The selfishness of her actions finally settled around her. She’d known she couldn’t ask Gage to be someone he wasn’t, but he’d offered to give up his career anyway. How hard had that been for him? How much had he been willing to give up to keep her? He wanted her beyond his instincts. He loved her beyond his reservations about the power of love.
And what he’d given her in return was immeasurably special as well. He’d given her confidence. In herself, in her abilities as a lover and a person. This weekend with Gage had helped her tap into a deep well of strength she hadn’t known existed. One she might never have found without him. Without living as he did. Without allowing herself to explore the depths of their love and passion.
“You’re pretty terrific,” she said to her father.
He hugged her tight against his side. “You have your moments, too, sweetie.” He dropped to the ground, then assisted her down.
Her mother would have approved of Gage, she realized with sudden clarity. And if she could convince him she wasn’t a selfish idiot and she’d love him forever, no matter what he did for a living, she just might live happily ever after. “I wouldn’t cancel that tux fitting just yet.”
He slid his arm around her waist as they walked back toward the emergency-room entrance. “That’s my girl.”
As they approached the door, a squad car squealed to a stop in the driveway. Her brother, Ryan, leaped from the driver’s side, and her sister, Nicole, from the passenger’s seat, then Steele and Toni darted out of the back seat. Before she’d managed to fully acknowledge their presence, they’d surrounded her. “What’s going on? Is Gage okay? Why were you in a mobster’s warehouse? Are you okay? Why are you wearing that outfit?”
The questions whirled around her until her head spun.
“Move that car, son,” her father interjected. “This is the ambulance bay.”
“Yes, sir,” her brother said before rushing over to the car.
Nicole grabbed her shoulders, staring into her eyes. “You’re wearing green contacts. Why are you wearing green contacts?”
Roxanne worked up a smile. “It’s a long story, Nic.”
Toni clutched her hand. To Roxanne’s utter shock, tears were swimming in her friend’s eyes. “I got him shot, didn’t I? This is all my fault. You told me to go home. I just—”
“No. It’s not your fault.” She slid one arm around her friend and one around her sister. “We should know something soon.”
“But what about you?” her sister insisted. “What’s going on, Rox?”
“Not now.”
Saying nothing, Nicole’s gaze searched Roxanne’s. Normally she couldn’t have quieted her commanding sister with a firing squad if she was determined to uncover something, and with her and Toni double-teaming her, she’d never escape. But the effects of the surreal weekend she’d just lived through must have been obvious. So instead they both simply enfolded her in a hug, the shoulder holster beneath Nicole’s jacket pressing against Roxanne’s side. “Is Gage going to be okay?”
She sniffled, a strand of her sister’s long blond hair escaping the bun she always wore tickling her nose. “I think so.”
Nicole slid her arm around her shoulders as Ryan and Steele walked up. Nicole simply shook her head at the questions in her brother’s eyes.
“You guys go ahead. I need a moment with Steele.”
The mention of the large cowboy finally brought a smile to Toni’s face. “Mmm. Hunk city. Remind me to tell you what a great kisser he is.”
“You kissed Steele?”
Toni pursed her lips. “He said it was the only way he could shut me up.” She waggled her fingers. “We’ll see you inside.”
And Toni hadn’t slugged him? How had that happened?
Steele distracted her by leaning against the wall beside her. His ever-present black Stetson shadowed his face.
“Do you ever take that thing off?” she asked, frustrated that she couldn’t see his eyes, and therefore, understand just exactly how pissed he was at her.
“Rarely,” he responded shortly.
Wincing at his tone, she figured she might as well get straight to the point. “I’m sorry about earlier. Are you going to get in trouble with your boss?”
“I’m not gonna get a commendation.”
She’d been afraid of that. Maybe she could talk to Gage’s father for him. “Well, I—”
“You know, you and Antoinette suit each other.” He tipped back his hat and glared down at her. “Both a passel of trouble.”
