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God, he couldn’t seem to breathe as he sat in the passenger seat of the black Range Rover and tugged at the collar of his sweater. Damn thing, why’d he have to wear it last night? It was itchy and tight, and right now it felt as though it were going to suffocate him. But then he had a flash of Priest when he’d seen him for the first time picking him up, and later in the bathroom when Robbie had knelt on it, and he knew exactly why he’d worn it. This sweater was sexy, and last night he’d been all about getting his sexy on, hadn’t he?
He was so going to hell for this. Why hadn’t he gone home to sleep in his bed last night instead of spending the night getting sexed up by two gorgeous men? If he’d just had dinner and, well, all the other stuff, and then gone home, none of this would’ve happened. He would’ve been there. He could’ve helped her.
Shit, what would’ve happened if no one had found her…
“Princesse?” Julien’s voice interrupted Robbie’s self-loathing long enough for Robbie to glance over, and where he once would’ve been so excited to be sitting in the same car as Julien Thornton after an amazing night in his bed, all he felt now was a gut-twisting sense of guilt. “You haven’t said much. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Robbie said, but then he shook his head. “No, that’s a lie, and you two love the truth. I’m not okay. I feel like I want to be sick.”
Julien’s eyes widened a little. “Do you need me to pull over?”
Robbie put a hand over his stomach, but as the tightening in there eased, he said, “No. I think I’m okay for now.” And almost added, but I’m pretty sure my guilt might eat me alive.
“Okay. We’re nearly there. GPS says only five more minutes.”
Robbie nodded, and hated that he was probably coming off totally ungrateful, but right now, he couldn’t think about that. All he wanted was to get to University Hospital and see for himself that his nonna was okay.
After Julien pulled the SUV into the parking garage and found a spot, they got out and headed inside. They travelled up the elevator in silence, Robbie all caught up in his self-loathing, and Julien? Robbie had no idea; Julien was too consumed with his own thoughts.
Once they got to the floor and the doors opened, Robbie rushed out, searching for his cousin. He spotted her, pacing back and forth in the waiting room, and raced over to her. When he reached her side, Robbie took her hands in his and pulled her into a hug.
“Oh God, Vanessa. I’m so sorry.” When she wrapped her arms around him, Robbie hugged her in close and whispered, “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there.”
JULIEN STOOD QUIETLY off to the side in the waiting room and watched Robbie embrace a woman in jeans, boots, and a puffy coat. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail and she had a concerned expression. Julien knew before Robbie said her name that this must be Vanessa, the young woman Priest had first been assigned to when he’d come out there to Chicago months ago.
That case had been a particularly difficult one, from what he recalled. The odds had been stacked heavily against Vanessa, and it seemed she would do time for her brother’s drug possession, until Priest had stepped in, pulled off the miracle of all miracles, and gotten all charges dropped. Priest had saved this young lady’s life. But then, Priest had a habit of swooping in at just the right time and saving someone’s life—Julien’s was no exception.
He put a hand to the wall to steady his shaking legs and watched as Robbie spoke with his cousin, and when she pointed down the hall, Robbie nodded and looked back to where Julien was propped up, hoping to appear calm when he suddenly felt anything but.
“You do what you need to do,” Julien said, and then gestured to the seats. “I’m going to be right over there. Okay?”
Robbie frowned and looked as though he was going to say something, but then, at the last second, he changed his mind and nodded. He then took Vanessa’s hand and they walked off down the hall, and Julien took in several deep breaths and headed over to the seats by a wall of windows.
As he sat, he rested his arms on his legs and then lowered his head to his hands, shut his eyes, and told himself to breathe.
You’re okay, Julien told himself, and began the breathing technique he’d learned in meditation. Robbie’s okay. You aren’t here for anything other than support. Everything’s okay.
He pulled out his phone and shot off a quick text to Priest to let him know they were there, and immediately got one back.
