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“I don’t know all the details,” he blurts, turning the car around. “Sebastian is with her⁠—”

I grimace for only a fraction of a second. A fleeting thought crosses my mind that Bas was likely at the hospital for some other reason. He was probably tracking down answers about Gavin or meeting with his best friend, Nick, at his old orthopedic office. Alexis wouldn’t have called him before me. Would she?

“Where is she?” I bark.

“She’s in the emergency room.”

“Fuck, Shep. Did he tell you anything? Is she okay?”

“He said he didn’t know much. Just to get you down there.”

We don’t talk on the drive. Shep pushes the truck as fast as it will go, cutting through red lights and weaving through traffic. My knuckles are white on the door handle, my heart pounding in my ears.

I rake my hands through my hair, tugging at the ends. This doesn’t make sense. What would my mother have to gain from this? Knowing the fire was likely arson made me feel protective over Lexi. But I never considered she was in any real danger. I would’ve never let her leave my side if that was the case.

Who could possibly want to hurt my wife?

Lexi

I’m lying on my side on the narrow hospital gurney, curled into a tight ball. Silent tears leak from my eyes, soaking into the thin white sheet covering the mattress. My entire body is shaking uncontrollably, trapped in the suffocating shock of what just happened.

Bang.

I jolt in fear as the door to my ER room flies open. Sam bursts through, his hair wild, his eyes frantic.

“How’d he get in here? We’re supposed to be on lockdown,” I hear someone say from the hallway.

A man in scrubs and a hospital security guard come running in right behind him. “Sir! You’re not allowed in this room. You need to wait outside,” the guard yells, reaching for Sam’s arm.

“Like hell. She’s my wife,” Sam snarls, shoving them off of him without even looking back. He charges straight to my bedside.

“Sam!” I sob the moment my eyes connect with his.

Before the nurses can say another word, he bends down, scoops me up in his arms, and climbs right onto the bed with me. Pulling me into his lap, he wraps his large, solid arms around my shivering frame, holding me as tight as he can without crushing me.

He begins to stroke my hair with long, soothing motions. The memory of him doing the same when we were teenagers comes to the forefront of my mind. It was right after I got the news about my mom and dad.

“I’ve got you, Lex. I’ve got you,” he whispers, his voice thick with emotion. His chest is heaving against mine. “What the hell happened?”

I bury my face in the crook of his neck, breathing in his familiar scent that always makes me feel safe. “I… I was coming out to my car to get some files I had taken home,” I stammer. I’m almost hysterical as the terror rushes back over me. “And all of a sudden, a hand was over my mouth. Someone picked me up from behind and threw me into the back of a car.”

Sam’s grip tightens instantly, his entire body going rigid.

“I didn’t recognize the men,” I continue, choking back a sob. “They were dressed in black. It sounded like they were speaking in Italian, but I’m not completely sure. The windows to the car were blacked out. I tried to bang on the glass, but nothing happened.” I blubber into his chest.

Sam rocks me back and forth on the gurney, his palm continuing to stroke my hair. He buries his lips against the top of my head. “Shh, baby. It’s okay. You’re safe now. I’m right here.”

“Then… then one of the men pulled at my lab coat.” My hand clutches at his T-shirt. “He grabbed my ID badge, and they started shouting at each other in whatever language that was. They pulled over, and they dumped me on the side of the road.” Fresh tears spill over my cheeks as I lean completely into Sam’s chest.

Over his shoulder, I notice Sebastian sitting quietly in the corner of the room. His arms are crossed over his chest, and his expression is dark. “This could’ve been much worse,” he says, his deep voice cutting through the quiet tension of the room. “From what I’ve gathered, this attempt was meant for someone else. Once they determined Alexis wasn’t their intended target, they changed gears and cut her loose.”

I shake my head against Sam’s chest, a sickening chill washing through my veins as I process his words. I’m completely overwhelmed at the thought that they could’ve killed me right then and there. Left me to die on the shoulder of the road.

Sam holds me tighter, his face buried in my neck. His hot breath caresses my skin as he reassures me over and over. “You’re okay, Lex. Everything’s going to be okay. I’m not letting you out of my sight again.” He pulls back enough to look into my eyes, his hands cradling my face as he searches for injuries. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” I reassure him. “Just a few scrapes and bruises. But I’ve never been more scared in my life.” It still feels as if I’m having an anxiety attack. My heart rate won’t slow down. My entire body is trembling to the point of pain. I lean into his warm palms, my tears finally slowing down. “I can’t stop shaking. I was so scared.”

Sam’s arms wind around me like a vice. He pulls me tighter against him, as if trying to press my trembling body directly into his own.