Page 62 of Covert Affairs

Vivi smiled. “Not necessary, but thank you.”

“Here are your discharge papers. I’m surprised he got you in that chair.”

Ian grinned. “I have my ways.”

Vivi smacked him with the folded papers.

The woman winked and lowered her voice. “Your sexy bodyguard wouldn’t let me touch that wheelchair even if I wanted to. He’s a keeper. Take your meds and get some rest. Let him save the world next time.”

Ian chuckled. “There is one thing you could do for us,” he said.

“What’s that, Sugar?”

As if Vivi caught his train of thought, she nodded. “I want to say goodbye to my mentor. He’s still in guarded condition but is awake. The ICU nurse, however, has forbid me from coming within a hundred yards of his room.”

A wave of her hand. “Oh, Sheila gets real protective of her patients. I’ll call down there and see what I can do.”

Sure enough, when they arrived at the intensive care unit, Sheila was on the phone with her back to the patient hallway. Ian practically sprinted past the desk, leaning low over Vivi and making her giggle as he raced them to Lippenstein’s room.

Inside, the curtains were drawn, the space dark. A monitor beeped in a steady rhythm next to the bed.

“Thank God,” the man said. “They’re going to kill me in here.”

Ian shut the door behind them before starting to wheel Vivi closer. She held up a hand to stop him, then shoved herself to her feet and walked to her mentor’s bedside. “They’re taking excellent care of you and you better not give them any grief.” She took his hand as Ian turned on a light. “I need you. Promise me you’ll do as the doctor says and take care of yourself.”

“That’s right.” Lippenstein scratched at the covers over his belly. Ian suspected he was bandaged up good after his surgery to remove the bullet and repair his abdomen. “We have a session to finish, don’t we?”

Vivi smiled but Ian caught the way she paled at the idea of undergoing hypnosis again. He couldn’t blame her. “I’m holding you to it,” she said, leaning over and kissing the man’s forehead.

“Your dad would be proud,” Lippenstein said.

Vivi blinked and swallowed but Ian saw the tears in her eyes. “Thank you for being there for him. For me, too.”

He patted her hand, sighing. “Get out of here before Nurse Ratched comes in.”

“That’s exactly what I called her when she chased me off yesterday.”

They shared a knowing smile, two colleagues, friends.

After saying their goodbyes, Ian pushed her to the exit. A black SUV idled at the curb, heavy metal music thumping through the tinted windows. “Looks like our ride is here.”

Vivi once again thrust herself from the seat, as if she didn’t want Beatrice or whoever was inside to see any weakness. “Let me do the talking, okay?”

Not really, but he wasn’t going to argue. Not today.

Mick Ranger was in the driver’s seat, tapping his thumb to the beat. As Ian helped Vivi into the backseat, he turned down the song and eyed them in the rearview behind his dark sunglasses. “Hey, Doc.”

“Hi.” She offered an appraising glance as Ian climbed in beside her. An orderly rushed out to retrieve the wheelchair. “You’re the man who helped me escape prison.”

“That’s me.” He wheeled them away. “Don’t make me regret it.”

There was no else inside the vehicle. Ian relaxed. He would take Beatrice’s wrath like a good soldier and do whatever was necessary to make his wife happy. If she wanted to stay at SFI for a while, he’d stay. If she wanted to leave, they would leave.

“I hear you’re a pretty good shrink,” Ranger said as he stopped at a red light.

“Don’t ever call me that,” she replied, flashing a dangerous smile.

The man’s return grin acknowledged her wish. “Got any openings Friday? That’s my first free day.”

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