Page 44 of Hidden Shadows
He wanted to kick his own ass for losing sight of her. It had only been for a moment, while he’d been talking to the guard about her security, but that’s all it had taken. One second, she was talking to a small child nearby—the next she was gone.
The panic had been like a living, breathing beast inside him as he searched the crowd. The second he’d heard the scream followed by the ice breaking, he’d known it was her. He had no idea how it happened, but in that moment, it didn’t matter. All he’d cared about was getting her out of that water.
When she tried to pull the blanket up but her fingers trembled too violently to grab it, he cursed, pressing his foot harder to the gas.
“Are we going to the h-hotel?” she asked, barely getting the words out.
His teeth clenched together. “No. The hospital.”
She shook her head. “No. I d-don’t need that. I j-just need to get warm.”
“You need a damn hospital, Finley. You would have gone into shock the second you hit the water, and you’re too cold.”
She grabbed his arm, her fingers like ice. “P-please, Nixon! I h-hate hospitals.”
His jaw ground together. The resortwascloser. “Fine. But if you don’t improve quickly, I’m calling an ambulance.”
She nodded but remained silent, pulling her arm back under the blanket.
The second he pulled into the resort parking lot, he ran around the car and lifted her out, tugging her against his chest. He jogged inside the resort to the elevator, then stabbed the button three times. It took too damn long for the doors to open.
When he finally stepped inside, Finley nuzzled closer to his chest, digging her face into him, trying to find warmth.
His arms tightened.
His fault. This washisfucking fault. The words kept repeating in his head like a damn mantra. He was her protector. And today, he’d failed her—again.
When they finally reached his room, he moved straight to the bathroom to sit her on the edge of the bath. He rose and turned the shower on. He wanted to make it hot for her but knew the water needed to be lukewarm to avoid sending blood away from her heart, then he could gradually heat it up once she was warmer.
He turned back to her and went to his knees. “We need to get these wet clothes off you.”
She nodded, skin too pale. She tried to grab the hem of her top, but her fingers still trembled too violently for her to fully grab the material.
He forced his voice to lower and gentle. “Arms up for me, honey.”
For a moment, she met his gaze, teeth still chattering, lips still blue. Then, slowly, she lifted her arms. Nixon peeled the wet material of her sweatshirt and top from her skin, trying not to look at the lacy red bra that barely covered her breasts.
Next, his hands went to her jeans, where he made quick work of the button and zipper.
He met her gaze again. “Lift for me, honey?”
She moved her hands to the tub and pushed up a fraction so he could shift the material down her thighs. Once she was in just her bra and panties, he tugged off his own shirt.
Finley still shook, but now her lips parted, eyes on his chest.
He rose and unbuckled his jeans, then shoved them down so that all he wore were briefs. Then he lifted her into his arms, not missing the small gasp from her lips. She recovered quickly, legs hugging his waist and arms around his neck.
Fuck, she was ice cold.
“This is gonna feel hot,” he said gruffly.
She nodded, digging her head into his chest. There was a loud inhale from her as he stepped into the stream of water, her fingers digging into his skin.
He tightened his arms around her. “Are you okay?”
She nodded quickly but remained silent.
He positioned them so the water fell over her body. Every minute that passed had her trembles lessening and the panic in his chest receding. He was still mad as hell, mostly at himself, but if she recovered, he could grant himself just a bit of grace.
