Shadow of My Heart - By Caryn Moya-Block Page 0,38
“I’m sorry” didn’t seem like enough.
“Dr. Rick said he is doing well but should stay in the clinic another day or so. He lost a lot of blood while tracking the kidnappers.”
It was strange to think of the kidnapping now. She felt removed from it, almost like it had happened to another person. None of the fear and terror she remembered feeling was present. Only sadness and concern over Derek’s injuries.
“Was anyone else hurt when you rescued me?”
“No, tehila. Not one of our people was injured during the extraction.” Extraction, another word that seemed detached from the actual circumstances. Is that how Raven and his men dealt with the situation, by removing themselves from it on a personal level?
They walked out of the elevator and into the clinic. This floor had more people moving around and sounds of machines operating. As they walked toward Derek’s room, Cara noticed a lovely woman with red hair and blue eyes standing next to his bed. While Cara watched, Derek reached for the woman’s hand, and those strings of light, like she had seen when Raven made love to her, streaked from the woman to Derek and from Derek to the woman. Their auras were merging. Did that mean they were together as a couple, or that they should be?
“Is that Derek’s new girlfriend?”
“No, that is Katherine Sloane, my executive assistant. I couldn’t run the company without her. She probably brought down flowers for Derek. She does things like that for the employees.”
Cara continued to watch as Derek said something and the woman laughed. There was something in the way Derek looked at her, possessive and awestruck. Oh yeah, those two definitely needed to get together. Cara would bet her new engagement ring that they were meant to be together.
“Have they ever dated?”
“Katherine and Derek? No way. I think she puts up with him because he is my brother.”
“Really? He’s holding her hand rather tenderly, don’t you think? Look, he just brushed a kiss on her hand. Look at her blush. She’s interested in your brother.”
Raven paused in the hall and watched the pair. Could it be? Derek was always careful around Katherine, flirty and light-hearted, but kind and considerate. Why didn’t he consider before that Derek might be interested in Katherine? It wasn’t like Derek to ignore a possible conquest. Why hadn’t he asked Katherine out before now? She had been with Isanti, Inc., almost five years.
“Well, let’s go see what they’re talking about,” Raven said, opening the door and ushering Cara into the room. Both Derek and Katherine stopped talking. Katherine dropped her eyes, and Derek let go of her hand.
“How are you feeling, little brother?”
“I feel fine, which is what I keep telling Dr. Rick,” Derek complained. “But he won’t release me from the clinic.”
“I believe the doctor is worried about your heart rate. You lost a lot of blood,” Katherine said. “You need to stay in bed a little while longer.”
“Will you come down and have dinner with me?” Derek said playfully. “It gets awfully lonely down here.”
“Office gossip says you had half of the accounting department down here last night keeping you company, and it wasn’t the male half,” Katherine said.
“I would rather spend time with you, Katie,” Derek said, lowering his tone of voice until it slid against the skin like a caress.
“No wonder the girls can’t stay away from you. That voice is downright dangerous,” Cara said laughing. “You could be a voice actor on the side if you wanted. Thanks for putting up such a good fight, Derek. I’m sorry you were hurt trying to protect me.”
“Cara, if the terrorists didn’t hurt me, your enraged fiancé would have,” Derek said. “Raven, you gave her the ring, I see. Too bad you didn’t have it earlier, Cara. One swipe of that diamond could have cut through anything.”
“It’s a beautiful ring, Cara. Don’t let Derek tease you about it. My name is Katherine, but my friends call me Kathy.”
“I’m sorry, where are my manners?” Raven asked. “Cara, this is Katherine Sloane, my administrative assistant. Katherine, my fiancée, Cara Hamilton.”
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Cara. Everyone in the office wanted to know who the woman was who could melt Raven’s frozen heart.”
“My heart was not frozen. I was just waiting for the right woman,” Raven said, putting his arm around Cara’s waist and pulling her close.
“Every woman at Isanti will be jealous to know you bagged the big guy,” Derek said.
“Not every woman, Derek,” Katherine said. “Well, I