by Karen Rose
The attack stopped abruptly and the only sound was heavy breathing. Hers. The bodyguard’s. His own.
The pain was excruciating and he had to strain to catch her words.
‘He’s down,’ she said softly. ‘He’s not getting up again.’
‘He hurt you,’ the big man growled. ‘He put his hands on you.’
‘He won’t do that again, baby. He won’t hurt anyone again.’
And then the doors burst open and, through the pain, there was chaos.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Tuesday, 19 March, 6.35 P.M.
Motherfucking hell. Diesel had never been so glad to see cops in all his life. They poured in, surrounding Kaiser, guns drawn, Adam leading the charge.
‘You’re late,’ Diesel griped at them.
‘Shh,’ Dani whispered. She’d had her arms around his shoulders, having dragged him off the bastard who lay bleeding at his feet. Now she lowered Diesel to the floor, raising his sweatshirt, her mismatched eyes full of worry. She scanned his chest. ‘Where are you hit?’
‘Back,’ Diesel rasped. The asshole had snuck up behind him while he was checking on the clinic’s other doctor. ‘But it’s not bad.’
Adam dropped to his knees beside him. ‘What happened? Why the fuck did you run in before we got here? Greg was safe.’
‘Heard a crash.’ Diesel pointed to a toppled display of pamphlets. ‘And a groan. Thought it was the nurse. Saw the doc on the floor. He’s still alive, but barely.’
‘Same with Jenny,’ Dani said, her head whipping to the exam room.
‘EMS is here.’ Adam pointed to the team of paramedics who were pushing a stretcher through the doors, followed closely by a second team with another stretcher. One of the teams rushed to where Miles lay, the doctor’s chest was barely moving up and down as he took shallow breaths. But he was still alive.
When the second team of medics headed Diesel’s way, he waved them off. ‘Jenny needs you more.’ Once they’d pushed the stretcher into the exam room, Diesel lifted his head to take in the room. ‘Is Kaiser dead?’ he asked.
Dani turned on her knees to look. ‘Actively bleeding from a knife wound to his lower abdomen. But still alive.’
‘Shit.’ Diesel closed his eyes. ‘Let the fucker die.’
‘I can’t.’
Diesel opened his eyes to see Dani staring at Kaiser, her eyes tormented and uncertain. ‘Why?’
‘Because he knows where Evelyn and her baby are.’
Shit. He’d forgotten about them. ‘Do what you need to do. I’m okay.’
‘No, you’re not, but you’re more okay than he is.’ She pressed a hard kiss to his mouth. ‘I’ll be back. Adam, see that the next medics take Diesel. I think he’s hurt worse than he’s admitting.’
Diesel closed his eyes, swallowing his groan because he didn’t want her to know how exactly right she was. ‘What the fuck took you so long, Kimble?’
Adam shrugged out of his suit coat and rolled up his sleeves. ‘We didn’t know you’d gone into the clinic, dipshit,’ he snapped. He waved his hand and Diesel heard the clatter of a third stretcher. ‘Help me over here,’ he called out. ‘He’s been shot in the back.’ Then he added in a mutter, ‘Fucking idiot.’
‘Love you, too,’ Diesel grunted as the paramedics turned him on his side. Seconds later, he felt cool air on his back as his sweatshirt was cut away.
Adam crouched beside him, letting the paramedics do their job. ‘I swear to God, Diesel Kennedy, if you die, you will break my wife’s heart, and that is not okay.’
Diesel found himself smiling. It was Adam’s way of saying that he cared, too. ‘Got it.’ Then he frowned. ‘Where’s Greg? And Parrish Colby? Parrish followed us in, then went out back.’ He’d cleared the interior, Diesel remembered.
‘Kaiser shot him,’ Adam said grimly. ‘He’s being transported to the ER as we speak. It took us a minute or two to find him. Greg had to tell us that Parrish’s partner had left him alone in the van to go search for you guys because Parrish wasn’t answering his phone.’ He shook his head. ‘Gonna have that idiot’s badge.’
Diesel agreed. Leaving Greg alone? What had the agent been thinking? ‘Where is Greg?’ he asked again.
‘Safe,’ Adam assured him. ‘He’s with Parrish’s partner and two uniforms.’ He raised a pointed brow. ‘Greg was the only person who did what he was supposed to. He stayed put and stayed down. Parrish didn’t wait for backup because you and Dani both rushed in here all save-the-day.’
