“God, babe,” I whisper into her ear. “Are you okay?”
Gia moves her head so she can meet my eyes. Her hands caress each side of my face as she tells me, “I am now.”
While her father looks on, my lips meet hers in a slow seductive kiss. The taste of her does things to my body so before the whole hospital finds out just how I react to her, I pull back with a kiss to her nose.
“From now on you stay with me. Wherever you go, so do I. No sass. It’s happening. I don’t want you to go through anything like that again, and I can’t go through that again, either.”
A throat being cleared causes us both to turn and face Gia’s father.
With what feels like reluctance, Gia wiggles out of my arms and wraps herself around Jarrod.
“Daddy.”
That one word opens the dam of tears she seems to have been fighting.
It hurts to see her so upset and not to be able to comfort her. I find it difficult not to rip her out of her father’s arms, but I settle for rubbing her back. I meet her father’s gaze and instead of seeing anger, I see acceptance. I’m not sure if I’d be able to be so understanding if the situation had been reversed, and it was my daughter in the arms of the man who is supposed to be protecting her.
I watch Jarrod pull back and kiss her forehead before he gives her a nudge back into my arms. Holding her tight, I can feel the exhaustion in her body taking hold of her as her arms loosen around me.
“My arm is starting to throb. I think the pain stuff they gave me is wearing off.”
I cup her face in my hands and look at her. Even though she looks to be holding herself together by a thin piece of string, she’s beautiful to me. “I’m taking you back to your father’s house?”
“Thank you.”
“Gia, did he say why he was taking you?” Jarrod asks. “Forget it, I can see you need to rest. C’mon, let’s get you home.”
I refuse to let her walk and sweep her up into my arms, holding her securely against my chest. Leading the way to the car with her head resting against my shoulder, I can feel her watching me. Turning my head, I meet her gaze.
“I thought you didn’t want to be with me,” she whispers as tears form in her eyes.
Briefly closing my eyes, I inhale and try to get my emotions in check before I speak. “It’s not that I didn’t want to be with you. I slept in your bed every night because I didn’t want to be without you. It wasn’t easy not touching you—not making love to you. You’ve turned my life upside down.” I place a quick kiss on her lips. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.” The lock disengages to the car when I press the digital key.
Jarrod opens the door for me so I can place Gia on to the backseat. Without giving her a chance, I grab the seatbelt and buckle her up before I place the seat further back and into a reclined position. It’s pointless having a large fancy car if you can’t get real comfortable.
“Sleep baby,” I whisper against her forehead before kissing her.
I have to force myself to move away from her and to stop the jealousy that runs through me when Jarrod climbs into the back. That should be me in the back with her. Taking care of her. But my job is to protect them both.
Jumping into the drivers seat, I start the car and pull out of the hospital into traffic. Every now and again, I glance into the rear mirror to make sure my girl is doing okay.
I’m pissed with myself for putting Chris with her. I’d worked with Chris in the past and know he’s a good Marshal, but apparently he’s suffered the loss of a child a long time ago, which is why he couldn’t go on the ward with Gia.
This known fact should have been pointed out to me, but Chris thought he could get the job done without having it broadcasted. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way for him.
My girl is alive and not injured enough to spend the night in the hospital so I guess that’s something.
“Hunter?” Gia calls out to me.
“Are you okay?”
“I will be. The guy. He said he was taking me so my father would let Joe free?”
What the fuck!
“Joe who?”
“He didn’t say.” She sulks.