“You don’t remember getting hit?”
“No. I vaguely remember her waving at me.”
“She yelled at you to turn around and you were able to get an arm up to deflect most of the blow from your head. You didn’t get a look at the person?”
“No. Did Hillary? Do you know who did this?”
“I was about to ask you the same question. Hillary didn’t get a look at his face. He wore a mask.” He punched buttons on his iPhone and Reed tamped down his annoyance at hearing the detective use Hillary’s first name like they were friends. A thought struck. Were they friends? More? He wasn’t a good judge of a man’s hotness, but he’d noticed many of the women eyeing the tall cop suggestively when they filed out of his room.
“Here it is. She estimated a six-foot male, approximately two hundred ten pounds. He wore a mask and hoodie.” He glanced up from his screen. “Any enemies who’d want to hurt you?”
“I just arrived in town a few hours ago. I haven’t had time to make any. Maybe a disgruntled Cubs fan?” It’d been his grand slam in the bottom of the ninth in Game Seven of the World Series three years back that clinched his team’s victory over the Cubbies. He’d been bombarded with death threats and hate mail for months.
“Sarcasm. Nice,” Polizzi chuckled. “What about the owner of the house?”
“Former teammate. Josh Hannigan. He purchased the house sight unseen. Pretty sure he doesn’t want me dead, especially before we finish the renovation.”
The detective pocketed his phone with a chuckle. “We don’t have a huge homeless population, but it could’ve been a squatter. Someone passing through the area. I checked the house and I didn’t see anything that made me think anyone was currently living there, but that might be that the person travels lightly. I’m headed back over to walk through again. I’ll keep you posted on what I find.” He removed his wallet from his back pocket and tugged out a card. “If you remember anything or you have another encounter with this guy, give me a call.” He placed his card on the table beside the bed.
“I will. Thanks.” The detective started to leave but stopped and turned when Reed called his name. “Have you seen Hillary?”
Polizzi shook his head. “Not since I left the house, but she said she needed to take care of a few things first.”
“Do you know her last name?”
“Billings.”
“Thanks.” Reed closed his eyes, wondering if she would show. The more time that passed, the less chance of that happening. He wondered if he’d ever see her again.
Feminine laughter had him swiftly alert but it was another group of women filing in to check on him. One carried a fresh pitcher of water, another a vase of flowers. He tried to smile, but his heart wasn’t in to it.
Chapter Six
After the ambulance pulled away, Hillary crossed the short distance to her cottage and fished the keys from her pack. How hard could it be to just walk into a hospital? People did it all the time. Every day. No big deal.
After a quick shower, she changed into a pair of jeans and a COBRA Securities hoodie. She folded up the detective’s shirt to return to him. She should probably wash it first, but she’d only had it on for a few minutes. She checked the clip on her weapon and slid it in her purse. She’d sufficiently stalled until there was nothing left to do but get inside her SUV and drive to the Emergency Room.
After making sure Kota had plenty of food and water, she hugged him and told him she’d be back soon. She made sure to set the alarm after locking the door. Crime wasn’t prevalent on the island, but after what happened earlier, she wasn’t taking chances. Too close to home.
The drive to the hospital was short…too short. After parking in the Emergency lot, she grabbed her bag and stepped outside. It was late but there were a few cars scattered around as she crossed to the automatic doors. It took several deep breaths before she could force her legs to transport her inside.
The smells hit her first and her stomach rolled at the antiseptic scent overlaid with industrial floor cleaner and a hint of lemon. All hospitals smelled the same and it almost made her dash to the bathroom to throw up. But she was tough. She was strong. She could do this. Stiffing her spine, she marched to the nurses’ station with fake bravado. Two women were hunched over a screen looking at something and didn’t notice her approach.
“He’s hotter in person than on television,” one gushed.
“Don’t tell, but I snapped a picture of his abs. Look. Eight pack. Almost ten.”
“Damn, he is fine. But you could get in trouble if—”
“Excuse me.”
