Dare to Touch (Dare to Love 3)

Finally, on the drive back to Dylan’s, his cell rang. It wasn’t Meg, but he answered quickly through the Bluetooth speaker in his car. “Hello?”

“May I speak to Dylan Rhodes?”

“Speaking.”

“Umm, my name is Lana Santos. I’m Meg Thompson’s neighbor.”

Dylan tensed, and Olivia gasped and leaned forward in her seat.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I got your name from her cell; you were her ICE number.”

“ICE?” he repeated, unclear what she meant.

“In case of emergency,” the other woman explained. “After the ambulance left, I realized her phone was still on the floor.”

“Ambulance?” Dylan asked, his voice rising. He shot Olivia a concerned glance. One look said she was as worried as he was, and he wished this woman would get to the damned point.

“I’m not sure what happened, but she had an argument with that man who used to live with her. I heard yelling. Something crashed—”

Dylan gripped the steering wheel so hard his hands hurt. “What hospital?” he asked, interrupting the woman.

“University of Miami, I believe.”

“Thank you for calling,” he said, disconnecting. Dammit, he should have known that bastard might lose it when he heard Meg was pregnant.

“Breathe,” Olivia said, her soft hand on his thigh and her voice a surprise. He’d been lost in his own thoughts and panic. “You need to stay calm.”

“Yeah,” he said, knowing she was right.

He took the nearest exit and changed directions, heading to the big hospital.

Olivia focused on keeping Dylan calm, but by the time he pulled into the hospital parking lot, Olivia was in a panic of her own, feeding off his silent nervous energy and her own concern over Meg.

For a myriad of reasons, Olivia hated hospitals. The white walls, the cold personnel, the antiseptic smell all worked to bring back memories, none of them good. Some involved visiting Sienna once she’d been allowed to have company after her procedure; others included Olivia’s own visit to the ER when she’d lost her baby.

They approached the desk and he leaned over. “I’m looking for someone who was brought in by ambulance. Meg Thompson.”

The woman typed some information into her computer and looked up at him—in her own time. “I’m sorry, what was the name again?”

“Thompson,” he said through gritted teeth. “Meg. She was brought in by ambulance.”

“Oh. Yes. Are you a relative?” she asked.

> “I’m her brother.” He squeezed Olivia’s hand tighter.

“Through those doors. Someone inside will direct you further.”

Dylan pulled Olivia down the hall and through the double doors. They did another are you a relative check and were finally directed to a closed-curtained cubicle.

“Maybe I should wait here,” Olivia said, speaking softly. “Meg doesn’t really know me and—”

He didn’t let her finish. He merely pushed his way around the curtain, again pulling Olivia along with him.

Chapter Thirteen

Meg lay in the narrow bed, her head propped up, her eyes closed, face pale.