Midnight Hero - By Diana Duncan Page 0,96
purse in one hand and the pitcher of pink roses in the other. “Liam and Murphy found these in the bookstore during their sweep. The mall will be closed for days while CSI does their thing, and Bailey needs her stuff.”
Con resisted the urge to groan as Bailey tucked her purse under her arm. Subtlety wasn’t an outstanding trait in the O’Rourke family. Aidan and Liam must have discussed Con’s dilemma and the resulting flower purchase. Hell, Grady was probably in on it, too. He should be grateful his brothers thought Bailey was perfect for him and had embraced her as one of their own. But their matchmaking efforts were nearly as zealous as Letty’s.
Aidan offered Bailey the roses. “A shame to let these wilt and die in a deserted mall.”
Bailey’s hands shook as she accepted the bouquet. The fragile petals trembled in the wind’s icy bite before she tucked them under the blanket. Bailey looked as frail and easy to destroy as the flowers, and Con’s heart ached. Their relationship might have withered and died in that mall. He shook off the thought. Not the time or the place. He had to shove aside his anxiety and focus on Bailey’s needs. She wouldn’t be up to a discussion for several days, at least.
Aidan hesitated. “Bailey, your mom is in the command center across the street. She wants to see you. This incident shook her up pretty badly.”
Bailey nodded. “I imagine it did.”
“I’ll take Bailey over before I head to the hospital.” Con drew her close, sheltering her against his body. “Aidan, what’s DiMarco’s status?”
“Second-degree burns and gunshot wounds. He’s on the way to Mercy Hospital.” Aidan’s gaze assessed Bailey. “How are you holding up?”
“Okay, thanks.”
Aidan nodded, a gesture of respect. “Incredible job in there.”
Her subdued reply was barely discernable. “I just did what I had to.”
“Don’t kid yourself.” Aidan’s face grew serious. “Because of you, my brother walked out instead of being carried out.”
Bailey stiffened. “He did the same for me.”
Con narrowed his eyes at Aidan in warning. Him dying was the last thing he wanted her to think about. He attempted to steer the conversation to safer ground. “If I recall, you and Liam dragged me out. In fact, one of you apes had ahold of my hair.” He grimaced. “What’s left of it that Grady didn’t shave off.”
The brother in question suddenly appeared out of the swirling storm. “Taking my name in vain again, I see. Think you’re getting away with driving yourself to the hospital? Think again.”
“I’m fine.” Con frowned. So that’s why Aidan was stalling him. It was a conspiracy. “I wouldn’t risk it, otherwise.”
“The E.R. doc will be the judge of that. Until you get his okay, you’re not driving.”
“Yes, Mom.” Con rolled his eyes. “Remember, bro, paybacks are hell.”
Grady smirked. “Looking forward to it. Get your butt in the truck.”
Aidan’s grin flashed. “Now that your chauffeur has arrived, I’ve gotta run.” With a final wave, he sprinted away. As commanding officer, he’d be on-site the rest of the night and most of the following day.
Con lifted the yellow tape so Bailey could duck underneath. Followed by Grady, they finally climbed into his pickup.
Several hours later, they walked out of the hospital, with Con the disgusted owner of six stitches. His CAT scan and vitals were good, and he’d refused pain meds, so he was cleared to drive. Bailey had checked out fine.
Ellen Chambers had insisted on following them to the hospital. She and Bailey had engaged in a heated discussion in the waiting area while he had his scan. By the time it was over, Ellen was gone and Bailey was even paler than before.
Inside the truck, Con started the engine and turned the heater on full blast. “The windshield will take a minute or two to clear.” He touched Bailey’s arm, offering comfort. “Uh…everything go okay with your mom?”
“Surprisingly, after the first few hairy minutes, yes. She actually admitted she was grateful to you for keeping me alive.” She slumped in the seat, both her fatigue and her relief palpable. “She wanted to stay, but respected my need for you and I to have privacy, and agreed to wait until tomorrow to talk.”
Not sure what to make of that development, he stared out the frost-patched window at the dark, icy landscape. “Maybe she’s coming around.” He tried to ignore the other possibility clanging painfully inside his skull. If Bailey planned to break up with him for good, maybe Dr. Chambers’s willingness to