HIS Choice (H.I.S. #2)

by Sheila Kell

  “What was that?”

  “Nothing. Do you promise you’re safe?”

  “Yes. I promise.” She couldn’t imagine being any safer than with the Hamiltons. Kate explained the team had returned and their priority was to watch AJ’s back. It had been a shame they hadn’t been there a few hours ago. They’d recently landed when they’d received the call to head to the hospital.

  “I still think you should come in and go to the FBI.”

  Megan released an exasperated sigh. How many times did she have to repeat this? “Kristen, I trust him. I’ll survive with him. I can’t say the same thing with a law enforcement agency.”

  “I would like to see for myself that you’re okay. Would you come see me, or may I visit you?”

  Megan hadn’t wanted her friends to worry about her so much. At this point she wasn’t sure if speaking with her boss was a good thing or a bad one. “You know that I can’t, Kristen.”

  “Okay. I’ll trust you. Now, tell me what you’re writing next? Have you figured out who the Magician is yet?”

  She hoped the task team’s plan worked. She’d had enough of all of this. “I have a few things coming up that you’ll really like.”

  “Care to share?”

  “Not yet. I’ll let you know when they happen.”

  “Megan, that’s not how we work. I’m your editor. I get to know what you’re writing, and actually, I assign it. I gave you this project because you would’ve done it on your own anyway. It’s gone too far. It’s time you stopped and let the police finish this. I want you safe.”

  “Kristen, I know that I’m asking a lot from you. Letting me do this from afar. Letting me do the daily articles that I want. And I appreciate it. You have to trust me these articles will be worth it. We think they’ll bring the Magician out of hiding.”

  “Dr. Robertson to room 328. Dr. Robertson to room 328,” came over the loud speaker.

  “We’ll do this for a bit longer. You’re to stay safe. Think about leaving him and going with the FBI.”

  “Thank you, Kristen.”

  “Will I see something from you today?” her boss asked.

  She hadn’t thought about an article two straight days. Very unlike her. “No. I won’t have anything for you.” She’d be at the hospital with AJ. He was her priority.

  Wow. She never thought she’d put a man before her writing. Kate said he was worth fighting for, and she’d have to fight.

  * * * * *

  AJ’s surgery had progressed well, and they expected him in the room in less than half an hour. Nurse Laura arrived and began issuing orders to the floor nurses. Megan convinced Brad and Matt to allow her to walk, with them in tow, to the cafeteria for coffee. They made no comments or gave her any looks of pity about her red, puffy eyes.

  She stepped off the elevator and saw Marcus. His black, probably Armani, business suit fitted him perfectly. She used to find him sexy dressed like this. Now, she felt nothing.

  His disheveled look surprised her. Dark circles under his eyes, untamed hair and an almost week old beard were completely opposite to the man she knew. In his sick way, he still loved her and had a hard time with this. But it was only because he wasn’t the one taking care of her.

  He spotted her and rushed over.

  Before he could reach her, the twins blocked her from his view.

  Matt stepped forward. “Look buddy. Back away.”

  “That’s my fiancée. I want to see her,” Marcus demanded. Although well-built, Marcus had nothing on the twins’ large, muscled, well-toned bodies.

  Brad turned to her and raised an eyebrow in question.

  She almost asked him to deck Marcus. From behind the human wall, she said, “Marcus, I’m not your fiancée any longer.”

  “Megan. I’m just glad you’re safe. May I see you?”

  She stepped from behind Brad as best as he’d allow. “Here I am. How did you know I was here?”

  He motioned down the hall. “Becca is on the nurse’s desk. She saw you and was worried something was wrong, since two men were guarding your room. She wasn’t aware that we’d broken up when she’d called me.”

  She’d hoped Becca hadn’t seen her when she’d slipped in the hospital room. The last time she’d seen the nurse had been at her and Marcus’s engagement party.

  She moved her arms across her chest. “There’s no reason for you to be here.”

  He reached his hand toward her, and she was pulled back. Brad and Matt closed in around her again.

  “I’m here to take you away.”

  “As you can see, I have enough protection.”

  “Who are they? May we talk without them?”

  “They’re here to protect me. Marcus, I don’t want to speak with you any longer. Leave,” she said forcefully.

  “Baby, please come with me. I can’t take this. Look what it’s doing to me.”

  Matt spoke up, “She said for you to leave. You should listen to her.”

  “This isn’t over. I love you and want to be the one to keep you safe.”

  He turned and walked away.

  Brad turned to her. “You almost married that weasel?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. I obviously wasn’t in my right mind.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  “AJ’s fine and on his way to the room,” one of the men guarding the room notified them when they returned from the cafeteria.

  Megan almost collapsed to the floor with the weight of fear that had been lifted from her body. He would be all right.

  After he’d been wheeled into the room, everyone except the nurse left them alone. She reached down and held his hand. “How are you doing?” Tears pushed over the rim of her eyelids and slid down her face, landing on his hospital gown.

  “Don’t cry, my little dove. I’m fine. I’m actually pretty good with the drugs they’ve put into my system,” he answered groggily, his eyelids heavy.

  “I was so worried.”