Diesel understood that Adam’s rant was more a release of pent-up fear than any real anger. ‘Kaiser had hidden Parrish under some boxes,’ Adam went on. ‘We thought you two were with him, but then realized you weren’t. We were about to come in when we looked through the window and saw Kaiser with his gun to Dani’s head.’
Diesel growled again, the image too clear in his mind, then yelped when the paramedic began putting pressure on his wound.
‘Diesel?’ Dani called from where she sat tending Kaiser, her tone worried.
‘Tell her I’m okay,’ Diesel muttered to Adam.
Adam snuck a peek at Diesel’s back and grimaced. ‘You’re not okay.’
‘Then lie. If that guy dies, we’ll never find the dog groomer and Dani won’t forgive herself.’
Adam blew out a sigh. ‘He’s okay,’ he called to his cousin. ‘Just being a baby.’
Diesel scowled. ‘You are so going to pay for that.’
‘You can’t be that hurt if you’re threatening me,’ Adam said lightly.
‘The boys are with Troy.’ Diesel clenched his teeth because it hurt, dammit. ‘Tell them that we’re okay and we’ll be home soon.’
Adam grabbed his hand and held it tight, absorbing the pain when Diesel crushed his fingers. ‘I will. Don’t worry.’
Diesel wasn’t worried. Not about his little family. But they weren’t done yet. Kaiser still had hostages. ‘How’s Dani doing over there?’
Adam looked grim. ‘She’s saving the bastard’s life.’
Diesel knew it was necessary. Still . . . ‘Fuck.’
‘Yeah,’ Adam agreed. ‘That about sums it up.’
Cincinnati, Ohio
Tuesday, 19 March, 7.55 P.M.
‘Thank you,’ Grant said, accepting the mortician’s card. ‘I appreciate you staying open late to help me with my brother’s . . . arrangements.’
Wesley’s cremation.
‘We’re happy to be of service,’ the mortician said. ‘And we are very sorry for your family’s loss.’
Grant jerked a nod. He’d heard that phrase several times today. Everyone from the Cincinnati PD to the medical examiner to Wesley’s boss in Cleveland. Of course the Cleveland commander over the narcotics division had had a lot more to say than that.
There were lots of questions about Wesley’s possession of a brick of heroin and five hundred grand in cash. So many questions that Grant’s head ached. He supposed he was lucky that he wasn’t being arrested for conspiracy or aiding and abetting a felony.
‘We’ll call you when his remains are prepared for pickup,’ the mortician was saying, and Grant realized he’d been standing there, staring into space.
‘I’m sorry. My mind wandered.’
The mortician smiled kindly. ‘Perfectly normal. Please take care.’
Nodding numbly, Grant left the mortician’s office and made his way to the front of the funeral home. Then paused when a lively conversation between two employees stopped the moment he saw them.
He frowned. ‘What?’ he asked, because the two men were staring at him.
‘Um . . . nothing,’ one of them said.
The other shot his co-worker a disapproving look. ‘We just saw that Cade Kaiser has been apprehended. We thought that seeing as he was responsible for your loss, maybe you’d like to know.’
&
nbsp; Grant grabbed onto a support column, feeling light-headed. ‘They caught him? When? Where?’
‘An hour ago. He’d taken some hostages in the free clinic in Over-the-Rhine.’
Grant’s blood went cold. ‘The free clinic?’ That was Dani Novak’s clinic. He’d read up on her when he’d woken this morning, wanting to know about the woman who’d been so kind when she hadn’t had to be.
He’d read up on Diesel, too. They were good people. ‘Was anyone hurt?’
Both men hesitated. ‘There are reports of several injuries,’ the second man said. ‘They’re keeping pretty quiet on the details.’
‘Thank you,’ Grant said, and hurried out, dialing Dani Novak’s cell phone number as he ran to his car.
‘Hello?’ Dani answered. ‘Grant?’
‘Oh my God.’ His breath rushed out of him. ‘I heard there was a shooting at your clinic. But you’re okay.’
‘I’m fine,’ she said, reassuring him. ‘Diesel was shot, but he’ll recover. An FBI agent, one of the clinic’s doctors and my nurse are in stable condition.’
