Chapter Eighteen
Nothing mattered but Elizabeth.Not even chasing down her attacker and beating the man within an inch of his life. As Alexander knelt by her side, he tried to keep her conscious, but her eyes rolled back in her head, and the world slowed, his entire focus onher.
“Shite,” Nicholas gasped into the phone as he reached the doorway. “She’s hurt. Send an ambulance,too.”
Why didn’t I go up withher?
“Elizabeth, please. Open your eyes.” Alexander took her hand, rubbing the inside of her wrist as he prayed she’d come back to him. A swollen knot on her forehead streamed blood into her hair, and dark bruises were already forming on her shoulder and her arm. As Nicholas called their personal physician, Elizabeth’s eyesfluttered.
Nicholas knelt next to his brother and rested a hand on Alexander’s shoulder. “Terrance only lives half a mile from here. He’s on hisway.”
“Thank you,” Alexander managed over the lump in his throat. He replayed the last few minutes in his mind, seeing the attacker on top of her, hearing her whimpers. The man had fled into the bedroom, jumping over a skewedfloorboard.
Why was the floorboard pulledup?
“Nicholas, check her bedroom. There’s a loose floorboard in there her attacker leapt over. He wouldn’t have donethat—“
“—if he hadn’t known it was there. Onit.”
Caressing her pale cheek, Alexander shifted closer. “Come back now, Elizabeth. You’resafe.”
In the next room, Nicholas cursed. He strode back to the living room and dropped a stack of papers on the couch. “Alex?”
“What?” Alexander answered without taking his gaze fromElizabeth.
“These are our tax returns. Both the originals and the doctored ones that we received. Notes attachedappearto confirm herinvolvement.”
The growl that escaped Alexander’s throat had Nicholas stepping back and throwing up his hands before he continued. “I don’t believe this for a second. Someone at CPH will do just about anything to avoid going to jail. I’m calling Ben. He needs to get overhere.”
Alexander’s entire world lay unconscious in front of him. River meowedfrom under the couch, then crept forward to peek up at him. “I’ll take care of her,” he told thecat.
Nicholas hovered a few feet away, talking in hushed tones. After ending the call, he huffed out a breath. “Ben’s on his way too. Along with the Federal prosecutor’s chief investigator. Both warned against Elizabeth saying anything to the police about thelawsuit.”
“She has to wake up first,” Alexander whispered. Shite, he needed to hold her, but without knowing how badly she was hurt, he couldn’t take the risk. Cold air swirled around him from the shattered window. He could at least keep her warm. Covering her with a blanket from the couch, he leaned down and brushed a kiss over hercheek.
“Mmmm-hmm.” Elizabeth’s azure eyes fluttered open, unfocused and glassy. “Alexander?” With a whimper, she tried to raise herhead.
“Don’t move,chérie. You’re safe, but I don’t know how badly you’re injured.” Resting his hands on her shoulders, he tried to hold herstill.
“He was going to…” She struggled with her words, and panic ate at him until he didn’t think he could stand anothersecond.
Finally, she relaxed. “Hurts.”
“I know. You may have a concussion. Before the police get here, tell me what that bastardwanted.”
“He was going…to kill me. Pills.” She fumbled for Alexander’s knee and gripped it weakly. “Computer.” Tears gathered in her eyes. “Not right. Tried…couldn’t get away.” She grew more agitated with each slurred word. Stuttering breaths wheezed from her chest, and her eyes glazed over. “Help,” shemanaged.
“Elizabeth, breathe.” As he had done earlier that evening, he pressed her hand to his neck. “Feel my heartbeat. Look at me. In. Out. In. Out.” She stared up at him with watery, bloodshot eyes, fighting for each inhalation. Nicholas shoved the broken coffee table out of the way and knelt on her other side, taking her hand and rubbing the inside of her wrist in a slow, rhythmicpattern.
A bit of color returned to her cheeks, and Alexander’s relief shuddered through him. “Try again,chérie. What’s this about yourcomputer?”
She turned her gaze to Nicholas and then back to Alexander. She struggled with each word. “On the wrong side. River doesn’t bite. He was here. Check the computer.” Her eyes flutteredclosed.
Alexander frowned and looked over at his brother. “If he planted information in her bedroom, he might have left some on her computer aswell.”
Nicholas nodded. “Setting her up to take the fall.Fuckers.”
“Elizabeth, listen to me very carefully.” Alexander waited until she opened her eyes again before he continued. “We think someone at CPH is trying to frame you. When the police come, will you trust me to explain what’s going on? Thelawsuit?”