  “It’s over now.” He yawned. “Have my brothers stayed with you?”

  He’d been shot, had surgery and he still worried about her safety. That meant he more than cared for her. Maybe he was coming to love her. She could hope. Kate said he had feelings for her, but Hamilton men were stubborn about seeing the truth.

  She nodded, swiping at tears with the back of her free hand. “They’ve been with me.”

  “I’m glad. They’ll be with us while I remain here which won’t be long.”

  His eyelids closed, dropping him into a drug-induced sleep.

  She dozed in the chair next to his bed, but jerked awake at a knock on the door. A low groan came from AJ and then the whirl of the bed being lifted into a sitting position.

  Expecting someone from the family to enter, she stood and stepped back to provide them with more space. Instead a tall, somewhat handsome man with short, brown hair walked into the room.

  He wore a brown bomber jacket, familiar side holster and an FBI badge prominently displayed on his belt.

  “Arthur told me so I came to check on you,” he said then looked at Megan.

  “Megan, this is my partner, FBI Special Agent Todd Powers.”

  The man extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Rogers.” He turned to AJ and crossed his arms across his chest. “Are you finally done?”

  “Not a chance. This is nothing.” He gestured to his leg.

  “You do realize you are wanted by the FBI don’t you?”

  Megan’s eyes widened. How could he be wanted by the FBI? She thought he was FBI? He’d even just introduced the man as his partner.

  AJ narrowed his eyes. “Are you here to take me in?”

  “Of course not. Arthur is keeping your location under wraps. We want Ms. Rogers.” He gave her a quick once-over and smiled brightly at her.

 
; She slipped closer to AJ’s side. He reached out a hand, snagged hers and pulled her beside his bed but not before she heard a growl. “She stays with me.”

  Todd’s eyes bounced between them. “You know that I shouldn’t do it, but for you, I’ll ignore seeing her today. I know your brothers have set this up for you, but I’ll help however I can.”

  “Thanks, Todd. I will finish this by myself. The fucker tried to have me killed. Besides, I’m still undercover and as you reminded me, wanted. I can’t have an FBI agent hanging out with me.”

  His face fell. “Let me at least take Ms. Rogers into protective custody. The Deputy Director can only cover for you for so long.”

  AJ’s hold on her hand tightened. She glanced down in time to see a shot of anger briefly flashed across his face.

  “She stays with the Hamiltons,” AJ ground out, jaw clenched.

  A sly smile grew on the agent’s face. “So, that’s how it is.”

  He nodded. “That’s how it is.”

  She had no idea what they were talking about, but it put a huge smile on his partner’s face.

  “I won’t stay. You need your rest. Call me if you need anything,” he said with a note of amusement in his voice. He turned to her. “That goes for you too, Ms. Rogers. Remember, we’ll put you in protective custody when you’re ready.”

  Megan smiled. “I’m staying with AJ. Thank you, Special Agent Powers.”

  “Todd, please.”

  “Only if you call me Megan.”

  They closed out the conversation and he left.

  Megan turned to AJ. “I like him.” She reached for his hand.

  “He’s a good man.”

  “AJ. You were shot. Is it still safe for us out there?” If they found them once, they would find them again, but this time AJ might die protecting her. Her heart squeezed just thinking about it.

  He laced their fingers together. “Don’t worry. We’ll be okay. My family is here.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “So what’s this about you being wanted by the FBI?”

  * * * * *

  “Don’t worry about it. Just a misunderstanding. Who’s outside the door?” AJ sat up in the bed, tossing his legs off the side, swaying. The nurse rushed over.

  “Matt and Brad are now. I don’t know what happened to the two men there before.”

  “Would you ask Matt to come in?” He stood and collapsed back on the bed, biting back a shout of pain. He couldn’t let her know how much pain racked his leg, or she’d fight to stay. They couldn’t.

  Megan did as he asked but kept glancing back at him.

  “We need to bug out. No one is to know. I mean no one,” he told his brother as he entered the room.

  “We’re already on it. It’s been damn Grand Central Station here.” Matt tossed clothing on the bed. Then he spun on his heel and left the room.

  Nurse Laura began disconnecting AJ from his IV and machines.

  “What’s going on? You can’t leave. You’re still recovering.” Megan’s voice rose in a frantic manner.

  He sighed. “Megan, someone knows we’re here. It won’t take long for others to know. We can’t stay.”

  “But it was just your partner. He’s one of the good guys.”

  “But he may tell someone else, who may tell someone else. Or someone could have followed him in hopes he’d lead them to us. Do you see what I mean?”

  A horrified looked appeared on her face. “Oh God. But is it safe for you to leave?”

  “It has to be.”

  He handed her clothing. “Change into this. Did you call anyone while we were here?”

  “No. Kristen called me,” she answered. “Oh, Marcus came here to see me.”

  His gaze snapped to hers. “What?”

  She told him about their visit.

  He couldn’t help it, he saw red. Flat out jealousy. She had loved Marcus enough to agree to marry him. Did she still have feelings for him? She’d stayed with AJ, but was that only so she could catch the Magician? He shouldn’t care, but he couldn’t help himself.

