by Low, Gennita
Then he’d make an unnecessary trip. She wasn’t calling him.
When she didn’t make a move to get her cell phone from her purse, Bowie swore again. A half dozen people filtered into the conveyance from the next floor keeping him from making any comment.
The doors opened on the lobby level and they waited for the others to exit. “You at least owe him a phone call, Zoe.”
“I’m not getting into who owes who. Stay out of it, Bowie.”
She swung forward.
They caught another elevator to the parking structure attached to the hospital. “Stay here and I’ll get the car,” Bowie said. He strode up the paved incline.
Zoe’s hands gripped the crutches. The air, moist and cool enveloped her. Standing alone, an exaggerated vulnerability swept over her. The distance between the floor and ceiling appeared to narrow. Her chest constricted, and it grew difficult to breathe. Her good leg struggled to hold her weight. Delayed reaction. Anxiety. That’s all it was. She’d be okay.
The doors behind her opened and she bit back a yelp, startled by the sudden sound.
Hawk stepped out of the elevator, along with a man and woman. The couple hustled past and moved up the incline.
Relief drained Zoe’s fear away, and for a moment she continued to stare at Hawk. The need to feel his arms around her struck her with such physical longing she began to shake.
Hawk’s stare pinned her as his long strides closed the distance between them. As he crowded close, heat radiated from his body. “Come back to the house with me, Zoe.”
She turned away from the look of grave concern on his face. Her hands tightened on the crutch handles. “No thanks.” She looked up the row of cars to where Bowie had disappeared. Where was he?
“Please, Zoe. Your safety is more important than what’s happened between us.”
Nothing was more important than what had happened between them. Nothing. Every touch, every look, every word they had shared was everything. That’s what he didn’t get. “I don’t need you to protect me. I can buy locks, and guns for that. I don’t need you to provide a roof over my head. I have that covered. The one thing I needed from you, you say you can’t give me, so please—just leave.”
Hawk rested a hand on her shoulder and she jerked away.
“Zoe—I have to know you’re safe,” Hawk said in a tone, nearly hoarse with emotion.
Pain and anger gave her the courage to look up at him. “Why would that matter to you? If you go wheels up, and you’re seven thousand miles away, will you know if I’m sick, or hurt? Will I know if you are?”
Hawk’s expression blanked for a second, then he flinched. “I promised your mom—”
“To hell with that and to hell with you!” Had her hands been free, she’d have slapped him. “And to hell with Bowie for deserting me, just so you’d have time to ambush me.” She swung around and clomped her way back to the elevator.
Bowie’s breaks squeaked as he pulled up in the car. The elevator door opened before Zoe. She got on and hit the close door button with the heel of her hand.
*
Hawk rubbed a hand over his forehead where a dull ache throbbed just above his eyes. He had never told Zoe about his mother’s death. But she couldn’t have hit him with anything that hurt worse. He should have been there for his mother during her illness. He should have been with her when she died. He would have been, had he known she was so ill. Why hadn’t she sent for him? Because he’d been unreachable. She had died alone. Emotions sliced and diced his insides like a bloodthirsty sushi chef.
Bowie approached him. He pulled his thoughts back to the current situation with an effort. “I’m parked out front of the hospital. She’ll catch a cab. I’ll follow her to the apartment. Can you give me a quick rundown of what happened?”
“You know Cutter’s apartment is next to mine. My date and I had just finished dinner, when we heard a crash from inside there and some strange muffled noises. When the door slammed hard enough to shake the walls, and there was the sound of running in the hallway, so I thought I’d better check it out. That’s when I found Zoe. She was down, and hurt. I was afraid to move her. Sheila, my date, called nine-one-one from the hall, and we stayed with her until the police and the ambulance came. Sheila’s still at my apartment waiting for me to get back. I asked her to stick around. I asked her to listen in on the cops and see if she could pick up on anything.”
