"Do it," Griffen cut out in a low voice. "Whatever you need, just do it. This can't happen again."
Hawk's phone buzzed. After a quick check of the screen, he looked to Parker and me. "Nash has to go to the ER. I'm assuming you won't stay here?" he directed to Parker.
"I'll take him," Parker said in answer. I started to protest, and she pressed her finger to my lips, just as I'd done to her. "I'm not staying here while you're in the hospital." She dropped her hand and turned worried eyes to Hawk. "Why does he have to go to the ER? Is he in danger?" I caught her hand in mine at the worry in her voice.
"Probably not," Griffen answered. "But after a shock like that, he needs his heart monitored." He shared a look with Hawk, who nodded.
"You take them," Hawk said. "Call West on the way. He needs to know what's going on. Stay at the ER and call Cooper, see if he can free anyone up in the short term. I'll run the team here. We have to find out what set off the alarm."
With a nod at Hawk, Griffen stepped forward and pulled me to my feet, shoving his shoulder under my armpit, taking my weight. "Too bad we can't use the elevator," he said. "You're a heavy bastard."
Parker grabbed her purse and retrieved my phone from the floor, her brows knitted together. Moving to my other side, she slipped her arm around my waist for support.
"I can walk," I grumbled. I was almost sure that was true.
"In the dark? Down the stairs? Let's not take any chances," Parker said lightly.
"I'm fine, sweetheart, don't worry," I reassured her.
My muscles were jelly and my brain was sluggish, but my heartbeat was steady and strong. I didn't want to go anywhere, but I saw the wisdom in heading to the ER. That had been a hell of a shock. Better safe than sorry.
And, more importantly, whoever set the trap on the door was probably still in the Manor. Which meant the best place for us was anywhere else.
ChapterThirty-Four
PARKER
Griffen sat with me in the waiting room while they took Nash back for an EKG, and after that, to another monitor to ensure nothing was going to pop up the EKG hadn't caught. I didn't mind waiting for Nash–there was nowhere I'd rather be–but I knew Griffen had a big pile of headaches back at Heartstone.
"You don't have to wait with me," I said. Griffen didn't bother to respond. "I know you have a lot to do with Hawk back at the Manor."
"Nothing more important than being here with you," he said, putting his arm around me. "Nash is going to be fine, you know. This is just a precaution."
"I know," I said, though I wouldn't feel good about the whole thing until a doctor told me Nash was all right.
We were silent for a few minutes. Then, Griffen said, "I like him. Nash. He's easy to work with. Confident, but not arrogant. Willing to compromise if its better for the project. He cares about his team. And he's a geek behind the high profile and the motorcycle. When he talks about the code behind his AI tech, my brain shuts down."
I smiled through my worry. "You're not exactly a slouch in the brains department, Griffen."
"Different kind of brains. I love running Sawyer Enterprises, and I'm your man if you need help with a hostage rescue or kidnap prevention. I'm good with a security system, but the kind of code he's working with might as well be Greek for all I can make sense of it. You picked a smart one this time."
"He pushed me out of the way," I confessed, even though Griffen already knew. "I was reaching for the door. I thought Sterling needed me, and I didn't think. I just went for the door, and then he shoved me out of the way and touched the handle and he was out."
My voice trailed off. I hadn't processed. It happened so fast. The alarm and hearing Sterling and then Nash on the floor convulsing and those terrible, agonized groans.
"I'm glad he shoved you out of the way. Makes me like him more."
"Griffen!" I tried to pull away so I could glare at him, but he tightened his arm in a hug.
"I know you feel guilty," he said. "That's a normal reaction to seeing a loved one go through trauma. But as your brother, I like that he protected you. He's head over heels for you."
"I'm head over heels for him, too."
"I know. And I know it's a little weird and awkward that he's your brother-in-law and you aren't divorced yet, but it doesn't matter."
"It kind of does. Doesn't it?" I wanted to stop worrying about all of that, but I couldn't. I kept thinking of Claudia and how she would feel about all of this. We hadn't talked since she'd left for her safari, conveniently letting me dodge the issue a little longer.
"If you let it matter, I guess it does," Griffen said. "But I don't think you should. I figure you married the wrong brother. Now you're rectifying that mistake. No big deal."