Ah-ha. The man wasn’t just out of sorts at her. “Did you call her that?”
“It’s her name. ’Course I did.”
So how had they gone from Antoinette—which Toni hated—to a hot kiss? Interesting.
A bit more cheerful, she linked arms with Steele and guided him into the emergency room. “I’ll explain about Toni another time. Let’s see what we can find out about Gage.”
The presence of two highly respected detectives, one revered police captain and Toni—whose family money had built the cardiac wing—moved mountains. They received reports from the operating room and Gage’s prognosis every fifteen minutes over the next two hours. He was stable, the injury to his shoulder not life-threatening, but they were concerned about permanent damage to the nerves.
Roxanne couldn’t help but wonder what his prognosis would mean for his job. If the damage was permanent, would he have to retire? Was she getting what she wanted now that she’d finally realized how self-centered her wishes had been? Guilt and worry churned in her stomach.
Finally, a blue-scrub-clad doctor pushed through the door leading to the waiting room. “The family of Gage Dabon?” she asked.
Roxanne approached her. “I—”
“I’m his father.” A tall, black-haired man, silver streaking his temples and dressed in an expensive-looking blue suit, whom Roxanne hadn’t even seen in the waiting room until this moment, walked toward the doctor.
When his gaze slid to Roxanne, she nearly gasped at the resemblance to Gage. This is what Gage will look like in thirty years.
She supposed he had gotten his in-charge butt on a plane and come down.
He held out his hand to her. “Colin MacDonald.” He smiled—a smile just as enticing and confident as Gage’s. “I believe we spoke on the phone earlier.”
She shook his hand, wondering about the differences in their last names and working through the unexpected charm she found. She’d expected to resent him, or at the very least find him drab and uninteresting. Thankfully, her sister took over the introductions of everyone else, then they all turned to the doctor.
Roxanne held her sister’s and brother’s hands. And she held her breath.
Though her eyes were tired, the doctor smiled. “Mr. Dabon is fine and beginning to wake up. I expect him to make a full recovery.”
Roxanne embraced her family, Toni and Steele, then, what the hell, she hugged Gage’s father. He seemed surprised at first, holding himself stiff, then he squeezed her tight and whispered, “Thank you for taking care of him.”
She nodded and blinked back tears.
The doctor touched her arm. “Roxanne?” When Roxanne nodded, she said, “He’s asking for you.”
She started off, then looked back at Gage’s father. “Come on, Colin.”
He joined her, and they followed the doctor down the hall and to the elevator. “You’re due for a debriefing.”
She glanced at her watch. “You held back for three whole minutes, Colin. I’m proud of you.”
“I bet you frustrate the hell out of Gage sometimes.”
“I’m learning, sir.”
As the elevator came to a halt, the doctor glanced curiously over her shoulder at them.
“It’s been a long night, Doctor, and I don’t think I thanked you for saving my fiancé’s life.”
“You’re welcome.” The doctor held her hand across the elevator doors and let Roxanne and Colin proceed her into the hall. “He should be allowe
d to go home in a day or two.”
“How about the others? Do you know anything about them?” As much as she detested Stephano and the pain he had caused her and countless others throughout his miserable life, neither did she want his death on her conscience. And poor Clark Mettles. Somehow she sensed he’d taken a wrong turn early in his life and had no idea how to go the other way.
“I’m sorry, I don’t,” the doctor said.
“The two bodyguards were DOA,” Colin said. “Mettles is still in surgery, though he looks like he’ll make it. Stephano will live. Hopefully a long life in prison.”
The doctor didn’t ask how her patient’s father knew more about what was going on in the hospital than she did. No doubt she’d dealt with the police at times in the past and knew questions didn’t guarantee answers.
She turned the handle on a door halfway down the hall. “Talk to him. It will help him come out of the anesthesia.” She laid her hand briefly on Roxanne’s shoulder. “And let me know if I can do anything for you.”
Roxanne squeezed her hand. “Thank you.”
