go against everything he’d trained for to achieve vengeance. As much as she, too, wanted these men caught and punished, she knew the rest of Galaxy plus Tom Hernandez would handle it properly. Blaze needed to take a deep breath before he went off the deep end.
And she was sure she had just the medicine he needed.
“I’d like to stop at the hospital and see Brianne,” she told him. “No, I need to see Brianne.”
“Absolutely. I planned to stop there anyway and check that all the security arrangements are in place. Come on, darlin’.” He reached for her hand. “We need to get going.”
She wasn’t sure who was more surprised at the endearment that slipped out of his mouth, the other men or her. But she took his hand and gave it a little squeeze. He was helping her get answers and making sure the people who hurt Dane and Brianne paid for it. She’d do something good for him, too.
Tonight.
Chapter Twelve
The first thing Peyton noticed when they approached her sister’s room was the guard standing at the doorway, a gun in a holster at his hip.
“Is he hospital security?” she asked Blaze.
He shook his head. “He’s one of Leo DeLuca’s men. I talked to Nolan about it when I called him, and his suggestion that the man wear a guard’s uniform seemed the best. That way there doesn’t have to be any further explanation for why he’s armed.”
“Oh. Good idea.”
The door to the room was partially closed, and when she opened it, she was stunned to see the number of people in there. Blaze had called his brother again once they were on their way. Nolan had assured him everything was okay and he’d see him there. He turned around as the two of them walked into the room.
“Everything’s under control here,” were the words he greeted them with. “She’s in great hands. Leo’s guy is set up outside her door.”
“I saw that. The guard will change every eight hours.”
“Good. Good.” He handed Nolan a sheet of paper. “The list of medical staff assigned to Brianne. The guard has one, I faxed one to Leo, Chuck Wagner has one which he’ll share with his brother. This one’s for you.”
Peyton spotted Chuck Wagner sitting in the armchair a slight distance away from Brianne’s bed. He stood up as soon as he saw them.
“You take the chair, Miss West.” He slid it closer to the bed. “Go on. Sit down. I don’t need it.”
She had to wait a moment while the nurse finished changing the IV bags that were feeding life-sustaining nourishment to Brianne until she could wake up and eat on her own.
If she could eat on her own.
No, Peyton. Optimism, remember? When she wakes up and can do that.
“She seems to be doing okay,” the nurse told her. “I mean, considering the situation. Dr. Nolan ordered a daily massage to keep her muscles from atrophying. I think subconsciously it keeps her relaxed, too.”
Peyton was all for anything that helped, even a little bit.
“I just took her vitals and all her numbers are good.” She paused, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth. “I’ve cared for a number of comatose patients and I told Dr. Nolan I have a feeling she’s going to come out of this pretty soon.”
Peyton tried to control the little flare of hope that flickered.
“You think so?”
The nurse shrugged. “I’m not a doctor, and I could certainly be wrong, but I just have a sense of her. You get it when you’ve cared for as many as I have.” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “But don’t tell Dr. Nolan. He doesn’t like to give false hope, just in case.”
“I won’t, but thank you.”
As soon as the nurse left, Peyton tugged the chair closer to the bed, sat down and reached between the bars of the siderail for her sister’s limp hand.
“Hi, Brianne.” She said the words softly. “Sorry I was gone all day, but we’re working on finding the people who did this to you.”
She squeezed her sister’s hand and continued talking in a low, soft voice. She was only marginally aware of Blaze behind her talking to Nolan, Chuck and another man who had just arrived. Instead she was totally focused on Brianne, holding her hand, squeezing it now and then, talking to her, looking and praying for any sign that this nightmare might be ending.
She turned when Blaze touched her shoulder.
“Nolan says she’s doing very well considering the circumstance.”