Page 33 of Grim

They pulled into the hospital parking lot. The sun was low now; the sky was streaked with orange and purple. Grim parked right at the front, ignoring the “Doctor Only” sign like it didn’t exist.

He got out and walked around to her side, opening her door before she could reach for the handle.

“Maddox,” she said, exasperated.

His hand brushed the edge of the door, steady and sure, and something warm flickered in her chest before she could stop it. “Get used to it.”

He walked her inside, staying close enough that she could feel the heat of him at her back. When they reached the ICU doors, she turned to him.

“You don’t have to stay.”

“I’m not leaving.”

“Maddox…”

He stepped closer, voice low. “I’m not leaving.”

She nodded, unable to argue with the intensity in his eyes.

He watched her badge in, watched her disappear into the unit, watched the doors close behind her.

Then he sat down in the waiting room outside the ICU, elbows on his knees, phone in hand. He dialed. Stone answered on the first ring. “Report.”

“Had a tail,” Grim said. “Persistent. Tried to follow us. Took a while to shake.”

Stone swore under his breath. “Reapers?”

“Most likely.”

“Ghost checked in,” Stone said. “No incidents with Amanda today. No tails. No suspicious activity.”

Grim’s jaw flexed. “So it’s Sophia.”

“Yeah,” Stone said. “She’s the primary target right now.”

Grim’s voice dropped to something dark. “They’re not touching her.”

“Didn’t think they would,” Stone said. “Stay on her. Don’t let her out of your sight.”

“Wasn’t planning on it.”

He hung up and leaned back in the chair, eyes fixed on the ICU doors. He wasn’t moving.

Not until she was off shift. Not until she was safe. Not until he knew exactly who the hell was following them.

He knew this feeling. The tightening in his chest. The edge of panic he’d learned to bury deep. It was the same fear that had carved him hollow overseas. He wasn’t afraid of her. He was afraid of what losing her would do to him.

He’d buried enough ghosts.

He didn’t need another.

Chapter 11

Grim

Grim waited. All night. He sat in the hard plastic chair outside the ICU, boots planted wide, elbows on his knees, eyes fixed on the double doors like he could burn a hole through them. Nurses came and went. Doctors passed by. A janitor mopped the floor twice.

He didn’t move until Sophia walked past the glass window of the unit, focused on her charting, hair pulled back, eyes sharp and tired. She didn’t see him. He saw everything.