"How did you know they kidnapped me? How did you know where to find me?"
"When you didn't call me or text me back, I got worried. I went to your apartment, and I saw your bag in the hall. I dug through it and found a map of possible fire sites. I figured that whoever took you needed a place to put you." He paused. "But seeing your dad…that was a shock."
"For me, too."
"I shouldn't have left you alone, Tori."
"None of this is your fault—none of it."
"Do you know whose fault it is?" he asked.
"Yes. Not exactly who set the fire, but I know the players. My dad says he's been putting together a case, but I don't know where he was staying or where the information is. He has to survive, so we can put them all in jail. Otherwise, we'll never be safe."
Twenty-One
For the second time that day, Dylan found himself in a hospital waiting room. This one was at California Lutheran, where Tori's father, Ben Hayden, had been taken into surgery. Tori had also been checked out, and her hands were now cleaned and bandaged. She'd also stopped in the restroom to wash her face, and as she sat down next to him, she still looked like she'd been to hell and back, but the color was starting to return to her face.
"Feeling better?" he asked.
She nodded. "But I won't be able to stop worrying until my dad gets out of surgery."
"I know."
She'd filled him in a little on her dad's sudden reappearance on the way to the hospital, and while he still had questions, he didn't want to stress her out by asking them.
She turned sideways in her chair so she was facing him. "Did you call anyone while I was in the examining room?"
"I spoke to Burke. Emma is stable now, and the doctor says she's going to be fine."
"Thank goodness," she said, letting out a sigh. "And the baby?"
"She's a tiny little thing, but Burke says she's a fighter like her mother. She'll need to stay in the hospital until she gets bigger, but the prognosis is good." He paused for a moment. "I told Burke what happened. He got Max on the phone."
"Oh, I hate to bother Max at this time."
"Emma was sleeping, so he had a minute. He's sending Sergeant Phillips to speak to us. Tony has been working with him on the case, so he won't be coming into this cold."
"That's good. I wasn't looking forward to trying to explain everything. What about Emma's attacker?"
"They've pulled security footage, and it's clear that it was Gary Kruger. The cops are looking for him."
"He'll be able to fill in some important information if they can get him to talk."
"He'll talk," he said decisively. "If he doesn't speak to the cops, I'm going to have a chat with him."
She gave him a faint smile. "He's just one of the players, you know."
"We'll give Sergeant Phillips the other names. Max told me that usually what happens in situations like this is that one person turns on the others and starts talking in order to cut a deal. They use the smaller fish as bait to catch the bigger fish."
"I hope that's true. Some of these men are very rich and powerful, with a lot of connections. I don't know how big the circle is." She paused. "But I do know that one of my coworkers, Jeff Crocker, is the one who betrayed my father—not just now, but seventeen years ago. My dad trusted the wrong man twice. And you know why he trusted him? Because he thought Jeff would fight for the truth as a journalist, not sell his soul to the highest bidder."
"Sounds like your dad has an idealistic streak—much like his daughter."
"I don't know how idealistic I'm going to be anymore."
"You will be. You can't help yourself, Tori. You'll always fight for the truth. That's who you are."
"Sometimes the truth hurts people." Shadows filled her eyes.
"You're thinking about how you're going to tell Scott and your mom that your dad is alive?"
"Yes. I'm torn between calling them now and getting them back here or waiting until I know he's going to make it. But what if he doesn't make it? What if they never get a chance to talk to him? Do I have the right to make the choice for them?"
"It will take Scott hours to get back here, Tori. And your mom is what—an hour away at a spa? It's your call, but I think you should wait until the surgery is over."
"I think so, too," she agreed. "But it's nice to hear you back that up. I can't imagine how they're going to react."
"Probably the way you did."
"I was angry. I was literally yelling at him. Seeing him drove everything else out of my mind. I forgot for a minute that I'd been kidnapped, that we were trapped in a basement, and that at any moment someone might try to kill us. I just couldn't take my eyes off his face. I know now that I followed him into that building because somewhere in my head, I knew it was him."
"I believe that, too," he said quietly. "You have good instincts."
"I don't know how you can say that. I got myself into a mess of trouble."
"On the way to bringing down a circle of criminals."
"I hope we can take them all down. I don't think we'll be safe until we do."
"About that—Max said he was also sending over an officer to stand outside your dad's door until they're sure they've got everyone in custody who could be a threat. He also wants to make sure you're safe, so he said to let him know when we leave here."
"I can't believe he's worrying about us when his wife and daughter just came through a horrible time."
"I think it actually gives him something to take his mind off how close he came to losing them." He paused, looking into her eyes. "I know that feeling. I keep thinking that if I'd been a minute later..."
She drew in a breath. "I was thinking about you, too, Dylan. All the things I wish I'd said."
Now he was the one who needed to suck in some air. "We have some talking to do, but not now," he added, seeing a man in a suit, followed by a uniformed police officer, walk into the waiting room. "I have a feeling this is Sergeant Phillips."