‘And Kaiser?’ Grant pressed. ‘Is he dead?’
‘No. Kaiser survived.’ She drew a breath and exhaled loudly. ‘I saved his life.’
‘What?’ Grant shouted, then apologized. ‘I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. But . . . why?’
‘He has other hostages. And he should face justice. He should pay for what he did, all the people he hurt.’
Grant unlocked his car and slid behind the wheel, so damn tired. ‘You’re right.’ He still wanted Kaiser dead, but she was right. ‘Is he talking?’
‘Not yet. He’s in ICU. He’s alive, but . . . well, it doesn’t look good. If he were a religious man, I’d say he should be asking for a priest right now.’ The last was uttered with a dark humor that Grant suspected was helping her to cope. ‘How are you, Grant?’
‘I’m . . .’ He started the engine. ‘I’m leaving the funeral home.’
A beat of silence. ‘I’m sorry.’ And she was. He could hear it in her voice.
‘Thanks. You take care of Diesel, okay?’
‘I will. You take care of yourself.’
Grant ended the call, then sat staring out through his windshield. He switched on the wipers when the glass became blurry, then realized that it wasn’t raining. He wiped his eyes and pulled out of the parking lot. He still had one more thing to do before he left this city and never came back.
Twenty-nine
Cincinnati, Ohio
Wednesday, 20 March, 1.30 A.M.
‘Mr Kennedy, we do not advise this,’ the doctor said firmly.
Dani would have said the same thing to a patient with Diesel’s injury. But Diesel wasn’t just any patient. He was in pain, but refusing painkillers.
Not here, he’d whispered to her when she’d tried to get him to take the damn pill while he lay in the ER. I can’t. Not here. I will at home. With you. But not here.
And then she’d understood. Ten years ago, he’d woken in a military hospital surrounded by white coats and, in a post-sedated state, had lashed out with such vehemence that they’d had to restrain him. Which had, of course, made it worse.
Now, hours after being shot, he was pale and trembling and hanging on to his composure by a thread. He’d conquered most of his fear of white coats for Dani, but some of that fear remained, especially when he was the one in the hospital bed.
Diesel held out his hand for the clipboard the nurse held. ‘I’ll sign the form.’
The nurse hesitated and the doctor sighed. ‘Dr Novak, please explain to Mr Kennedy the risks of leaving the hospital with an injury as serious as his.’
‘Mr Kennedy is lucid and understands the risks,’ Dani said. ‘You need to respect that.’ But Diesel also needed to understand that he was injured, he should be under the care of a medical professional, and he would be. Me.
The doctor, who was so young that he had to be a first-year attending, gave the nurse a curt nod and she handed Diesel the clipboard. The doctor then turned an evil eye on Dani while Diesel signed the Against Medical Advice form.
‘The only reason I’m not having him evaluated for mental competency is because you’re taking him home,’ the doctor said, and Dani could feel the rumble of Diesel’s low growl.
His hand tightened on the pen and it snapped. ‘Sorry.’ He gave the leaking pen and the clipboard back to the nurse. ‘I signed. Can I go now?’
The doctor waved in a flourish. ‘You’re free to go. You have the scrips for the antibiotics and painkillers. Dr Novak, please call me with his status tomorrow.’
She gave the young man a smile. ‘That I can do.’ When the doctor was gone, she kissed Diesel’s temple. ‘Just a little longer, okay? We have to wait for someone to bring a wheelchair so that you can leave.’ She covered his mouth with hers when he started to argue. ‘That’s not negotiable,’ she murmured against his lips. ‘Hospital rule. If you want out of here, you have to comply. Okay?’
He nodded silently. Grumpily.
She chuckled. ‘I don’t think you’re going to be a good patient. But that’s okay. I can handle you.’
He looked up, his dark eyes suddenly intense. ‘I love you. I’m sorry if it’s too soon, but tonight when he had a gun to your head, I didn’t think I’d get to say it.’
Oh. Tears stung her eyes. It sounded so much nicer than she’d imagined, and she’d imagined it quite a bit. Resting her forehead against his, she cupped his cheek, the terror of seeing his body motionless and bleeding still way too fresh. ‘I didn’t think I’d live to hear you say it. Or to say it back.’ Her throat closed and she had to clear it. ‘But I do,’ she whispered. ‘I love you, too. I think I have ever since you saved my life.’