Both nurses gasped and spun around, the one with the phone fumbled it in the air before grabbing it and shoving it in the pocket of her stork-covered scrubs. Hillary didn’t care who they were talking about or what they were doing, she just concentrated on not hyperventilating.
One of the nurses glanced at the other and then stepped forward. “Can I help you?”
“Yes, I’m here to see…” She stopped abruptly. Crap. She didn’t know the man’s name. After asking for hers, he’d passed out before she could return the query. The paramedics had checked his wallet to make sure he didn’t have any medical information cards but she didn’t think to ask his name.
“Who?” the nurse prompted.
“Uh…”
“Ms. Billings?”
She spun around to see Detective Polizzi moving her way. She thanked the nurses and headed for the cop. “Hello, Detective. Please, call me Hillary.”
“And I’m Kellan.” His eyes lit up and a smile split his face. She groaned, knowing what was coming next. “I just realized your name—”
“Don’t say it,” she warned. She’d been called Hillbilly from the first day of kindergarten. It followed her to the military, and then to COBRA Securities. You’d think she’d be used to it by now but it still rankled. Apparently, everyone figured out that by shortening her first and last name and adding a “y”, it was funny. Even her coworkers called her Hillbilly, but it wasn’t said mockingly or cruelly. They used it as a term of affection so she let them get away with it.
Kellan cleared his throat. “Got it. Anyway, he’s awake and asking for you. I’ll take you to him.” He guided her down a hallway, stopping where several people gathered outside a room, blocking their path. Upon closer inspection, it was all women. She jerked her gaze to Kellan. “Is that his room?”
The detective chuckled. “Yep.”
She thought she heard Polizzi mutter lucky bastard under his breath. “What’s with the circus?”
When he didn’t answer, she turned to look at him. His brows were raised. “You didn’t recognize him?”
“Should I?”
“Only if you’re a baseball fan or watch HGTV.”
“Both,” she murmured, racking her brain, but all she could see were aqua-colored eyes glazed with pain.
“Reed Steele.”
Hillary gasped and grabbed the detective’s arm. “Are you kidding me? Abs of Steele?”
Kellan chuckled again. “One in the same.”
“I didn’t realize…” But she should have. The charity calendar he’d posed for a few years ago hung on her wall for an entire year. Instead of flipping to the next baseball player each month, she just tore the bottom page off and kept Reed’s photo on top. He’d posed wearing his uniform, sans shirt, a bat slung over his shoulder with his hands gripping it. The pose put those magnificent abdominal muscles on display. It also showcased his massive biceps. A mischievous smile tilted his lips and laughter danced in his eyes. He was sex on a stick, as Kayla would say every time she saw the picture. Hillary had the overwhelming urge to call her best friend right now. Abs of Steele. O.M.G.
The detective’s phone rang, jerking her from her musings. He excused himself to answer and she focused on the crowd. It hadn’t dissipated…if anything it had grown in numbers. She figured she’d be out of luck if she waited for them to leave and her goal was to spend as little time in the hosp
ital as possible, so Hillary shoved forward muttering “excuse me’s” and peeked into the room. The man she now knew as Reed Steele, former baseball super-star and current television heartthrob, was reclining in bed with a wide bandage wrapped around his head. His arm was propped on a pillow and encased in a fresh white cast. A sheet blanketed his chest, covering up those drool-worthy abs.
“Hillary.”
She jerked her gaze to his face to see those aqua eyes laser-focused on her. “You remember my name?”
“Of course.” He looked pale but his smile was dazzling, if a little loopy. Probably from the drugs the IV pumped into his system. He motioned her forward with his uninjured arm. The other occupants of the room, which she noted were also all women, fixed her with glares ranging from curious to suspicious.
“Thanks, ladies,” Reed said to the group. He wished them well and they got the message, quietly filing out until it was just the two of them. The door whispered closed in their wake. Hillary’s heartbeat kicked up from a trot into a full-on gallop.
“Thank you.”
