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But I hadn’t missed the fact that Nash had touched me almost nonstop from the moment we’d arrived at the airport.
It had steadied me in more ways than just physically.
Yeah, I’d still been a mess, but I’d been able to keep from completely losing it. Whenever the image of my son lying on a steel table in a darkened morgue would rattle through my brain, Nash’s warm fingers would bring me back. I had no clue how he knew when those moments happened, but I didn’t really care, either.
“He’s out of surgery and although it’s still early, they’re hopeful he’ll make a complete recovery,” Ronan explained.
Vincent peppered him with a couple more questions and then Ronan was reaching out to put his hand on my shoulder. “Let’s get you to your son, okay?”
I nodded.
I couldn’t do much more than that.
I believed what Ronan was telling me, but I wouldn’t be able to function like a normal human being until I saw Reese for myself.
“We’ll come with you,” Vincent announced.
I knew that wasn’t part of the plan – I’d overheard Vincent and Nash talking right before takeoff. Vincent and Nathan were supposed to continue on to Seattle so Nathan wouldn’t be anywhere near the danger that still lingered and would remain until the shooter was found.
“No, you need to go,” I managed to say as I turned to face Vincent. “Get Nathan out of here,” I said firmly. “I’ll be okay.” It was Nathan’s twin, Brody, who Reese had saved, though he’d been shot in the shoulder trying to help Reese with his wounds.
“No, we—” he began, but I cut him off.
“Vincent, Nathan needs you,” I said quietly. I let my eyes shift to where Nathan was standing near the steps leading to the plane. He’d moved back to give us some privacy once Ronan had announced that Reese was out of surgery. “He needs his brother,” I added firmly. “I’ll be okay.”
I could tell Vincent was torn, but once he cast Nathan a glance over his shoulder, I knew he’d made his decision. But instead of turning back to me, he focused in on Nash. “You watch out for him.”
I would have laughed at the stern order if I hadn’t been overwhelmed by the emotion that welled up inside of me.
Pierce would just be so damn proud of his baby brother.
I wasn’t sure if Nash responded to Vincent because Vincent was addressing me next. “You call me every hour to let me know how things are going. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, sir,” I said, managing a weak smile as I spoke.
Vincent had never been a touchy-feely kind of guy, but I wasn’t overly surprised when he pulled me into a hug. He held me for a long time before releasing me. Nash took my arm to lead me away from the plane as its engines turned on. We didn’t wait to watch Vincent and Nathan take off. Instead, Ronan led us to a waiting SUV. I fully expected Nash to sit up front with the driver, but he surprised me when he climbed into the back seat.
Leaving Ronan to take the front passenger seat.
Nash’s big body pressed against mine on the bench seat as the car got moving and I found that oddly comforting.
Ronan began explaining things about Reese’s injuries, but it was hard for me to focus. I’d ask him to tell me everything again once I’d seen my son.
It didn’t take long to get to the hospital. I took the cap and sunglasses Ronan handed me as the SUV pulled along the back of the building. I wasn’t surprised that Nash had already handled the details of my arrival. The last thing I wanted was to deal with reporters or anyone else who might recognize me. I’d been out of the public eye for a long time, but I rarely managed to go anywhere without someone knowing who I was or asking for an autograph. On the rarest of occasions, a non-supporter would fling some ugly comments my way about how I’d fucked up the country, but fortunately those incidents were few and far between.
As I followed Nash and Ronan through the bowels of the hospital to a freight elevator, people looked at me strangely, but no one appeared to recognize me.
It took just a few minutes to reach a room on the third floor. A doctor was just coming out of it. The wall facing the main part of the floor was made of glass, but there was a curtain covering it so I couldn’t see Reese.
“Dr. Fields, this is Reese’s father,” Ronan said to the older woman.
“Mr. Starr, it’s nice to meet you,” the woman began. I flinched at the last name. It was my wife’s maiden name and the name Reese had chosen to go by after he’d walked out of my life. Apparently, the doctor hadn’t been clued in when Nash had told the hospital security staff about my arrival. On the one hand, I didn’t want to correct the woman, but I knew she’d find out eventually who I was. It wasn’t like I could walk around in a ball cap and sunglasses the whole time. Even now, I knew I looked ridiculous.
