Constant Craving (Task Force Hawaii #3)

by Melissa Schroeder

  “His head is bleeding,” she told the EMTs, who were tugging him back into the chair.

  “I see that,” the female EMT said. She inspected it, then pulled out a light. “Look at me, Agent Callahan.”

  He did as ordered.

  “It doesn’t look like you have a concussion, but I think we need to make sure.”

  “Is he going to be okay?”

  “Yes, but we need to get him to the hospital. Better safe than sorry.”

  “It’s a flesh wound,” TJ repeated again.

  “Which hospital?”

  “They said to transport him to Queen’s. Get the stretcher,” she said, ordering the other EMT to get it.

  “Well, that works out,” Adam said. “That’s where the Boss and Emma are.”

  She had completely forgotten that the first TFH baby was on the way. “Did she have it yet?”

  Marcus shook his head. “Not yet, and Del is a mess. He came out and gave us a few updates. White as a sheet. He apparently passed out once in the delivery room.”

  For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, she smiled. “Oh, my God.”

  Marcus laughed and nodded. “Elle had to replace him for a while. When we got the call, he was holding steady from all reports.”

  The gurney arrived, and they worked to get TJ loaded onto it. All the while, he complained that he could walk, but his words didn’t always make sense.

  “I’m riding along with him.”

  Both of the EMTs turned to look at her, and the male opened his mouth, apparently to tell her no. The female stopped him.

  “Okay, but don’t get in the way.”

  Within fifteen minutes, they were on their way to the hospital. They had administered an IV, and TJ had his eyes closed.

  “Hey, Charity.”

  His voice didn’t really sound like him. His words were a little slurred, as if he had been drinking. She looked at the EMT, who smiled. “We gave him a little something for the pain. So right now, he might be a little goofy. With no sign of concussion, I wanted to ease the headache that is probably about to hit him.”

  Charity nodded.

  “Charrrrrity.”

  She laughed, and he opened his eyes. Her chest loosened, as the rest of the fear dissolved. She had been in a panic from the moment Remington had appeared, but now she knew they were both safe and that the nightmare was over.

  “What?” she asked.

  He crooked his finger to urge her closer. She complied, thinking he would whisper. He didn’t. He shouted in her ear.

  “Don’t tell anyone my name is Thor.”

  The EMT looked at her with her eyebrows up and mouthed Thor. Charity nodded.

  He frowned and somehow made himself more attractive. “Promise.”

  “I promise,” she said, kissing his forehead.

  His expression brightened. “That’s what I love about you. You’re pretty and smart. And pretty.”

  “Thank you.”

  He had one eye closed, and he watched her with the other one. It was as if he was trying to figure out if she were real.

  “Woman.”

  “What?”

  “You know I love you, right?”

  Before she could answer him, he passed out. She stared at him for a long moment. “TJ?”

  He didn’t answer.

  “He’s probably out.”

  Charity looked at the EMT. “Is he okay?”

  The EMT moved closer and pulled up one of TJ’s eyelids to check his response to light. “Yes. The drugs probably helped him along, because he only lost a little blood. He was right. It was a flesh wound, but we need to clean it up, and he might need a stitch or two, also, we need to double check that head. The most pain he will probably have is from the headache, like I said.”

  She sighed in relief. “Thank you.”

  “His name is really Thor?”

  Charity nodded. “His parents are Marvel freaks.”

  And he loved her.

  That was enough for now.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Charity was relieved when it didn’t take long to get TJ fixed up. As the EMT had said, it was a flesh wound and required just a few stitches. They had rushed to get a cat scan, which had come back negative. His clothes had to go into evidence, so the hospital had given him a set of scrubs. He’d had no trouble with the pants, but after watching him for several moments struggle with the top, she stepped forward and helped him. The moment she was within grabbing distance he became amazingly agile with his hands.

  She laughed as he made a grab for her rear end. “Stop that.”

  When she finally got the top on him, she moved back. He opened his mouth just as his phone buzzed. He grabbed it and tried to punch in his code.

  “My fingers are broken. Or my phone is.”

  She took it from him. “How much more of those drugs did they give you?”

  When she looked down at the screen, she found a picture of Black Widow with the name Mom on the ID. Damn, it was his mother.

  “Hey.” He said, frowning at her. Then, he smiled. “Have I told you that you’re pretty?”

  “Only about twenty times. Give me your code.”

  He rattled off the code, and she answered his phone. “Hello.”

  There was a long silence. “I was trying to get hold of TJ Callahan.”

  “This is his phone. My name is—”

  “Charity,” she said, and she could hear the smile in his mother’s voice. “My other boys have told me about you.”

  “Other boys?”

  “TJ’s brothers. And, I did hear about the first date. My name is Jen Callahan. Is TJ around?”

  “He is, but you might not want to talk to him. He had a little mishap, and they had to give him some drugs.”

  “Oh, God.”

  The horror in his mother’s voice made Charity regret her blunt comment. She rushed to reassure Jen. “Nothing bad. They don’t even want to keep him overnight.”

  “No, I was talking about the drugs. TJ can be brutally honest on painkillers. It can be funny—but it can also be painful.”

