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She gasped, wet eyes wild, staring into the face of Alex Aaro. She sagged, trying to catch her breath as her heart tripped and stuttered.
“Oh, God,” she quavered. “Oh, God, you scared me to death.”
“Sorry,” Aaro said. He sounded both apologetic and sullen.
She stared, pointedly, at her trapped wrist. “I will accept your apology if you let go of me.”
“Uh, no,” he said.
She was alarmed. “What do you mean, no?”
“I just mean no,” he repeated. “You can’t leave yet.”
She yanked at her arm. “How dare you?” Her voice began to rise in pitch. “How dare you push me around? Let go of me, goddamnit!”
He easily managed her flailing and struggling. “I’m sorry.”
“Why?” she shrieked. “I have had enough of this shit!”
“Yes, you have, absolutely,” he said. “And I will let you go, I promise, as soon as Bruno gets out here.”
Her stomach went into freefall. She began to shake her head. “You can’t do that to me. You just can’t.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, helplessly. “I have to. I promised. I’m sorry.”
“You’ll be sorrier when I start screaming!”
He shook his head. “No, Lily. Every person here, every last damn person, will back me up. Go ahead and scream. You’ll see.”
“Then I’ll just tear your face off, if no one will help me,” she snarled. “Say goodbye to your eyes right now!”
“I don’t care,” he said, grimly stoic. “I would rather die badly, right here and now, than let you disappear on him a second time.”
She realized how her abduction in the hospital must have felt, from his viewpoint. The crowd was spilling out into the garden, curious people looking their way as the string ensemble started to play again.
“You don’t understand,” she said, haltingly. “Things are different now. Between us.”
“I don’t care,” Aaro said. “That’s for you guys to thrash out.”
“That’s exactly it!” she wailed, jerking at her trapped arm. “I can’t deal with any thrashing right now!”
“Lily.”
Bruno’s voice wiped her mind clean. She forgot Aaro existed. The manacle on her arm disappeared. Along with all the available oxygen.
Close up, she could see the damage he’d sustained in their adventure. Shiny pink marks on his cheekbone, the thickened eyelid. A notch in his ear. Burn scars on his hands. But it was the pain in his eyes that made her feel like a fist was squeezing her heart.
Bruno released her eyes, flicked his gaze to Aaro. “Thank you.”
“Anytime, man. Thank God you’re here.” Aaro slunk away.
She watched him go. “Anytime, my ass,” she muttered, sourly. “Does he take hostages for you on a regular basis?”
“No,” Bruno said. “Just you, Lily. You’re special.”
“Not really,” she said. “I’m been enjoying my non-special status lately. My life is so normal now. Quiet.”
His jaw contracted. “I see,” he said. “Congratulations.”