So at least this time Bowie had an alibi. Some of the tension eased from Hawk’s shoulders. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to come up and see what she has to say myself,” he said.
“Sure.” Bowie searched his face. “Zoe has a mad on that doesn’t quit, and a stubborn streak a mile wide. The ER doctor wanted to give her a shot, but she refused it. They gave her some oral pain meds, and she’s supposed to follow up with a doctor tomorrow.”
Hawk nodded. The adrenaline rush he’d experienced after Bowie’s call had passed and his hands shook. He clenched them into fists. “I’ll see you back at the apartment building.”
Bowie nodded. “I don’t suppose she’ll give me a pass on trying to give the two of you time to work things out, will she?”
Now that he’d ended things with her, would Bowie try and make his move? And if he did, what right did Hawk have to say anything about it?
The pain he’d read in her expression only moments before made his sudden jealousy seemed petty and foolish. Though it killed him, he said, “She won’t stay mad at you, Bowie.”
“What about you, LT?”
Hawk shook his head. “I’d better catch up to her. See you back at the apartment complex.”
As soon as he was in the elevator on his way downstairs, his thoughts swung back to Zoe. He’d put her in direct danger without knowing it. He’d expected her to come back to the house, not catch a cab to Brett’s. He should have known when she didn’t answer her phone—
By trying to do the right thing, he’d done the wrong thing? And now it was up to him to make it right.
*
Hawk punched in Zoe’s number on his cell one more time, but it went to voice mail and he didn’t bother leaving another message. She wasn’t going to talk to him.
He hit Langley Marks’ number.
“Marks here.”
“Lang. Do you remember who packed up Cutter’s stuff when we left Iraq?”
“Strong Man and Flash had that detail. Flash and I dropped it at the apartment. The super was going to let him in but, Zoe and her mom were there already, so he left his duffle with them.”
Had Zoe unpacked it or her mother? Had there been anything unusual in it? Damn it. If he hadn’t chosen just now to try and—
“What’s up, Hawk?” Lang’s voice in his ear dragged him back to the current situation.
“Someone broke into Cutter’s apartment tonight and attacked Zoe.”
“Jesus.” Lang breathed. “Is she all right?”
“Her leg’s been injured. But she’s ambulatory. She’s gone back to Cutter’s apartment and she’s alone. Bowie lives next door, and the chances that anything else will happen—” He drew a deep breath. “The short of it is, I fucked up, Lang. In a big way. And Zoe won’t let me anywhere near her. Won’t even talk to me.”
“You broke it off.” Lang’s voice sounded flat. He swore beneath his breath. “We’re going wheels up soon, and you broke it off rather than ride it out.”
The accusation and disappointment he heard in Lang’s tone punched him with guilt.
“I suppose I should send Trish, but I won’t. There might be a slim chance of the fucker coming back. I’ll see if I can bring Zoe back here with me. If she’ll let me in.”
“Thanks, man. I owe you.”
“I really thought things would be different this time, Hawk. It isn’t any of my business what you do, but—Zoe deserved better than this.”
Hawk couldn’t think of a thing he could say in his defense. His voice sounded hoarse as he spoke around the knot in his throat. “Will you call m
e and tell me how she is, let me know where she is?”
Lang fell silent for a moment. “Yeah, sure. Later. I’m going to get her now.”
*
Half an hour later, Hawk watched as Langley gave a wave then entered the apartment building. It ate at him that it was Lang who was keeping her safe instead of him. By pushing Zoe away, he’d sent her right into the bastard’s path. Zoe hadn’t walked into an attempted robbery, as the police believed. It had to be the same guy. What the hell did Cutter have in his apartment the fucker would be searching for? And why had he waited until now?
Because Cutter had regained consciousness.
Hawk pulled out of his parking space and wove in and out of the traffic on his way to the Naval Medical Center in Balboa.