  “Who is on my phone?” TJ asked, trying to grab it from her.

  “Your mother.”

  “Did you tell her that I think you’re pretty? Because I do.”

  “We haven’t gotten to that part yet.”

  His mother was laughing when she spoke next. “Let me talk to my boy.”

  Charity handed the phone to him. “Hey, Mama.”

  He was quiet for a little bit. “Just a flesh wound. Have I told you that she is pretty?”

  Another long silence. “Yes. She is nice. I haven’t said anything mean. I told her she was pretty.”

  He smiled at her, then winked, as his mother continued to chatter in his ear.

  “Okay. I’ll call tomorrow.”

  Then he clicked the phone off. “That was my Mama. She said you sounded nice, and she would box my ears if I said mean things.”

  “And how will she know?”

  TJ frowned. “Not sure, but she always seems to know. She’s got superpowers.”

  She laughed that was close to a pout. “I think all mothers have that superpower.”

  “I’m all ready to go, right?”

  She nodded. “If you are up to it, I need to go upstairs. Everyone is up there.”

  “I can handle anything. I’m in the FBI. But why is everyone there?”

  “Emma’s having her baby. Remember?”

  “Oh. Babies. Don’t know much about them. Do you?”

  She shook her head.

  “I think you should have my babies.”

  It was the third time he had told her that, so she just nodded. She knew there was a ninety-nine percent chance he would not remember any of this in the morning.

  Just then, his supervisor Tsu came through the door. “Hey, there. They tell me you are all good.”

  “I’m the best.”

  Tsu looked at her. She shrugged. “Painkillers.”

 
“Ah. Okay. I take it you can get him home?”

  She nodded.

  “Tell him that he can take the next week off, but he might be called in for his report. Hell, make it two weeks.”

  “I’m right here.”

  “Yes, you are, but I have a feeling you aren’t going to remember any of this,” Tsu said. “Call if you need anything, Ms. Edwards.”

  “I will. Thank you.”

  “No, I think you deserve the thanks. This is one big mess, and the FBI is definitely going to get some flak for it in the press—not to mention DC. The fact that you and Callahan worked together on it, and he figured it out...we are in your debt. I understand you broke Remington’s nose?”

  She nodded.

  “Good. That man was always kind of a self-righteous bastard. I respected his work, but he always acted like he was better than the rest of us. Those types are usually the ones who commit the worst crimes.” He sighed. “Again, please let us know if there is anything you need.”

  As Tsu left, an orderly came in with a wheelchair. Charity had asked for one earlier, so it would be easier to get him upstairs for a short check-in with Emma.

  The orderly helped her get TJ into the chair, then she wheeled him out to the elevator. Maternity was on the tenth floor. As soon as the elevator doors opened, she saw the team. They were all sitting there waiting.

  “Hey, it’s the team,” TJ yelled. They all turned to look at them.

  “This is going to be interesting,” she murmured, as she wheeled him down the hall to the team.

  “How are you doing, Callahan?” Adam asked.

  “Fine and dandy. Fine and dandy. Who’s having a baby?”

  “Emma,” she said. “He’s a little out of it thanks to the painkillers.”

  Adam chuckled. “It’s good to know you’re doing okay. No concussion?”

  She shook her head. “And thanks to your cousin, they rushed him through so I could get him home. Any word?”

  “I was just in there a little while ago,” Elle said. “She was about there, so hopefully, any time now.”

  As if on cue, the doors opened and Del came striding out. She leaned closer to Adam. “Did he really pass out?”

  “Yeah, and we have it on video.”

  Del smiled when he spotted them and rushed over. “It’s a girl.”

  As everyone congratulated him, his gaze zeroed in on TJ. “Hey, I heard something went down.”

  TJ said nothing for once. She looked down and found him sleeping. “He had some meds.”

  He nodded. She gave Del a hug and kissed him on the cheek. “Congrats, Daddy.”

  He pulled back and looked down at her. “Thanks. You better get him home. Adam might need to help you.”

  She nodded. “What are you naming her?”

  “Evangeline Michelle.”

  “Oh,” she said, as her eyes started to burn. “That’s so pretty.”

  He gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I guess I should get back in there. They said we can have visitors pretty soon.”

  Adam stepped up next to her as Del walked away. “Ready?”

  She nodded. “I would love to stay and see that baby, but I need to get him into bed so he can rest. Let’s go.”

  It took them a few minutes to get TJ into the TFH SUV. By the time they got to her apartment, TJ was sort of awake and could walk. Still, Adam stayed and helped get him up to her apartment and into bed.

  “He’s going to hurt tomorrow.”

  “Yes, but I’m pretty sure he’ll not admit it, and refuse the prescription the doc gave him.”

  Adam slanted her a look. “How do you know that?”

  “He’s a stupid boy. You are all the same. Stoically refuse to admit you are in pain.” She kissed Adam’s cheek. “Thanks for the help now and earlier.”

  “Callahan apparently had it under control.”

  She smiled. “You are a good man, Adam Lee.”

  His humor faded and she hated that. “Yeah, well, not so sure about that.”

  “I forgot to ask what happened with Jin.”

