He held out the Styrofoam cup and she sipped through the straw. Cool water trailed down her burning throat. After she’d drunk some more, she breathed deeply, grateful she could breathe at all.
“Ash will be right back.”
“Thanks for coming.” Weak and raspy, she didn’t recognize her own voice.
His smile was fraught with concern. To her surprise, tears filled his eyes and he cleared his throat. “I’m relieved you’re okay. You know, Carly, I consider you one of my own.”
That made her smile. “In many ways, you are my dad.”
This time, his smile touched his eyes. “Internado won’t get away with his crimes. I’ll make sure of that.”
She hoped that was true. “Was he arrested?”
“Yes.”
Ashton and Sinclair entered her room and she mustered a little smile. Ashton dropped a light kiss on her lips. “You look more alert, honey.”
“You are one tough chick,” Sinclair said. “I love that about you. ‘Kick-ass Carly’.”
“Funny,” she rasped out. “Thanks for coming.”
“Whoa, sister, I would rest that voice.” Sinclair kissed her forehead. “You sound like something out of a sci-fi flick.”
Even in the worst of times, Sinclair always made her smile. “My phone was in my pants pocket,” she whispered to Ashton. “Where’s my clothing?”
He unearthed her cell phone from the plastic hospital bag filled with her belongings. “Do you want me to call someone for you?”
“Check the office surveillance app,” she said.
“There’s a recording from last night,” Ashton replied.
“Oh, wow,” Warren said.
Sinclair’s lips split into a sardonic grin. “Nice.”
After easing down beside her, Ashton tapped the video.
The four of them watched in horror as the nightmare played out on the screen. When Internado’s hands folded around her neck, she looked away. “I don’t need to see any more.”
He paused the video. An eerie silence fell over them. Filled with dread, Carly started shivering, so Ashton covered her with an extra blanket before warming her hands in his.
“Did I have a pulse when you found me?” Her hoarse voice cut through the silence.
Unable to utter the words, he shook his head.
“If you hadn’t come, I would be dead.”
His confident smile calmed her. “This is the beginning of our love story, Carly. Not the end.”
Though weak, she squeezed his hand.
As Warren shook his head, he narrowed his eyes. “He’s not getting away with this. You have my word.”
“He’s messing with the wrong family if he thinks he can beat us.” Sinclair’s words spilled out like a growl.
“Internado deserves to rot in hell,” Ashton bit out.
The anger these men displayed reminded Carly just how loved she was. “Thank you for having my back,” she said, tears pricking her eyes.
