This is where you belong...
“I’m going to take her out. While I’m gone, you should probably make some phone calls and let your family know what’s going on. Your phone is charged.” He points to the bedside table where it sits plugged in. “You need anything, shoot me a text. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
He leaves me in the quiet of the room, and all I hear is the booming of my heartbeat echoing in my head along with his words.
This is where you belong...
Chapter Twenty-Three
Owen
For fuck's sake.
Get yourself together, Swift.
I have to deliver bad news to citizens at work more often than I would like. I’ve delivered death notifications with our department chaplain on multiple occasions. But telling Daisy her date pushed her off a cliff is harder than any news I’ve ever given.
I could have told her last night, but her day had already been overwhelming, and she was exhausted.
Breakfast should have been the perfect time, but I couldn’t get the words out. Having her in my kitchen, feeding her. It was too perfect.
I almost told her in the tub, but seeing her body in the condition it was in. Knowing that I was lucky to have her alive and in my arms wasn’t the right time.
We were skin to skin.
The moment was beautiful, even if I was barely keeping my shit together.
Someone tried to kill her.
I won’t stop until I find the fucker. Unlike him, I’ll make sure the job is done.
I should have told her after her bath, but her eyes were heavy when Maui and I returned. When the puppy joined her on the bed and pressed against her side, she fell asleep within minutes.
But I’m out of excuses. She’s awake after a three-hour nap. I let the dog out. I’ve refreshed Daisy’s ice water. I’ve wasted enough time.
I’m sitting in a chair next to the bed, staring at her. She, in turn, is looking at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“Owen? You okay?”
She doesn’t need the dramatics, asshole. Tell her.
Clearing my throat, I scoot the chair closer and take her hand in mine. “Daisy, how much do you remember about your fall? Has anything come back to you?”
“What? No, I mean I’m clumsy. You know that. I was wearing Wesley’s pack, because he hurt his shoulder and I think I lost my balance because the damn thing was so heavy.”
Because it was weighted down on purpose.
“Sweetheart, I’ve been trying to find a way to tell you this, and there is no good way to say it, so I’m just going to spit it out.”
“You’re scaring me.”
I think I’m going to be sick.
“Dais, he pushed you off the trail. Wesley pushed you.”
Her eyes grow big, and her mouth falls open in shock. She gives her head a small shake. “No, it was the pack; I lost my balance or twisted my ankle.”
“There was a witness. The woman who held your hand… she saw everything. He pushed you, then ran down the trail, got in his car and drove to the airport. We have video of him leaving hiscar at the airport and getting on a plane. He pushed you and left you there.”
