Page 84 of When He Protects

Clay’s voice.

Tyler looked over and saw Clay standing near the open rear door of the ambulance.

“Tyler, we need to talk,” Clay informed him. “Now.”

“Give me the key to her cuffs.” A deliberate pause. “Now.”

“No.”

What? Tyler pressed a kiss to Esme’s cheek. “Be right back.” Then he let her go and jumped from the ambulance. He ignored the twinge in his side and the blood that was making his shirt stick to him. Tyler stood toe to toe with Clay even as the wind blew the scent of ash toward him. “Give me the key to her cuffs.”

Clay’s hands were on his hips. “I think she needs to be brought into custody.”

“Are you insane right now?” Tyler reached for Clay.

Then Tyler swayed. For just a moment, the whole world seemed to sway.

Clay grabbed him. “You have a concussion, jackass,” he groused. “You can’t protect yourself right now, much less her.” Then he raised his voice. “EMT! Check him out!” He maintained his grip on Tyler. “The reason she’s cuffed? It’s because I’m trying to keep her safe. Trying tokeep her out of the open and attempting to keep her alive.”

The world swirled around Tyler once more. He reached up and touched the back of his head.

Blood.

Dammit.

“I’ll protect her,” Clay swore. “You need to get your head examined. Literally, man.” The faint lines around his eyes tightened. “You could have died in that house,” he said, voice grim. “Is she worth it?”

Click.

Tyler frowned. Then glanced to the left. Esme was there. And she’d…wait, had she just cuffed herself to him?

He blinked.

Her killer smile flashed. “Did I ever mention that I once dated a world-renowned escape artist? He taught me a few tricks.” She winked.

Tyler could feel the cold metal of the cuff against his skin.

“No? I didn’t mention it? I mean, you think you know your wife.” Her chin angled up. “And yet she still manages to surprise you.”

She had one cuff around her wrist. The other locked around his. Linking them.

“You’re going to the hospital, darling,” she told him. “And I am one hundred percent staying at your side.”

Hell, yes, she was. Because when it came to Esme’s safety, he didn’t trust anyone else. His head turned toward the sheriff.

And he caught the white-hot glare that Clay was firing at her.

“Where I go,” Tyler announced, and hemade sure his voice brooked no argument, “my wife goes. You got a problem with that, Sheriff?”If so, too damn bad.

But Clay just grimly shook his head. “No problem.”

“I stayed overnight,”Tyler snapped. “I took all their damn tests. This is absolute bullshit.”

“You’re a grumpy patient.” Esme nodded as she yawned and sat in the chair near the hospital bed. During the night, she’d slept off and on as she pretzeled herself in the chair because no way was she leaving Tyler.

He needed her.

I need him.

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