The Soldier and the Princess

Chapter thirty-one

Daphne

Whatwasitabout hospitals that always gave me the creeps?

They were supposed to be places where you went to get better, but something about being in a hospital just made me feel like death was stalking me.

Maybe that’s because I had spent the better part of the last week with death practically stalking me.

Laying here now, under the dim lights of my large and expensive hospital room, I could say that I still felt that way; that death was close.

I just couldn’t figure out why.

I was safe. I knew I was.

Glancing at the other bed in the room, the one across the space, I could see Silas laying there, sleeping fitfully.

Silas hadn’t left my side once, not even when they stitched up the deep cut on his leg. The nurse had rolled her eyes when Silas insisted that if sutures needed to be placed, they would be done with me in the room. Things had actually gotten pretty heated before Penelope stepped in, reminding the hospital staff that we had just been through something traumatic, and that keeping us together was the best thing for us at the moment.

When that didn’t work, Stone added money to the equation, and suddenly, the entire staff was more than accommodating.

Typical.

Turning my head to the sofa against one wall, I could see Stone now, sitting upright with his head back as he snored softly. Earlier, when we had arrived back in Manhattan, dad, Stone, and Penelope had all been fussing around us like we were complete invalids, but when it had gotten dark, Stone insisted that his pregnant wife return to their suite at the hotel, and dad offered to accompany her.

I tried to get Stone to go with them, and I could see the indecision in his eyes as he watched the door close on the elevator when Penelope finally did leave, but he just turned his scowl on me and said that I clearly needed watching.

I would have fought harder if I didn’t know that he and my dad had hired security for Penelope.

After all, she was still the original target in this whole kidnapping ridiculousness. I would never forgive myself if something happened to her while Stone was here with me.

As though he could sense me thinking about him, my big brother stirred on the couch, rubbing both hands down his face as he covered a huge yawn. When he looked my way and saw that I was awake, he heaved himself off the couch and came to my bedside.

“Couldn’t sleep, little bit?”

“I’m alright,” I said quietly, not wanting to disturb Silas across the way. I had been watching him for a while, my worry for him growing as he tossed and turned in the narrow bed. Stone, noticing my distraction, followed my gaze, humming thoughtfully when he saw where my attention was.

Where it always had been.

“You know,” Stone began, propping one hip on the side of my bed so he could lean close. “I’ve known Silas longer than I’ve known you.” I raised my eyebrows at that, not having been aware of the extent of their history. “He has been my best friend and the only brother I could have ever wanted.” Stone looked at me, a sad smile on his face as he brushed a lock of hair off my forehead. “He didn’t have the best time growing up, Daphne, and I always wished he could have been part of my family for real.”

“He is your family,” I insisted. “Family is who you choose, not who you just happen to be related to.”

“That’s true,” Stone conceded, his face and his tone serious. “And I want you to know that I choose you, Daphne.”

I bit my lip, not having realized how much I had needed to hear that, to know that Stone was my brother because he wanted to be, not just because we shared a father. As he watched my face, his own twisted uncomfortably, and I could tell that Stone was struggling. Emotions were never his strong suit, but he’d made such progress since Penelope had come into his life.

“I’m sorry, Daphne, that I said the things I said back when you were still in Las Vegas. It was never my place to get between you two. I asked things of my brother that I never should have even thought to ask, and in the process, all I did was hurt you both.”

“Hey,” I said, grabbing his hand from where it rested on the bed beside my hip and giving it a squeeze. “I understand. You thought you were doing the right thing.” When he huffed out a breath and gave me a nod, I smiled. “Doesn’t mean it actually was the right thing, though.”

“Shit, I know that. Penelope has been on my ass for years over it, and I just... well, I want you to know that I’ve never known a better man than Silas Harrison, and I’d be proud to see you two together.” After a moment, he added, “If that’s what you want.”

Looking again at the man sleeping in the bed across from me, his handsome face strained, even in his sleep, I knew that there was never going to be anyone else that I would ever want. How could anyone possibly compare to my soldier? The man who rescued the princess from bad guys and brought her safely home.

He was always the only one for me, and I was just glad that everyone else was starting to realize what I had known all along.

Silas Harrison was mine, and there was no one who could ever take him away from me.

“Yes,” I said softly, giving Stone’s hand another squeeze. “That is most definitely what I want.”

We talked for a while longer, Stone filling me in on the things they had learned about the kidnappers, which was not much, even with my added information. The FBI agent they were in contact with, Eve Styles, had been unable to locate Davis or Spaz, but they were able to identify the body left behind at the Ranger Station. Leroy Albertson was wanted on some other felony charges, including grand theft auto and some weapons charges stemming from an old robbery in Brooklyn.

