Page 61 of Covert Affairs

His eyes were the last thing she saw before the shadows took over.

Twenty-Three

Four days later

The bullet had missedher heart by centimeters. Ian had nearly died himself when he’d seen her fall.

She’d spent several days in intensive care, him hovering over her, his own wounds treated and healing.

Spear was on a ventilator, not expected to live. During the fight, Vivi’s wire had caught his confession.

Ian had sat faithfully next to his wife’s bed, waiting for her to wake. He’d been ready to take out any threat that walked through the door of her room, be it Command & Control, Homeland, or the fucking President himself.

Although he’d defied Beatrice’s orders, he had yet to answer for it. While he was at the hospital, guarding Vivi, his boss had taken the recording and went to someone—he didn’t know who—and cleared Vivi’s name. The U.S. government had reinstated her as a living, breathing patriot.

His wife, a bloody hero.

Said hero was writing in her notebook as she defied doctor’s orders and prepared to go home—which, for now was SFI Headquarters. He had plans to change that very soon, but for the moment, they were safest there. They both needed to heal, to rest, to simply have time together.

She finished off the message she’d insisted he deliver and tore the paper from the rings. “Tell him I’m sorry I can’t stay until he’s released.”

Using a single hand, since his left arm was in a sling, Ian maneuvered the wheelchair next to the bed. “Tell him yourself.”

Frowning, she allowed him to help her off the mattress, but resisted sitting. “I’m perfectly capable of walking out of here on my own two feet.”

“Doctor’s orders,” he replied, “and if you don’t obey, I’ll be forced to sic Beatrice on you.”

Narrowing her eyes, but also teetering a bit because she wasn’t yet as strong as she claimed, she glared at him. “That’s low.”

He smiled. “If I have to force you to take care of yourself, I will use all the tools in my arsenal to do so.” When she stepped toward the door, unsteady on her feet, he wanted to shake her. Instead, he said, “Guess I have no choice but to carry you, then.”

She let out a whoop when he made to grab her, losing her wobbly balance. Deftly, even with only one good arm, he maneuvered the wheelchair under her before she toppled.

She laughed and the sound was a balm to his heart. “Damn, you’re good.”

“You suck as a patient, you know.”

“So I’ve been told. At least I don’t have a frown carved into my face like that witch of a nurse in intensive care. I swear, some people live to make others miserable and she’s one of them.”

They’d tried sneaking into Dr. Lippenstein’s room to check on him and been promptly dressed down by Nurse Ratched, as Vivi had labeled her.

He grabbed the bag Sabrina had brought to the hospital with a few of Vivi’s borrowed clothes and toiletries. “So use your psychobabble on her.”

She gave him a look that said she didn’t like the term. “Better than holding a gun to her head, I suppose.”

Touché. “My methods may differ from yours but are still effective in certain circumstances.”

“Agreed. Are you sure Beatrice okayed us returning to headquarters?”

Lawrence’s plan had unspooled and the man had been taken into custody by the German government. They were anxious to get Spear, too, but that was doubtful since the guy wasn’t expected to survive. Due to the international aspect of the crime, Homeland was in line to prosecute Lawrence as well.

Ian stopped at the door and propped it open, the action taking longer than it should have due to the sling. “I suspect she wants to make us pay for our insubordination, but yeah, she ordered me to bring you home.”

“She just wants me to continue my sessions with Sloane.”

“That, too.”

The floor of the hallway gleamed under the lights. Staff, visitors, and others raced back and forth between rooms. The head nurse came from behind the desk and stopped them, smiling at Vivi and putting a hand on Ian’s good arm. “I better not see either of you back any time soon, you hear? Want me to walk you to the exit?”

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