accommodate five people, even if we eat like birds, and eating out would be so expensive.” I bit my lip as I tried to figure out how to house all of them through the weekend and feed them.
Davin lifted his suitcase off the bed. “What if I apply for a SDFDC card?”
“But you live in Rapid. They won’t give you one for Sioux Falls.”
He stepped closer, his blue eyes bright. “What if I lived in Sioux Falls?”
My breath stopped at what his question implied. “You mean . . . you want to move in with me?”
His gaze softened as he brushed the hair from my shoulder. “I’ve spent over a year waiting to be with you. Is it that shocking that I’d like to live with you?”
“No . . . of course not, I just . . .” A smile parted my lips. “I’m glad you want that. I want that too.”
I WAS STILL beaming like a giddy high school girl when Davin disappeared from the room with the bags. We’d planned for him to pack the car while I checked us out.
A smile played on my lips as I idly walked down the carpeted hall to the stairs. I took them down to the lobby at a normal pace. Still not a run, but faster than I’d been moving even a few days ago. Only the last jump jostled my injury.
The receptionist glanced up when I approached. I dug into my purse for my wallet. Davin and I had cracked the minibar so I knew there’d be an extra charge. Just as I pulled out my money a growl came from my right.
Stopping, I turned to see a man standing only feet away. He was wild-eyed and looked a bit unhinged. Another guttural sound came from him.
I instinctively took a step back.
“Meghan Forester?” His question was low and fierce.
I opened my mouth to deny it, instinct telling me to run.
“It is you. You look just like you do on TV.”
I was vaguely aware of the hotel’s receptionist picking up her phone and hurriedly talking to someone on it, but my gaze stayed on the man. He appeared to be in his forties with a full head of brown hair.
“I’m sorry . . .” I took another step back and clutched my purse tightly to my chest. “Do we know each other?”
“We should know each other. You’re the reason my little girl is dead.”
And then he lunged at me.
13 – ATTACK
One second the man was a few feet away, the next he was on top of me.
I screamed when I hit the ground. Pain seared through my arm.
The man pinned my wrists on either side of my head. A ripping sensation tore through my chest as I thrashed beneath him.
Spittle flew from his mouth. “You killed her! You killed my little girl!” Tears sprouted from his eyes like giant raindrops. They poured down his face as his mouth twisted in rage. “My baby Zoe . . .” A sob wracked his chest. “She’s dead because of you!”
My thrashing movements stopped as I gazed at him in disbelief.
Zoe’s father. The man who’d gone missing, that Cate assumed had wanted to escape the public eye, had just attacked me.
He purposefully left Chicago to find me.
That crazy thought sped through my mind and then disappeared as he lifted my wrists and slammed them back on the floor. “You killed her!”
I screamed.
His tears increased and his grip suddenly loosened.
“She’s dead . . .” His voice grew weaker as more tears came.
Shouts reached my ears as the hotel receptionist pointed toward me. “Help! Help us! He’s attacking her!”
The sound of rattling chains on belts came next as two security officers appeared. They grabbed Zoe’s father by the shoulders and tried to pull him off, but his grip tightened.
“No!” He hunched closer to me. Tears fell from his cheeks onto my face. “She needs to pay for what she did!”
A roar emitted from somewhere else in the lobby. The air rustled around me and then Davin was there. Large veins bulged in the side of his neck as he ripped the security officers away. Both men stumbled back, but before they could protest, Davin reached for Zoe’s father and with one swift move threw him across the lobby, a guttural sound emitting from his throat.
Zoe’s father landed with a crash against the wall by the main doors. He didn’t move when he hit the floor, and his arm lay at an unnatural angle.
I lay frozen, as if my brain was no longer connected to my body. I told myself to move, but nothing happened. Rapid knocking came from the back of my mind. Sara.
I didn’t open our connection. My gaze stayed on the ceiling above. It was an old-fashioned popcorn ceiling with a rickety fan spinning in its midst.
They have a fan running in winter. How odd.
Fear.
“Meghan? Babe?” He smoothed the hair from my face while his gaze rapidly assessed me. “Can you hear me? Where does it hurt?”
