The nurse smiled and closed the door.
Harris met Addy’s gaze. “I’ll get with Palmere and make sure he includes me in your accident investigation. Then I’ll clear my schedule for tomorrow morning and come back with your new phone and laptop in case you feel up to reviewing the case files. Later, we can review the details of the threat.”
“That would be great if you have the time,” Addy said, as she was too out of it to even contemplate reviewing case files tonight.
“Razo is a killer, and we need to bring him in. I’ll make the time.”
Chapter 5
THE NEXT MORNING,just before visiting hours were to begin, Mack stood outside the regular hospital room Addy had been transferred to about an hour ago. He held a bouquet of white roses, her favorite, the fragrant scent perfuming the air around him.
He ran into Addy’s new nurse, who was coming out of the room. She eyed him and blocked the door. Talk about bad timing. She was just like the ICU nurse last night. Protective and willing to confront him despite the gun on his hip. She insisted on making sure Addy wanted to see him before letting him in the room.
He should be thankful all these nurses wanted to defend Addy, but he was starting to get irritated. He was her husband, for Pete’s sake. He had every right to see her. Okay, fine. They were separated, and he had no rights. He just didn’t want to acknowledge that now. He wanted to see her.
Forget this waiting business.
He pushed through the door and came to a stop. Addy lay on the bed looking pale and washed-out, her long lashes resting on her high cheekbones. Shoulder-length red hair that he’d tangled his fingers in so many times spread around her ashen face. Even her freckles were pale. A large bruise darkened her forehead, and she wore a white-and-blue hospital gown. Cords and wires traveled from her body to beeping machines, and Mack thought he might hurl.
He’d never seen Addy sick. Not a single day. She was so very fit and healthy, and he didn’t know how to act. Other than to swallow down the anxiety crawling up his throat and threatening to strangle him. Maybe it was a good thing he never got to see her in the ICU where he bet there’d been even more tubes and wires.
“Addy.” The nurse named Patsy approached the bed. “Your husband, Mack, is here to see you.”
Her eyes opened. She blinked a few times. “Mack?” she whispered.
“Yes, he’s in the hallway.”
“Actually, I’m right here,” Mack said, stepping forward and earning a frown from the nurse. He held the roses out to Addy. “Your favorite.”
She flashed her gaze to the roses and then up to his face. She stared for a long moment, then blinked a few times. Closed her eyes and held them closed.
Maybe she wasn’t glad to see him after all. Or didn’t want the flowers.
She slowly opened her eyes and ran her gaze over him from head to toe, lingering on his face for the longest time at the end.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
Was she going to tell him to go? That she wanted to recover alone?
That would be nearly the worst thing she could say to him. His heart clenched, and he laid the flowers on the nearby table.
“I’m not married. Never have been.” She scooted up and away from him like a cornered animal. “I don’t know who you are or what you’re playing at, but I’ve never seen you before. Never. Not once. And it’s pretty low to try to pretend to be my husband when I’m in no position to defend myself.”
Oh, man. He was wrong. Way wrong. This was the worst thing she could say to him. The very worst.
Addy couldn’t breathe. This man. This very handsome—big eyes in an unusual grayish-green color, a hint of red in slightly curly hair, and close-cut beard—but big and frightening man who stood there looking at her as if he’d been punched in the gut. As if she’d physically punched him in the gut.
He was lying, right? She wasn’t married. She might not remember the accident, but she would remember a husband, for goodness’ sake.
She looked at her hand. No ring. But he knew she loved white roses. How could he know that if she didn’t at least know him?
“It has to be the brain injury,” he said, sounding like he struggled to get the words out over a closing throat.
“Be that as it may.” The nurse named Patsy stepped between them as if she thought this Mack guy might hurt them. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave until we can sort this out.”
“But I...” He moved to the side, and his pleading gaze landed on Addy.
In her line of work, she was truly into personal protection, and yet she had the oddest desire to tell him to stay. They’d figure things out. But that was just because she found him attractive—his broad shoulders under a leather jacket. She had a thing for guys in leather jackets. And the cowboy boots and Southern accent? Those were a bonus, as one of her favorite pastimes was to watch professional bull riding.
