Page 17 of Lost in the Light

“They wouldn’t let us stay with Addy. Asher tried to tell them she could be in danger, but they wouldn’t listen. She’s on her own back there,” he explained as he sat up and looked to me with despair.

“Who’s he talking to?” Adam asked as he sat at Eli’s other side.

“Someone he knows on the board. He said he’d fix it.”

“Then he will. She’ll be okay,” Adam assured Eli confidently.

We waited, just watching the hectic waiting room around us as Asher finished up his call. I was relieved when he was done, because he walked right up to Leo who was waiting off to the side, keeping a vigilant watch. After Asher and he spoke, Leowalked off deeper into the department and I assumed Asher had somehow arranged for there to be security with Addy.

“Addy will be moved to a private room as soon as possible and Leo can be with her for now,” Asher explained as he approached us. He too was covered in soot and coughing often, just like my brother.

“Shouldn’t you both get checked out too?” I asked as I looked between them. They’d been in that building a couple of minutes and had to have inhaled a ton of smoke.

“We’re fine,” Adam told me, dismissing me again. “What about additional security?”

“I have more of Kane’s guys on the way, but I’m concerned that it won’t be enough. If that explosion was a set up to distract us, while someone grabbed Addy, these fuckers aren’t playing around. With Kane out of commission, I’m worried.”

“Can’t we just hire a security company or something?” Eli questioned.

“We could, but I’m not happy putting Addy’s life, or that of anyone I care about in the hands of strangers,” Asher sighed.

“What are you thinking?” Adam asked. He likely had an idea of exactly what Asher was thinking already. He always did. They’d been friends for so long that they could read each other easily, just like Eli and I could.

“I could reach out to the guys I helped a few months back. I served with two of them and one of the others is amazing with a computer. They might be able to figure out what’s going on for us, so at least we’d know who the threat is,” Asher explained.

“Harris and the guys? You think they’d help us?” Eli sat up even straighter, looking a little less stressed.

“I know they would. I’m just not sure we should get them mixed up in all of this,” Asher sighed.

“They’d want to help. Just call them, Asher, for Addy. We need her to be safe,” Eli pleaded.

I looked to my brother, wondering if he knew who these guys were and if we truly could trust them. The fact that I was questioning Asher’s decisions for the first time in a very long time didn’t escape me, but this was Addy. She was everything to me and I wouldn’t allow anyone or anything to put her at risk.

“If you’re sure you can rely on these guys, then Eli’s right, Ash. We need all the help we can get. Things just escalated in a huge way and we need to know what we’re facing,” Adam added.

“I’d trust them with my life.” Asher took a deep breath then pulled his cell from his pocket.

I glanced behind me to the double doors into the treatment area of the ER and wished desperately for someone to come and give us some news. I was worried sick about Addy, but also about Kane too. He was a part of our family – albeit a reluctant part at times. We cared about him too. Addy had feelings for him and I knew it would break her all over again if anything happened to the grumpy bastard. I needed them both to be okay. We all did.

CHAPTER 6

ADDY

“Oh, for God’s sakes,” I groaned as I opened my eyes and looked around me.

“Baby? What is it? Are you in pain?” Adam appeared above me, leaning down until he was eye to eye with me. He’d obviously tried to wipe the soot from the fire, from his face, but I could still see it around his nose, and on his neck.

“Damned hospital again,” I groused, but the words broke, my throat scratchy and raw feeling. The words caused a coughing fit to burst from me, and I was relieved when Adam pulled me up to a sitting position, and wrapped his arm around me.

My eyes felt scratchy too and my knees were throbbing under the sheets I was covered with. I could remember everything that had happened. The explosion. Running to the office, desperate to get to Kane and begging any supreme being who would hear me for him not to be dead.

“Kane?” I rasped once the coughing started to die down.

“He’s okay. He has a concussion, and his oxygen levels are a little low, but he’s awake and annoyed,” Adam chuckled. Relief filled me. He was okay, Thank God.

“I have to stop waking up in the hospital,” I groaned again as I pushed my wild hair from my face and forced some air in, thecoughing having finally stopped. There was a tube attached to my nose, which I assumed was because my oxygen levels were low too.

“Tell me about it. I swear I’m starting to go gray since you arrived with us.” I looked up to Adam as he spoke and relaxed somewhat, relieved to have him there with me.

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