Until Her - Ami Van Page 0,38

just that there will be more than one? One in particular. Adam King. Will he be here too? Because whatever happened between them earlier in the day hasn’t even been settled yet.

By the time the doctor arrives, Brooks is unconscious and her arms are trembling and aching from the amount of time she’s been putting pressure on to stop his bleeding. From the glimpse she caught of the wound, it’s a pretty deep gash across his torso and a deep stab into his right side also. It looked bad. But she was determined to stay by his side. It’s the least she can do.

Chapter Sixteen

“Easy Stella,” he tells his sister-in-law, giving her an encouraging look to help calm her down.

She’s antsy as all hell. Understandably. Brooks is her right-hand man, her factotum right down to being a nanny to her son. Her most trusted. Sometimes he wonders if she trusts the man more than she trusts him and his brothers.

Surely not. Maybe so, though.

He’s sitting up front in the passenger seat while Derrick drives to McCullen’s safe house. Derrick and Stella just had a blow-up and he’d been caught in the middle. To be fair, they didn’t pull him in. He’d more or less stepped in so neither of the two blew things up even more than they had. He’s always played the mediator within the family and this time was no different.

“Our discussion isn’t over, Stellina,” Derrick grunts from the driver seat. His brother’s voice has softened up a bit since they left the estate though.

“I know,” Stella concedes.

At least those two are calm now.

He’s worried about her again. He’s worried about Ariana and how she might be handling this. Their earlier meeting had been rough on her, followed by her slight set back. And now, Brooks being dragged, bloodied and beaten, into the house by men she’s never met before must be a shock to her.

He should have fucking stayed with her. He shouldn’t have left her alone, on the bed, scared. He should have taken her and fucked the senses back into her like he’d wanted to since their kiss.

What the fuck is wrong with him and this woman?

But that’s all he’d been thinking about for most of his time away from her. Fucking her and healing her. His damsel in distress. His own tarnished angel. It’s fucking madness. Instead of asking Stella what the fuck happened to Brooks and how a man of his skillset slipped up so badly, he’s more worried about Ariana and how she’s holding up.

“Cael has his doctor there right now,” Stella says from the backseat. “Are you sure Heinz can’t be reached?” she asks.

“I tried calling him myself,” he responds. “He must be on another call or something. McCullen’s doctor should do his job just as well.”

“Derrick? Have you tried calling Heinz?” she asks her husband.

Derrick doesn’t even bother to answer her. His brother is pissed off enough that she’d gone on a rescue mission without him knowing AND when she needed help, Stella hadn’t called him. Well, when Brooks needed help. Anyhow, Stella hadn’t shown up for dinner which is odd enough and instead of Derrick’s phone ringing, it was his.

Stella remains silent as they pull into the driveway.

She doesn’t even wait for the car to come to a complete stop before she opens the car door and rushes to the front door of the house, leaving him and Derrick to stalk inside right behind her.

“Be careful up the flight of stairs,” Marcus tells them all.

Stella immediately heads in the direction of Marcus’s nod.

“How is she?” he asks Marcus now.

Derrick looks at him with curiosity. Yeah. He’d slipped and asked about Ariana first instead of asking about Brooks. Brooks who’s saved Jazzy’s life over and over again.

He’s tumbling and tumbling fast.

“She’s in her room right now,” Marcus answers. “She was up there, helping them out as best as she could before the doctor got here.”

“She did?” he asks incredulously.

Maybe the thought of her seeing blood had him assuming she’d be on her ass, passing out.

“She did,” Marcus proudly replies. “She’s getting stronger. She also knows that Brooks is the man who helped her. She was determined to repay him any way she can.”

He nods and heads to the bedroom without another word. He can hear Derrick and Marcus chattering even as he enters the bedroom and shuts the door behind him. When he turns around again, it’s only to meet round eyes filled with concern. Before he can open his