He shot a look toward the door, wondering if Bailey would let him come in right now. He just wanted to see her. Being so close to her again after all this time was almost surreal, like something out of a dream. She had been such a big part of his life for so long, but he’d had to sever the ties between them bluntly and brutally with no explanation. Even if she did end up with abetter understanding of what had happened, would it be enough to convince her to forgive him?
And what if this had something to do with the corruption he’d discovered before? What if she had walked back into the middle of it and found herself faced with a harsh reality she wasn’t ready for? She was a principled woman, always had been, and she wouldn’t have stood for that kind of behavior in any of her colleagues. But her principles wouldn’t have been enough to keep her safe if they turned on her, and he hated the thought of something happening to her. Maybe if he had told her the truth back then…
He tried to push the thought to the back of his mind. He couldn’t obsess over what had happened before—that was in the past now. All he could do was focus on the present, and how he was going to get her to tell him who had hurt her and why. She might have been more willing to speak with one of the other women there, but he needed something to report back to Lawson and Xavier. They wouldn’t want her here if she refused to tell them the truth. He understood why.
He and Bailey had shared a real trust back in the day, and he just needed to find some way to tap into that again. He had missed her every single day since he had walked away from his old life. Seeing her again brought up a million of the old emotions he had done his best to forget.
But things were different now. He just had to find some way to handle whatever came next, and make sure she didn’t end up with any more dangerous injuries in the process.
He looked once more at the door, then began to pace again while he waited. He had a feeling it was going to be a long day.
Chapter Five
When Bailey’s eyes opened again, it took her a minute to remember where she was. She sat upright as quickly as her sore body would allow, and looked around.
“Hey, you’re awake. Take it easy, you don’t want to move around too fast,” a soothing voice said on her left.
She looked over to see the woman who had been tending to her. She was sipping on coffee and sitting in a chair against the wall.
“What’s going on?” Bailey mumbled, a little disorientated. The pain was better, but she was feeling a bit sick from the blood loss and lack of food. She actually didn’t remember when she ate last, but she needed to get something in her soon. Plus, she had no idea who this woman who had been watching her sleep was. She seemed friendly enough, but she was a stranger. She kind of assumed Aaron would be there with her, waiting for answers.
“You passed out,” the woman replied gently. “I was looking after you while you were resting. I’ve patched you up and gave you some painkillers, too.”
Bailey tried to sit up straighter while keeping the woman in sight. She noticed the pain in her ribs was not as intense, and her leg wasn’t throbbing as much. So that was something, at least.
“I’m River.” The woman introduced herself. “I work here at Warrior Peak Sanctuary.”
“Are you a doctor?” Bailey couldn’t see a reason why this woman would be here looking after her otherwise.
“No, but I do have some medical experience. When someone’s hurt, the guys usually get me first to see if it’s something easily treatable before they call the town doctor or discuss going to the hospital.”
That made sense. And Bailey was grateful for the assistance. There was no way she wanted to go into town, and definitely not to a hospital. That would lead them right to her.
“Well, thank you, River. I appreciate you helping me,” Bailey replied, and she meant it. Even though she was exhausted and sore, her gut told her that she was in a safe place. That she didn’t have to worry about those men finding her while she was here.
“You know much about Warrior Peak Sanctuary?” River asked.
Bailey shook her head slowly, noting that it didn’t feel as bad as before, either. She hadn’t known anything about this place, apart from the fact that Aaron worked here. That was the only reason she had come. On the run, she had only been able to think of one person she could trust, even if he was also the last person on earth she wanted to see.
“It used to be for law enforcement and military people who’d suffered through traumatic events and were recovering, but it’s expanding now,” she explained with a soft smile. “It’s also for people getting out of dangerous situations who need a place to stay while they get back on their feet. So you’re safe here. I promise. These are good guys and they just want to help.”
Bailey nodded. There was a note of sincerity in River’s voice, and she wondered if she had been through something similar—something crazy that had brought her here in the first place.
“And speaking of traumatic situations,” she added, nodding toward Bailey. “You really got yourself beat up. In case you’re unaware, you have a few cracked ribs and a stab wound on your thigh. I’d like to check you for a concussion, too, considering that goose egg you’ve got on your head.”
“Sounds about right.” Bailey sighed. The attack was still something of a blur to her, but she remembered hands on her, the flash of metal, the terror she felt in that instant, certain this was the end for her.
“You mind?” River indicated toward Bailey’s head.
Bailey nodded slowly. “Sure. Go ahead. I don’t think I have one, though.”
“Let’s just double-check to be certain,” she replied, then asked Bailey to follow her directions as she examined her head further. Once she was satisfied there was no concussion, she sat back in her chair, giving Bailey space. “You want to tell me what happened?” she asked.
Bailey flattened her lips and shook her head at once. River might have seemed nice, but she didn’t know a damn thing about her, and she wasn’t about to go handing over her biggest secrets without getting to know her a little better. If these last couple of days had taught her anything, it was that she couldn’t exactly trust everyone she thought she could. She needed to be way more careful about how she handled herself.
“No problem. I get it,” River murmured, and she rose to her feet. “You stay put. I’m going to see if dinner is ready. You must be starving, and getting some nourishment and fluids in you will help you feel a bit better. We usually eat together in the cafeteria, but I don’t think you’re in any state to be getting up right now.”
Bailey thanked her again, and let out a sigh of relief as soon as River closed the door behind her. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to remind herself that she was here for one person and one person only—Aaron. She had to get the truth out of him. She was sure he must have known something about the nightmare that had driven her out here. Maybe it even had something to do with his sudden departure.