He was right about his assumption as the sergeant introduced himself and the officer who would be outside her father's room when he came out of surgery.
They sat down in a corner of the empty waiting room. It was after nine o'clock at night and the only person still in surgery was Tori's father.
He listened while Tori related the story she'd shared with him earlier. The sergeant took detailed notes and asked a lot of questions. While they were wrapping things up, he went down to the cafeteria to get Tori a coffee and a snack. When he got back, Sergeant Phillips was on his feet.
"We're done for now," Sergeant Phillips said. "We'll be in touch when we know anything."
"Thanks," Tori said. "I know my father has more evidence, so when he wakes up…"
"We'll get it," the sergeant said. "If you're going to leave here, let the officer know, and he'll call someone to meet you at your apartment."
Dylan didn't like the thought that Tori could still be in danger, but he didn't plan on taking his eyes off her until she was completely safe.
"You always know what I need," Tori said, as he handed her a coffee.
She sat back down in her chair, and he took the seat next to her.
"I looked for ice cream, but they didn't have any, so I settled for a chocolate bar and some chips." He held out his offerings. "I would have liked to get you some real food."
"I'm not hungry," she said. "But if you are—"
"No. I'm not hungry, either, and I'm not leaving you."
She stared back at him, her beautiful blue eyes filling with emotion. "You're amazing, Dylan."
"I'm glad you think so."
"I do. I don't know how things got so serious between us, or at least for me, but the one regret I had when I thought I was going to die was that I hadn't told you how I really felt about you. I stayed silent, because I didn’t want to scare you. It was supposed to be a sexy fling, a fun, one-night kind of deal, but the truth is I'm in love with you."
A knot grew in his throat. "Tori—"
She held up her hand. "Wait, let me finish. I've been in love with you since I was thirteen years old. I thought it was a crush. I'm sure you thought it was annoying. And when I went away to college and lived on the East Coast, I tried to put you behind me. But you were always this ideal guy in my head, and no one ever really lived up to you. I know this is the last thing you want to hear, because you don't like clingy women, and the last thing you wanted to be was my personal hero. But that's what you were tonight. I knew you'd rescue me. And you did."
"I just did what needed to be done. You would have done the same if I'd been the one in trouble."
"I would have. And if it didn't mean you being in some sort of danger, I'd tell you that I'd like to be your personal hero. But maybe it would be better if neither of us needed rescuing again."
He smiled, loving her candor, and how willing she was to put her feelings on the line. "You think I'm the brave one, but that's all you, Tori. You let yourself be vulnerable, and that takes a lot of guts."
"I just need you to know how much I care about you. I'm not expecting anything back. And maybe it's not fair to burden you with these revelations, but it seems like the right time to be completely honest."
"Then let me be honest, too. I did not fall in love with you when you were thirteen."
"Fair enough."
"You asked a million questions, and you had so many deep and mature interests. You wanted to change the school rules through lobbying and whistleblowing, and I just wanted to break the rules. I didn't know what to make of you."
"Okay, I can accept that."
"But I always liked you and I had a grudging respect for your energy and ambition when you were a teenager. Now, you knock me out with not just your looks—although you are beautiful, Tori—but also your intelligence, your drive, your kindness and generosity, and dammit, you're also sexy as hell and a lot of fun."
A smile curved her lips. "Glad you finally realized that."
"I think you grew into it."
"Maybe I did," she agreed. "You grew into who you are now, too. I did have a huge crush on you, but I didn't know you then the way I do now. You're a good guy and also sexy as hell and a lot of fun," she said, echoing his words. "But all that said, I don't want to lose you as a friend, so if the sexy fun part is over because I'm getting too serious, then I hope we can still at least be friends. We'll see each other over the years at Scott's house, and I don't want you to ever feel like you owe me anything. I don't have any regrets. I really don't."
He took her hands in his and gazed into her eyes. "I don't have any regrets, either, and I'm thinking we should keep the sexy fun going."
"I haven't scared you away?"
"Not a chance. Because I might not have fallen in love with you all those years ago, but I am in love with you now."
She sucked in a quick breath. "Really?"
"Really." He leaned over and gave her a long, promising kiss.
"So we'll see where this goes?"
"I already know where it's going, but if you need some time to figure it out, take as long as you want."
"You already know?"
He nodded. "I do."
She squeezed his fingers. "So do I. And I want you to know, Dylan, that while I am crazy about you, I'm not putting you up on a pedestal. You're not responsible for my happiness. I just think we make an awesome team, and we're better together."
"We are definitely better together. You are one of the strongest women I've ever met. And I do want to make you happy."
"You will."
He kissed her again, wishing they were anywhere else but here, so he could really show her how he felt, but there would be time for that later.
The doctor came into the room. "Excuse me."
They broke apart and jumped to their feet.
"How is he?" Tori asked.
"The surgery was successful," the doctor replied. "Your father has a concussion and a broken rib, but we've fixed the internal damage, and in time we expect a full recovery."
"Thank God," she breathed out. "Can I see him?"
