Safer With You (10 page)

*****

“Mr. Madsyn?” I look up into the eyes of a man I’ve met before and he’s wearing the same scowl he wore the last time.

“Mr. Skye. What can I do for you?” I wish I felt as confident as my voice comes across. This guy frustrates the hell out of me.

His hand are on his hips, he’s tall, lean, gray haired and looks like he’s aged ten years overnight. “I don’t even know what to say. I can’t even express how I’m feeling right now. My precious little girl is lying in a hospital bed, unrecognizable. There is no rhyme or reason as to why this happened to her. From what I understand, you found her, so I am grateful on the one hand, but on the other, I don’t trust you.”

“Sir…” I try to interrupt, but he’s not having it.

He holds up his hand to stop me, “I see you sitting here in this chair right outside her room and wonder how you’re involved in this. I’ve heard about you and your family. This isn’t making sense.”
 

Trying to gauge his expression is impossible. Mr. Skye doesn’t look mad or happy, he’s just blank.

“Mr. Skye, as you know, I found Nora on my family’s property. I’d like to personally find out who would commit this heinous crime on our property, and I feel it’s my responsibility to you and your family to make whoever did this pay.”

He’s just staring at me like I’m speaking another language. He calmly states, “It’s not your concern; let the proper authorities handle it. The police happen to be part of my family; you can stop all of this nonsense now.”

“Sir, I understand that you’re her father and want to take care of her, but with all due respect, I’m not walking away from her. I know what I’m doing, how to keep her safe, and I want this bastard caught as much as you do.”

Again, his face is expressionless. I thought I could be intimidating, but this man may be better than me.

“Luke Saunders is here to see Nora. I know that he hasn’t treated her properly in the past, but he is her boyfriend and he wants to see her. Please put his name on the list for approved visitors. I’ve known him for years. I, on the other hand, don’t know you at all. You let Nora make up her mind who she wants in her life.”

With that, he walks back into her room to join Jane. Nora’s mother hasn’t been out of the room since they arrived hours ago.
 

Wondering why I hadn’t been notified of Luke’s arrival, I dial Tucker.

“Sir, Luke Saunders has not arrived at the hospital yet; he is staying at a local hotel. When he arrives, I will make sure you are the first to know.” Tucker’s voice is monotone, almost as bad as Mr. Skye’s.

Luke must have called Mr. Skye and asked to see her. The thought of another man wanting to see her does not sit well with me. I felt like punching someone and downing some Jack Daniels and Coke right now.

Feeling frustrated, I leave my post and head to the waiting room. It’s a quiet place. No one to talk to or disturb me. I start making calls again. Uncle Joe informs me that the local police force is processing evidence that includes the knife, but as of right now, no fingerprints have been left on it or anywhere.

Uncle Joe also questioned all the officers on duty last night, and no one saw a thing. That isn’t sitting well with me. Twenty guys and no one saw an innocent woman almost beaten to death and tied to a car.

The security team is composed of some of my best guys, as well as Uncle Joe’s, and a few of Senator Malone’s. Everyone on duty that night had excellent credentials. This should not have happened.

Every guest that entered had to be approved and body searched to enter that damn wedding.

I have several of my guys combing through surveillance videos. The only camera focused on the guest house was disconnected some time before the wedding ended.

I look down at my watch; it’s three in the morning. Checking my phone, there is a text from Tucker. He stomps out of the room like a small child.

Saunders never left hotel; parents left around two forty five.
 

I decide to peek in on Nora and make sure she’s okay. Dead tired and eager to see her, I trudge down the hall. As the door opens, the sound of beeping machines fills the room.

Again, she looks so small in that bed, but at least she’s been cleaned up. No more blood in her hair or on her hands. Even battered and bruised, she still looks beautiful.

Not being able to stop myself, I sit in the chair beside her bed and grab her hand. I just need to feel her again. Placing her hand against my lips, I whisper, “Oh, pretty girl, who would do this to you?”

Chapter Nine

Nora

Beep, beep, beep
. What?
Oh, my head
. Uh…I try to will my eyes open, but they won’t listen to me. I can hear noises and feel something on my hand. What?
Wake up, Nora
. I tell myself again.
Wake up, damn it.

Finally, my eyes listen and open a slit. Immediately, the light stabs my fragile eyes and the noise amplifies. The beeping gets louder and the pain…there is so much pain. It’s blurry, and before I can focus on anything, I shut my eyes again.
Never mind
.

“Nora, I’m so sorry.”

I try to concentrate on the voice, but the pain interferes. My head throbs the way my heart beats after a long run. The pain emanating from my side is beyond excruciating.

Why am I in so much agony and what the hell is all that beeping? I try again to wake up. I need to make that noise stop.

As I finally get my stubborn eyes to open, the stupid light intensifies the stabbing feeling and I wince. Automatically, my hand tries to cover my eyes, but someone is holding it. My curiosity overrides the pain. When I focus, I see that a man is holding my hand, his head resting beside it on my bed.

Panic floods my brain. Who is this? What’s going on? Where am I? Oh, God, a hospital? No!

I try to yank my hand away, but he only holds it tighter. My mouth opens to scream, but quickly shuts when I recognize his dark hair and the sexy jaw line I studied for hours the night before.
 

Jase.
 

Why is he here?
I search my brain for my last memory of him and remember that he dropped me off at the wedding before he drove away. The wedding! Jenny and Max? Are they okay?

Jase groans and I freeze. Long eyelashes frame his oval eyes and flutter open. When he sees me studying him, they open wider in recognition. He quickly sits up, looking dazed and tired. Somehow, he still manages to look sexy.

“You’re awake! How are you feeling?” he asks.

“Sore,” I croak. “What’s going on?”

