“Teagan, I—”
“It’s okay. I understand. I’ll have the car brought up and will meet you and the nurse out front.”
He frowned. “What do you think you understand?”
Without answering, she hurried from the room.
BRYSONEASEDBACKagainst the pillows that Teagan had just stuffed behind him so he could sit up in the hotel bed. “Thank you.” He motioned toward the impressive fifteen-hundred-square-feet, two-bedroom suite that she’d reserved for them at the Omni hotel. The accommodations were luxurious, but more important, it was close enough to the hospital that he hadn’t had to endure the agony of a long car ride. And since she’d insisted on him taking more pain pills after reaching the hotel, he was feeling pretty good right now. Physically at least. “Thank you for everything, Teagan.”
She seemed surprised by his words, acknowledging them with a quick nod. Then she turned to finish putting away his clothes that she’d had brought from the other hotel he’d originally been staying in, closer to The Woods subdivision. Her surprise that he’d actually thank her had him feeling like even more of a jerk than he had since the moment he’d woken up in the recovery room.
All the memories of what had happened had slammed into him, stealing his breath. He’d made so many mistakes that could have cost her life. The very first one was in agreeing to take her with him to that ill-fated interview at the Brodericks’. Everything had gone downhill from there.
The worst part was knowing what had driven him to include her, to give in to her request even though he was the one experienced in law enforcement and knew better, knew the dangers. What had driven him was pure selfishness, hisridiculous fixation on her and desire, no—need—to be around her as much as possible. His obsession had clouded his reason. And just as soon as he was able to manage on his own, he’d set her free, break this tenuous bond that had developed between them. He’d ensure that none of his bad decisions could ever risk her life again. Obviously he hadn’t learned the lessons of his past—from his sloppy handling of the Kentucky Ripper case to his failure to save Hayley from the person who’d ended up shooting him in the hip all those months ago. He had no business thinking he could really protect Teagan.
She was much better off without him.
Finally she stopped running around the suite putting things away, and stood by his bed. “I guess it’s good that you already had a wheelchair and had it at your other hotel,” she said. “Saved me from having to rent one while you’re here. Goodness knows you’ll need it for a while until you’re back on your feet.” She motioned beside the bed where she’d stored it within easy reach. “There’s a cane too, for when you’re feeling good enough to try to walk. It’s nothing fancy. I got it at the hospital gift shop. Your other one, unfortunately, is locked up in evidence. It practically took an act of Congress just to get my purse released after the police took it from the Brodericks’ home. They wouldn’t even discuss the cane, for some reason. Anyway, in case you’ve forgotten your discharge instructions, they’re in writing in the top drawer of your bedside table. But part of it is that the doctor wants you to try to stand and take at least a few steps several times a day. If you’re in bed the whole time you could get blood clots and—”
“Teagan.”
“Do you need something? A glass of water? Soda? There’s a bar over there but you really shouldn’t have any alcohol with the pain meds you’re—”
“No. Thank you. I don’t need anything. I—”
“Okay, then. I’m going to explore my room, catch up on some sleep. I haven’t slept well at the hospital and—”
“Teagan.”
“—if you need something, just text me on your phone. I left it on the nightstand. The police have both our phones in evidence so that’s a new one. I had Mason program your team’s numbers in there, so that should help. My new number’s in there too, obviously, so you can text me. I’ll check on you in a couple of hours.”
“I need to talk to you.”
“No, right now you need to sleep. We both do.”
“Wait, please. Just give me a minute to—”
She hurried into the other bedroom, shutting the door hard behind her. But she hadn’t turned fast enough to hide the tears in her eyes.
He swore and punched a fist into the mattress beside him.
Chapter Twenty
After spending five grueling days and nights in a tension-filled hotel suite with Bryson, Teagan was more than ready to see the last of the place, no matter how amazingly luxurious it was. She could have had a home health-care nurse take care of him while he recuperated. But since part of the reason that Mason had suggested they stay there together was to ensure that both of them were out of sight in case the killer came looking for them, it just made sense for her to take care of him herself.
But it hadn’t been easy.
They’d hardly said two words to each other after their arrival. And since it wasn’t looking promising that the killer would be found any time soon, it was time for both of them to try to get on with their lives. Well, as much as possible anyway. The police would have someone watching her parents’ home while she was here, not that anyone expected the killer to be brazen enough to try to hurt her again. He was long gone, on the run.
Now, as the rented limo pulled up at her parents’ home to drop her off so Bryson could fly in Mason’s private jet back to Gatlinburg, she was so antsy to get away from him that she was pulling open the door before the driver had even come to a complete stop on the street out front.
“Wait,” Bryson called out. “Let me walk you to the door.”
“I’ve got it. No need.” She grabbed her one piece of luggage from the seat beside her and hopped out, not even giving the driver a chance to open the door. “Take care, Bryson.”
She heard him swearing as she slammed the door shut. Tears were already running down her cheeks by the time she sprinted across the front lawn and threw open the front door. “Mom, Dad, I’m home. Don’t get up,” she yelled, hurrying toward her old bedroom on the right side of the house. “I’ll put away my stuff and freshen up. Talk to you in a few.”
“Teagan? Are you okay?” her mom called out from the kitchen where insanely amazing smells were coming from. She must be cooking dinner.
