Page 56 of Escape You

We strolled into the hospital through the side entrance. The linoleum floors shone bright under the overhead lights. The smell of bleach and newly upholstered furniture blended together into the usual clinic scent that reminded me of pain and dead people. No one looked my way or even questioned my reason for being on the premises. I’d walked through these hallways so many times most nurses and interns knew me. They also knew their discretion would be handsomely compensated.

Tyler’s gaze darted from the nurses’ station to the elevator bay, memorizing every exit and possibly every face. He was an agent. How did I not see that when I first met him? Pam caught up to us as soon as we reached the floor where Manny’s room was located.

“Vic requested a different room.” Her gaze shifted between Tyler and me.

I stepped back into the elevator and made room for her to join us. “I would’ve fired him if he hadn’t.”

Pam pinched her nose, making the lines on her forehead deepen. Her tone of voice was baritone. A poor impression of Vic, but I got the point. “Need a different room, end of the long corridor, next to the emergency door.”

I laughed. “Makes sense.”

“How do you two communicate? He barely speaks?”

“He talks plenty. Trust me. He just doesn’t say much in public.” I hugged her hello after she hit the button for the lobby.

She stood back and whispered, “So who’s the piece of hunk?”

Tyler glanced up at me, eyebrows raised. Jersey girls were nothing if not bluntly honest. He was a piece of hunk. But that wasn’t the question written all over his face. We hadn’t talked about how he would be introduced. Though he had to know, hot or not, Agent Cole wouldn’t inspire much confidence among my guys, Pam included.

“Pam, this is Chase Rossi.” The words got stuck in my throat. A tiny flame flicked at my core when I thought of Tyler as my husband. He was not my husband. He was not my husband. “My husband.”

“So the rumors are true.” Her mouth fell slightly open. “Mia, you married into the New York faction?”

“I had no choice. But Chase is here to help us take it down.” I smiled at Tyler. He nodded at me, then turned his attention toward Pam.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Just like that. You’re going against your own?”

“Jac Rossi isn’t family.”

“He’s with us, Pam.” I gave her a meaningful look.

“Of course he is.” She shook his hand. “This girl can sweet-talk the devil himself.”

“Devil’s spawn, I believe is what she called me,” Tyler teased, holding the elevator door for us.

With a big laugh, Pam walked out in front of me. I followed Pam across the lobby and down a long, sterile corridor toward the maternity ward. Tyler slowed his pace, probably to give Pam a chance to satisfy her curiosity about him.

“Omigod, I wish someone made me marry someone like that.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I bet he’s all muscle under that white tee.”

“You have no idea.”

“Wait, what?” She did a double take. “You slept with him. Mia, you’re literally sleeping with the enemy.”

“It’s a long story. I had to.”

“Right, you poor thing.” She petted my ponytail before she burst into a bout of giggles.

“I think this pregnancy is making me do crazy shit.”

“It’s normal for your libido to increase during pregnancy. It’s not common, but it happens.” She went all clinical on me. “How are you feeling? Any discomfort.”

“None. Sometimes, I don’t even feel pregnant.”

“Enjoy it while it lasts.” She smiled. “Here we are.” She stopped in front of the door in what felt like the far end corner of the hospital. “I told the staff a very angry and very pregnant woman was in here. They’ll leave you alone.”

The minute I walked in, Manny wheeled himself toward me with a huge grin on his face. He finally had a real assignment. “About time. What took you so long?” He gestured to someone behind the privacy curtain.

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