Page 107 of Blood Money

The determination on his partner’s face told Gray what he didn’t want to know. Whatever Dom was planning, it was already under way.

“There’s more.” Dom refocused on his cell phone and continued scrolling through messages. “Fatima was hand-picked by the Pyramid’s leader to lay the groundwork for a job the leader accepted for himself.”

Gray paused in the middle of examining the fluorescent cup of lime-green Jell-O on his tray. “I didn’t know the leader did his own jobs.”

“I don’t think he does. Normally.” Dom pointed to the Jell-O. “You gonna eat that?”

With his good arm, Gray tossed Dom the cup, then a plastic spoon. Dom pulled off the silver lid and began slurping up the green, jiggly Jell-O.

“Nothing about this whole thing with Alex was normal protocol,” Dom said between slurps. “The Pyramid was always comprised solely of Middle Easterners, but even that tradition is beginning to crumble. Remember, one of the two guys who followed Alex and Nicky onto the subway was American. Former Delta Force. That’s a first.”

“One of these days,” Gray said as he pointed to Dom, “you’re going to tell me where you get all this intel.”

When Dom smiled, Gray understood that his partner would never give up his spook sources. Not even to him.

Dom pulled an evidence bag from his pocket containing a cell phone. “What I can tell you is that someone texted Alex’s husband about Nicky. The text included a photo of Nicky and the name and address of his school. I haven’t verified the sender’s number yet, but I’d bet my last bullet the message was from Fatima. It was sent the day that barn went up in flames.”

Gray grimaced again, but not from pain. He hated hearing the shitbag referred to as Alex’s husband. At least the bastard would never hurt her or Nicky again.

Dom sent him a piercing look. “It really bugs you that she lied about being married.”

“Wouldn’t it bug you?” Gray looked at Dom like his partner was crazy.

“Hell, yeah.” Dom uttered a disgusted sound. “But I wouldn’t let it keep me from being with someone I knew damn well I was meant to be with.”

Gray snorted. “You should talk, buddy.”

Dom drilled him with an icy blue stare. “That’s different.”

Gray’s voice rose. “The fuck it is.”

“No.” Dom shot from his chair and began pacing back and forth in front of the window. “Where I’ll be going, what I’ll be doing… I don’t want Daisy anywhere near this. Shit, Gray, the woman rocked my world, but I won’t risk her getting hurt because of me. I can’t live with that again.”

Holy hell.

Gray caught Dom’s eye. Whatever his partner had in the works was so stupidly dangerous, he didn’t want Daisy caught in the crossfire.

“You know I hate talking about all this sappy shit.” Dom shoved his hands into his pockets. “But you have a chance at something good, so stop being such a by-the-book asshole and go after her. Assuming you still love her, that is.”

Gray shut his eyes. I do love her. And I don’t want to live without her.

He tugged the IV from his arm and threw back the bedsheets. He swung his legs over the edge of the mattress. The moment his head went vertical, his brains began scrambling inside his skull. If it weren’t for Dom’s restraining hand on his shoulder, he would have slammed face first onto the floor.

“Dammit.” He grabbed the edges of the mattress for support. “Find me a wheelchair.”

Grinning, Dom bolted from the room. Five minutes later, he was rolling Gray past a snoring Lt. Frye and a very annoyed head nurse. Gray was not only thankful for Dom’s ability to conjure up wheels and pajama pants that kept his ass from freezing off, but for working his magic to charm the nurse into reluctantly allowing him to visit Alex and Nicky in the ICU.

Just as they were about to enter Nicky’s room, Daisy stepped out. When she caught sight of Dom, she gave him a dirty look. Without a word, she stepped aside so they could roll past. Gray could practically feel the hostility rolling off her in tsunami-size waves. Man, whatever happened between her and Dom must have been intense to get that kind of reaction. Like him, his partner was clearly an idiot where women were concerned.

As he caught sight of Alex asleep in a chair beside Nicky’s bed, his heart beat faster. He prayed he wasn’t too late, and if he was, he vowed to be there for her anyway. To help her through whatever happened next.

After rolling the wheelchair next to Alex, Dom discreetly backed out of the room, leaving them alone.

Intravenous tubes ran from clear plastic bags into Nicky’s arms. Every few seconds, one of the bedside monitors beeped. Though it had been hours since he’d laid Nicky onto the gurney and watched him rolled into the ER, his temperature was still at a hundred and six. Not a good sign. His heart went out to the little boy he’d grown so fond of in such a short amount of time.

Very gently, he clasped Alex’s hand. Her head rested on the back of the chair. Rosy pink lips parted as she breathed. He knew when she opened her eyes they would be red from worry and crying. His chest tightened as he continued watching her. She looked like a sleeping princess, serene and beautiful.

My Scandinavian princess.