  Once Megan had dressed, Matt and Brad rolled a gurney into the room while one of the men escorted the nurse out.

  Megan looked at their emergency medical technician attire and then down at herself. He barely stifled his laughter. She’d been so worried she hadn’t noticed what she now wore.

  He took a deep, fortified breath, stood and limped the few steps to the gurney. Swiping the beads of sweat from his forehead, he covered himself with the sheet.

  “You’re leaving on the gurney? Where will I be?”

  “Right beside me, my little dove.” He flashed a sexy smile and gave her a wink in hopes to calm her. “Just put your hair in the hat and pull it down low over your face.”

  Once on the first floor, they exited through the emergency entrance. His brothers loaded him into the back of an ambulance and then helped Megan climb in. Matt and Brad walked to the front of the vehicle, and they left the hospital.

  “Why did we leave like this?” she questioned.

  “They would’ve been waiting for us to leave by the front or a side door. It was best not to chance it.”

  “Where are we going?”

  He chuckled and pulled himself into a sitting position.

  “Are we going back to our room?”

  “No. They’ll drop me near a new place, and you are going with them.” He needed her safe, even if it wasn’t with him. He had to do what was best for her.

  She shot him a scathing look that singed his skin. “I may be a bit scared, but you are not pawning me off on your brothers. I’m going with you, AJ Hamilton. We have something to finish, together.”

  He expelled a heavy sigh. He knew she’d argue. “Megan, you are safest with them. I’ve told you that I can do this alone and now it’s time that I do.” There had been too many close calls. His putting her into those dangerous situations for his own selfishness, dumped the weight back on his heart.

  “Well you’ve got another thing coming. I’m not leaving you.” She crossed her arms across her chest.

  He dragged a hand through his hair and then cupped the back of his neck. He knew he wouldn’t win this argument. “Okay, they’ll drop us. It’s okay, my little dove. We’ll be safe.” He leaned forward and gave her a light kiss.

  He hoped he was right.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  This was the first morning AJ hadn’t met Megan with a newspaper and a cup of coffee. Instead, his arms were wrapped around her waist, her body curled next to his. He looked down at her. She was lovely even with the messed up hair.

  They had not made love the night before. He’d collapsed in the bed the moment they’d entered the room, sleeping the remainder of the day and through the night, remembering waking groggily for short spurts to tell her that she needed to go with his brothers, because he couldn’t protect her enough himself. Jesse, who had stayed in the room during the evening as what he called extra protection, laughed at him. Damn brother.

  AJ had woken to his brothers coming and going, and to the smell of coffee brewing. Megan’s face had lit up when she’d seen there was a separate bedroom with a door, providing the two of them a bit of privacy.

  “Good morning, my little dove.” He smiled down at her sleepy eyes.

  “Good morning. How do you feel?”

  “Like I’ve been shot.”

  “That’s not funny.”

  “Well, it’s true.” He tightened his hold on her and kissed her forehead. He didn’t want to let her go from his life, but he couldn’t stay with her. He had to fix things with Jake and Emily. He wouldn’t be whole again until he found his foster brother and reunited the two of them. He had to repair the damage he’d done to his sister’s life, before he could live a full life. Megan didn’t deserve a broken man. And he’d remain broken
until he resolved this.

  He’d kicked Jake out of their home, threatened him if he returned, not realizing Emily loved their foster brother. He’d found out later that she was pregnant with Jake’s baby, turning his world upside down. He couldn’t locate Jake. He had to return the man to Emily. It was past time Amber knew her father.

  “What’s our plan for today?” She reached up and brushed her lips against his.

  “We’re going to lay low today and allow me to heal. We’ll meet with my brothers, and then we’ll begin to piss off a crime boss.”

  * * * * *

  “Where are we going?” Megan asked.

  AJ chuckled. “To H.I.S. headquarters.”

  “Where is it?”

  “Between Baltimore and Silver Spring,” Brad, their current bodyguard and driver answered.

  She leaned on AJ’s shoulder in the backseat. He wrapped his arms around her.

  She’d held back telling him she loved him. Kate had said he cared for her but listening to his brothers’ joke with him, it became blatantly apparent that he was a ladies’ man, not a man to settle down with one woman. The elation in her heart evaporated. Would her love be enough for AJ to become a one woman man?

  How could she break down the barrier Kate told her he had? Heck, he’d been shot putting himself between her and a bullet. Plus, he’d allowed her to stay with him. That had to mean something. Didn’t it?

  Marcus never would’ve protected her in that manner. Actually, he wouldn’t have allowed her to continue her pursuit of the Magician. And in allowed, he’d more than likely have had someone follow her and report back to him, so he could physically remove her from where the story took her. He’d have expected her to put aside her need for revenge. He didn’t understand. Probably never had understood her. Even if it hadn’t been about her brother, she’d have still wanted to help Kevin and the police remove Magic Shop from the streets.

  But AJ wasn’t Marcus. He understood not only her need for revenge but her need to finish this story. To find the answers the public wanted. To do her job. A job she admitted she should’ve stopped before things became dangerous and she’d been shot at. But that burning desire to see this through trumped anything else.