Tempest - Kris Michaels Page 0,93

don't I go get her a fresh pitcher of ice and water and give you a few minutes to talk? I'll be right back. Hit the call button if you need me." The nurse grabbed the small plastic pitcher and promptly spun on her heel, leaving the room.

He cupped her face with his hand and wiped at the tears with his thumbs. Pilar grasped his hand and stilled the motion. "She's dead."

"Yes."

She swallowed hard. She hadn't seen Regina die. "Did you kill her?" He paled and tried to pull his hand away. She held as tight as she could. "No! Tell me, tell me she's dead. That you killed her and she can't hurt anyone ever again. If you tell me I can believe it. Please––"

His hands returned to her face. "Shhh... she's gone. I promise. She can't hurt you or anyone else ever again."

"No." She shook her head and winced as her headache thudded through whatever pain killers they'd given her. "She said she'd done something. She was going to kill me, and I think she knew she was going to die. She said neither of us would see the results of her work. Luke, you have to find out what she's done. You have to stop it."

"Pilar, babe, stop for a moment and listen to me."

She gulped air and tried to stop the tears, but the terror of what Regina had done was bone deep and wrapped so tight she couldn't breathe.

"It's okay, she's dead. We have all of her computer systems. The emails were in code, but Guardian has cracked the code and is transcribing the documentation. Guardian will do everything in its power to ensure her plans are stopped."

She stared into those gold-flecked green eyes and begged, "Do you swear?"

"I do, on everything I am, I swear." He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

As he moved away, she whispered, "She said you were an assassin. That you killed those people in Tahiti. Did you?"

"I work for Guardian. What I've done is classified."

"Do you know about those people in Tahiti?"

He nodded, never once letting his eyes drop from their connection.

"What did they do?"

"Rumor has it they were bidding on young men and women."

"What?" Bidding... "You mean they were buying people? For what?" Oh God. No. "Sex?"

"That was one of the nicer things. These people were the brokers. They bought from people who gathered the children and sold to those who wanted them. At least that's what I recall the rumors said." He stared at her. "They died for their crimes and a message was sent. The world wasn't going to tolerate their activities any longer."

Her head was heavy and pounding harder. She dropped it back into the pillow. "Did it stop? What they do?"

A sad smile spread across his face. "For a short while."

"But she's gone." She had to be sure.

"Yes. She can never hurt anyone again."

"Will others take her place, like the people in Tahiti?" Her eyes closed, and it was a struggle to open them again. There was still so much swelling.

"No. Guardian will never allow it, nor will I."

She closed her eyes and squeezed his hand. "Don't leave me. Please."

"Never." She felt his lips on her forehead again before she slipped into sleep.

He watched the sun come up while sitting in that damn plastic chair. He'd held her hand all night and rewound their conversation over and over in his mind. When she'd first asked if he'd killed Regina, he was sure she’d be horrified, repulsed. Yet he refused to lie to her. Her reaction surprised him. She didn’t seem to be upset that her mother was dead, and her desperation to be sure Regina couldn't hurt anyone again bordered on manic, but the early morning conversation also provided insight into her injury. She could reason, speak, she remembered, which was unfortunate but a blessing nonetheless.

The nurse had left a note for the doctor, and at shift change the day nurse seemed happy to let her sleep until breakfast. So, he sat waiting for the minutes to pass and for her to wake again. He needed to see her wake up again. Needed to know her long sleep was past and she was healing and would again be the Pilar he knew.

He didn't respond to a light tap on the door. The nurses usually knocked lightly as a courtesy, but came in anyway. There was no movement. Finally, the door edged open a crack and then wider.

A tall, broad shouldered man with jet black