Page 103 of Enticing the Fixer

“Guys.” Hunter places a hand on our shoulders and turns us away from the elderly couple watching us like we’re on the 7 o’clock news. Even though it’s only 5:30 in the morning.

“Let’s let cooler heads prevail here. The ER docs are busy and don’t need any extra bloodshed.”

My shoulders sag as exhaustion steals every ounce of my bravado. I’m so fucking tired. “I’m not looking for a fight. I’m worried about Kinsley, and I can’t get the sight of her with a knife at her throat out of my head. Every time I blink, it flashes in front of me. And then she passed out on me.”

“She’s going to be okay,” Hunter says.

“My rational brain realizes that but I can’t stop panicking. My brother suffers from PTSD, so I understand what happens and how hard it can be to overcome it. And sitting here, doing nothing, doesn’t help.”

Sean puts his arm around my shoulders. “Let’s go outside and get some fresh air.”

When Hunter’s hand squeezes tighter on Sean’s shoulder, Sean smiles. “I’m not going to do anything to him. But I get the need for space. Can you text when Ann comes out? We’ll come back inside.”

Hunter arches his eyebrow and waits. If I say the word, he’ll go down swinging. It doesn’t matter if he agrees with the fight or not. He’ll be there.

“I’m good.” I nod reassuringly to him and walk with Sean to the front doors. “Once I see she’s okay, I’m leaving. I just need to see her face.”

An ambulance pulls away from the building and creeps down the road. The lights are off, and no sirens mar the quiet night as the EMTs have dropped off their patient. It’s quiet, for now. The morning is young.

“Dude, that’s bullshit.”

“I need a minute.” I walk away from the exit and him. If I don’t, I’m going to break down.

I need two minutes. Two minutes to get control. Because when I see her and know it’s the last time I’ll ever see her, it’s going to tear me into pieces. The only thing holding me together is knowing she’s alive and has her entire life in front of her. That was the least I could do for her.

Chapter Fifty-Six

Kinsley

When Ann brushes the curtain back, the wire rings holding up the fabric scrape, causing me to jump.Crap. When will I stop freaking out about everything?I fist the warmed blanket and hold it tighter with shaking fingers.

Her eyes sweep over me as tears glisten in them. “Hey, Girl.”

“Hey.” My bottom lip trembles and she rushes across the four-foot gap between us and envelops me in a hug.

“Girl, you scared the shit out of me. When Leo showed up at the shop and we realized you were missing, I wanted to cut his nuts off and feed them to that dog of his.”

“Stop.” I shake my head and pull back, leaning into the pillow. “I was so scared.”

“Being kidnapped is a big deal.”

“Yes, it was. But what scared me the most was when Leo grabbed her, and she slashed the knife at him.” A fat tear slides down my cheek. I swipe it away with my arm as it joins the countless others I’ve shed since he rescued me. I’ve never needed a shower more in my life. “I thought she was going to kill him.”

“Sweetheart.” She grabs my hand, sits in the rolling chair beside my bed, and laces her fingers through mine. “You have no worries. I plan to read him the riot act and would have if Sean didn’t remind me that you were my priority. For now. The second I get out of here; I’ll shake him until his eyes cross. Sean told him to wait for backup, and he didn’t listen.”

My heart skips a beat. “Leo’s here?”

“Where else would he be? He moved heaven and earth to make sure you were safe. He’s not going to be anywhere but here.”

I lick my lips and gnaw on the bottom one. “Then why didn’t he come in. I don’t understand.”

“I don’t know. But we’ll figure it out. The man worships the ground you walk on. He looks like a caged animal out there scaring the shit out of little old people.”

I’m not going to lie. Her words warm a part of me that I thought was frozen solid. I need the opportunity to tell him I’m sorry and get all this crap behind us.

One corner of my mouth raises, and I flip my hand over, lacing my fingers through hers. “He came and rescued me.”

“Yes, he did. Your dad would have loved him.”

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