Meanwhile, Erik had pulled into himself. She could practically feel the barrier between them. He’d donned his professional mask as he’d helped with clean-up, not speaking unless necessary, and even then, his words were clipped, factual, with zero emotion. But he hadn’t denied her when she’d told him she was coming with him to Black Bay. Chloe needed to see Jayla, needed to make sure she was okay. She felt so guilty.
She looked at Erik in the driver’s seat. It was dark outside, had been late when they finally left the opera house. But the lights of the dashboard cast a pale glow on his profile and the clenched line of his jaw. “Are you mad at me?”
His head snapped her way. “Why would I be mad at you?”
“Because of what happened to Jayla. It’s my fault.” Her voice cracked on the last word, and she swiped impatiently at a tear that escaped to slide down her cheek.
He turned his gaze back to the road, his jaw clenched even tighter. “No. It’s not.”
“She was protecting me.”
“That was the job. She knew the risks when she signed on.”
Another tear slid free. “But you guys spent so much time trying to train me, and when the moment came, I didn’t doanything.”
“We never expected you to fight him, Chloe. That was our job. Mine and Jayla’s. Your job was to survive by any means necessary. And you did.”
Erik reached his hand over, and Chloe snatched it up like a lifeline, holding on tight. She needed that contact, needed to feel that connection.
“Jayla’s going to be fine,” he told her. “She’s got some of the best doctors in the country overseeing her care.”
“Then what’s bothering you?” Because something was, she could feel it.
Erik was silent for so long, Chloe didn’t think he was going to answer. Then he said, “I had him. When Lattie caused the distraction, I had Savoy in my sights. I could’ve taken the shot, ended it right then. But I didn’t.” He swallowed hard, his throat moving. “Jayla didn’t get hurt because of you, Chloe. She was hurt because of me. She may never walk again, and that’s on me.”
Black Bay was a man-made island off the coast of Virginia Beach. To reach it by car, you had to drive through an underwater tunnel – if you were allowed entry at all. The base was top secret. Its public face was that it was a super-max prison housing the worst sort of criminals, when in reality, it housed special operations forces. Chloe would have been turned away at the first checkpoint if Erik hadn’t gotten permission for her from General Davies.
The general met them on arrival, and as soon as Chloe got out of the vehicle, she threw herself at the older man and hugged him. This man had helped her find a new home when she’d needed one, checked in with her at least once a month to make sure she had everything she needed, and he sent Erik and Jayla to protect her when she was in danger. She owed him so much.
Awkwardly, he patted her back and gave her a gruff, “There, there,” before he gently disengaged himself from her arms. “Have you called your father?”
“Not yet.”
His stern gaze met hers. “Get it done.”
“Yes, sir.”
With a sharp nod, he turned to Erik. “She’s still in surgery.”
As the general led the way, Chloe fell into step beside Erik and looked around. The base was lit up with high-powered exterior lights and surrounded by high walls topped with razor wire. Manned guard towers were perched on that wall at intervals, adding to the cover appearance of this being a prison. But within the walls, it looked like a small-town center. There was a central green space with trees and benches to sit, and a paved road looped around it, separating the park from the large brick buildings on either side. As she walked, she saw just as many people in casual clothes as she did those in fatigues. This wasn’t just a military base; it was a home.
There was quite a crowd waiting outside the infirmary. Chloe recognized a few faces from the game night at her apartment, but most she didn’t know. Everyone had grave faces as they waited for an update on Jayla, and no one was talking. The air was so thick with tension, it was almost hard to breathe.
Leaning in close to her ear, Erik’s voice was a whisper as he asked, “Do you want to go somewhere and call your dad?”
She shook her head. “I’ll call him later.” Right now, she wanted to be here with Erik, waiting for an update on Jayla.
Chloe didn’t know how long they stood there. At some point, someone had brought coffee around, and she’d helped herself to a cup. There was the occasional low murmur of conversation, but for the most part, you could have heard a pin drop, so it was almost a shock to the senses to have the surgeon suddenly emerge. As everyone either surged to their feet or took a step forward, the doctor looked straight at the general. “We were able to remove the bullet.”
There was a collective breath of relief, but it didn’t last. The surgeon cleared his throat. “Can I have a word in private, General?”
The general nodded and followed the surgeon behind closed doors. There was a low buzz of conversation as speculation ran rampant. Chloe looked at Erik beside her. His body was stiff with tension, and he stared so hard at the door the general had gone through, she almost expected it to burst into flames. She took his hand, and he gave it a gentle squeeze.
Something slammed on the other side of the door, and Chloe startled. A moment later, the general yanked the door open and stomped out, the knuckles of his right hand marked with blood. He’d punched something. Probably the wall. Whatever the surgeon had told him, it hadn’t been good.
Chloe’s heart felt like it was lodged in her throat as everyone looked at General Davies expectantly.
“Listen up! I’m gonna skip all the medical jargon and just give you the short version. Jayla’s alive. They got the bullet out. But chances are high she’ll never walk again.”
