17
Diggs joggedto catch up with Audra, catching a glimpse of her feet as she climbed to the second-story landing. Knowing she was headed to his bedroom gave him a surge of satisfaction he couldn’t deny. She belonged there. In his bed. Withhim.
He knew it without a doubt, and without any hesitation. He’d never felt the sudden surge of protectiveness or primal need with any other woman. He knew that right now she was with him because she needed him for protection, but once all this was over, he had to find a way to bind her to him, so she wouldn’t want to leave hisside.
But first he had to make her see that she and Trigger were both safe here, and welcome. And that he would help her make sure that Trigger recovered from his injuries both physical and mental. Hell, he could hardly think of a better place for the war dog to recover than here, surrounded by men of his own kind. They’d all been through hell and back, and although none of them had lost a limb, they’d been in enough explosions and firefights to more thanrelate.
He felt confident Trigger would become comfortable eventually around him and the men, but not nearly as confident when it came toAudra.
Diggs reached the landing, doing his best to ignore the slight uneasiness at the opulent luxury surrounding him. They’d been here long enough he could pretty much ignore it, but the gilded paintings and thick deep red carpet, along with vases that probably cost more than he’d made in his entire life still made him feel like he was walking on eggshells. But when he spied Audra halfway down the hall, he settled. Just seeing her did that tohim.
Audra reached Quantum’s room and paused, she and Trigger both staring at his teammates doorway. All at once, Diggs could smell Audra’s concern and it made him pick up his pace. As he neared, Trigger left Audra’s side and limped into the room, ears pricked and headlow.
Diggs went for his gun, but it wasn’t there, he didn’t make it a habit of carrying it around the damn mansion. Had someone penetrated the perimeter? Why was Audra just standing therestaring?
Diggs broke into a run, stopped in front of Audra, shielding her body with his from whatever threat lay waiting in Quantum’s room. What Diggs saw made his heartstop.
It couldn’tbe…
Trigger crept slowly to the huge king bed where Quantum lay, his arm dangling over the edge of the mattress, his fingers a foot from the floor. Even from the doorway, Diggs could clearly see the pale cast to his teammate’s skin and the sweat darting along his hairline, but that wasn’t what shockedhim.
Quantum’s eyes were open for the first time inmonths.
Diggs’ breath caught. Trigger gave a low whine and dipped his head beneath Quantum’s dangling hand, as if he were offering comfort. Quantum’s fingers flexed on the dog’s head, weakly scratching him behind the ears. Diggs took a shaky step into the room, his throat so tight he could barely squeeze out the words. “Quantum, you’reawake.”
Quantum jerked his hand to the mattress and ripped his gaze to Diggs, his black eyes wide without a hint of recognition. Terror filled the room and battered at Diggs’ senses. Didn’t Quantum recognizehim?
Diggs took another step, holding his hands out in a nonthreatening manner. “Quantum, it’s me, Diggs. Yourteammate.”
The flare of recognition he’d hoped for didn’t come; instead he watched as Quantum’s weak body tensed as if under threat. Unsure what to do, scared to get any closer and set him off, and terrified to leave, Diggs turned to Audra, who was still standing in the doorway, an arm wrapped around herthroat.
“Go get Melissa, now.” He kept his voice soft but urgent, and Audra gave him a shaky nod and then took off running. Diggs turned slowly back to his friend, who hadn’t taken his eyes off of him the whole time. He was watching Diggs like a wounded animal preparing for attack. The same way Trigger had watched himearlier.
“I’m your friend, we trained together. I’m not going to hurt you.” Diggs retreated a step or two, showing Quantum he meant what he said. There was a wild look in his friend’s eyes that said if Diggs got closer he might lose it. That was the last thing Diggswanted.
Trigger jumped up and placed a single paw on the mattress, whining softly. Without taking his gaze off Diggs, Quantum patted the dog’shead.
Diggs could sense a connection between them, some type of undercurrent of energy he’d never smelled before. The silence stretched out while they waited in a tense standoff for Melissa to arrive. She’d know what to do. She always knew what to do. Maybe Quantum was suffering some kind of short-term memory loss since he’d been out for solong.
God, he hoped that’s what it was. He walked past Quantum’s door every damn day, praying his friend would wake up, but he never thought he’d wake up and not recognize him. Had the seizure caused permanent damage? Could he evenspeak?
Diggs heard the pounding footsteps coming up the stairway and felt the slightest measure of relief. Trigger must’ve heard it too, because he jumped down and ran around the other side of the bed, leapt onto the mattress, and settled at Quantum’s side, laying down next to the man like they were best friends. Quantum’s other hand inched over, making contact with Trigger. He sighed but didn’t move. Both of them watched Diggs withoutblinking.
Shit. He didn’t know what the hell to make ofthis.
Melissa topped the stairs and came running toward him, Audra right behind her. “He’sawake?”
Diggs stayed right where he was, not wanting to make any surprise moves that may startle Quantum when he answered. “He is, but he doesn’t know who Iam.”
“Has he saidanything?”
“No.”
Melissa stepped around him. “Quantum?”
The bedridden man’s gaze shifted to Melissa, the hostility fading and uncertainty rising. She crossed the room quickly to his side, placed a hand on his forehead, and leaned down. “Do you know who Iam?”
Audra squeezed in next to Diggs, and he was thankful for her presence, although all of his attention was focused on his teammate who still hadn’t answered Melissa’squestion.