“What for? You got rid of them yourself.” He chuckled and the sound danced across her skin.
“I meant earlier…at the house. If you hadn’t warned me and then scared the guy away, he definitely would’ve done more damage.”
She waved off his praise. She hadn’t done anything special. “Did you get a look at the person who hit you?”
He started to shake his head but winced at the movement. “No. Actually, I don’t remember anything after seeing you walking along the beach.”
“Then how did you know I warned you?”
“When I woke up and thought I’d died and gone to Heaven with a stunning angel leaning over me.”
She fought a shudder at his words. She had to keep telling herself the guy was a player. He dated supermodels and actresses. His relationship with legendary beauty Daniella was tabloid fodder for months. “Wow. Do those lines work for you?”
He smiled unabashedly. “Usually.”
She smiled back. No doubt they worked all the time. Heck, he didn’t need lines. Sex on a stick.
“Okay, so maybe Detective Polizzi filled in a few of the blanks,” he admitted. His grin turned serious. “I owe you, Hillary. You quite possibly saved my life.”
“You don’t owe me, but you’re welcome.”
“Polizzi told me your last name, too. I just realized—”
Hillary closed her eyes and groaned. “Don’t say it.”
One side of Reed’s lips kicked up in a sexy smile. “Hillbilly. I like it.”
“Well, I don’t. I’ve heard it from the time I started school. I almost changed my name.”
Reed’s smile dimmed, his brows lifting. “Really?”
“No,” she admitted. “I was named after my grandmother, so it would’ve hurt my family if I changed it, but there were times I seriously considered it.”
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I thought it was cute.”
“Actually, most of my coworkers call me that, so I’ve learned to accept it, and you didn’t upset me.” Time to change the subject. “How do you feel?”
“Like I got blindsided by a shovel,” he joked. “Cracked my radius. Knot on my head and the mother of all headaches. It could’ve been worse.” He knocked a fist against his skull. “Hard head.” He smiled and zing went her heart. Wow. This man was potent.
She wasn’t sure how long they stared at each other when a statuesque woman breezed inside the hospital room, leaving a trail of Chanel in her wake. “Oh my God, Reed! Darling, are you okay?” She threw her arms around him and Hillary winced when he did. That had to hurt. Then she felt like a fool for standing here, watching the woman who obviously cared a great deal for him, comforting him. Was this his wife? She fussed over him and brushed a strand of hair off his forehead lovingly. Hillary inched backward, planning on making her escape.
“Hillary.”
Her head jerked up. Damn. Thwarted.
“This is Connie Ellis. Connie, this is the woman who saved my life.”
Well, he told Connie who she was, but he neglected to mention his relationship to the exotic woman. Connie turned and Hillary actually gasped. He was married to Halle Berry!
Okay, maybe not the real Halle, but this woman was her doppelganger. Her brown hair fell in soft waves to her shoulders, long bangs swept along her forehead dramatically. Her brown eyes were sparkling, even without a stitch of makeup. Her smile was straight and white and dazzling. She was dressed in a beige linen outfit that was beachy and chic. She managed to look both casual and elegant, a look Hillary could rarely pull off, at least without Kayla’s help.
Before Hillary knew what happened, Connie threw her arms around her. She was engulfed by expensive perfume and pulled in for a bone-crunching hug. If she did this to Reed, no wonder he winced. Hillary was strong but this woman gripped like an anaconda.
“Thank you so much, Hillary.”
She awkwardly patted the woman’s back. “It was nothing.”
Connie released her—thank goodness—sniffed and dabbed her eyes with a tissue. “I don’t know what I would have done if anything happened to Reed.”
Oh, God, she was his wife. When she wiped a tear, light reflected off a huge rock on her left ring finger, almost blinding Hillary.
“Quit being so dramatic, Connie. I’m fine.”
Connie waved a dismissive hand at Reed and turned back to face her. “So, Hillary, how did you happen to be at the right place at the right time? Do you live around here?”
“Uh, no. I’m on vacation.”
“Where are you from?”