As the doctor left, Colin pushed the door, which swung open, and Roxanne gasped at the sight of Gage, pale and still against the sheets, with tubes twisting from his arms. “They’ll take the tubes out soon. Don’t let them upset you.” He urged her to the side of the bed.
Swallowing, she sank into the chair at his side. Her body trembled as she captured his hand in both of hers. “Gage?” His hand twitched, so she went on. “Your father and I are here. We’re so glad you’re going to be okay.” With her thumb, she stroked the back of his hand and continued talking to him quietly, soothingly.
“Open your eyes, Gage,” his father said suddenly, his voice loud and commanding.
To her surprise and irritation, Gage’s eyes fluttered, then opened fully. His gaze met hers, then his eyes widened as he saw his father. He opened his mouth, but no sound emerged.
“Don’t try to talk,” she said, rising to brush a lock of hair off his forehead.
He didn’t need to say anything. The look in his eyes spoke volumes.
Relief. Happiness. Love.
She could hardly believe she’d even considered rejecting those gifts.
His eyes closed again.
“Gage?” She glanced at Colin. “Isn’t he supposed to stay awake?”
“It may take a while.” He sat in the chair next to her, drawing her back down, sliding his arm across her shoulders. “Why don’t you rest? I’ll wake you when he does.”
“Okay.” As long as Gage knew she was with him she supposed she could rest a minute.
But as she leaned against Colin, a nurse walked into the room. “Ms. Lewis?” She extended a plastic bag to Roxanne. “These are Mr. Dabon’s personal items.”
Roxanne laid the bag in her lap. “Thank you.”
“I also found this in his pocket,” she said, placing a diamond and emerald ring in her palm. “I was afraid it might get lost if I didn’t hand it to you personally.”
Tears of happiness crowding her throat, Roxanne closed her fist around her engagement ring.
The nurse left, and Roxanne’s gaze locked on Gage’s face. She leaned forward and kissed the back of his hand as she slid the ring on her finger, then leaned her head against Colin’s broad shoulder.
She closed her eyes with a smile on her face.
GAGE STRUGGLED with the window. He tapped on the pane with his fist. “It’s stuck,” he whispered.
At the bottom of the ladder, Steele pushed back his Stetson. “Why can’t you just go in the front door?” he whispered back angrily.
“I told you,” he said as he climbed down. “I want to surprise her.”
“MacDonald is going to fry my ass for busting you out of the hospital.”
“I’ll put in a good word for you. Now up you go. Just crack the window. I’ll open it the rest of the way.”
“I’m gonna get fired,” Steele grumbled, though he started up the ladder.
“Maybe, but you’ll get other offers.”
Gage watched his new friend work his way to Roxanne’s bedroom window, wondering how he was going to slither his way through without using his injured shoulder—or alarming her brother, who he understood was sleeping on the couch downstairs. His father and others were still rounding up Stephano’s men, and they felt Roxanne needed protection until they were sure everyone was accounted for.
Steele climbed back down, dropping to the grass beside Gage. “All set, Romeo,” he said, extending his arm in invitation. “I still don’t understand why this couldn’t wait until tomorrow.”
After all he and Roxanne had been through in the last two days, Gage had no intention of waiting another moment for their future to begin. According to his father and hers, Roxanne had left the hospital wearing a ring on the third finger of her left hand. If that wasn’t a positive sign, his years of detective work had been a complete disaster. He had no idea what had changed in the last several hours, but he intended to find out as soon as possible.
He looked up the long length of the ladder, to the darkened bedroom and thought of the woman who lay beyond. “You will someday.”
Holding on with one hand and shifting his sling for better balance, he started up. At the top, he used his good hand to slide the window up farther, and deciding to go headfirst, he leaned forward, so his stomach lay across the sill.
“Hold it right there, buddy.”
Gage jerked his head up. Wearing a long NOPD T-shirt, Roxanne stood a few feet from him, a pistol pointed at his head.
