“Shit! They made it out!” Two men with flashlights screamed. They were about fifty feet from us, approaching fast. “Get them!”
“Go! Go!” I shouted to everyone to run away from the approaching men, heading down a dirt path.
More gunfire boomed, and we crouched behind the bushes.
“They’re down,” said someone. “We’re good!”
Footsteps pounded close, and my heart hammered. I gripped my flashlight, preparing to whack anyone who wanted to hurt me or my friends.
“Eva!” Kain’s voice blazed through my fear. “Where are you?”
I rose, stepped out of the bushes, and spotted Kain running down the dirt path toward me. I raced forward and wrapped my arms around him.
Chapter Fifty-Five
Kain
I stood beside Eva in the hospital, watching Dr. Gerhard put a cast on her right foot. He had wavy brown hair, sharp blue eyes, and a tenderness that patients appreciated. I tried my best to contain my rage, wanting to shred the two men who had kidnapped her.
Bryan and Garvin arrived with more team members to ensure Eva’s friends and the teens were taken care of at the local hospitals. I had taken Eva back to Mass General in Boston, where I knew some trustworthy doctors. Dr. Kenneth Gerhard was a longtime friend, and I could rely on him to keep her name out of the spotlight for now.
Tony was still missing, so he could target Eva again. Based on what she told me, Tony had been lenient toward her because she looked like his sister Laura. My team was already searching for information about her.
I couldn’t believe he was still alive all these years later. Notonly had he not perished during the explosion twenty years ago, but he’d also become one of the top guys working for Hawthorne. I wished I’d paid more attention to him back then.
Eva’s friends Avery and Hailey and the four teens had returned home safely to their families. About fifty percent of the underground complex was destroyed in the explosion. When the boilers erupted, it created a second exit for people to escape. Some died while trying to avoid the guards chasing after them again. But the majority of the people survived and were now being interviewed by the authorities and Detective McNally. My team had killed fifteen of Hawthorne’s men, but Tony had escaped.
“You’ve a mild sprain on your ankle. It also has a deep cut,” said Dr. Gerhard. “Rest for two weeks, and you should be good to go. You can protect the cast with the waterproof boot cover. I’m giving you a walking boot for when you’re well enough to walk. But don’t overdo it.”
“Two weeks?” Her eyes widened. “I have a lot to do.”
“Youneedto rest.” I squeezed her shoulder. “Everything else can wait. I’ll help you.”
I drove Eva to my place instead of her apartment. “Harry will worry more if he sees you like this. Stay with me, and I’ll pick him up to see you later.” I glanced at my watch, which showed five in the morning. “For now, just call him and ease his worries. Emilio, Camila, and Milo are waiting for the good news too.”
“Okay, but I need a shower first.” She shivered. “I need to wash the nasty energy off me. I want to be relaxed when I talk to them.”
Nodding, I gestured to her cast. “You’ll need my help in the shower.”
I covered her cast with the waterproof boot and helped situate her on the bench in the spacious shower. Helping Evashower brought on a different intimacy between us. I discovered more about her body with gentle caresses, and she explored mine with astonishing patience. After showering and putting on comfy pajamas, I carried her to bed.
“I could get used to this treatment.” She looked up at me, patting my chest.
“I can make it happen every day for you.” I moved the crutch from the nightstand to lean against the wall. “Just let me know when you need to use the restroom.”
She laughed. “I’m not that incompetent.”
“I don’t want you tripping or falling. Use my phone to call your grandfather. I’ll get you a new phone tomorrow.”
I turned to leave, giving her privacy, but she grabbed my hand. “Stay.”
I slid into bed beside her while she talked to her grandfather. Our hands remained interlaced during their conversation.
“I’m fine. Just extremely tired. Go to sleep. You’ve had a long day, Grandpa.” Her eyes gleamed with tears as she tried her best to downplay the horrendous experience.
Harry knew more than Eva understood. But like me, he wanted to protect her as much as possible. So he agreed to everything she asked of him and didn’t press on topics she dismissed.
She smiled into the phone when she offered the same information to Milo, Camila, and Emilio. Then she clicked off, snuggled into me, and closed her eyes. I reveled in the warmth of her body against mine and the gentle ebb and flow of her breathing. She was alive and home with me, and I was grateful for her.