  He rubbed his hand over his bald head. “I told her if she didn’t go to rehab, I would stop checking on her.”

  “And?”

  “She went in today. Good place. They specialize in abuse survivors.”

  “That’s good. Right?”

  He nodded, but he didn’t look any happier. “I feel like I betrayed her.”

  “Oh, Adam, you didn’t. You were the one friend who stood by her. She needs this, and one day she’ll see that.”

  He stared unseeing down the hall, then he turned back to her. He really was a sweet man.

  “I hope so.”

  She rose to her tiptoes and gave him another kiss on the cheek. “As I said before, you are a good man. Call me if you need someone to talk to.”

  He finally gave her a small smile. “Callahan is pretty damned lucky.”

  “I know, right? Night, Adam.”

  “Night.”

  She sighed as she locked her door, and then made her way back to the bedroom. He was laying there, still wearing the scrubs the ER had given him. She decided to get ready for bed. Stripping out of her clothes, she pulled on her favorite PJ shorts and top. She stepped back into her room and stared. He was okay. Everything was all over and neither of them had any major injuries. Then, as if she realized that it was okay to break, she did. Tears welled up in her eyes and, before she knew what was happening, a sob escaped from her mouth. She covered it with her hand, but it was too late. TJ woke up.

  “Charity?”

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “Come here.”

  She hesitated, then did as he asked. After curling up next to him, she continued to cry. He said nothing, just wrapped his arm around her. By the time the crying jag was over, she was exhausted.

  “You’ll be here in the morning?” he asked.

  She frowned at the stupid question, but she realized he might just be out of it still. “Yeah, I’ll be here.”

  “Good.”

  His breathing evened out, and she could tell he was sleeping again. Drained by the day’s events and the crying jag, she drifted off with the warmth of TJ’s body warming her and the beat of his heart lulling her into slumber.

  Sun slanting through the blinds woke TJ the next morning. He tried to ignore it, to go back to sleep. He tried to roll over, then cussed as searing pain shot from his shoulder. He rubbed his hand over his eyes and looked around. He was in Charity’s room, but she was not there.

  With care, he rose from bed. The room seemed to revolve around him suddenly. His head pounded and almost had him throwing up. He closed his eyes and steadied himself.

  “Hey, you should have called me,” Charity said.

  He opened his eyes, as she rushed over to slip one of his arms over her shoulders.

  “I had control of the situation.” He bit out every word.

  Charity didn’t say anything. Instead, she just helped him to the bathroom. When she made a move to follow him in, he shook his head and immediately regretted it. Fuck. Who put rocks in his head?

  “I can handle this on my own.”

  She didn’t look like she believed him, but she let him go.

  “Call if you need me,” she said before she closed the bathroom door behind her.

  He relieved himself, then washed up. When he looked at himself in the mirror, he cringed. His face was pale, and there were dark circles under his eyes. It hadn’t been that bad of an injury, but apparently his thirty-five-year old body wasn’t able to bounce back that easily.

  He pulled off the blue scrubs shirt and looked at the bandage. It looked good, no blood showed. While it hurt, it was from movement, not from the wound itself. He hoped there was no infection.

  Drawing in a deep breath, he prepared himself to go back out into the bedroom. He hated that she was seeing him like this, weak, as if he couldn’t take care of himself.

  He opened the door and found her sitting
on the bed. “Ready for some coffee and time on the lanai?”

  He nodded, but then shook his head when she acted as if she was going to help him out into the living room. “I can handle it.”

  She frowned, but she allowed him his space. She followed him out, then grabbed two cups and the thermal coffee pot. He sat down, and she set the cups on the table and poured the coffee.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Like crap.”

  She smiled and sat down. “I have your meds.”

  “How did you get those?”

  “It helps that Adam is related to so many people at the hospital. His cousin set you up with the antibiotics, and there are a few painkillers too.”

  “Everything is kind of fuzzy.”

  “Yeah, well, you apparently don’t handle painkillers well,” she said, looking out at the traffic below them. She was avoiding making eye contact.

  Damn, he had a really bad habit of being brutally honest with people when he was high on painkillers.

  “Charity?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Did I say anything horrible?”

  She shook her head.

  “Then why won’t you look at me?”

  She glanced at him, then away. “You were sweet, and you told me I was pretty. A lot. Tsu stopped by and told you to take the next week off. They’ll call you and keep you updated.”

  “Remington?”

  “Arrested, but more than likely working out some kind of deal. You know how that goes.”

  He grunted.

  “You also talked to your mother.”

  “Shit.”

  “It was all okay. I reassured her that you were fine, that it was nothing to worry about.”

  “Thanks. I guess I’ll have to call her today.”

  “You do need to because you said you would. I already talked to my folks about what happened. I was afraid it would make the news.”

  He nodded, but there was something still there, something she wasn’t tell him.

  “Charity. There’s something else.”

  She shook her head and smiled at him. “No.”

  Then, bits and pieces of the night before came back to him. Charity beating the crap out of Remington, the ride in the ambulance...

  “Charity? Did I say something on the way to the hospital?”

  “You told me I was pretty.”