Page 54 of Fast Fury

Abby hugged him back in silence, her heart squeezing at the fierce way he held her, his face buried into the curve of her neck. He inhaled deeply, a tiny shudder rippling through him as he held her. She kissed the top of his head, stroked a hand over his back. She hurt for him. Hated what he’d seen, and that he was in so much pain.

At last he straightened, his arms still around her. “How did you find your way here?” he asked softly, looking at the taxi.

“I got lucky and remembered the turns.” She released him, gestured to the bags. “I brought you guys some food. I can stay and make something for you, or I can just leave it here if you want privacy.”

His gaze swung back to hers. Held. “You took a taxi to the other side of the island in the middle of the night to come to me, and you think I’d want you to leave?”

“Well, I don’t want to impose, and I showed up uninvited and unannounced.”

Kai waved to the driver, signaling for him to leave, and snagged Abby’s hand. “You’re staying.”

The anxiety in her chest eased. “Okay.”

Before she could bend down to get the food, he’d snatched up the groceries and her overnight bag. Abby followed him inside the entryway. The house was still and quiet. Eerily so. “Is your grandmother still up?” she whispered.

“No. She finally cried herself out about half an hour ago. I had to carry her to her bed.”

“Oh, the poor thing.” The image was heartbreaking. “And what about you?” He looked okay, but he was damn good at the brave face thing.

“I don’t think it’s really hit me yet,” he answered, unloading the groceries onto the counter.

Abby didn’t offer to help or try to take over, sensing that he needed something to do right now. “Yeah.”

He crumpled the plastic bags together in a ball and tossed them onto the counter beside the fridge, then faced her, expelling a deep breath. “I’m glad you came.”

“Me too.” He looked tired. And there was still blood around his fingernails.

She swallowed, tried not to stare at them. “Have you eaten?”

“No. I’m not hungry.”

That in itself spoke volumes about how upset he was. She’d never known him to pass up a meal.

“And I still need a shower.”

“Why don’t you go take one, and I’ll make you something? Maybe you’ll feel like eating later. I brought the stuff for your favorite, my lasagna.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to.” She wanted to take care of him, in any way he’d let her. “Let me do this for you. I’ll be quiet. And this way there’ll be plenty of leftovers for your grandma for the next few days. I don’t want her worrying about cooking or anything like that right now.”

Kai studied her for a long moment, as though he couldn’t believe she’d do such a thing for him. “Okay,” he finally said. “Thanks.”

“It’s nothing.” She wished she could do more. Things had changed for her over the past twenty-four hours. She and Kai had forged a new kind of bond, and it was more powerful than anything she’d felt before. She would do anything for him.

“Back in a bit.”

She nodded, her gaze following him as he moved out of the kitchen and disappeared down the short hallway into what she assumed was a bathroom. A few moments later she heard the rush of water through the old pipes.

Being as quiet as possible, she got to work on the lasagna, finding the equipment she needed in various drawers and cupboards. She’d made this dish so often she knew the recipe by heart, and she’d bought enough for a double batch. By the time she was done prepping all the ingredients and assembling the lasagna, the water shut off in the bathroom. Wiping her hands on a kitchen towel, she popped the large casserole dish into the preheated oven.

In forty minutes, Kai’s favorite comfort dish would be ready. Maybe he’d even feel like eating some. Until then, she would be here for him and listen to whatever he wanted to tell her.

****

Diane’s hands were no longer shaking as she drove the final few miles to her motel in Kaanapali. A different motel from last night, because she was too paranoid to stay more than one night in each place.

The adrenaline rush that had fueled her on the long drive here was gone, leaving her mentally and physically exhausted. She couldn’t believe she’d had the guts to shoot Hani. So many times, she’d almost chickened out. Then, standing in the shadows between the townhouses while he talked with that dirty DEA agent, something had snapped. She’d shot Hani several times, had fired at the agent too, but hadn’t been brave enough to risk staying longer to chase him around the back of the truck and try again.

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