Stoking the Fire (Salus Security #1) - Teodora Kostova Page 0,84
the cops are, too?”
Alec scoffs. “Honestly? I wouldn’t be surprised.”
I reach for his arm, slowing our pace and turning to look at him. “Are you okay?” After injuring an old friend?
I don’t have to elaborate; Alec knows what I mean. His eyes darken with sadness, but I don’t see any regret.
“He isn’t the person I once knew. Not anymore. Adapting to civilian life after several tours is hard. I know that. I’ve lived through that. But it’s not an excuse to hurt people.” He pulls me aside, away from the main street, and we duck into an alley. I look around, the darkness making me uneasy. “I’m not going to pretend what happened today didn’t affect me. It did. But I did what I had to do. Those men would have killed you, Zach. They’d have killed you and tossed you aside and moved on to the next person on their agenda. So, no, I’m not sorry for what I did. At the time, I wanted to tear them apart, limb from limb, for taking you away from me. They’re lucky I resisted the urge.” He’s breathing hard, his nostrils flaring when he speaks.
I place a hand on his cheek. “I’m sorry.”
Alec closes his eyes, and I feel the smallest of nods against my palm. Turning his head, he kisses the inside of my hand, clutching at my wrist as if to steady himself. As if his huge body’s only kept upright by the small contact of my hand on his face.
“We need to go to the hospital,” Alec says, gaining his composure.
“Evie…”
“We’ll see her, but first, you need to get some tests done.” He touches the side of my head and I wince.
“But—”
“She’s fine, Zach. Felix has been texting me every hour to keep me updated. She’s not awake yet, but she’s stable. Your mother is there, too.”
I hang my head, resigned. “Fine. Let’s go.”
The doctor confirms I only have a minor concussion and a few cuts and bruises that are nothing to worry about, and I’m discharged. Alec has to keep an eye on me in the next forty-eight hours and bring me back if I show any signs of lethargy, nausea, or dizziness.
“If you start asking me how I’m feeling every five minutes, I’ll punch you,” I say when we walk into the elevator to the private rooms.
He scowls at me, but doesn’t comment. I bite my lip to hide my smirk.
There’re two security guards in front of my sister’s room. They greet Alec warmly and let us in. Felix is sitting in a plush chair, too small for his body, on one side of the bed, and my mother’s in a similar chair on the other. Somehow, she manages to look composed and elegant, even though she’s wearing jeans and a plain white sweater, with her long hair pulled back in a ponytail.
“Zach!” she exclaims when we walk in. She stands, and for the first time in my life, I see her lose a little of her composure. Her eyes glisten as she places her hands on my cheeks, looking me over. I notice how pale she is, how puffy her eyes look up close. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Mom.” I cover her hands with mine, gently easing them away. “How’s Evie?”
Mom casts a look at Evie, laying in the bed, her dark hair spilling on the white sheets. She looks like a princess in a fairytale, just waiting for her prince to save her with a kiss.
“She’s doing better. The infection was caught early, and it didn’t have a chance to spread. But they need to keep her here for observation for a few more days.” Her voice wobbles on the last word. She turns to me again. “What’s happening, Zach? I’ve never been this scared in my life. One of my children is rushed to the hospital while the other is kidnapped? When will this nightmare end?”
From the corner of my eye, I see Alec walk up to Felix, and they start talking quietly, Alec glancing at me or Evie every once in a while and nodding at whatever Felix’s telling him.
“I don’t know, Mom.” I wrap an arm around her shoulders and lead her back to the chair. She looks like she’s about to fall over. “Where’s Dad?”
Her features harden, and so do her tired eyes. “In the office.”
“Does he know what’s going on?”
“Yes. He knows you’ll come here before you do anything else, but he wants you to go to the office