“Seriously?” I snap. “He’s getting all of the attention? None of this would’ve happened if he wasn’t a damn pervert!”
Amanda smiles sympathetically. “Triage. It’s not our job to judge the patients, sir. Just keep them alive.” She gives Briar a bright smile. “Hey, honey. We’re gonna take care of you, okay?”
Briar doesn’t say anything, looking over my shoulder. I turn and see the other medics pulling X’s body onto a stretcher.
“Don’t,” I whisper in her ear, cupping her chin and pulling her to face me. “Just look at me.”
Her eyes meet mine, then trail over my scarred cheek. She winces.
Shit. With that cut across her cheek, my mangled face is probably the last thing she wants to see right now.
“Yeah, I suppose the view’s not really much nicer,” I try to joke. “We can get Kenta in for you to stare at, if you want.” She frowns, tightening her hands on me.
Amanda starts prepping Briar for the ambulance. Kenta walks back into the cabin, talking to an officer, and I wave him over, lowering my voice.
“Maybe you should go with her to the hospital.”
He frowns. “What? Why?”
“I think it’s upsetting her.” I wave at my cheek. “To see this. It’s probably why she got so panicky.”
Kenta looks at me like I’m stupid. “Well, yes,” he says slowly. “I suppose itcouldbe your face that scared her. Or it could be the fact that she just got drugged, kidnapped, stabbed and shot at. Either’s possible, really. Who knows?”
I grit my teeth. “I just think she’d be more relaxed with you.”
He gives Briar a longing look, then steps back. “No.”
“What do you mean, no?”
“I’mnot the one she sleeps with every night like a goddamn teddy bear, Smith. You’re what she needs, right now.”
“You’re a psychologist! You can help her!”
His face hardens. “She doesn’t need a shrink, she needscomfort.So get over your issues and look after her. We’ll meet you there after we speak to the police.”
And then he goes. I look down at the girl in my lap.
You’re what she needs.
I’ll never be what Briar needs. The idea is unfeasible. But as I sift through her hair, she pushes into me, and love bursts in my chest.
I gave up on love a long time ago. When we got off our last tour, I was traumatised. I was scarred. I’d been so broken down, I couldn’t imagine ever recovering enough to open myself up to someone. I figured, I’d never get the wife, and the kids, and the picket fence. That’s why I joined Angel Security. I was never going to be happy,but I could still protect the happiness of other people. Normal people.
I touch Briar’s cheek. I’ll never be what Briar needs. Never. But God, I love her so desperately that I ache.
Briar doesn’t say anything on the ambulance ride to the hospital. She’s conscious, nodding or shaking her head when the paramedics ask her questions, but her lips stay firmly sealed. They cut off her clothes, slicing her red dress right off her, and gently remove all of her jewellery, putting it in paper bags as evidence. I notice she’s taken off the necklace we gave her. It’s probably for the best, but it still stings.
An oxygen mask gets strapped over her nose and mouth, but she yanks it off after a few minutes to throw up in a little cardboard bowl.
“Oh, baby.” I pull her hair back as her slim shoulders shudder. “Shit.” I turn to Amanda. “Do you think she has internal damage?”
Briar makes a panicky noise, and I stroke her back.
Amanda shakes her head. “Can’t say for sure, of course, but the wound on her side looks superficial. Probably whatever he drugged her with. Looked like chloroform. I saw a bleach bottle in the bathroom.”
“Jesus.” I run a hand over my face. “Long term effects?”
“Well, she’s not seizing or in a coma, so I would guess she’ll get through it fine. It takes a lot to do significant damage. The nausea is probably a combination of the drugs, pain, shock, and anxiety.”