I tried to open my mouth to respond but couldn’t. A shiver struck me, then another.
“Can we get some help here?” Davin yelled at the receptionist.
The two security guards stayed away, numbly watching us.
“I . . . I already called the police,” the receptionist responded, her eyes wide.
Just then a commotion sounded at the main doors. Two police officers strode in, their radios crackling on their shoulders.
When they saw Davin leaning over me, they rushed to our sides. The first kneeled down and quickly looked me over. The other stood over him assessing the situation.
“That psychotic guy over there attacked her.” Davin nodded at Zoe’s unconscious father. “This is Dr. Meghan Forester. She’s a renowned scientist at the MRI, and it seems he specifically came to this hotel to attack her.”
“We know who she is,” the standing police officer replied, his eyes hard.
“Are you all right, Miss? Are you able to move?” The other officer gripped my arm.
I winced as he helped me sit up. My hand instinctively went to my wound.
“She’s bleeding,” the officer called to his partner.
I glanced down. Blood soaked through my shirt on my upper chest.
As if on cue, sirens from an ambulance wailed outside as flashing lights penetrated the hotel’s front windows. Several paramedics rushed in with stretchers. Two came to me, the other two went to Zoe’s father.
The police officer helped me to stand and then began issuing orders. Before I knew what was happening, the medical personnel swarmed. They assessed me, asking me questions that I didn’t fully comprehend, before loading me onto the stretcher.
Davin stood helplessly behind them, but his eyes watched their every move. When our gazes locked, I drew strength from him.
I held out my hand.
He grabbed it and came to my side.
“Don’t leave me,” I whispered.
He shook his head. “Never.”
I SPENT THE rest of the morning in Des Moines’ hospital. I was given intense painkillers, and the doctors ordered a barrage of tests. Despite the chaos, only one thought kept swirling in my mind.
What if this attack prevents me from joining Division 5?
My wound had re-opened, the fall to the ground had jarred my healing ribs, and all of that could mean I was no longer fit to return to work.
Dr. Sadowsky had insisted that I present a doctor’s note before I boarded the plane for California. Now, that requirement seemed impossible.
While we waited for the results, a young resident bandaged my wound. The thin tissue that had covered it was torn right through.
“It should heal back up in a few days.” The doctor’s eyes were kind as he applied a cool salve. In the small ER room, he sat only two feet away on his stool. “I’m afraid you’ll have a nasty scar, and you may need physical therapy to regain complete movement after you’ve healed, but in the long-run, you should be fine.”
Physical therapy?
I met Davin’s worried gaze from where he stood in the corner.
“Do you really think I’ll need therapy?” I rolled my shoulder after he finished with the bandage.
“Most likely. The scans indicated you have new soft tissue injury around your ribs. Your muscles and tendons won’t be as flexible or as strong as they used to be.”
I nodded numbly. I can’t believe this is happening.
“And the x-rays you took?” Davin placed his hands firmly on his hips. “Can we see them?”
The resident’s eyes turned wide when he glanced at the large Kazzie. “Let me pull them up.”
He wheeled over to the computer in the corner. Davin stood with crossed arms just behind him.
The resident’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Well . . . um . . . as you can see here,” he lifted his finger and pointed at the x-ray, “her upper ribs seem to be stable. The surgeon that repaired them after her gunshot wound did a good job.” His gaze traveled across the screen. “I don’t see any new fractures. However, you’ll still need to be careful, Dr. Forester. Those bones are still healing.”
“But I can still work, right?” Davin’s eyes narrowed at my question. He opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off before he could interfere. “I mean, overall, I’m fine, so I should still be able to work.”
The resident cocked his head. “If you have a desk job, yes, you can work.”
“And if I don’t?”
He frowned and crossed his arms. “Then you’d probably need to be off work for a few more weeks.”
My stomach plummeted. “But I can’t miss work for a few more weeks. I need a doctor’s note that states I’m fit to work next week.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed again. “Well . . . I could write you a note, but I can’t state that you have full capacity to work right now. It wouldn’t be ethical.”
