“DON’T be ridiculous.” Abby straightened then snatched the phone from his hand. “You can’t call 911 for this. It’s not an emergency.”
“You’re hurt. That’s enough of an emergency for me.” Furious at Roland for laying a hand on Abby, he rounded on him, wrapping a fist in the front of his shirt. “You better stay away from her.”
“Nick.” Abby laid a hand on his arm. “I’m fine. Just let it go.”
“I can’t.” Those endless moments before he could reach her would haunt him. “He threatened you.”
“Threatened her? Hell, I just wanted to talk to her.” Roland leaned backward, trying to break Nick’s hold. Apparently Roland wasn’t willing to pick on someone his own size. “I didn’t mean to hurt her.”
“Oh, yeah? Maybe you should have thought of that before you grabbed her and shook her like a rag doll.” Abby continued to pull on Nick’s arm, and with reluctance he let go of Roland’s shirt. Taking a step back, he breathed deeply, struggling for control. “Get the hell out of here, Roland. And don’t even think about getting behind the wheel in your condition because I’ll call the police. Did I mention Abby’s brother is a cop?” He took his cell phone back from Abby. “Go inside and call yourself a cab.”
Roland stumbled away, muttering under his breath. Letting him walk off wasn’t easy—adrenaline sped through Nick’s system, making him yearn to blow off some steam by following Roland inside. He wrestled himself under control and turned toward Abby. “Let me see your knee.”
She lifted one leg of her scrub pants as high as it would go. Her right knee was swollen and already starting to bruise.
“We need to get some ice. I’ll run inside the hospital for some.”
“No.” Abby’s voice was flat. “Roland’s in there.”
He understood her reluctance and glanced across the street to the Cozy Inn, where he had a room—at least until five o’clock. “We can get ice from the motel. Do you think you can make it that far?”
“Sure.” She sounded confident enough but when she put her weight on her knee, she winced. “Maybe.”
“Here, you lean on me, I’ll lean on my cane,” he joked, trying not to sound as frustrated as he felt. Why couldn’t he have moved just a little faster, to prevent Roland from hurting her?
Why hadn’t his muscles obeyed his commands? If he hadn’t been hampered by his injuries, he could have stopped Roland and defused the situation before things had got out of hand.
“Stop it.” Abby must have been able to read his mind, because she jabbed him once in the ribs. “You’ve got to stop taking responsibility for other people’s actions. Roland’s antics hurt my knee—you didn’t. Besides, I was stupid enough to try talking to him in the first place.”
Nick raised a brow as they made their way across the street. “Did you smell the alcohol on his breath?”
She sighed. “Not until after I was too close. Then, when I tried to back off, he grabbed me. He was so angry, nothing I said got through to him.”
He wondered if her wrist was bruised as well and vowed to take a closer look once they were inside. They crossed the mostly vacant parking lot of the motel. Inside the building, he hesitated outside the door to his room. The packed duffel was standing just inside the door. Well, there wasn’t anything he could do about it now. With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, he opened the door and helped her in.
The muscles in her body stiffened the moment she caught sight of his bag.
“You’re leaving?”
“Yeah.”
“Tonight?”
He nodded.
“Without saying goodbye?” Her tone was incredulous.
Nick concentrated on getting Abby over to the bed, where she could sit and take the pressure off her knee. This was exactly what he’d tried to avoid. The wounded expression in her eyes sliced him like a scalpel.
“Sit down, I’ll get you some ice.” Once she was settled on the edge of the bed, he grabbed the ice bucket and a plastic bag, then headed out to the ice machine at the end of the hall. Filling the ice bucket halfway only took a minute, and when he returned to his room, the wounded look in her eyes was still there.
Awkwardly, he knelt before her and gently pressed the makeshift cold pack on the swollen part of her knee. Because she kept staring at him, he felt compelled to respond.
“Abby, not long ago I discovered you were moving to Florida and today you’re upset because I was going to leave without saying goodbye?” He trailed a finger down her ivory cheek, noting how her freckles stood out in sharp contrast to her skin. “We don’t want the same things, Abby. I never intended to hurt you.” Damn, now he sounded just like Roland.
“So where are you going?” She stared at his duffel, placed neatly against the wall by the door. Slowly she brought her gaze to his. “I mean, I know you’re going home, but where is home? In Chicago?”
Chicago? Where had she got that idea? Then he remembered telling her he’d grown up there, that they were practically neighbors. There wasn’t any specific place he’d ever thought of as home. It was on the tip of his tongue to admit the truth, but he caught himself just in time. “Not Chicago. I have a condo across from the Fairfax Hospital in Virginia.”
“Oh. I see. It sounds nice.”
