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Felicity.She wanted to meet up when he next was in town. My cheeks heated up. Fuck. I didn’t know Felicity, but now I wanted to pummel her a little bit.
Why were they meeting up? What were they doing?
It was none of my business. It really wasn’t. I should focus on the task at hand—send a text.
Hi, it’s Bridget. I’m okay. On an airplane headed for Germany. See you soon.
Hope would have some explaining to do when next we met, I promised myself. Michael had closed his eyes again, and I didn’t want to keep bothering him. I leaned forward to slip his phone back into his pocket.
“Sit,” Stephen told me. “Seat belt stays on because you’re precious cargo, Bridget. And not just because your brother-in-law is paying us, but because you make him almost human. We can’t lose thatalmostfrom Michael.”
I strapped obediently back into my seat, but I told myself it wasn’t just because he gave me an order. I didn’t want to get banged around. “What do I do to make him human? Oralmosthuman?”
“No,” Roy said, then kicked Stephen’s seat. Our little plane bounced around in the air as if in response, so I gripped the arms of the seat. I’d never ridden on such a small plane before; it was a different experience. Roy continued. “He’s out. You don’t get to talk for him. If he wants to talk to her, he’ll talk to her. Even you aren’t that stupid.”
Stephen’s smile was slow as his gaze met mine. “You’re right. Get some rest, Bridget Radford. We’ll get you to Germany. What you do with Michael after that is up to you.”
I resisted rolling my eyes, but only barely. I’d learned over the years to keep my mouth shut and my opinions to myself. These guys were playing with me, since it was the only thing that made sense. Probably taunting me a little bit. I liked them because they obviously really liked Michael, but they weren’t sure if they liked me yet. Roy was nicer than Stephen, but even he seemed cautious about me.
Hope got shot saving a kid, and Michael’s crew had helped her. The two men must have been part of that mission, yet they didn’t trust me…so they might know I’d said no to Michael. Apparently, so did Hope.
I chewed on my lip. I didn’t tell a soul. What should I say to them about it, exactly?
I turned down your buddy because I’m not right in the headspace, and I’m not worthy of him.
I saved him from the mess that is methen I tried to figure out if I could find someone who would never see how fucked up I am instead.
Should I just be honest? Would they like me more or less if I was?
Since I couldn’t decide what to say, I said nothing. It was always better if I kept my mouth shut. Better for me and certainly better for Michael.
3
“Boss.” Roy shook Michael, who groaned but didn’t open his eyes. “Come on. We’re here.”
I lifted my head, rolling my shoulders.We landed?I’d dozed off at some point. I sat up, rubbing my eyes. “Is he okay?”
It all flooded back—him getting shot saving me and then refusing to let us look at it. I caught my breath. I hadn’t really let myself think about the fact he was so hurt because he’d been so blasé about it. Added to that, his team didn’t really cause a fuss, so I guessed he must be mostly okay. But based on his pale face and him not rousing immediately, I’d been greatly mistaken. I maneuvered myself into the small space between Roy and Michael before I placed my hand on his arm. “Michael, are you okay? Can you hear me?”
His eyes opened as if by great effort, and when he gazed at me, it wasn’t the steady, unflinching stare of the man who’d haunted my thoughts for years. I might not know how I felt about him, but I knew Michael needed help.
“We need a doctor,” I said, darting a glance at the other two men.
Stephen nodded, his expression serious. “Yes, he hates hospitals, but he’s obviously in no position to argue at the moment.”
“Bridget…” Michael cupped my cheek, his expression dreamy. “You’re so beautiful.”
I took his hand in mine. “Thanks. Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”
I recognized the airport—Bavaria, and I’d visited the private hospital Michael used there previously myself. I didn’t know if Michael knew about it because of his former military career or how he’d made the connection, but I knew the location could be trusted as secure. Not that he ever talked about much, but the man could say more with his eyes when they weren’t clouded over than anyone else I’d ever known.Good and bad things.
I rubbed the back of my neck. “I’ve been here once with Hope. When she was shot saving that little boy.”
“That’s right.” Stephen nodded, but his attention didn’t waver from his teammate. “Come on. Let’s move. I’ll make sure the hospital is ready for him. Roy, stay with the girl. It’s what Michael would want. Don’t let her out of your sight.”
Roy patted my shoulder. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Keeping an eye on me would be easy since I didn’t intend to be very far from Michael until I was sure he was okay. Maybe my need to stay with him made no sense. I wasn’t his girlfriend, just one of his charges, but he’d gotten shot taking care of me, and I’d known him since I was a teenager. I cared about him. I…Well, I didn’t know exactly what I was in terms of what I was feeling.
