Page 42 of Max

“I know him, Shay. He served with me in the military. He’s good people.” Jasper slid closer. “Max is right. You can trust him.”

Shay sighed. “I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

Neither he nor Jasper said a word.

“Fine. I need to get a shower. I suggest you both get ready too. With Desi here, we should probably get to the hospital as soon as possible. The fewer people who see her come in, the better. I tried to talk her into staying here, but you know how she is.”

“I do.” Max let his head bang against the desk. “Fuck my life.”

He heard Shay laugh. “I don’t envy Cole trying to wrangle her.”

Jasper snorted. No one wrangled his sister, but he knew Cole would at least keep her safe while she tried to twist him up and get away. Cole was good like that.

“Drink your coffee, Max. As soon as we’re ready, we’ll come get you.”

“We’re so fucked.” Jasper poured milk into a cup of coffee and took a sip from it.

That they were. Jasper sat up and reached for coffee.

“Fuck my life.”

He closed his eyes and enjoyed the burn of the coffee as he sat and waited to leave and for the shit show to begin.

They arrived at the hospital just as the police did. Jasper would have preferred them to be plainclothes officers without the patrol cars, lights flashing. He walked over to the first officer and introduced himself, asking for who was in charge.

“I’m Sergeant Miles.” The burly man shook his hand. He looked like someone who spent too much time alone in the woods, with a full beard and bushy eyebrows. His eyes were sharp, though, and that gave Max a little less anxiety.

“I’m Max Sheridan. I’m in charge of Ms. Moore and Desiree’s security. We need to make sure the exits are covered, and the elevators on the cardiac floor. I don’t want anyone taking pictures of her or her father. We’ll need an officer stationed outside the family waiting room as well.”

The sergeant stroked his beard. “We have more officers coming in. Off-duty officers wanting overtime. The chief said your team is handling the overtime pay.”

Max fought back a wince. Desiree wouldn’t care about the cost, but being her big brother, he did. He hired her accountant himself, but he still looked over her books periodically to make sure no one was embezzling from her. The cost was worth it, though. She needed to be safe.

“That’s right. Bring in as many officers as you can. I want this hospital locked down tight. No reporters in.”

“Yes, sir.” The sergeant gave him a nod and went back to directing his men.

Max went to his SUV and tugged the hat on his sister’s face down farther to try to hide her identity. She was wearing leggings and an oversized hoodie, thanks to Cole. He’d had a clean one in his things.

“Keep your head down and stay close to Cole until we reach the cardiac floor. You going in to talk to Mr. Moore?”

“Of course. He knows me, and I want to see him before he goes into surgery.” The haunted look in her eyes had to mirror his own. Memories of his mother lying in a hospital bed, sometimes so medicated she didn’t know what was going on. There were no good memories surrounding a hospital for either of them.

“Stick to Cole. No losing him. I mean it, Desi.”

“I promise to be on my best behavior.” Her emerald green eyes, so like his own even though they weren’t related by blood, echoed her promise. She’d behave.

He nodded and stepped aside, helping her out of the back of the SUV. She walked over to Cole, and he forced himself to focus on his own assignment—keeping Shay safe.

“You ready?” he asked.

“No, but I guess I’ve run out of time to prepare myself.”

Max smiled slightly and extended his hand. Hers felt small in his, and it shook slightly. She was scared to death for her father. He helped her out of the SUV and led her to the entrance of the hospital where Jasper stood waiting. Cole and Desi had already gone inside.

Jasper opened the door, and they all went in and up to the cardiac floor. It was going to be a long day.

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