Nice? His condo wasn’t nice. It was empty. Lonely. And about as impersonal as this motel room. He’d bought it furnished a year or so ago, and would have been ashamed to show Abby the place. He didn’t have any personal belongings there. No books, no art, no family pictures.
Besides of his clothes, there was nothing in the place except what he’d bought originally.
His so-called home was as far from the noisy, crowded Monroe household, with its comfortable, eclectic furniture and wall of framed photographs, as you could get.
Before he could gather his thoughts, she shoved at his hand holding the ice on her knee. “It’s too cold,” she protested. “I’m fine.”
Dark smudges encircling her wrist caught his gaze, and he set the ice aside and took her hand in his. “Look what that bastard did to you.”
“I’m fine,” she repeated in a stubborn tone, but he didn’t believe her. The fine tremor in her hands ripped at him. Dammit, what would Roland have done if he hadn’t gotten there in time?
“Shh.” He bent and placed a quick kiss on the bruises marring her wrist. “It’s OK. I’m here for you.”
“For a minute, when I was pinned underneath him, I couldn’t breathe…” She didn’t finish.
“I know.” Nick tightened his grip and smoothed a hand over her hair. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to you sooner.”
She shook her head. Her lack of feistiness bothered him more than he wanted to admit. He stood, ignoring the pain in his leg, then settled beside her on the edge of the bed. The mattress dipped, bringing her body closer to his. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her against him.
To his surprise, she slid one arm around his waist and turned into his embrace, tucking her head into the curve of his shoulder.
He wanted to erase the awful memories from her mind. Seated as they were, side by side on the bed, he couldn’t hold her as close as he wanted. With a quick motion he lifted her knees and turned her so she was sitting on his lap.
Tense, he waited for her to break out of his arms, but she didn’t. Instead, Abby held on tight.
He didn’t know how long he held her, only that he withstood the pain in his leg for as long as possible, before shifting her weight to the other side.
She uttered a soft moan, but didn’t stir.
He realized she must have fallen asleep.
Careful not to wake her, he slid backwards until they were both stretched out on the bed. He drew one end of the bedspread over her, then tucked her against his chest. With his chin nestled in her hair, he relaxed against the pillow.
If all he could do for Abby was to give her an hour of peaceful sleep, that’s what he’d do.
Although holding her in his arms like this, before he was scheduled to leave, was sweet torture.
A fierce banging woke Abby from a sound sleep. Confused, she lifted her head and glanced around.
“Open up, Tremayne! I know you’re in there.” The words were emphasized by more pounding.
“Stop it, I’m coming.” Abby crawled from the bed, straightening her scrubs as she did. Nick stirred on the bed. The room was dark, she and Nick must have slept for hours.
“Abby? Dammit, open this door or I’ll break it in!”
Knowing her brother wasn’t kidding, she flicked on the light and wrenched the door open. “Alec, what is your problem?”
“What are you guys doing hanging around here?” Dressed in full cop gear, Alec shouldered past her, scanning the room like a madman. “Do you realize we just busted a drug deal in a room on the second floor of this motel?”
“A drug deal?” Abby stared at him. “What does that have to do with us?” Abby shut the door, trying hard not to slam it. Nick had already risen to his feet and stood on the opposite side of the double bed, watching her brother with a wary eye. “You’re acting crazy, busting in here like a madman.”
“Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Alec didn’t give an inch, standing with a wide stance as if he was ready to go for his gun at any second.
With a guilty flush, Abby glanced around for her purse. She’d left it on the floor near the bed. Picking it up, she found the cell phone she’d left on vibrate. There were nine missed calls.
“I was busy.” After turning the phone off, she tossed it back on the floor. Heavens, save her from four older, overprotective brothers.
“Too busy to consider Mom?” Alec challenged as his accusing glance swept over the wrinkled bed and to her equally wrinkled clothes.
Guilt burned the back of her throat like lye. “I’m sorry. Maybe I should have called, but I’m not the only child she has. And that’s no excuse for your behavior, Alec. You’re wired just a little too tight.”
Nick found his voice. “But now that he’s here, tell him what happened with Roland. I know you were more upset than you let on.”
Alec’s gaze narrowed, bounced between the two of them. “What do you mean? What happened?”
Great, just what she needed—more fuel to pour on her brother’s fiery temper. She shot Nick a look, warning him to shut up. “Nothing. Never mind.”
“What happened?” Ignoring her, Alec addressed Nick.
“One of the doctors was drunk, grabbed her shoulders and shook her hard enough to make her teeth rattle. Then when she tried to escape, he grabbed her again, then fell on her, pinning her against the car.” Nick gestured toward her. “She has the bruises to prove it.”