“But what if I don’t lift anything and I make sure to take frequent breaks. Could you then?” My tone sounded desperate, but that was exactly how I felt. “Please write me the note. It’s a matter of public safety. If I don’t—” I stopped myself before I revealed anything about Division 5. While the secret group was no longer confidential to MRI employees, that didn’t mean they wanted us sharing everything with the general public.
“Just, please. Write me a note and say that I can return to work. I won’t lift anything. I’ll take frequent breaks, and I’ll sit down when I’m tired. I promise.”
Silence followed as the resident and I stared at one another.
He eventually broke eye contact. “Um, sure. I suppose I can write you a note to return to work for six hours a day, but I can’t do more than that.”
I bit my lip to stop my further pleading. It was possible I wouldn’t get a better note than what he was offering.
“Okay. Thank you.”
After the resident left, a radiologist joined us to better review the images from the numerous scans. I listened numbly as she described the further damage in my upper chest.
When we finally had the room to ourselves, Davin sat at the edge of my bed. Bright sunlight from the cold winter day outside streamed through the window. I was still in a makeshift bay in the Emergency Department. Luckily, I wouldn’t need to be admitted to the hospital.
The smell of antiseptic hung in the air, and every now and then conversations could be heard as people walked by on the other side of the curtain.
I had no idea where Zoe’s father was. The paramedics had taken him away, and so far, nobody would tell me what had happened to him. As for Sara, I’d finally opened up our connection and apologized for not being in touch sooner. She was worried, obviously, by the intense feelings I’d given off after the attack, but I didn’t tell her about Zoe’s father or what he had done. Quite simply, I didn’t want to talk about it. Not yet, at least.
Once I closed down the link with Sara, I met Davin’s gaze.
He shifted. Worry emanated from him, like electricity from a storm cloud. “Meghan, how can you work—”
“Don’t.” I held up my hand. “Just don’t. Please.”
His jaw clenched, the muscle in it ticking. Finally, he nodded.
Softening my gaze, I scooted over on the small bed to make room for him. I patted the spot beside me.
In a flash, he was at my side and reaching for my hand. Deep emotion swam in his gaze. Absentmindedly, he traced a finger on my palm.
“I should have been there. I should have stopped him.” His voice was quiet, but pain lined his words. “Then you wouldn’t be in this position.”
“You couldn’t have known. None of us could have. Unfortunately, events like this seem to come with the territory.”
Davin snorted. “Nobody should be harmed for doing their job. Besides, all you’ve ever tried to do is help others.”
“Some don’t see it that way. Some think I’m trying to harm them.” I swallowed tightly.
That thought stung as it always did. A good portion of this country felt I was putting the Kazzies’ well-being before their own. So many still believed the vaccine wasn’t effective and that Makanza would once again sweep through the country, killing those of us that had survived the First and Second Waves.
Seeing the pain on Zoe’s father’s face only made it worse. “He blames me for her death. He believes Makanza killed Zoe even if it didn’t. And he thinks that if I’d never helped free all of you that she’d still be alive.” I squeezed my eyes tightly shut. Please don’t let that be true!
More than ever, we needed the results of Zoe’s autopsy.
“Have you heard from Cate?” Davin traced a finger up my forearm.
“Not yet.” I pushed to sitting and swung my legs over the side of the narrow ER bed. “I just want to go home. I’ll call her later to get an update.”
Davin stood to give me room.
I tentatively moved my limbs. My shoulder felt sore, and the fragile skin over my wound was tender, but for the most part, I felt okay.
Unfortunately, leaving wasn’t that easy. Not only did I need to wait for the discharge papers from the Emergency Department, but there was also the small matter of Zoe’s father assaulting me.
I had to file a report with the police. That took another few hours even though I insisted that I didn’t want to press charges.
When I made that declaration, Davin’s mouth thinned into a tight line, but he didn’t say anything.
I knew he wanted Zoe’s father locked up, but I couldn’t do that. Her father’s anger stemmed from pain. It didn’t make what he’d done to me acceptable, but locking him up wouldn’t help anything.
“What if he attacks you again?” Davin leaned down and spoke quietly into my ear after the police officers left.
The nurse had also come and gone. We’d finally been given the all-clear to leave.
The Complete Makanza Series: Books 0-4 Page 100