Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 112762 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112762 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
But then she was over me, arms around me, her cheek to my chest, sobbing so hard it jarred like a physical pain.
“Baby.” I clasped the back of her head in my hand, threading my fingers through her hair. “You’re killing me here.”
She tried to calm. I could feel the tension in her body as she trembled and quivered and forced herself to settle. Lifting her face, I noted the red, tired eyes, the lank hair, and her snotty nose. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”
That made her laugh as she wiped at her nose and straightened. “Did the bullet do something to your vision?”
“Aye. Made it crystal fucking clear.”
“And even in the hospital with a bullet wound, he’s dropping f-bombs like he’s being paid to say them,” she teased and leaned over to press a kiss to my dry lips. It was gentle, only a brush, and nowhere near what I needed. I grumbled as she straightened. “I’ll go tell the doctor you’re awake.”
“What happened?” I demanded. “I remember … Is it … No?” What I remembered couldn’t be right. If there was some god out there, some fate, for the first time in a long time, I begged them to make my memory a nightmare instead.
Because if it was true, Sloane was …
I saw that agony buried in her eyes and cursed inwardly. “I’ll tell you everything, I promise. But first I’m going to get the doctor.”
The doctor examined me, and I bristled impatiently as it seemed to go on forever. I had feeling in all my extremities, my heart rate and blood pressure were good, and my memory seemed to be completely in order.
With that confirmed, I demanded Sloane tell me everything. When she looked at the doctor for permission, I wanted to roar.
“If you don’t tell me now, I’m going to work myself into an agitated fucking mess,” I warned.
The doctor pressed his lips firmly together and then nodded. “Fine. But afterward, I want you to rest. You’re not out of the woods yet, Mr. Ironside, and if you want to fully recover and as quickly as possible, you need to let your body and mind rest.”
I gave him a gruff nod of agreement.
He left, and Sloane insisted I sip at some water before she spoke. She ignored the irritation in my eyes and calmly waited. The hospital bed raised upward so at least I wasn’t flat on my back. I could feel the throb in my stomach near the scar from the knife wound I’d taken as a teenager. Ironic, that. There was muscle and tissue damage from the gunshot wound. I’d have to take it easy for a while. Which meant, the threat to Sloane better be over.
“Tell me.”
Drawing her chair closer to my bed, Sloane reached for my left hand, and I curled my fingers around hers. She seemed mesmerized by our entwined fingers for a second, and when she lifted her gaze, there were fresh tears in them. I gave her a squeeze in reassurance.
She sucked in her breath and exhaled slowly. “My dad is dead, Walker.”
Fuck. I had heard Kyle Brixton correctly, then. I gripped her hand tighter. “I’m so sorry, baby.”
Utter sadness suffused her beautiful face. “Cancer. He wanted reconciliation before he died. And he was leaving the bulk of his money to me and Callie in recompense for abandoning us.” A tear escaped that she impatiently brushed aside with her free hand. “He asked my stepmom, Perry, to hire a PI to find me to bring me to him … instead, she told Nathan where I was and asked him to deal with me.”
Shock ricocheted through me, as well as understanding.
Sloane’s face was suddenly hard with hatred. “When Nathan failed, Brix stepped up.”
I cursed, regret and self-directed anger in the word. “Because I antagonized him.”
“It’s not your fault,” she insisted.
“I sent men to get information from him.”
“I know.”
“I told them to do whatever it took.”
“I know.” She leaned into me. “I don’t care. I don’t blame you. You did what you needed to do to protect me and Callie, and I will not be angry about that. Brix came here to kill me. For money. For revenge. He’s responsible for his own actions.”
“Your stepmum?” The need to get out of that hospital bed and end the threat she posed was almost a physical pull.
As if reading my thoughts, Sloane gripped my hand. “She’ll be dealt with. Legally. I won’t let her hurt us anymore, Walker, so I’m asking you to let the police handle her.”
Amazed at her strength, I tried to calm. “Your dad …”
Her lips trembled as grief tightened her features. “I know,” she choked out. “And I’ll have to deal with that and process it … but right now, I have to concentrate on you getting better. This is over. Finally. The authorities here contacted US authorities with the evidence Brix handed over—he has recordings of meetings between Perry and Nathan and himself—and Perry has been taken into custody. She thought she could manipulate them. That they were dumb thugs. She misjudged them. And now she’ll pay for it. She can rot in hell for all I care.”