“I need to phone my lawyer.” Internado tugged off his glove and began sliding his hand inside his pants pocket.
“Keep your hands where I can see them,” said Officer DeLuca. “You can make that call after you’ve been treated at the hospital.”
“We’re taking them to Washington Hospital,” said a paramedic.
“Senator, you have the right to remain silent,” the second officer began. “Anything you say can and will be used against—”
“How dare you! I’m a United States Senator.” Internado’s face turned beet-red, his bulbous nose a bright pink. “You’ll regret this. It’s my word against his. You should be arresting him. He tried to kill me! I’m the victim here.”
As the paramedics wheeled Carly by, Maverick leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Babe, I’ll be right behind you.” But Carly remained unresponsive. Another jolt of panic surged through him as she disappeared through the doorway.
“I’m heading to the hospital.” Maverick handed DeLuca his business card. “My contact info.”
“Mr. Hott, you look familiar,” said DeLuca. “Aren’t you that guy who rescued all those American hostages?”
“Yes, sir. I’m one of them.”
Internado sneered at Maverick. “I should have known you’d be behind this.”
“I told you you’d get what you deserve,” Maverick replied. “And I’m a man of my word.”
2 6
K I C K -A S S C A R L Y
D ecades of training had brought Maverick to this moment, with this woman. As Carly slept, her chest rising and falling with each breath, he kept telling himself she was safe.
She’s alive. She’s going to be okay. She is okay.
He leaned down, kissed her forehead. “I love you. You’re doing great.” He held her hand, stroked her soft skin with his thumb.
But the intensity of the evening still curled his fingers into fists, the anger festering just below the surface. He’d wanted to kill Internado. One bullet would have accomplished that. Maverick hadn’t been trained to shoot someone in the leg. The image of Internado strangling Carly haunted him. He squeezed his eyes shut, but the picture remained.
The emergency room staff had examined her. While waiting for the test results, Maverick had paced. Then he’d parked himself in the chair beside her bed and talked to her, watched her breathe and calmed down. Then he’d paced again. He couldn’t settle down.
Carly needed rest. She’d been through a horrific ordeal. Physically, she’d suffered tremendous trauma. Who knew what the emotional toll would be? She’d been lifeless, but he would not let her go. Not on his watch and not in this lifetime.
The ER physician returned, but Carly didn’t stir.
“The results are looking good. No obvious brain damage, no heart damage.” The doc paused. “Since we don’t know how long she was deprived of oxygen, she’s not out of the woods yet.”
“What do I watch for?”
“Wide swings in her blood pressure. Memory or perception issues. For the next week or so, she’ll tire easily. She’ll have to ease back into her routine, and that includes work. No physical exertion for a week while her body heals.”
“Understood.”
“Performing CPR saved her. You saved her.” The doctor patted his back. “The staff is right outside if you need us or if she has questions when she wakes up.” He left and pulled the curtain closed.
Unable to stop the myriad of emotions careening over him, he dropped his head into his hands. Ever since his mom’s death, he’d fought the demons every day. Now, as the woman he loved slumbered, he couldn’t stop them.
Maverick prided himself on maintaining control. His team looked to him for leadership and he didn’t let them down. His family relied on him and he wouldn’t fail them. His friends trusted him and he’d been their rock when they’d needed him.
He couldn’t get through this one alone. Not this time.
“Hey.” Carly’s hoarse whisper cut through the silence.
Some of the tension pinching his shoulder blades eased when he peered into her eyes. “Welcome back, my love.”
