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ChapterOne
Finnegan
What the fuck is happening?
He…
He loves me?
Did Derek just confess that he loves me? Maybe it was something likeI love you as a brother or a son or…
No, that can’t be it. I remember Panama and the kiss we shared before he left. We never talked about it, but…
This isn’t the time to discuss it, is it? The Zs are here, Piper is injured, and my mind is having trouble understanding all the events that have happened over the past few days.
I hold my head with both hands, trying to control… nothing. I can’t control anything. And fuck if that doesn’t make me angry. Am I about to have a stroke?
My mind is awhirl with a chaotic storm of thoughts and questions, none of which seem to have an answer. This is Panama all over again. I’m as lost as I was when I woke up without an identity—powerless, and alone.
I refuse to accept that this time will be the same. I’m an adult in control of my life and destiny. But then, why is it that I want to jump out of my skin?
I glance at Derek, who might have some answers for me. I put my hand up to my face and move my aching jaw around. It feels like I have a broken bone. “What am I missing?” I mutter through gritted teeth.
“Fuck, I think I broke a bone or two.”
“You deserve that and—” Derek clamps his mouth as the automatic doors swish open and the doctor steps through. His scrubs have a smudge of dried blood on them. My back tenses for a second, but then I remind myself that Piper wasn’t bleeding. It was the blood of the asshole who tried to take her with him.
I killed him, and I’d do it again if it’s necessary.
“How is she?” Derek asks.
“The patient is going into surgery to repair the damage to her leg,” he replies. “She has some broken ribs, but no internal bleeding. What did you say her name was?”
Derek eyes the doctor warily. His face tenses as he glances over at the clipboard the doctor holds before responding, “We didn’t give it. If you need her information, we can fill out the paperwork, but we’d rather not leave a paper trail.”
The doctor glares at him. “Listen, when I was asked if I could accommodate your emergencies, I agreed because Benedict mentioned you help others. However, I have to put my foot down when it comes to kidnapping.”
I snort. “If we were kidnapping her, I wouldn’t have brought her to a hospital. It’d be stupid. May I suggest you watch fewer TV dramas and focus on your job?”
The doctor crosses his arms. “This is a serious question. My patient finally woke up. She’s asking for her aunt, Aspen Hawkins, who is the head of pediatrics at Seattle Memorial.” He clears his throat. “She thinks she’s in Seattle.”
“She hit her head,” I say while Derek opens his big fucking mouth. “We had to bring her to a doctor we trusted.”
Heath Spearman lets out a humorless laugh, his eyes hardening. “At least get your story straight before you lie. Jesus, all these years studying for nothing. I’m going to lose my license because of two fucking morons who are playing a dangerous game of double-o-seven.”
“You won’t lose anything,” I correct him. One of our foundations donates money to this place to ensure we can ask for favors as often as we need. If he gets in trouble, I’ll have my people call them to fix the issue. “When can we take her home?”
The good doctor snorts and shakes his head. “She’ll need to stay with us for at least a week.”
“Though I appreciate your concern, she has to leave,” I try to keep the irritation out of my voice but do a shitty job. “She’s in danger, and in order to protect her, I have to take her to one of our safe houses. We’ll provide her with the best care, including nurses and doctors.”
Dr. Spearman shoots me a glare. “Why do I even bother?” His face is a storm of emotions, but after a couple of seconds he says, “I still think you should keep her with us for a couple of days. But… if she’s not willing, I won’t release her to you.” He shoots me a pointed glare.
Before I can respond, Derek steps forward. “Can I see her?”
The doctor nods without hesitation. “Yes and I want to observe you two together to ensure she’s not under duress in any way.”
I roll my eyes, scoffing. “Who in their right mind enjoys being stuck in a hospital?”