I didn’t want to think about him, not with the way I had seen him last, and as though he could sense my discomfort, Stone finally let the subject drop, instead filling me in on the fact that Xander had made it out of surgery and was currently resting in the ICU while they kept a close watch on him. The relief I felt at that news had my whole body sagging, grateful that I would finally be able to thank the man who had taken a bullet for me.

When my brother let out another big yawn, I patted his hand and said, “Stone, you should go get some real sleep. We’ll be fine. You have a guard in the hallway and everything. Go be with Penelope. I’ll see you both tomorrow.” The doctors had said I’d likely be discharged in the morning, which was good, even if I wasn’t thrilled about being away from Silas again. While he had needed several stitches and a good dose of antibiotics for the cut on his leg, the most I had required was a few pieces of butterfly tape and some electrolytes. There really was no need for me to be taking up a hospital bed, but I didn’t want to admit the fact that I was afraid to be alone.

Keeping my maudlin thoughts to myself, I accepted Stone’s kiss on the forehead before I watched him leave, then settled back against my pillows, my eyes once again drifting to Silas, still asleep in the bed across from me.

He seemed even more distraught than before, his whole body looking strung tight like a bowstring, and I frowned as he began to twitch, his head whipping side to side as he muttered in his sleep.

I considered calling for the night nurse, but Silas suddenly shouted out a name and I froze, my hand hovering above the call button.

“Liz!”

He sounded so distressed, his cry one of absolute terror and desperation that felt like a knife to my chest. Scrambling out of bed, grateful for the leggings and long-sleeved top Penelope had sent over with Stone, I moved across the room and cautiously approached Silas as he continued to toss and turn on the bed. Hesitantly, I reached for him, not wanting to scare him more than he already appeared to be, but I couldn’t just stand by while whatever nightmare he was stuck in continued to torture him.

“Silas,” I called, my voice loud in the stillness of our quiet room. “Silas, wake up.”

Reaching my hand out, I gently touched his leg, thinking that at least if he startled, he would do less damage with his feet tangled as they were in the thin hospital blankets, than he would if I managed to be within striking distance of his hands.

Never let it be said that I was a reckless girl.

Placing my hand around his ankle, the one on the uninjured side, I squeezed and gave it a light shake, waiting to see how he reacted before calling again, louder this time.

“Silas, it’s Daphne. Please wake up.” Shaking harder now, and starting to worry, Silas gave one final shout before he sat bolt upright in the bed, his frantic gaze darting around the room, but I would have guessed he wasn’t really seeing it.

No, wherever he had been in that dream, my sweet Silas was still there, trapped in his own thoughts.

“Hey,” I whispered, rubbing my hand up his leg slowly, drawing his eyes to me and looking confused for a moment before recognition struck. “It’s alright. It’s over. Whatever it was, it’s over now.”

“Daphne,” he choked out, his chest heaving with ragged breaths as he ran his hands down his face, finally seeming to shake off the last of the dream. “Oh, God.”

“It’s alright,” I repeated, making soothing sounds as I rubbed his back now. I reached for the water on the table beside his bed, holding it out where he could see it. Grabbing the cup with both hands, Silas downed the entire contents in a few rapid gulps before exhaling on a groan.

“Sorry, Princess,” he muttered when I had replaced the glass and turned back to him. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“I wasn’t asleep,” I said softly, frowning. “I just wanted to make sure you were alright.” When he didn’t speak, I went on. “That seemed like quite the nightmare.”

“Yeah,” was all he said, and I got it. I was honestly surprised that I hadn’t had any myself, but so far, all my sleep had been light and short.

I imagined my time would still be coming.

“You want to talk about it?” I asked, not really knowing the right move to make. “I mean, I can listen if you want to get something off your chest.”

He didn’t answer, but he did slide sideways on the narrow bed, using his hands to help shuffle his weight and not his bad leg. When he was situated the way he apparently wanted, Silas drew back the blanket and patted the mattress beside him with a sad smile.

“Come on up here, Princess. Maybe having you close will settle me.” Not hesitating a moment, I clamored up beside him, wiggling around until I could find a comfortable spot that didn’t have me hanging half off the bed.

Of course, that meant I was half on Silas, but I didn’t much mind that.

Settling my head on his chest, I took a moment to simply revel in the closeness. I tried to memorize the way his body fit to mine, as though we were literally made for each other, and no one could ever deny it.

Neither of us spoke, and with one hand on his bare stomach, watching the way it rose and fell with his slow breaths, I assumed that he had fallen back to sleep. I was just about to drift off myself when Silas spoke, his words a low rumble in the night.