"The nurse will tell you when he's in his room, but he'll be sleeping for hours. You might want to come back in the morning."
"I can't leave him," she said. "I want to be here when he wakes up."
The doctor nodded. "Let the nurses know if you need anything."
As the doctor left, Tori turned him, her eyes blurring with tears. "He's going to live."
"He is."
"I need to make calls—Scott, my mom, for sure, and maybe Joanie. We need to get Mitch and Jim back into town so they can corroborate my dad's story, and talk to the police…" She gulped, her words ending on a sob. "I don't have time to cry. I told myself I wasn't going to be weak."
"You are never weak, but it's okay to lean on someone once in a while." He pulled her up against his chest. "It's fine, Tori. Cry it out. You're due."
And that's exactly what she did.
* * *
Her father woke up a little after eight on Thursday morning. He'd drifted in and out of consciousness a few times during the night, and she had tried to reassure him that he was okay, but she wasn't sure he'd heard her. Now, his gaze was much less fuzzy.
He blinked a few times, and she rose from the chair she'd pulled next to his bed, the chair where she'd spent the night. Dylan had stayed in another chair, refusing to leave no matter how many times she'd told him they would be fine. He had, however, agreed to get them coffee a few minutes earlier, so at the moment she was alone.
"Tori," her father murmured. His gaze darted around the room. "I'm in the hospital."
"Yes. Do you remember what happened?"
He stared back at her for a moment. "The smell of gas, the explosion, things falling down on my head."
"We got you out, but you had a concussion, some internal injuries and a broken rib. They took you into surgery and fixed you up. You're going to be all right, but maybe in a little pain for a few days."
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Just some cuts. You pushed me out of the way when the ceiling caved in. You saved me from getting hurt."
"Well, at least I did something right," he said heavily. "How did we get out of the building?"
"Dylan figured out where they'd taken me from some notes I left in my bag. He got there just after the explosion. He was able to get the door open and we pulled you out of the rubble. It wasn't a second too soon. The building was falling down upon itself."
"God, Tori. I am so happy you're all right."
He lifted his hand, and she curled her fingers around his. "I was so scared," she said. "I didn't want to lose you a second time."
"I didn't want to lose you, either."
"I've spoken to the police. They're going to need whatever information or evidence you've put together to make a case, especially against men as powerful as Lundgren and Litton."
"My notes are on the boat."
"The boat?" she asked.
"Jim has a friend who is a fisherman. He's let me stay on his boat for the last few months. I didn't want to risk a hotel or motel. Credit cards and hotel clerks can trip you up."
"It's so strange to think you've been on the run all these years. You've led a life I don't know anything about."
"I hope we can catch up. I hope you'll give me the chance."
She looked into his eyes, realizing she was starting to get used to his face again. It was a different face than the one she remembered from her childhood. And she wasn't quite ready to let go of the anger she had for some of the choices he'd made, but love and life were complicated, and she was beginning to realize that nothing was black-and-white.
He cleared his throat. "Have you called your mother?"
"Yes, I talked to her late last night. It took me a while to convince her I wasn't out of my mind. Scott had pretty much the same reaction. He's coming back from his honeymoon, and Mom is driving down from the spa I sent her to a few days ago."
"You sent her away?"
<
br /> "I had a bad feeling after Mitch and Jim disappeared. I didn't know if they were good guys or bad guys, but I did know that they had too much access to Mom. Speaking of your best friends, Mom said she was going to call Joanie. I think Mitch and Jim are about to feel the wrath of some very angry women."
"They don't deserve anger. I'm the one who was responsible for everything. My ambition, my drive to break the big story, put you all in jeopardy. And the sad thing is that I didn't even learn from my mistakes the first time around. I took a second swing at getting the story and it almost ended up killing you."
"I want to blame you for a lot of things, but as a journalist, I have to say that I understand why you wanted another chance to make things right. You had no way of knowing I'd follow you into an abandoned building like an impulsive idiot. I won't be doing that again."
He gave her a small smile. "Good. I really am proud of everything you've accomplished. You're a good reporter."
"I learned from the best. And sometimes you have to sacrifice to get the truth. We're going to write the story, Dad. We'll write it together. We'll put away everyone responsible and we're going to tell the truth for the whole world to see."
"You called me Dad," he said in bemusement.
"That's all you got out of what I just said?" she asked, feeling a little self-conscious.
"It's been a long time since I've heard the word," he said. "It feels good."
"I'm still mad at you. And I have a lot of questions."
"You always do. And I understand the anger. I don't know if you can ever forgive me, but I hope someday it will all make sense."
"This is going to make sense?" a male voice demanded, breaking into their conversation.
Tori whirled around as her brother Scott came into the room, followed by her mother. There was no sign of his new wife Monica, which was probably a good thing.
She stepped back as her brother and her mother approached the bed.
Her mom hadn't said anything yet. Her face was tense, her eyes bright with unshed tears.
Scott's expression was grim, his skin pale, his lips so tight she wondered how he'd gotten any words through them.
Once You're Mine Page 25