Okay, maybe she’d taken the ring, intending to hock it.
“Gage, what are you doing here?” she asked, rushing toward him.
“What are you doing here? I thought you’d be at the hospital when I woke up.”
With her help, he managed to slide the rest of the way into the room. “Your father told me you’d sleep through the night. I argued that I still wanted to stay, but he insisted I come home and get some rest. Have you ever won an argument with that man?”
He thought about their discussion on his and Roxanne’s engagement. “Just once.”
She glared at him. “I thought you were one of Stephano’s goons. And how in the world did you get out of the hospital? The doctor said you’d be there another few days.”
“Steele rescued me.”
She stuck her head out the window. “Good grief.” She waved at the man below. “Move that ladder before somebody sees it and calls the cops,” she called down.
Smiling broadly, Steele saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”
She closed the window and turned back, setting the gun on her nightstand.
“That’s my gun,” he said in wonder, thinking mere days ago he’d never have imagined a gun in her hand, much less her being prepared to use it on an intruder.
“Your father gave it to me as he shoved me out of the hospital.” She crossed her arms over her chest, and the ring on her finger glinted in the moonlight.
She’s still wearing it. This plan is going to work.
“My brother is downstairs, you know,” she went on. “You’re lucky you didn’t get shot.”
He stroked her cheek, so glad to be this close to her, to smell her and feel her, he didn’t much care if she was angry with him. “Again.”
“You look pale.”
“I feel fine.”
She suddenly threw her arms around his neck, careful not to bump the sling holding his arm. “You scared me to death.”
He laughed. “Me? You’re the one who charged from behind those crates, guns blazing, holding off Stephano and his henchmen.” He kissed her temple. “Let’s avoid working together in the future.” Yikes. Bad word. They did have a future, didn’t they? He didn’t want to acknowledge how nervous he was about asking that question.
She leaned back. “You’ve got a deal. It had its moments, but I’ll stick to accounting, thank you. You can handle saving the world from now on.”
He drew a deep breath. “I can?
”
“With my full support and undying love and devotion.” She kissed his lips softly. “I never should have asked you to choose, Gage. I bless the day I met you. You make my life special, and I don’t want you to change anything.”
He looked into her eyes, the love and resolve for him. Only for him. “I would do anything for you. Whether I was a financier, a farmer, or a cop, I wouldn’t let you go. But thank you for accepting me. I understand how hard it was for you.”
She smiled. “My dad helped.”
“Mmm. Remarkable guy. He was very supportive when I quit my job earlier. He offered me a detective badge at NOPD.”
She gripped his neck. “When you—”
“Well, technically, I guess I retired. My boss was there, so it seemed fitting, and since my father blew my cover by showing up and announcing who he was, it would have taken some delicate maneuvering to straighten everything out later. He even admitted he was a bit relieved to have me out of the undercover business. He didn’t really care for the unsettling trip to the emergency room.”
“Is that what he said?”
“Practically word for word. Dear ol’ dad is such a sentimentalist.”
“He can be kind of charming.”
“Charming?”
“He has quite an effect on a woman.”
He lifted his eyebrows. “He does, huh?”
She kissed him. “Now I know where you get it.”
If he wasn’t mistaken, he thought his future wife had just admitted a spark of attraction to his father. He’d have to think about that. But later. “Let’s—”
“Why do you two have different last names, anyway?”
Since the last name of someone else was on his mind, that was as perfect a lead-in to his question as any. “I changed mine to one of my mother’s old family names when I entered the department. His position is fairly visible, and we didn’t want anyone outside the Secret Service to know we were related.”
While she processed that, he reached behind his head, taking hold of her left hand with his, then crouching in front of her. The engagement ring he’d slid on her finger so many months ago was back, and he had to swallow a lump of emotional gratitude before he could speak. He looked up at her, thinking how lovely and delicate she looked in the pale glow of dawn. “How do you feel about my last name? Sharing it, I mean?”
Private Lies Page 17