“Can I get you anything?” He stands and reaches for a button on my bed rail. When a tone rings, his voice changes from concerned to serious and he says, “Ms. Skye is awake.”

I’m not sure what the hell is going on. Why is he here? Where is my family?

“Jase, where are Jenny and Max?” My voice is so hoarse, I can barely hear what I’ve just said.

His tone changes back to concerned. “Everybody is fine; do you know where you are? How you got here?” he asks slowly.

I try to swallow, but find it very difficult. Jase must notice, because a cup of water is in front of me immediately, but what is even more surprising is that he’s placing the small cup against my lips. I take a sip; the cold liquid feels like heaven.

Once I give up my little piece of heaven, I answer honestly. “A hospital, obviously. How did I get here? What happened?”

Jase places the small cup on the stand in front of me and sits back down. My eyes start to function better. The light isn’t bright at all. In fact, it’s very dim, and the moon shines in the window behind him.

“Nora, someone…attacked you. You suffered a slight concussion, some cuts and bruises and a laceration on your side. Luckily not deep, it didn’t pierce anything, no internal bleeding. I found you,” Jase states very seriously.

“You found me? I don’t remember. Who attacked me?” I’m starting to become frantic. How could I not remember?

“Do you remember anything from last night?” he asks. His hand takes mine as his brows knit in a frown.

“I remember…us,” I say. He smiles. “Then, after you dropped me off, I talked with a guest, then I got my bags and walked towards my car…” My hand flies up to my mouth. I can’t remember anything after that.

I hear the panic in Jase’s voice. “What happened next? Take your time.”

I slouch back against the pillow as tears prick my eyelids.

“I’m not sure. Why can’t I remember?”

He takes my hand again, and with his free hand rubs my hair. It’s calming and familiar, but confusing at the same time. I barely know him.

“Don’t think about it anymore. Rest. Everyone is worried about you. It’s about three in the morning and your parents left a little while ago. I was just coming in here to check on you. Sorry I fell asleep. I must have been more tired than I thought.”

I don’t know him well, but he looks sort of guilty. I have no idea why, but hope it has nothing to do with me.
 

“Everyone has been in to see you. You’ve had everyone scared to death,” Jase says, as he sags down in the chair.

So, this is awkward
. I barely know him, but he seems to know a lot about my situation. I can’t think of anything to say, so I just state the next thing that flies into my head. “Oh, um…who is everyone? Can you have the nurse call my mother to tell her I’m awake?”

He talks animatedly with his hands and tells me who has been here and their reactions to my situation.

He still hasn’t told me why he is here.

“I don’t mean to sound rude, but why are you here in the middle of the night? We barely know each other,” I ask, hoping I’ll get an honest answer.

“I wouldn’t say that. We did go on a date. I can’t explain, but this is where I want to be.” He smirks, then stands as a nurse joins us.

“Hi, honey, I’m your nurse, Betsy. I’ve been keeping an eye on you and so has your hero over here.” Betsy nods towards Jase, who turns a faint shade of pink. “Anyway, you are doing well. Despite the knife wound, your vitals are normal, and it doesn’t seem like you suffered any major trauma to the head like we originally thought. Can I get you anything for the pain?”

“That would be great.”

Betsy hands me a small paper cup with a pill in it, while Jase hands me another cup with water. I hope this works soon. “I’ll have the doctor check on you first thing in the morning,” Betsy says.

I’m so confused and uncomfortable. Jase is hovering over me. I’m not used to being treated like this.

Betsy leaves the room after fluffing my pillows and covering me with a warmed blanket. Now I’m alone with him, again.

“So…you must be tired. I’m sure your bed is calling. I’m okay and I appreciate you stopping by to check up on me. Please don’t feel obligated to stay.” This is too uncomfortable now, like we are ending an awkward date.

He purses his lips at my words.
Oh, did I say something wrong
?

“Am I bothering you by being here?”

“No…no. Like I said, I just don’t understand why you’re here?” I say sheepishly.

“I was just making sure you were okay. I didn’t want you to wake up alone.”

I have no idea how to respond. No one has ever worried about me being alone. Not even my parents. It occurs to me that, even though my family has stopped by, Jase hasn’t mentioned if anyone else got hurt. My heartbeat picks up and I spout out, “Did anyone else get hurt?”

“No, just you,” he says, shaking his head apologetically.

“Do the cops know anything?”

Again, he shakes his head no. He sits back in the chair and adjusts his legs, resting his foot over his knee. “We don’t know yet. I own a security company, and most of the officers on duty at the wedding were from my company. No one saw anything. I have some of my best guys going through surveillance and working with the local authorities.”

Wow, nobody saw anything? I wish I could remember something. “How did you find me again?”

Jase runs his hand down his face and makes a noise in frustration. Sort of like a strangled growl. “I found you in your car. You were out cold and covered in blood.” He immediately looks down at his hands.

Oh, no, that must be what the stains on his clothes are from. “I’m sorry to put you through that,” I say.

I think I stop breathing for a moment. Bleeding in my car? How did I get in my car? I can’t stop the tears from flowing. He keeps talking, but I don’t hear him. I don’t want to hear him. I hold up my hand for him to stop, and say in a low voice, “Please, don’t tell me any more. I don’t think I can handle more details.”

I’m starting to feel nauseous and I just want to sleep.

“Nora, I know this is hard, but I have to ask you a few questions. Try and trigger your memory. I’ll let you do all the talking, okay?”

I nod.

He stands up and walks over toward the end of my bed. He tugs my big toe covered by the blanket and sends me a reassuring smile.

Jase raises an eyebrow. “I can’t imagine that you have any enemies?”

“I just moved here. I’ve only spent time with my family.”