Scarlett forced a smile. “I know it’ll get better. Thank you for saying so.”
Her stomach had taken up residence in her toes. She hadn’t gone through a bankruptcy, but it was easier to say that than the truth. When she’d left Florida, a new identity was the quickest way to leave the past behind. But new identities were sorely lacking in credit and job histories. If not for Dr. Jessica Saunders, Scarlett wouldn’t even have a job in a hospital now. But Dr. Saunders had gone above and beyond to help Scarlett out when she’d needed to leave, and she would always be grateful.
“I’m not kicking you out or anything,” Justine said. “There’s a wedding to plan, and I’ve got to get some things done around here before I put it on the market. It’ll be a month or so before I can even have a realtor out,” she mused.
“Plenty of time,” Scarlett said cheerfully, though she didn’t feel cheerful at all. In this market, Justine’s house would go fast. Whether or not she got anything done first.
Scarlett felt wrung out. Apprehensive. Almost as if there was someone watching her and pulling strings to upend her life yet again. Those last few months in Florida had been hard. She hadn’t known what was going on, or why she’d had such a run of bad luck. She’d hadn’t known why her car got flat tires repeatedly, why her mail went missing, why her friends stopped asking her to go out with them, or why things kept going missing in her house. She’d thought she was crazy at one point.
But she hadn’t been. It was him. The man who’d been stalking her, obsessing over her. Pretending to be a normal guy when he was anything but. It had taken her so long to see the signs. So damned long.
The only person who’d believed her was Dr. Saunders. Even when Joshua came to her work and threatened to make her disappear if she persisted in breaking off their relationship, nobody else had believed her. Josh was too good, too smooth. He knew how to play the game, and he played it well. As an Air Force special operator, he’d been trained to do so.
Scarlett downed her coffee and ate her toast, though it sat like a knot inside her. Justine chattered about the wedding and possible honeymoon destinations until Scarlett had to leave for work.
“Have a good day,” Justine said. “And don’t worry about finding a new place. I’ll help you, and I know that Neil will too. It’ll all work out.”
Scarlett smiled, but she didn’t feel it inside. “I know you will. I’ll be fine. But I’m going to miss you, that’s all.”
Justine gave her arm a squeeze. “I’m not going anywhere, hon. We’ll still see each other at work, plus you are of course coming to the wedding! You have to be a bridesmaid.”
Scarlett swallowed the lump in her throat. She knew Justine meant it. She was just that kind of person. Everyone she met was a friend. “I’d be honored. Really.”
After saying goodbye to Justine, Scarlett picked up her purse and gym bag and went to her car. It was an old Kia Sportage that she’d gotten cheap, but it was reliable. She’d had a new car in Florida, a too-expensive European import that she’d been so proud to buy, even if the payments had been astronomical. She’d loved that car. The last time she’d seen it, it’d been submerged in a lake and she’d been shivering on the bank, wrapped in a blanket as police lights painted the darkness in neon blue.
Scarlett shivered as she put the Kia in reverse. That part of her life was over. Josh didn’t know where she was, and he wasn’t going to find out. She’d made sure of that. But sometimes, like now, she felt a chill skate over her spine—and she feared that no matter how far she ran, it would never be enough.
Chapter Two
Mal was grumpy. No doubt about it. He snapped at the nurse, then apologized for the outburst. He complained about the food, though there was nothing wrong with it. And when Wolf and Haylee showed up to visit, he wanted to pull the covers over his head until they went away.
He didn’t, of course.
Haylee was beautiful, as always. Her dark hair was pulled into a knot at the base of her neck today, and she wore a cream linen suit that set off the golden tones of her skin to perfection. Wolf gazed at her with lovestruck eyes. Mal felt his scowl deepen. Not because of Wolf, but because he didn’t want to give anything away by looking at her in the same way.
Why in the fuck did he have to fall for a woman he couldn’t have? A woman who belonged to his buddy? Lusting after her was a betrayal.
But he couldn’t stop himself.
His heart tapped hard in his chest and his ears pounded with the blood that beat there as he worked to keep his expression neutral. No lovestruck eyes.
No. Lovestruck. Eyes.
Haylee reached for his hand, and his entire body melted as her warmth flowed into him.
“I can’t believe you did that, Mal,” she said. “But thank you for trying to protect Dean for me.”
Wolf groaned. “Haylee. Baby. I was wearing body armor. I’d have been fine.”
Mal had been wearing armor too, but he didn’t point that out. Didn’t matter when bullets hit extremities.
Haylee’s hand stayed wrapped around his. He tried to concentrate on the feel of her skin, the softness of it. She threw a look at her fiancé. “Maybe so, but Mal didn’t wait to find out, did he? I’m grateful he cared enough to try.”
Wolf sighed. “I am too. But now I owe him.”
“You don’t owe me,” Mal croaked out. Haylee squeezed his hand, and he thought he might die of delight. If he didn’t die of embarrassment first. He was lying in a hospital bed, bandages on his leg, and he probably looked like three-day old shit.
“We owe you dinner at least,” Haylee said. “As soon as you feel better.”
“Okay,” he said awkwardly. Why couldn’t he sort himself out when Haylee was around? At least it’d be nice to sound cool and not like a blithering fool when she was near.
“When are they letting you out of here?” Wolf asked.
“Not sure. They’re moving me to the rehab facility today. I’ve got to start PT.” If he were anyone besides a HOT operator, he’d have been sent home yesterday. But he was what he was, and Riverstone was here to take care of him as if he were the president of the United States. He’d spend time at the rehab facility, then once he could get around on his own, he’d be released. He’d have to return for regular physical therapy, but at least he’d be in his own house.
He couldn’t wait for that.
“How long will you be on leave?” Haylee asked in that sweet voice that haunted his dreams.
“Not sure. A few weeks convalescence. I’ll be back at work as soon as I can though.”
Wolf nodded. “You’ll be at a desk for a while. Probably ops center.”
Mal hated the idea of sitting at a desk while his team went on missions, but it could always be worse. He could be dead. If he was dead, he wouldn’t get to enjoy Haylee’s hand on his.
The door opened and a nurse walked in. Mal nearly groaned when Haylee pulled her hand away. She placed it in Wolf’s. Mal was green with envy. He also despised himself for it.
“Hi. I’m sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to introduce myself. I’m Scarlett. I’ll be working with you on your PT.”