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We were on the clock, though. Time to focus on the job.
While it was less busy the way we’d entered the hospital, as we got closer to the senator’s room, there were more leeches waiting in the corridor. Once one of them recognized Callista and started to snap pictures on their cell, the rest of them followed. Some shouted questions to her. I loved that she held her head high, gave them a small smile, and said not a thing. Yes, she was truly a goddess.
We had a four member team outside of Grant’s room. They straightened and saluted Talis as we approached. Every member of The Praetorian Guard was former military. Each of us was handpicked by Talis. As a security firm, we were worth five times the typical bodyguards and for good reason.
Talis gave them permission to let two go for lunch, and then when they returned, the other two could go. The three of us would be in the room with Callista and Grant.
Callista fiddled with the material of her skirt as she waited, and I gave her a small nudge with my elbow to flash a grin at her. Even though she gave me a tiny smile back, it ate at me because she was so nervous.
Knocking on Grant’s door, Talis announced himself and the fact that Callista was here.
“Come in,” Grant called from his room.
I put on my work face and let Callista walk in ahead of us as Talis held the door open. There were three other people in the room along with the senator. All of them had laptops open on their laps and one was talking quietly on their cell in the far corner of the room. The TV hanging from the wall droned with the latest national news.
Evander closed the door once we were all in the room. He, Talis, and I stood farthest away from the bed with our hands clasped behind our backs.
Callista hesitated once in the room. I wanted to go over to her and slide my arms around her, to give her the comfort she so clearly needed.
Grant didn’t even acknowledge any of us. He finished typing on his computer and calmly shut it before looking at Callista. The side of his face was bandaged from where he got grazed by a gunshot, and I knew the left side of his torso was also bundled up. A bullet had caught him there and went right through. Other than the bandage and the IV in his arm, one might not know he was in the hospital. He wore a blue button up shirt and his hair was perfectly styled. I could even smell his foul cologne from across the room.
He swept his gaze over Callista with his nose in the air. “Good to see you’re doing well, Callista. Though you could have dressed better for the occasion. I know many members of the press are hanging around, and you need to always be at your best.”
The bastard needed a punch to the face. I felt both Talis and Van tense beside me. I even thought I heard a low growl from Van.
“I apologize, Senator Grant. It’s been a frightening time, and I was so worried about you.” Callista stepped up to the end of the bed. “How are you doing?”
She apologized to that jerk? That was bullshit. I clenched my jaw shut so I wouldn’t dare say anything.
“Clearly, I’m well. I don’t know why they’re making me stay so long here. There’s so much work I need to do.” Grant huffed, offering her no sympathy or comfort. He snapped his fingers at his two assistants on his right. “Get online right now. See if anyone has a photo of Miss Birk coming in to visit up yet and what they’re saying.”
There were muttered ‘yes, senator’s and then they were tapping wildly at their computers.
“The wifi in this building is subpar.” Grant glanced at everyone in the room and studied us for a brief moment before he suddenly smiled and held out a hand to Callista. “Come here, dear. I know this all must be too much for you. Omegas are such fragile things. Your father and I have decided to keep you tucked away safely for now until the right moment. Don’t you worry about anything. It’s all planned out.”
Callista clenched one hand behind her back but moved forward so that Grant could take her other hand. He kissed the back of it, purposely eyeing us. The fucker was doing it all for show.
But I didn’t miss the fact her stomach tightened, and while she kept a wince off her pretty face, her lips thinned and something furious flashed through her eyes. Everything in me roared to snatch her away from Grant and give him a real life threatening reason he was in the hospital. The urge to protect her was making my heart pump hard, and I fought myself to remain where I was standing.
Ah, sweet darling. She hated him as much as I did. So why was she going to marry… No. She didn’t want to, did she? God, I wanted to save her from it all. I’d whisk her away to a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and no one would find us.
“Whatever you think is best.” Callista’s voice was a monotone. My heart was breaking all the more for her.
One thing made my brows rise: she had no physical reaction—other than her revulsion—to his touch. Callista was in heat, and any Alpha compatible with her would set her slick flowing. There wasn’t even a hint of arousal on her. And Grant didn’t seem to care how she felt about him one way or another.
I glanced at Van and noticed a vein in his forehead throbbing. Red had tinged his face and he gritted his teeth. There was murder in his eyes as he stared at Grant.
On my other side, Talis stood rigid. His expression was neutral and unreadable. Wait. There was a small tick on his upper cheek by his eye. Fuck, he was furious too.
“Of course I know what’s best,” the smarmy fuck continued. “It’s why I was elected with an unprecedented majority in the state. But I haven’t forgotten that family matters so much to my loyal constituents, that you matter, Callista dear. We will have our date again after this is all cleared up. It will be bigger and grander, in Seattle this time. Your father suggested we wait at least a month, but I think sooner than that. Much sooner.”
Van seemed to push an inch forward and stopped as if hitting an invisible barrier. Grant watched him with a bigger grin. I’d never wanted to tear anyone’s head off, but that asshole deserved it.
A knock at the door did nothing to ease the tension. The senator called whoever it was to come in. Only Talis remained on the ball and stepped over to open the door a few inches and check to see who it was.
“Food delivery?” Talis glanced over his shoulder at Grant.
Grant nodded and gestured it was okay. “Yes. I can’t eat the food they serve here. I had Sydney order some fresh, quality meals for us.” He smiled at Callista as two nurses wheeled in a cart with several paper bags on it, filling the room with a mixture of fish, cheese, and sterilizer. “Callista, be a dear and find the salmon sashimi salad for me. Mine is the one without the roasted skins.” He nodded toward the one Beta still talking quietly on his cell. “Tony’s has the skins.”