Though Brett didn’t remember the last couple of weeks in Iraq, there was a slim possibility that he would eventually. And whatever he had in his possession, they’d have to retrieve before he returned home. It had to be something he’d brought back from Iraq. But he’d been comatose when flown home and his gear brought back with the rest of the men. Who had packed his stuff? Who had unpacked it?
At the hospital, the nurse’s station stood deserted as Hawk came out of the elevator on Brett’s floor. He strode down the hall. He heard feminine laughter as he approached Brett’s room and paused outside the door. He tapped on the wood and pulled the door open. Angela, one of the nurses stood by the bed with an electronic blood pressure cuff. She and Brett both looked up as Hawk stepped into the room.
“Hawk—” Brett began.
“Lieutenant—visiting hours were over long ago,” Angela said, a frown marring her smooth brow.
“Brett’s sister had an accident this evening. I came to tell him,” he said, his tone short.
Brett stiffened and he swung his legs over the bed.
Angela pressed a hand against his shoulder.
Brett shot her an impatient glance. “What’s happened? Is she okay?” Brett asked.
“She’s on crutches, hopefully just for a while.” What if it wasn’t just a temporary injury? What if the damage was worse than Bowie had understood it to be? How would he find out how she was if she wouldn’t talk to him? How could he have been so stupid?
Brett’s jaw tensed. “It’s her leg?”
“Yeah.” Hawk’s gaze swung to Angela. “Could you give us a minute?”
Her gaze moved from Brett to Hawk and back again. “You’re still weak from weeks of inactivity, Ensign Weaver. You’re doing great in P.T. but you need to take things easy.”
“Sure, I hadn’t planned on jumping up and doing any calisthenics while you’re gone,” he said, his tone taut.
Angela frowned and her lips tightened. She gave a nod as she passed Hawk.
Hawk dragged a chair over to the bed and sat down. “I know you’re having trouble remembering some things before the mission, but you need to try and remember the last two weeks we were there, Brett.”
Brett’s brows slammed together over eyes just a fraction less dark than his sister’s. “What does that have to do with Zoe being hurt?”
“She was attacked when she went to your apartment. Someone was inside searching the place and she walked in on them.”
“What do you mean attacked?”
Hawk fought his rising impatience. “I mean the fucker threw her over the back of a chair and she smashed her leg on a table.”
“Jesus!” Brett shook his head then rubbed his temples as though in pain. “God damn mother—” His head came back up. “You said searching, not robbing.”
“HQ has been waiting until you were stronger to question you about it. I’m not waiting any longer. Something happened in Iraq, Brett. You weren’t taken down by a tango. One of the team bashed your head in and left you to be buried inside the building.”
The shock of it seemed to hit Brett broadside and his features went slack. Hawk quashed the quick feelings of sympathy and continued. “I know about Strong man’s assault charges and I know about Flash’s gambling debts and I believe it’s one of them. I need to know what you do about both of them. In short, I need you to get your fucking memory back, and tell me what went down that almost got you killed. Because that something just got Zoe attacked.”
Brett drew a deep breath. “My memory is a black hole just before the mission, Hawk.”
“What’s the last thing you remember?”
“Doing the practice runs to get our timing down.”
“What do you remember about Derrick’s assault charges?”
“He beat up his girl friend and when the cops showed up they brought charges against him. When she wouldn’t testify they dropped the charges. They cut him some slack because he’s in the teams and he was getting ready to ship out.”
Hawk ran his hand over his hair roughing it up as he beat back the urge to bite his fucking head off. “And you didn’t say anything to me.”
Brett grimaced. “I had hoped I’d be able to talk to him. I thought I’d convinced him to see someone when we got home.”
“But?”
“I can’t talk to you about this, Hawk. When someone takes you into their confidence—”
“He may have beat your head in and left you for dead.”
“No.” Brett shook his head. “Derrick would never do that.”
“You knew something that could end his career as a SEAL. What about Flash?”
“I don’t know. He and I aren’t buddies, we’re team mates.”
“Who is he close to in the team?”