Alec spun toward her.
“Forget it.” She crossed her arms and resisted the urge to scream at the top of her lungs. What was it about her brothers that made them deaf and dumb when it came to her wishes? “You come storming in here like some psycho and now you want to talk rationally? Get out, Alec. I’m twenty-six years old. I don’t need you to watch over me.” A strangled laugh bubbled out. “This is exactly why I can’t wait to move to Florida. You know, after this stunt of yours, I might not even bother to give you my address once I’m settled.”
Her brother clenched his jaw. “We had a right to be worried. Let me see your bruises. Who is this guy? We can still pick him up for assault.”
“You’re not arresting anyone.” She glanced at her watch. “It’s ten o’clock at night. Don’t you have real bad guys to catch? Go chase your drug dealers and leave me alone.”
Alec stared at her for a long minute, as if reassuring himself she was really all right. Then he moved toward the door. “Mom and Dad were wondering what happened to you. You’d better call them.”
“Fine,” she snapped. “Now get out.”
Alec noticed Nick’s bag propped beside the door. He raised a brow at him. “Leaving?”
Nick shrugged. “Eventually. Why?”
“Just wondering.” Alec’s gaze widened innocently. “See you later, Abby.”
“Not if I can help it.” Reaching out, she shoved Alec, surprising him enough to make him stumble. Satisfaction surged. “Goodbye, Alec.”
When the door closed behind her brother, she dropped onto the edge of the bed and cradled her head in her hands. Her voice was muffled. “I’m sorry.”
“Why? Because you have a family who cares about you?” Nick limped over to pick up his cane.
“No, because they’re psychotic.” With a deep sigh, she lifted her head. “Especially my brothers. Alec is worse, much worse, since he became a cop. You can see why I’m so desperate to get away from them.”
“I still think you should have told your brother about Roland,” Nick argued. “He deserves to be punished for what he did to you.” He stepped around the bed. His leg buckled and he almost fell on the bed, catching himself just in time.
Abby frowned. Had Nick re-injured his leg? He’d continued to work out in the physical therapy gym each morning, on top of his consultancy work. She suspected he’d cut way back on his pain medication, too. The incident with Roland probably hadn’t helped either.
She tensed and shivered. Heck, maybe Nick was right. But if she did decide to press charges, her brother would be the last person she’d go to.
“I meant to thank you for coming to my rescue.”
“It was pure, dumb luck that I happened to be there.”
She didn’t agree, more like fate intervening before he could leave without saying goodbye. She shook off the despondent thought. “Do you think Roland has a drinking problem? Maybe his drinking is the reason he hasn’t been making rounds?”
“I don’t know.” Nick pursed his lips. “I guess I thought Johnson had given him an ultimatum and as a result Roland went out and had a few drinks.” He raised a brow. “Unless you think he’s been under the influence before?”
“Er…no.” She wrinkled her brow, thinking back to their extremely brief conversations. “At least, not that I can say for sure. There was one time I thought he slurred his words, but then he seemed fine.”
“It’s a big leap from one or two episodes of drinking too much to a full-fledged alcohol problem that could interfere with his work.”
Abby didn’t necessarily agree. “Not really. I mean, honestly, Nick, how would we know? He’s hardly ever around to smell the alcohol on him. What do we know about his mental condition while he’s giving orders to us from the other end of a phone?”
“You have a point,” Nick agreed. He came around the bed, but didn’t come close enough to touch her.
She wished, more than anything, she could have woken up in his arms. To have kissed him one last time.
Nick stared at her, a frown furrowing his brow. “I don’t know where to go from here.”
Abby swallowed hard and tried to sound casual, although her heart was thumping in her chest. “Why? Because you missed your flight?”
“Partially.” He shrugged, then turned away. “I guess this means I’m not leaving after all.”
“You’re not?” Hope swelled at his words. Even after her brother’s rudeness, Nick was staying.
Nick was staying.
“No, I think there’s something going on with Roland.”
Abby wanted to tell him how glad she was that he wasn’t leaving yet but didn’t want him to take her comment the wrong way. She wasn’t trying to plan an entire future with him, but surely they had a relationship of sorts.
“You mean you think he could have a drinking problem?”
Nick nodded. “Yeah. Now that you’ve put the idea in my head, I can’t leave until I know for sure that Roland isn’t practicing under the influence of alcohol. Because if he is, he either needs to sign himself into a treatment program or have his license suspended until he agrees to go.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Abby smoothed a hand over her wrinkled scrubs. She hoped Roland wouldn’t be around much longer. And Nick staying would give her time to make a few phone calls. There was no reason she had to go all the way to Florida to get away from her family.
Virginia would work just as well.