“You okay?”Ross asked him, reaching over to scratch the kitten beneath its chin.
“I should be asking you that.You were the first on the scene.”
Ross shifted and met Jude’s eyes.“Jon was in rough shape.He’s going to pull through, though.”
A sarcastic chuff broke from his lips.“How can you be so optimistic?”
The other man shrugged.“What else is there to do?”Ross’s phone vibrated and he looked at the screen.“It’s Cameron.”
He spoke in low tones to the other man, but his attention was focused on the room where Ivy had gone.A room he had no doubt was spattered with blood and carnage.She reappeared, her skin ashen, but she kept her chin held high as she walked toward him.He already knew she was strong; the problem was she shouldn’t have to be.The longer she stayed in his world, in his life, the more shit she’d be exposed to.Being his alone would make her a target.Given the criminals he dealt with, she’d be vulnerable if she stayed by his side.He couldn’t let this beautiful woman who had appeared unexpectedly into his life be vulnerable to more pain, more brutality.He wouldn’t.
Chapter Fifteen
Ivy could feelJude pulling away from her even before they got back into the SUV to go to the hospital.She pulled herself into the front seat, holding the kitten at an awkward angle to fasten the seat belt.Ross decided to catch a ride with them and jumped into the back.Wordlessly, Jude put the SUV in reverse, glancing behind him to turn out of the parking space.His face was set in granite, jaw so tight, she thought his teeth might shatter.She wanted to reach out and soothe him, but instead, she kept her focus on Milo.The kitten’s belly growled, and she retrieved the leftover milk she’d slid into her bag on the way out of the apartment.She angled the bottle toward the kitten’s mouth, and it immediately latched on hungrily, and began to drink.
She stole another glance at Jude, remembering how connected she’d felt to him earlier, sure he was going to give them a chance.His expression was drawn and unreadable, eyes miles away from the road he was staring at.They slowed at a red light, and he clenched the wheel until his knuckles went white.Ivy sensed he needed quiet, so she didn’t speak.Not that she’d have the right words.It would be a long time before she forgot the appearance of the body she’d identified, but she had no regrets.There had been a solitary hole in the center of the man’s chest, his shirt soaked in blood.
She was immediately brought back to the estate.The way her heart beat out of her chest when she made the decision to run.Of bolting toward the tree line with the two men on her heels, one fast and lean, the other whose jowls shook as he tried to gain on her.She recalled his large, cumbersome frame and the wheeze he’d made while chasing her.When the coroner had unzipped the body bag, she recalled the bulbous face and round nose.She was certain this was the same man, but when she caught sight of the tattoo on his arm, it solidified her belief that the dead man was the same one who’d chased her from the estate.Although she’d described both men in detail to Agent Levine, she’d forgotten about the cartoonish ink on his arm.Up close, she could tell it was a moose.
The sound of Jude blowing out a sharp breath broke her out of her thoughts.She blinked twice and swallowed away the thickness in her throat.Lights blurred past the window, and the hospital loomed in the distance.A bead of cold sweat crept slowly down the small of her back, despite the late October air.Behind them, red lights flashed, and a siren wailed.Jude put his turn signal on and pulled to the side of the road letting an ambulance pass.Jude continued driving toward the hospital entrance and parked the SUV in the garage.
Ivy placed her hand on Jude’s shoulder.“What about Milo?I don’t think I can bring him into the emergency room.”The kitten was already back asleep after its last feeding.
“He’ll be okay in here,” Jude said.“It’s cool outside, and he has the blankets.”Ivy nodded, knowing he was right.She had a feeling he wouldn’t appreciate her suggestion of staying in the car.The three of them exited the SUV and walked to the emergency room entrance.She wanted to comfort Jude, to tell him everything would be all right, but how could she say that when she just didn’t know?She hoped he didn’t lose someone else he cared about to violence.
Jude went to the front desk, showed his badge, and they were quickly escorted into an interior waiting room.
“Nurse at the desk said he’s still in surgery,” Jude said glancing between her and Ross.The stress was audible in his voice, and his shoulders curled slightly.
