Page 93 of Be With Me (Adair Family 4)

“Minor injury unit.”

I slapped him on the back in thanks before we pushed through another set of double doors into the department. We each took a side and peered into the wards as we passed.

Before we even reached the third set of wards, I heard a familiar American accent.

“She’s there.” I hit Lachlan on the arm, and we both hurried toward the ward and burst into it in unison.

Eredine was upright on a bed, looking at the ceiling, chatting as a doctor stitched up her forearm.

“Fuck me.” I practically melted into a puddle in relief as I scanned her body and saw she was otherwise unscathed.

Her gaze flew to me as the doctor turned to scowl at our rude entrance. “Arran?”

“Gorgeous.”

Her lower lip trembled, and tears brightened her eyes.

My heart broke at the sight of her fear.

I hurried over to her other side.

“Be careful,” the doctor warned as I leaned in to hold her. “I’m trying to work here.”

“You’re okay,” I whispered over and over, more to myself than to her, as I peppered her cheek and temple with kisses. “I’ve got you.”

And I did.

I would never put distance between us again.

* * *

“I’m really okay.” Eredine reached out to squeeze my hand. “You can stop fussing.”

A snort behind me made me look from my girlfriend on the couch pushing off blankets I’d tucked around her to Lachlan, who leaned against Ery’s dining table with a giant smirk on his face. “What’s your problem?”

My brother shook his head. “Nothing. Just never thought I’d see this day.”

“What day?”

“The day my wee brother fell into the same trap Robyn set for me.”

“Christ, man, don’t let her hear you call it that.” Mac shot him a warning look.

“Oh, it’s a trap I willingly fell into.”

“Rewriting history now?” Eredine asked.

I chuckled because she’d told me all about how Lachlan didn’t want to admit he’d fallen in love with Robyn Penhaligon.

“How did this get turned around on me?” Lachlan huffed.

“Because you were being a smart-arse.” Mac gave him a wry look and turned to Ery. “How are you feeling?”

“Seriously, I’m okay. I don’t need blankets.” She grinned. “It’s summer.”

I gave her a sheepish smile.

Since we’d returned from the hospital, I had been mother-henning her.

“Pain okay?” Mac asked. “A slash like that can hurt.”

He would know. I frowned at Ery’s arm. It was a long wound, but thankfully, it wasn’t too deep. The doctor had stitched her up and bandaged it to protect from infection.

“I might need some painkillers in a bit, but I’m okay at the moment.” Ery gave me a reassuring nod and then turned to Mac and Lachlan. “You have news about who that woman was this morning?”

Fury shot through my veins at what Lachlan had relayed while I waited for Ery’s discharge paperwork. I sat next to Ery and kept her hand in mine as Lachlan talked.

“Before Arran got the call you were in the hospital, I’d just come over to tell him we’d discovered Maranda Peters, the girlfriend of Colin, the man who died in Thailand that night with Arran—”

Eredine squeezed my hand, and I gripped on to her silent comfort.

“—Is living in Bordeaux and working at the university there. The emails were coming from the internet café on campus.”

“It was her on the beach,” Eredine deduced.

I squeezed her hand tighter, guilt threatening to consume me. Eredine’s brows drew together in concern at what she saw in my eyes.

My brother continued, “I’ve spoken with the police, and yes, Maranda is the woman who attacked you on the beach. They ran her prints and discovered that two former boyfriends back in Ireland had filed reports of harassment against her. From what our guys have been able to deliver in the last few hours, it seems Maranda has been living in Bordeaux since Colin’s death. She was arrested for assaulting a boyfriend, but the charges were later dropped. Considering her previous history, and that she confessed to attacking Ery as revenge for Colin’s death, the police are holding her without bail. They said they’ll be in touch to interview you both soon, so expect a knock on the door.”

“I knew I never liked her,” I growled. “Colin was too good for her. You know he was going to propose … you have to wonder how that might have turned out if he’d lived.” I tried to pull my hand from Ery’s to stand up, but she held fast.

Her gorgeous eyes pinned me to the couch. “You are not running away again.”

I was the reason she’d been attacked, for fuck’s sake. Every time I visualized what that must have been like for her, I flinched.

“Hey.” Ery soothed a hand up my arm. “I’m okay. And we have Robyn to thank for that.”

“Robyn?” Mac and Lachlan asked.

Ery grinned proudly. “I remembered her self-defense lessons. They just rushed back, and honestly, it took seconds after Maranda swung to take her down.” She looked back at me. “It wasn’t some harrowing fight. I promise. It was over before it started.”

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