Page 105 of Blood Money

“Thank you, doctor.” Alex tried to smile, failing miserably. She pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down to hold Nicky’s hand. He looked so tiny and helpless, and the worst part was there was nothing she or anyone else could do.

Alex lowered her head into her hand. She felt bone-weary, and the inability to do anything to help was killing her. She’d always been able to find a way out of trouble. Alone, without relying on anyone. Right now, she was grateful for Nicky’s doctor, the nurses, and Daisy’s steadfast support. And Gray. If he hadn’t gotten Nicky here, her son would probably already be dead. Gray was right, she should have asked for a loan. If not from him, she should have taken Daisy up on her offer to lend her money.

She worried that Gray was in pain, and that he would bleed out and die. Did he need a transfusion? Maybe her blood type would match his. She’d give every ounce of blood in her veins to save Nicky or Gray.

Daisy re-entered the cubicle and rested a hand on Alex’s shoulder. “I have news. Your husband is dead. Gray and Dom shot and killed him at the other hospital.” She turned to look directly at Alex. “Why didn’t you ever tell me you were married?”

“There are a lot of things I haven’t told you and need to. I was married a long time ago. In another life.” One I regret with every fiber of my being. “I didn’t want him to know where Nicky was because I was afraid this would happen.”

Daisy knelt beside the chair and squeezed Alex’s hand. “Whenever you’re ready, girlfriend, I’m here to listen.”

“Thank you.” Alex covered Daisy’s hand with her own.

“But there’s more,” Daisy said in a way that told Alex something bad was coming. “Gray was shot. He’s lost a lot of blood and is in another ER cubicle. They’re working on him now.”

Alex stared at Daisy. Her heart seemed to stop beating. “Will he be okay?” she whispered. “Does he need blood?”

“The doctors are taking good care of him.” Again, Daisy squeezed Alex’s hand. “That’s all I can tell you.”

“Is anyone with him? Is Dom there?” Alex stood and looked down the hallway at the many other curtained cubicles, wanting to go to Gray. Needing to go to him. But two things stopped her feet from moving. First and foremost, Nicky was a helpless child, and she couldn’t bear the thought of him being without her in the hospital for one minute. Secondly, Gray didn’t want her. He’d made that clear.

“One of the other detectives said Dom is on his way and some lieutenant is calling Gray’s family.” She rubbed Alex’s arm. “If you want to go see him, I’ll stay with Nicky.”

Again Alex was torn. If she left Nicky’s bedside and he woke, she wanted to be there. But she wanted to be with Gray, also.

“No. I can’t go to him.” More tears trickled down her cheeks, and she took a deep breath. “I can’t leave Nicky. Besides, nothing’s changed. It’s still over between Gray and me. I’ll be forever grateful for what he did for Nicky tonight, but that’s where it ends.” She grabbed a tissue from the counter and dabbed at her eyes, trying like hell not to lose it completely. “I can’t torture myself waiting and hoping that he can somehow forgive me. Gray would never risk his heart to someone who lied to him so many times.”

“Are you sure?” Daisy dragged two chairs over to Nicky’s bed. “After all, the big, courageous lug risked his life to save Nicky. I’m told he lost all that blood not tending to himself so that he could race Nicky over here.”

“That’s Gray. He’s the most courageous and honorable man I’ve ever known. Always putting others ahead of his own safety.” Alex let Daisy guide her to one of the chairs, and they both sat. Then she began to shake. The thought of Gray lying in a hospital room without her there to hold his hand, kiss his forehead, or be there when he woke up…was breaking her heart.

Daisy’s arm came around her, and Alex leaned into her friend’s embrace. She began to sob openly. “I’ll always love him, but I have to let him go.”

“I’m not so certain about that,” Daisy said. “In case it slipped your notice, he called you sweetheart back at the school. In my experience, guys don’t fling mushy words like that around for nothing.”

Alex met Daisy’s gaze. “I didn’t hear that.”

Daisy smiled. “You had other things on your mind, but I heard it clear as day. Just so you know.”

“It must have been a slip of the tongue. A heat-of-the-moment kind of thing meant to make me feel better.” That’s what it was. That’s what it had to be.

“Maybe,” Daisy murmured, leaning her head against Alex’s. “Maybe not.”

Nicky’s chest rose and fell steadily. The monitor’s temperature gauge still read 106. Alex leaned forward to smooth a lock of hair from Nicky’s forehead. He didn’t stir.

Exhaustion took hold and she closed her eyes. The frightful reality consumed her to the point of obliterating all thought save one.

Two people she loved desperately might not make it through the night.

…

Fire. Gray’s shoulder felt like it was on fire.

He opened his eyes slowly at first, adjusting to the light. Figures came into focus. Dom sat in a chair to his left, fiddling with his cell phone. Lt. Frye sat in another chair to his right, snoring like a freight train.

Where the hell am I?

Opening his eyes fully, events of the past twenty-four hours crashed down on him. Nicky kidnapped. Nicky rescued but very sick. Alex’s husband dead.