kept her eyes on Jack as she slipped off the gown, her back to Sam. She cupped her breasts in her hands to cover them. Her panties would cover her a little, too. A large bandage below her left breast covered the knife wound.
“Jack, take the bandage off my ribs.”
Sam watched her try to cover herself so he couldn’t see all of her. No way to make her more comfortable, he kept his face blank. She must feel humiliated to stand there almost naked in front of him, her future brother-in-law. She did it though. She had guts.
“This is going to hurt.” Jack peeled the bandages away and swore under his breath at the long double lines of stitches. Too many to count before she turned toward him.
“Hurry up. Take the pictures.”
Sam didn’t say a word. He took pictures of the nasty knife wounds that went from almost the middle of her chest around her ribs to her back. Next came the bruises on her other side, the scrapes and cuts on her knee, the cut above her eye, and her split lip.
“Jack, take the bandage off her head, so I can take a picture of the cut and stitches back there.”
Sam snapped more pictures, his stomach in knots. The cut was about three inches long, swollen into a large ball the size of a lemon. Multiple stitches kept it closed. She must have one hell of a headache.
“Okay, Jenna. You did a great job. I’ll email the photos to Ben and my buddy at the FBI to use on David.”
She hadn’t moved, just stood with her face buried in Jack’s chest, his arms loose around her. Jack nodded to Sam to leave.
Sam didn’t need a reason to escape. He’d seen enough.
Jack gently sat Jenna on the edge of the bed. Without a word, he put the bandages back on her ribcage and the back of her head. He slid the gown up her arms and draped it over her shoulders. Helping her lie down again, he leaned over and kissed her softly for a long minute. He put his brow to hers as her eyes drooped closed again.
“I am so proud of you. I know that can’t have been easy to do in front of Sam. I had no idea how bad . . . Sleep now,” he finished, unable to voice his concerns about her condition. “I’ll help Sam get things ready for you to leave. I want you home in our bed.”
He didn’t think she heard him. So peaceful looking with her eyes closed, but he knew she didn’t have any peaceful thoughts in her head. He stood to leave, but she called to him.
“Jack.”
“Yeah, honey. I’m here.”
“I didn’t break my promise.”
“What promise, honey?”
“I promised I wouldn’t leave the ranch. I never did. At least, I think I was on the ranch the whole time.” She gave him what appeared to be a crooked smile and opened her eyes. He couldn’t help himself, he smiled back.
“Smart ass. Even in your condition, you’re being a smart ass.”
“I got you to smile. Don’t worry about me. I’m okay. I promise. Please don’t be mad at me.”
“I’m not mad at you. I love you. You and our babies are everything to me. The thought of losing you breaks my heart. I was so scared when I couldn’t find you. I finally found the woman of my dreams, and I let you down and almost lost you and the babies. Now stop talking, or your voice will never come back.”
“You never let me down. You can’t be with me every second. We thought I’d be safe. I’m safe now. Kiss me goodnight.”
He did kiss her again and, reluctant to leave her, held her hand until she slept. He left her room quietly. The guard he’d posted at her door nodded as he left. No one would get into her room except the doctor or one of the family members.
This time, Jack wasn’t taking any chances.
Chapter Forty-Eight
* * *
SAM ISSUED ORDERS over the phone, detailing the story to appear in the news regarding the death of Jenna Caldwell Merrick. Jack stood near, listening. His face said it all: If they couldn’t pull this off, David may decide to come back and finish the job. After everything they’d been through the last few days, thinking about losing Jenna even in theory about shattered Jack’s control.
Sam finished his call and studied his brother. This was really taking a toll on him and it wasn’t