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“Gracias a Dios!” the king said.
“Su Majestad, if you would accompany me?” Mikel swept his hand toward the door. “I would like to get you to the palace as soon as possible.”
The king nodded and allowed Mikel to usher him away.
“I’ll come with you in the ambulance,” Hélène said to Gabriel.
“And I,” Lorenzo added.
“It is truly nothing more than a scratch,” Gabriel said to his parents, his voice kind. “There is no need for a parental escort.” He leaned in to kiss his mother’s cheek before he touched his father’s hand where Lorenzo clutched the back of the sofa. “I’m fine, Maman, Papa. I need to talk with Quinn right now.”
Lorenzo laid his hand on Hélène’s shoulder. “Of course. The investigation must come first. We will follow you to the hospital.”
Gabriel nodded and turned to Quinn. “Come with me in the ambulance.” He took her hand between both of his, his palms warm against her skin. “Por favor, cariño mío.”
It was impossible to say no.
Chapter 36
Quinn watched the doctor carefully sew up Gabriel’s wound. He sat bare-chested on the hospital bed, his Calevan dragon snarling on his rib cage. Quinn crossed her arms to tuck her hands under her elbows because she wanted to touch him so badly.
However, his parents sat in the two chairs by the window, their worried gazes never wavering from their son.
“There you are. All stitched up,” Dr. Alvarez said. “The sutures will dissolve on their own, and there should be virtually no scarring. I’ll give you some ointment to rub on it after it heals to help with that. If there is any redness or increased pain before then, please call me immediately.”
“I will make sure of that,” Hélène said.
Gabriel pressed his lips together at the maternal intrusion but did not contradict her.
The doctor laid her tools on the stainless-steel tray. “I will want to see you again in one week.”
Dr. Alvarez was the top plastic surgeon in Caleva, but, of course, she would personally tend to Gabriel’s flesh wound until it was completely healed. Another reminder of how different his life was from Quinn’s.
She was not going to let that stop her anymore.
The door swung open, and Mikel walked in, his face tense with worry. “Doña Hélène, Don Lorenzo.” He dipped his head in a brief nod to the duke and duchess before he turned to the patient. “Gabriel, how are you feeling?” He swung around to the doctor. “How is he? Any complications?”
“Mikel, it’s a graze,” Gabriel snapped.
“Señor Silva, he’s fine,” Dr. Alvarez said. “I’ll keep close watch over the healing process. In the meantime, I’ll get his discharge papers ready.”
“Gracias, Dr. Alvarez.” Mikel held the door as the doctor exited and turned back toward Gabriel’s parents. “If I may ask your indulgence, I would like to speak privately with Quinn and Gabriel about tonight’s events.”
Hélène looked unhappy about being thrown out of her son’s room, but she and Lorenzo stood. She kissed Gabriel on the forehead before she and the duke walked out the door Mikel once again held.
Quinn’s boss closed the door, took a deep breath, and exploded.
“Por Dios, Gabriel! Do not ever throw yourself at someone with a gun again!” The usually controlled Mikel ran his fingers through his hair as though he wanted to tear it out. “You could have been killed!”
“Odette was going to shoot Quinn. I couldn’t allow that.” Gabriel lifted his chin to meet Mikel’s furious gaze. “I didn’t know Quinn had a gun.”
Quinn felt again the jolt of understanding that Gabriel had endangered his life for her, even after she had broken up with him. What kind of man did that? But she already recognized the answer to that. It was the reason she had ended their relationship.
Mikel slumped against the foot of the bed, his hands braced on the metal. “You both acted with tremendous courage. I cannot fault you for that. But you fucking terrified me.”
Quinn and Gabriel stared at each other in shock. Her boss reaming out and then cursing at a royal duke? He really had been terrified.
Mikel pushed himself upright again, his shoulders stiff. “My apologies. Knowing all of you were in danger on my watch has been…difficult.”