“I don’t know. Maybe Bowie. Bowie’s buds with everybody.”
“Flash has a gambling problem. Did you know anything about that?”
“Yeah. I knew.”
Hawk focused on him and shook his head. What else had his men kept from him?
He shook off the sense of betrayal and continued. “All right. What I want you to do is spend some time thinking about what could have triggered the attack. If you think of anything, call me.”
“Yeah. You’ll look after Zoe.”
Hawk flinched. How was he supposed to do that now? “I’ll look after her. You can count on it.” He’d find a way.
Chapter Twenty-Four
‡
Just as Zoe lowered the lid on the washer, a knock sounded on the apartment door. She glanced at her watch. It had to be Bowie. He stopped by every day to check on her when he returned home from the base. She adjusted the crutches under her arms and made her way down the hall to the front door.
Had she not already lost her heart to Hawk, she would have certainly lost it to Bowie. She’d been unable to stay perturbed with him for long. His support had eased some of her anxiety. She felt safer with him next door.
A greeting hovered on her lips as she opened the door. It died as Flash’s lean form and smiling face came into view.
“Hey,” he said. Dressed in a desert camouflage print with his bonnet under his arm, he looked pure SEAL, until he smiled.
“Hello.”
“I came by to see Bowie and thought I’d stop by and see how you were doing.” He eyed the crutches with a frown. “Bowie told us what happened. How are you doing?”
“I’m all right.”
At his expectant look past her into the apartment, Zoe eyed him for a moment. Was he the one who had attacked her? Had he slapped her brother? She’d never know if she didn’t talk to him. Her breathing quickened and her throat felt tight as though something were pushing against the base of it holding back both her breath and the blood. Without the crutches her legs would have wobbled like rubber. She forced herself to move back. “Would you like to come in?”
“Sure.” Flash stepped into the apartment and waited for her to lead the way into the living room.
“How long are you going to be on those?” he asked.
“About two weeks.” She set aside the crutches, leaned them against the table next to her within easy reach, and lowered herself into a chair. Her mouth was dry as she continued, her breathing still
labored. She had to calm down. “The bone wasn’t broken. I have a titanium rod imbedded in it so I’m part bionic woman. But the muscle was bruised, and since I don’t have the whole thing, I have to rest it until it’s healed.”
Flash sat down on the couch, his expression grave. He shaped the bill of his hat with his hands in a gesture of nervous energy. “I heard Cutter was going to be released.”
“Yes, on Wednesday.”
His smile held a charm she was afraid to believe in.
“That’s great.” He leaned forward to toss the hat on the coffee table and rested his elbows on his knees. “You haven’t had a very good experience here in California. With Cutter being in the hospital the whole time and—everything else.”
So he knew about Hawk breaking it off. “I won’t hold it against the state. I’ll come back again when I can visit just for fun.”
“Does that mean you’ll be leaving soon?”
“As soon as Brett can drive again, and I’m sure he’s on the road to recovery. So, it will be another couple of months at least.”
“You’ve been great about putting your life on hold to come out here and support him.”
“Isn’t that what families do?”
“Not always. My own—” Flash gave a shrug, and his Boston accent thickened. “That’s another story I’ll share with you some other time.” He slid to the edge of the couch and leaned forward. “You haven’t had much time to enjoy anything but the beach that one time and a few barbeques. I came by with an invite. There’s been some rumblings that we may be shipping out again.”
A dropping sensation hit Zoe’s stomach and she placed a hand against her midriff. Had Hawk known this when he pushed her away?
“I thought you were on a six month rotation then had eighteen months off to train.”
“In a perfect world, that’s the way things would go. But we’re not living in a perfect world right now. We won’t know until the orders come down twenty-four hours before.” He cleared his throat. “While Cutter’s surrounded by medical personnel, he’ll be taken care of. I wanted to invite you to go to Vegas for a day before he’s released. We could fly up or drive either one. Flying might be more comfortable for you.”
