“I’m here, Al. I’m right here.” He tore the oxygen mask off of his head and slid out of bed. His back and shoulders hurt like a motherfucker, so he grasped the IV pole and used it for support.
Martin reached out a hand. “You sure you should—”
“Try to keep me away from her.” He limped to her bed and gently sat on the edge. “I’m here, Alexa. You’re safe. I’m so fucking sorry, baby.” If he’d taken Slater out at the house after he’d attacked her, this never would’ve happened. So much for playing it by the books. And trying to be the good guy.
Her eyes swam, then finally fixed on him. He could tell the moment her mind snapped to some semblance of awareness. She moaned again as panic cut lines into her face.
“Stay calm, Al. You’re pretty banged up. You burned your hands helping me and your lungs need some time to recover from the severe asthma attack and smoke inhalation. The nurse said the tube can probably come out in the morning.” His thoughts raced to what else she needed to know. “Your mom’s here, too. She also had pretty bad smoke inhalation. That’s all I know so far.”
She pointed to his head, her expression full of questions.
“My head?” he asked. She nodded. “I’m good.”
She frowned.
“Alexa,” Martin said, “do you know how Maverick got hit on the head?”
Her face went white and she moaned, frustration clear in her helpless gestures.
Martin held up a hand. “How about this? I say something, and you just shake your head yes or no?” She nodded.
“Did you see Grant at the house?” She nodded. Surprise flooded through Maverick. Grant had been there the whole time? He looked to Alexa, confusion swamping him.
“Did you talk to him?” Another yes.
“Did he admit anything to you?” Another yes.
“Did he admit or did you see him hit Maverick?” She shrugged, but her expression said she had more to say on the topic. But Maverick knew—the fucker had totally jacked him up. Not only had Maverick not seen him, but he had no memory after the hit.
“Was he inside the house when you came out?” Martin asked.
She nodded. Did that mean . . .
“Did you find a body?” Maverick asked.
Martin nodded. “No positive ID yet. But one deceased in the house.”
Slater was dead? Mav’s mind reeled, shock and relief warring through him.
Erica pushed back into the room. “Mr. Rylan, what the heck do you think you’re doing? Get back in bed and leave Miss Harmon alone.”
“Ma’am—”
“That’s an order. The rest of this can wait until the woman can fully breathe on her own.” She nailed both of the men with a no-nonsense stare.
Maverick pressed a kiss to Alexa’s forehead. “I’ll be right over there, baby.”
Al watched him move away, sadness clear on her face.
“What about this?” Erica said, gesturing at his bed. “Get in, Mr. Rylan.”
“Maverick,” he said, climbing back in but restless as hell over the ten feet separating them.
“Okay, Maverick. I see how it is, so I have an idea you might like.” In that moment, he couldn’t do anything but obey her; he was still too shell-shocked by the news that Slater was actually dead. He laid his ass down on a groan. Erica did some rearranging and pushed their beds closer together, leaving just enough narrow space for someone to walk between. “Better?”
“Yeah,” he said. “As good as can be in the midst of all this.”
“Sometimes that’s all you have,” Erica said, turning on Martin. “Officer, you’re going to have to come back.”
He nodded. “I’ll let everyone know you’re both awake. They’re all here.”
“Thanks,” Maverick said, the comfort of having his brothers, his family, around easing some of the turmoil from the night.
“Now both of you get some rest,” the nurse said, dimming the light.
He turned to Alexa, whose big, wide eyes were on him. “Christ, I love you, Alexa.” She laid her bundled hands on her heart and looked at him, so much love shining from her eyes. Just then, that was all he needed. Because he had more to say. So much more. But he’d wait til she could speak, too.
Sleep came to him fitfully. His body ached, his worries focused on Alexa, and his mind kept wandering to any one of a million questions. Had Grant been at the house when Cynthia arrived? Or had he surprised her by arriving while she was packing her things? And why had Grant gone to the house in the first place? What had been the point? Maverick just didn’t know. And maybe now they’d never find out.
When he finally did fall, he had dreams over and over again about getting hit in the head just as he’d been on the cusp of running back into the fire to bring Alexa out. He went down hard and stupid just inside the doorway every time, then the dream ended abruptly, making Mav want to scream his frustration.