The Unseen Enemy Series

Chapter 16

Three weeks later

Emma was sitting on a chair inside the hospital, trying to get up enough energy to go home. She had spent the whole day at the hospital, getting her blood tests done, seeing her doctor, arranging her next round of chemo for two weeks from then, and – of course – filling in yet more paperwork. She hadn’t eaten at all and she was exhausted.

I think I’d better call one of the girls. I’m not in any shape to get myself home. God, the fatigue is bad today. I’ll try Jenny… I think she said she’d be finished at the restaurant around three o’clock today. Maybe she’ll even bring me some food, if I ask.

She was just reaching into her purse for her phone when she saw jean-clad legs stop right in front of her.

“Emma?”

She glanced up and dropped her phone in shock. It was Dean.

He was standing there, as huge and achingly gorgeous as she remembered him. His green eyes were bright in his hard face, his hair still a bit too long. He was staring down at her, and she couldn’t read his expression at all.

Emma had thought about him over the previous month; she’d thought about him far more often than she'd wanted to. Flashes of their one amazing night would come to her at odd times – when eating breakfast or ironing her blouse – and she’d have to stop and catch her breath as she remembered that muscled chest rising above her, or those large hands carefully stroking her c**t. She remembered his face when he came, his face when he touched her cheek and asked if she was OK.

And now here he was, and she was so tired and weak today. She wanted nothing more than to curl up into his massive body and absorb some of his warmth and strength.

Dean just couldn’t f*****g believe that she was sitting right in front of him. He had wished for her to reappear so hard and so often, he almost felt like he must have conjured her up out of thin air. He looked her up and down, drinking her in. Still lush and beautiful, still bright and sweet. But – wait a minute. Under that dress, her curves were less rounded and her astounding eyes looked tired in her pale face. He thought she looked stretched and strained, pulled too tight and thin. Maybe she was working too hard?

“Dean,” she said. “What – what are you doing here?”

“Visiting Dallas,” he said, his eyes nailing her in place, determined not to let her out of his sight for even one second. “He was brought in this afternoon.”

“Why?” she said. “Is he OK?”

“He was stabbed.”

“He – what?” Emma said. “Oh, God. Who stabbed him?”

“A deranged fan.”

Emma paused, confused. “He has fans?”

Dean grinned. “Well, he’d like to think so, but no. He was on a detail to protect an athlete, and some stalker came at the guy with a knife. Dallas got between them and took a stab in the shoulder before he beat the guy down.”

“God. Talk about on-the-job risk.”

“Well, he’s a bodyguard, so these kinds of events and injuries go with the territory. It wasn’t bad, and the attacker never got anywhere close to Dallas’ client. All’s fine.”

Emma shook her head. “So he’s really OK?”

“Yep. They’ll keep him overnight and let him go tomorrow morning, first thing.” He c****d his head at her. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh.” I need a lie, right now. “I was visiting a friend.”

“They’re sick?”

“No. She’s – she’s just had a baby.”

“Oh, great. Everything’s OK?”

Emma nodded.

He gestured at the exit. “You just leaving?”

Goddammit. I can’t call the girls now, not with him standing here. I’ll have to tough it out, get myself home.

She picked up her phone from her lap and put it back in her purse. “Yeah. Yeah, I am.”

“OK,” Dean said. “I’ll walk you out.”

And I’m going to get you back to my place somehow, baby. We’re going to have round two tonight. Rounds three and four too, if I have anything to say about it. And this time, Emma, you don’t sneak out. I’ll tie you to the bed if I have to. Hmmm. Actually, that sounds kind of fun.

Emma gazed up at him tiredly, wanting nothing more than to go home and sleep for three days. “OK, thanks.” She got to her feet and turned to the door.

The dizziness rushed at her fast, so fast that she didn’t even see it coming. All she knew was that suddenly the world was spinning and everything was a blur. She closed her eyes, her legs starting to slide out from under her.

Dean saw her face go as white as paper, then her eyes shut and she swayed on her feet. His hands shot out and grabbed her shoulders, holding her up. Her head fell forward and he pulled her into his arms. He felt her breath on his chest and he stroked her hair.