“Doesn’t matter. I want to know what you think.”
“I’m not sure what happened, but your father said the monitor was working fine when he was in the room right before Bentley. I confirmed with the hospital staff that no one entered or exited your room during that timeframe, and I didn’t like Bentley’s reaction when I confronted him in the waiting room.”
“You confronted him?” His voice was so low, she almost missed the words.
“Red’s already given me an earful about that.” Jane crossed her arms, losing the touch of Sully’s hand. She immediately missed the warmth and connection of the contact. “That was the last time he’s been in the hospital that I’m aware of. I should let you know before your parents return that I’ve refused to let anyone visit unless me or Red are in the room, too. They probably don’t care for me much.”
“Bullshit.” Sully gave his head a sharp shake then chuckled. “Red, let the nurses’ station know to remove my brother from the visitor list.”
“Will do. Thalia and I are going to head out.” Red crossed the room and gave Sully a hug, then turned to her and did the same. It was still hard to believe how fast he and Thalia had welcomed her into the fold. A total freaking stranger. Red angled his chin toward Sully. “I’ll make them aware as we’re leaving. I reached out to Jude. Some of his contacts are looking into Bentley’s recent activities.”
“Thanks, man. Appreciate it. Night, Thalia.”
They both said goodbye, and the door closed with a soft click as they exited. She stood there for a long moment, unsure of what to say now that she’d basically accused Sully’s brother of trying to hinder his progress. She still couldn’t wrap her head around why Bentley would intentionally try to hurt his brother. Maybe it had been an accident. If so, the man had every reason to hate her for driving a wedge between him and his brother.
“Hey.” Sully reached up and his large palm spanned gently over her arm. “I trust your instincts. Don’t question your gut.”
“What if I’m wrong? He’s your brother. I’m just some woman you rescued.”
“Come here.” He gave her arm a small tug, but she couldn’t seem to get her feet to move. “Please?” His lips curved and his eyes went soft.
“I bet you’re used to flashing that grin and getting anything and everything you want.” She rolled her eyes and laughed.
“Is it working? I’d love to have you close. To put my arm around you.”
“You want me to get in there? With you? We’ll break the bed.”
A low chuckle left his throat. “It’s not our bed.”
The man in front of her had a long way to recovery, but hearing the words “our bed” from his mouth had a shock of heat flashing through her. She swallowed hard and tried to will away the blush rising on her face.
“When being in this hospital starts to really suck or when physical therapy turns me into a grouchy asshat, I’m going to think of that expression that just crossed your face, because whatever thought you just had, I want in on it. I have a feeling I’ll have to be in tip-top shape for whatever idea made your cheeks go pink just now.”
Heat crept up to her ears and she found herself rounding the bed, lowering the rail, and crawling on the mattress beside him.It was a tight fit and not comfortable in the least, but when his arm came around her and she melted against him, she didn’t want to move. Ever.
Chapter Ten
Adeep sighof contentment escaped his lips the moment Jane relaxed against him. He relished the feeling of having her cradled against his side. He could’ve lost this. A chance to know this woman who’d captivated him from the first moment. Red had told him how fiercely she’d guarded him. How she refused to leave his side. He wasn’t surprised, though. Jane was just as much of a protector as he was. He trusted her judgment and her ability to have his back, so when she told him about Bentley, her words resonated with quiet acceptance even as a deep ache formed a chasm in his heart. He’d been there for Bentley’s birth. Had played blocks with him and rode bikes along the dusty dirt trails surrounding their home. Over the years though, he’d watched his little brother make bad decision after bad decision. Bentley had grown bitter and jealous of everything Sully did, openly throwing barbs any chance he got. It didn’t anger him, but it did make him sad. He’d do anything for Bentley, but he couldn’t change who he was.
The idea that his brother hated him enough to try to hurt him when he was already suffering from sepsis and a gunshot wound was crushing. And why? What would Bentley gain if he died? Perhaps he wanted their parents’ attention to himself. With his sisters in Massachusetts living their dream of owning and operating a premier wedding venue there would be plenty of space for Bentley to move home. Maybe his brother also thought some of the proceeds of his town house would go to him. Of course, he had life insurance through the Navy but there was no way Bentley could know he was listed as a beneficiary.His death, specifically as a result of his service, would give his family members a hefty payout, but after splitting it between his parents and sisters, it would hardly be worth killing him over. There was a light knock on the door, and Sully’s father stepped inside. He swallowed hard when he saw tears in his dad’s eyes. There seemed to be more gray at his temples but he still held himself with strength and pride.
“Good to see you awake, son.” His dad leaned in and kissed his cheek, squeezing his shoulder in a tight grip. “And good to see her getting some sleep,” he whispered, dipping his head toward Jane. She was out cold. A deep sense of satisfaction had filled him when minutes after curling into his side her breaths evened out. In her sleep, her arms had looped around his waist. She clung tightly to him and crashed. “She’s an ankle biter. I like her, Sullivan. I respect how staunchly she’s been monitoring your care.”
“From the second I met her on the mission, she’s looked out for me. I was sent to rescue her.” Sully let out a soft chuff and shook his head. “But once she realized I’d been hit, she demanded the team see to me first. She went through hell when she was captive but thought of everyone else first. Me, the other hostages, my teammates. There’s something about her. I don’t know how to describe it, but the thought of her leaving my side when the MEDEVAC flight arrived had me in a panic. One of the guys told the pilot she was my fiancée to get her on the flight.”
“Your mother and I talked about that and figured as much. We knew if you met someone special, you would’ve let us know. Seems like she’s special to you regardless, though.” His father gave him a knowing look.
“I want her to come back to California.” Sully stroked a lock of hair away from her face.
“She know that?” He raised a brow, a bemused smile on his face.
“No.”
His father was quiet for a moment, weighing his words, and Sully knew he’d say what was on his mind when he was ready. “A woman like her?” He dipped his chin toward Jane, affection easily readable in his expression. “You’ll need to lay it all out. Tell it to her straight. It won’t be easy.”
He nodded and offered a smile. “No, but I’m looking forward to it.”
“My son never backs down from a challenge.” There was a glimmer of pride in his eyes, then the expression faded, and his forehead creased. “At least one of them.”
