“Probably?”
He shrugged. “Folks like that handle things differently. You are free to leave. We have a car waiting to take you to your hotel.”
Folks like that? Folks like what?
She had a bunch of questions, but Coben was already moving on.
Her rideshare driver was leaning against his sedan, scrolling his phone. He was parked right next to the first car.
I wonder if he feels special being allowed to park there.
“Bryn?” he called when she approached.
She nodded, sliding into the back seat. The scent of cinnamon mingled with a strong aftershave and she made a crunching noise on the leather seats.
The drive took them along a causeway where the late afternoon sun bathed everything in a special light. Normally she would have noticed everything, especially since it had been so many years that she had wanted to visit Stagholt. But instead, her thoughts looped endlessly.
She hadn’t gotten his name. She didn’t know where he’d gone, or if he’d even make it to morning. And no one would tell her anything.
And yet, she could still feel that something in his eyes. She could still feel his hair flowing through her fingers. She could feel a connection with him that was created within seconds.
Or was that how nurses felt about their patients?
Read another romance novel,she chastised herself.Watch another Hallmark movie. It’s not love.Love took more than seconds, but whatever it was made her chest ache.
Chapter Four
Sven
Sven squinted against the glaring light as he tried to open his eyes. He gave up the attempt as pain shot through his head. He knew he was in his chambers by the steady tick of the grandfather clock that stood in the corner. He also knew that Lars was close by so he remained still. There would be questions, accusations, and lectures. He needed a moment before it all started.
He needed to rememberher.
Even in his weakened state, he knew the woman who had helped him was the same one he had watched enjoy the sun. The same one who had instantly bound herself to him by a simple touch. He inwardly groaned. The same one who had made him…reckless.
He needed answers, and he could no longer avoid the inevitable.
Sven forced his eyes open. His first thought was that death felt like pins and needles stabbing his brain from the inside out. His second was that the ticking of the clock was harsh and painful. Normally the sound soothed him, but now, the incessant noise made him suffer. He blinked again against the burn of harsh light and tried to make the room focus.
Lars’s low voice came from somewhere behind him. “You’re awake.”
Sven swung his legs off the bed and attempted to sit up. Every muscle in his body protested. Lars stood near the doorwaywith his arms crossed and one foot against the wall. Beside him, Sven could see through the window that it was dark outside.
“How long?” His voice was dry and hoarse.
“Several hours. Most of the day, actually.”
Sven held his head in his hands as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Where’s Erik?”
Lars walked closer and sat in a chair next to the night stand.
When he didn’t answer, Sven glanced up at him. Lars’s jaw was clenched with tension and even though his words sounded calm, his eyes gave him away. Dark, piercing, and edged with fury.
“Where is he?” Sven asked again and dry coughed as his throat protested.
“Here.” Lars handed him a glass of water. “Drink it slow.” He hesitated. “And we have no idea.”
The water was cold and soothing. Sven ignored the warning and drank heavily. He gagged when his stomach protested.