“Let’s sit down.”Ivy grabbed his hand and led him to the waiting room chairs as an emptiness settled in the pit of her stomach.Ross sat on one side of her with both hands rested on his knees and Jude sat on the other, shoulders stiff.Neck corded.Ivy slid the palm of her hand over the top of his, but he didn’t flip it to clasp hers.It was okay.Hadn’t he said he was going to push her away?She’d known it, too.All it would take was one reminder of his past.Of why he didn’t let people into his life only to lose them.The time ticked by slowly.Jude had left the waiting room twice to go back to the SUV and check on the cat, insisting she stay seated in the hospital with Ross.For once, she wasn’t sure if she should be comforting Jude or letting him back away.He’d withdrawn so far into himself, she wasn’t sure she could reach him even if she tried.
After what must’ve been two hours, a doctor in hospital whites came down the hall.She held her breath at the woman’s unreadable expression.Both men stood and walked across the room.They paused in front of the doctor and began speaking in low tones.After a few minutes, both men returned to their seats.
“He’s out of surgery and in a medically induced coma.”Jude gripped the skin at the back of his neck.“They expect him to live, but it’s going to be a long recovery.”
“He’s strong, Jude,” she whispered.Pain made her chest clench at all this man had been through.
“Ross, take Ivy back to the apartment, yeah?It’s going to be a while yet before we get another update, and the cat’s still in the car.”His voice was hollow, and she wasn’t sure if she should insist on staying or leave and give him some space to process all that had happened.She and Ross exchanged a look, and he stepped forward, putting his hand on her shoulder.
“Ivy, why don’t I take the cat back to Jude’s place?I’ll meet up with you both afterwards.”
The knot of indecision in her belly loosened.“That’s great, Ross.Thank you,” she said quickly before Jude could disregard the idea.They needed to talk, and he needed to know that her support wouldn’t waver when things got difficult.She sat at his side for the next twenty minutes.They didn’t speak, but she was there, doing her best to lend him her strength.The slap of clogs against the tile floor caught her attention and she glanced up to see a nurse walking down the long corridor toward them.
“The rest of your group is here, so let’s get you in a private waiting area, okay?”The nurse’s smile was kind, and they both stood up and followed him through a set of double doors.
“Were you expecting anyone else, aside from Ross returning?”she asked as they walked, her pulse increasing with the uncertainty of who was waiting for them.
His brows furrowed.“Agent Levine will come once his paperwork is completed, but I don’t expect him for a few hours yet.Ross will probably eat our leftovers before coming back, and Cameron was following a lead on the sniper.”
“Here you go, folks,” the nurse said gesturing to a room behind him.“Let us know if you need anything.The doctor should be providing another update within the next hour or so.”
Jude nodded, and she thanked the man before he turned to walk away.He entered the room first, and she followed.The room was a good size, but it appeared much smaller than it was given the three large men, each with their arms wrapped around a woman.The first man had quiet gray eyes, several shades darker than Jude’s.He let go of the woman’s hand he was holding and stepped forward with a slight limp.When he got a bit closer, she recognized he had a prosthetic leg.
The man walked up to Jude and pulled him into a hug, gripping his shoulders before releasing him.The other two men approached, as well.While all three men where imposing, the next one to step forward and hug Jude was by far the tallest.When he turned his gaze on her and smiled, the dusting of freckles over his nose gave him a boyish, almost angelic appearance.She instantly recognized the next man as Red, based on her brother’s description.Although this man was heavily tattooed, she supposed his red beard did offer him some likeness to the nineteenth U.S.president.
“Thank you,” she whispered when Red pulled her into a hug.“For bringing my brother Ash to his girlfriend’s condo the other night.”
Red’s eyes were deep blue, and a grin softened his features as he looked down at her.“I enjoyed meeting Ash and Jess.I also enjoyed her baked goods.She insisted on making our iguana, Tiny, a fruit salad, but he snuck some of her frosting.I heard a lot about you, Ivy.Thanks for getting Jude out of the forest.”
