Page 83 of I Promise You
“Exactly. I do have to go. But not without saying goodbye to my favorite nurse, Paul’s little sister.”
I take in his blackened eye and grab his wrist softly.
“Kane, what happened to you? Are you okay?”
“I’m great,” sarcasm evident, and I glare at him, crossing my arms.
“Kane…don’t tell me I have to worry about you too?! Have you been looked at yet? Is that why you’re here?” I shake my head. “Danny told me you guys are leaving on another mission…” My voice breaks because I constantly worry about Danny’s return. Even Kane’s. I feel like I’ve grown attached and invested in every man on Danny’s team.
I pray for them all to come home safe to their families.
“Yes, I’m fine…and of course. This job never stops, but we should be back soon.” He sighs, running a hand through his dark hair. His eyes pierce mine with intensity. He doesn’t flash his cheesy, warm smile I’m accustomed to. He reads me like abook, taking notice that I’m basically begging him for something positive to say. His brows raise and he flashes me a forced grin, exposing his perfect teeth. “But it’s okay, Ari, don’t worry. We will stop these guys before they can lay a finger on you or us. They won’t even get a chance to get within walking distance of you. We won’t allow it.”
My hands drop to my sides in anguish, my shoulders stiffen and I watch Kane’s face drop into shock, a frown replacing the million-dollar smile. I look around us, over my shoulder, at the thought of Shane breathing down my neck again. I shudder as chills rapidly spread across my skin, and my knees begin to buckle.
“What did you just say?”
Kane looks taken aback. He jerks his head, pinching his brows together, matching my confused expression.
Lori enters from behind him, leaning over his frame to the side at the end of the hallway, waving her arms to catch my attention.
“Where have you been?” she mouths.
She points to her watch hysterically, but I ignore her. I lean forward, blocking her out of my vision with Kane’s frame.
“Grim didn’t tell you?” Kane says.
I shake my head vehemently. “He didn’t tell me what?”
“I thought he would tell you something like this.” He looks away from me, nervously running his hand through his dark hair.
It doesn’t sit well with me, but I still vouch for Danny’s heart. Maybe there’s more to the story... perhaps he just forgot?
“Tell me, Kane. Tell me right now.”
He looks around, and it seems like he’s searching for some privacy. Or maybe he’s making sure the Admiral doesn’t come grab him by the neck.
“Fuck it, you deserve to know.” He leans into my ear, whispering, his breath sending more shivers up my spine. I’m paralyzed, waiting for him to spill. “People are after Grim. The same people that killed your brother.”
This can’t be happening.
I gasp, bringing my hand to my mouth. My stomach turns into a thousand knots, my world spins, and nausea grips me tight.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I push him away, my palm firmly against his vest. The force manages to make his over six-foot frame take a step back. He tries to grab my hands to stop me, his fingers attempting to curl with mine. His lips flatten when I pull my hands out of his grasp.
“How is this possible?”
“Grim has a fucking bounty on his head. We’re all at risk. They won’t stop at anything to have us dead, the whole team, specifically Grim. They’ll even hurt you if it means they can capture him. If it means they can hit him where he’ll hurt the most, and that’s you, Ari.”
The blood drains from my face. My vision blurs immediately with fear, black clouding the edges. Suddenly, my hearing goes to silence, and the only thing I can hear is my heart drumming against my neck.
They want to kill Danny?
Teary-eyed, I tremble, my lips quivering for a response.
My heart begins to race harder and I flinch when Kane calls out for me, snapping me out of the spiral violently.
Teardrops streak down faster onto my cheeks, falling on my scrubs, and I can’t blink. I can’t move...all I can do is breathe.