“Indiana. Bloomington, to be exact.”
Connie squealed and clapped a hand over her breast. “This is fate. I’m a Hoosier! I graduated from Indiana University.”
Hillary smiled. Connie was a bit of a drama queen, but you couldn’t help but like her, even if she was married to the most beautiful man Hillary had ever met. “I didn’t actually go to IU, but the company I work for is headquartered there, so I moved for work.”
Connie gave Hillary an assessing look. “What do you do for a living, Hillary?”
#
Reed groaned, and it wasn’t from pain this time. He recognized his producer in matchmaking mode. It wasn’t pretty. She was happily married and thought everyone should be as well. “Connie,” he warned, although…he’d like to know the answer to that question himself.
Hillary glanced at him before answering. “I work for a security firm.”
Although her back was to him, he could practically see Connie’s brows raise. This exquisite woman worked security? She looked like she should be walking a runway, modeling the latest in designer fashion. Even now in a dark blue hoodie and jeans, she looked amazing. “You’re a bodyguard?”
She shrugged. “If need be. I’m a security specialist, so I’m trained in all aspects of safety and protection.”
“I don’t mean this to sound rude,” Connie started, which usually meant she was about to sound rude, “but, how did you get involved with bodyguarding? That sounds so…dangerous.” Connie gripped her chin and looked her over. “You’re stunning. Even without a stitch of makeup on. You could work on television.”
Reed fell a little bit in love when color flooded Hillary’s cheeks. Even her ears glowed red. She truly didn’t know how lovely she was. How was that possible? Surely the men in Indiana weren’t stupid or blind. She had to have a boyfriend who lavished her with compliments. Or a husband. Reed frowned. Was she married? He glanced at her left hand, ridiculously pleased to find it naked. Still, it didn’t mean there wasn’t a significant other waiting for her somewhere.
“I was in the Army,” Hillary explained. “When I mustered…er, when my term was up, I was recruited to join the agency. Most of my coworkers are former military or come from law enforcement backgrounds.”
Oh, damn. Gorgeous and she fought for the country. He was falling in love.
; Connie patted her cheek in a motherly fashion. “Thank you for your service.”
Hillary nodded and if he wasn’t mistaken, choked up a bit.
Connie didn’t give her time to regroup. She glanced at him before focusing on Hillary again. “You work security. Does that mean you know how to use a gun?”
“Yes, I do.”
Heaven help him, that turned him on something fierce. Even aching and nauseous, everything about this woman revved his engines. Unfortunately, the drugs they pumped into him to ease the pain kicked in and his lids drooped. He didn’t want to fall asleep while Hillary was here. He didn’t know when he’d get to see her again…if he’d ever get to see her again.
“Hum. I know you said you were on vacation, but I’d like to hire your services.”
“Uh…”
Reed forced his eyes to open. He was down, but he wasn’t out, for goodness sake. “Connie, I don’t need a bodyguard. It was just a random act, probably from a squatter. The detective thought so.” Good grief, if he hadn’t been blindsided, he had no doubt he could’ve taken the guy. He worked out regularly and dammit, he could bench press three times Connie’s weight. If gravity wasn’t working against him and pulling his lids shut again, he’d show her.
“Mr. Steele?”
Reed jerked awake, the movement sending pain shooting through his head.
“Let me see those pretty eyes.” A nurse flashed a small penlight into his face and he slammed his lids shut. What was she, a sadist? She forced them back open with her fingers. Great. He’d be seeing spots for a while. Finally, thankfully, she snapped off the light. “Reactions are good,” she said as she jotted notes on his chart. “Do you need something to drink?”
“No.” Without moving his head, he frantically searched the room but he didn’t see Hillary or Connie anywhere. He’d just blinked out for a second, hadn’t he? He needed to tell the nurse to quit pumping drugs into him. He could manage the pain. He didn’t like being helpless. But first, “Where’s Hillary?” he asked the attendant.
Tough as Nails (COBRA Securities Book 10) Page 5
