to ease the way into words he wouldn’t want to hear. “It’s way too early for this discussion, Colin. Her vitals are strong. Her test results are amazing. We’ve every reason to hope her recovery will be complete.”
“But?”
“You need to be patient.” As uncompromising as a corrective swat on the nose. “Be a calm, supportive presence. Answer her questions. Don’t make demands. Can you do that? That’s what she needs right now.”
After a deep, steadying breath that shivered out from his soul, he vowed, “Yes.”
“Go home. Shower, change, sleep. We’ll be doing more comprehensive tests, so there’s no need for you to be here until mid-afternoon.”
Cee Cee curtailed any argument. “I’ll see to it.”
“Good. If you want to help her, Colin, don’t push for the results you need. This isn’t about you. It’s about what’s best for her.”
A forceful breath and an affirming, “What’s best for her.”
“We’ll talk again later this afternoon. Much later.”
– – –
Slumped next to her in the flashy Camaro, Colin muttered, “Rico moved our stuff into Savoie’s building. To keep us safe. Kinda closing that barn door too late. I don’t exactly know where home is, except in there, next to her.”
Cee Cee started the rumbling engine. “Easy fix.”
Once she cued up his number, she wasn’t sure what to say to Max without getting in over her head, especially when the low drawl of his voice had her pulse frantically treading water, so she kept it short, “I’m taking Colin to the Towers. I need a code and a room number.”
A pause then he provided, “I’ll text you,” followed by a deeper promise, “and meet you there.”
By the time they pulled into the underground parking structure, the Terriot prince was snoring with earthquake intensity. When she shut off the engine, he blinked awake, instantly alert. Wordlessly, he followed her to the elevator, watched her key in the sequence of numbers and rode up, stoic and silent. Until they reached their floor, where Amber James waited to take him into her arms, holding him, head to her strong shoulder. He leaned, but only for a moment.
Stepping back, she took his elbow to steer him down the short hall to the single door at its end, explaining, “The apartment’s a mirror of ours,” as she tapped in the entry code. “We put what we could away for you. There’s food in the fridge and medicinal alcohol.” When he didn’t smile at that, she rubbed a palm between broad shoulders struggling with the weight of his worry. “We’re right on the other side of the elevator. I wrote down our code for you. Just punch it in on the opposite panel, walk through, and you’re at our front door.”
He went straight to the kitchen area and popped a top, drinking deeply down to the bottom of a well both women knew couldn’t be filled until his other half stood beside him.
“Got one of those for me?”
Colin took out two more cans, passing one to the newly-arrived New Orleans clan leader before heading into the living area. Perched on one of the matching chairs’ edges, he looked anything but weary as he regarded Max.
“Who did this? I need to know.”
While Max guided Cee Cee to the adjacent couch with an electrifying touch of his fingertips to the center of her back, Amber bent to touch a kiss upon Colin’s stitched brow, whispering, “We’re right next door. Get some rest. Frederick will drive you back to see her once you get some sleep. Okay?” After his stiff nod, she stroked his hair, nodding good-byes to the other couple.
When it was just the three of them, Max cut right to it.
“Who brought her back?”
“I thought it was a dream.” Slowly, with an edgy caution, Colin relayed what he remembered through a filter of worry and exhaustion, concluding with, “I don’t care who it was or what their agenda is. I had to have her back . . . them back.”
But it mattered a great deal. They all knew it.
“I’ll step away,” Colin decided for them. “I won’t let someone use me to influence what happens to our people. Until this is over, you have to regard me as a danger to all of you.”
“That’s not really neces—”
He cut off Cee Cee’s sentiments. “Yes, it is. I’m compromised. You can’t trust me. You can’t depend on me to put our goals first. Not after this. I’m sorry.”
“No,” Max absolved him, “don’t be. You’re honest. That’s why you were so valuable to us. You