He closed his eyes, shuddering out a breath. ‘I was so scared that night. Tonight, too. We have to be done with this dangerous stuff. We’ve got kids now.’
He said it with such seriousness that she had to smile. ‘We do. And I think they’ll be happiest once you’ve healed up. So obey your doctor, okay?’
That made him smile. ‘As long as that doctor is you.’
‘Aww, look at you guys. Aren’t they cute, Scarlett?’
Dani and Diesel backed away from each other at Marcus’s teasing voice.
Scarlett was grinning. ‘So damn cute.’
‘Fuck off, assholes,’ Diesel said, but he was trying not to smile.
‘That’s no way to talk to your chauffeurs,’ Marcus said lightly.
Scarlett nodded. ‘Are you ready to go home, tough guy?’
Diesel looked at Dani. ‘You called them?’
Dani nodded. ‘I was pretty sure you’d be asking for the AMA form, and I don’t have a car here.’ She did, however, have their phones. Troy had given them back when they’d left for Delores’s shelter, and Dani had spent most of the first hour texting everyone to let them know that she and Diesel were okay.
She’d asked Marcus to help because she needed someone with enough muscle to get Diesel in and out of a vehicle, and anyone else who was strong enough was either on duty or in the hospital themselves.
They would have had their pick of chauffeurs had Kaiser attacked them on the west side of town, closer to Diesel’s house, because that was where Stone was hospitalized. Dani’s free clinic was practically next door to the hospital downtown, so their friends and family had been driving back and forth all evening.
The proximity to the downtown hospital had, however, saved Jenny’s life. She was out of surgery with a hopeful prognosis. Her sister was with her now. Jenny had only woken once, asking after Miles, but fell back into unconsciousness before anyone could tell her that Dr Miles Kristoff was alive, but still in surgery.
Neither Jenny’s sister nor Dani had realized that Jenny and Miles were even seeing each other. Thankfully both Jenny and Miles had family in the area, be
cause for now she had to focus on Diesel, making sure he got the care he needed once they were home.
‘We were going to start a pool on how many hours you’d stay in the hospital,’ Scarlett said, ‘but nobody would take the bet.’ She leaned in to kiss Diesel’s cheek. ‘Tell me that you’re okay,’ she whispered, all levity gone.
‘I’m okay. Been better, been a lot worse.’
‘And he’ll be even better soon,’ Dani said firmly. ‘They did a chest X-ray while they were checking for tonight’s damage.’ Which, thankfully, hadn’t been nearly as bad as it could have been, the bullet missing all his major organs. ‘The cardiothoracic surgeon said he could remove that other bullet as soon as Diesel is recovered from tonight. That he could have removed the sucker ten years ago.’
Marcus’s face broke into a bright smile. ‘How did you manage to get a surgeon to evaluate him? You’ve only been here a few hours.’
‘Your dad helped,’ she told him. Jeremy and Keith had been the first of Diesel’s family to burst into the ER. They’d been on the way from their home to the west side, where Stone was still hospitalized, but veered off the highway in much the same way Agent Troy had, detouring to make sure that Diesel was all right. ‘Jeremy saw one of his former colleagues walking through the ER and flagged him down. I asked him about removing bullets and he asked to see Diesel’s X-ray.’ She arched a brow at Diesel. ‘And then Mr Kennedy here admitted to the surgeon that Jeremy said the same thing years ago. Diesel’s just been too . . . “busy” to have it done.’
Marcus’s smile turned to a scowl. ‘If you weren’t hurt, I’d hurt you myself. Why didn’t Dad insist?’
‘Because Diesel is a “grownup”.’ Dani used air quotes. ‘His wishes had to be respected and your dad also respected his confidentiality. But I’m not that nice, so I’m making him do it.’ She glared at Diesel. ‘Because we’ve got kids now.’
Diesel’s cheeks heated. ‘I hate it when you’re right,’ he mumbled, then brightened at the sight of a wheelchair being pushed toward them. ‘Hey, look, the chair is here.’
Dani snorted, but kissed the top of his head, which was now covered in chocolate-brown fuzz, still a little prickly against her lips. His hair would be so pretty if he grew it out. But that would be his call. The only thing she wasn’t budging on was that damn bullet next to his heart.
