Page 224 of At the Edge of Surrender

“He’s going to be fine,” she promised.

Sickness boiled in my stomach and my head felt light, and it took everything I had not to crumble to the floor when River tossed open the door that led to the secret examination room ahead of us and I found Kane sitting up on the stretcher.

Awake and alive.

Hooked to a bunch of tubes and wires with the softest smile on his gorgeous face.

“Oh my God.” It wheezed out of me.

Supplication.

Praise.

I didn’t know.

The only thing I knew was I was pushing around River and Charleigh and throwing myself against him.

He grunted when I made contact, though those arms wrapped around me.

Strong and fierce and unrelenting.

A sob tore out of me. “Kane.”

A hand ran down the back of my head, his voice a gruff murmur at the top of it. “I’m okay. I’m okay.”

“I was so scared,” I choked around a sob.

He urged me back to look at him, his hands never ceasing in their caresses, those magic eyes flaring as he stared back at me. “I told you I would never leave you.”

Tears blurred my sight, and I could barely get the words out with the way cries clogged my throat. “You were shot.”

There were uncountable questions in the muddled statement.

How and who and what was he involved in? How was this possible? Because I didn’t understand the details of his life. Who he really was or if my niece or I were safe. If I was making a horrible mistake by allowing my heart to be right here with him, bleeding all over the floor.

His thumb brushed over a tear that slid down my cheek. “It’s okay.”

My brow knitted in the disorder of fear and relief. “Is it?”

Kane sent a wary glance at River who I felt hovering right behind. His own turmoil flooding out.

Kane’s regard dipped back to me. “We need to talk.”

“But first I need to make sure you’re stable,” Dr. Reynolds cut in. The man was probably in his mid-seventies, his hair completely grayed and a litany of wrinkles carved into the map of his face.

Kindness and care leaked out with what almost seemed irritation.

“Told Theo that I was fine, but he freaked out.”

River grunted. “You fuckin’ blacked out, man. Theo thought he was losing you.”

Something vicious streaked across Kane’s face. His voice a blade. “Are they safe? Don’t know what happened once I got on that plane.”

I could feel River’s reticence. The way he glanced at me in speculation and worry before he gritted, “Yeah. Once Theo got you to that airfield, he made his way back to the transport truck with them. They’re secure and on their way.”

Kane breathed out a strained sigh. “Thank fuck. Wasn’t sure we were going to make it out of that one.”

My attention ricocheted between the two of them. Dread so thick I could hardly breathe. What were they talking about?

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