“What?”She sounded amused, and his heart leapt.
“Why him?”
“What?”Rowan took a sip from the cup, sucking in a little air at the same time to cool it.
“Why Delgado?”
“What are you talking about?”Now she cocked her head, as if puzzled.
“Nothing.Go check on him.”
“Emily, what on earth are you talking about?”
“It’s just… well, you’re pretty, and talented, and you could have pretty much any guy you wanted.Whyhim?”
Rowan laughed.It was a tired sound.“You mean why am I so worried about him?He needs it, I think.”
“No, I mean why are you dating him?”
“We’ve never been on a date.”
He recognized that tone—she didn’t want to talk about something, was using humor to deflect Emily’s interest.
“Come on.”Emily was having none of it.
“Oh, Emily.Really.It’s just that… I like him.That’s all.”
“Stranger things have happened, I suppose.”Emily sounded dubious.
“Was he really in Sigma?”Curious, wistful.
“He really was; Henderson got him out.They said he was insane from what they did to him.He roamed around Headquarters for a year like an animal.Hardly anyone saw him except the General.He kicked a Zed habit without any help, and that’s unheard of.He knows everything about Sigma.They wouldn’t give him clearance for a long time, because they thought maybe he was a Sig sleeper.”
“Oh.”Rowan said, thoughtfully.“Zed’s the stuff Sheila’s fighting?”
“I’ve never seen anyone pull through it like that, Rowan.If you can figure out how to reverse the addiction, it’d be… Well, we’d all be very happy.”
“I’m working on it.I’m close.”She sounded tired and thoughtful.“I’m going to sit with him for a while, Emily.”
“’Kay.Thanks.”
“No problem.”
She approached the bed, lowered herself down in a seat on his left.He hadn’t even seen the chair there.
He wasn’t going to say anything.Let her think he was asleep.
“Rowan…” He couldn’t help himself.His lips cracked over the word.
She set her coffee aside and leaned forward, her fingers sliding under his.He felt the irritation—there was something stuck in the back of his hand.
“Justin,” she whispered.“It’s all right, I’m here.”
“Should be… sleeping.”It was difficult to talk, his mouth was slack, resisting.
Rowan’s fingers trailed over the back of his hand and touched his wrist.“I have nightmares.Without you there they get worse.”
“Sorry.”
