Page 42 of It's Always Been You

“Travis . . .” Emily said, her voice cracking.

The look on Emily’s face, coupled with the grim expressions on the uniforms’ faces, sent a frisson of dread slicing through his chest. He could barely force words out his mouth. “What’s going on?”

“Sir, do you know a Caitlin Kincaid and Sam Harper?”

Travis couldn’t getto Georgetown Medical fast enough. He summoned every nerve-centering technique he had learned as a SEAL so as not to lose his shit. Nate was with him. Though his friend’s calm kept him in check, it still didn’t take away the reality that he wouldn’t survive losing her a second time. Speed limits were broken, but luckily he wasn’t pulled over, because they would have to arrest him at the hospital. His priority was making sure Caitlin was okay. The officers who showed up at BSI couldn’t tell him about Caitlin’scondition, only that they had been called to a scene of what appeared to be an attempted abduction.

He burst into the ER, Nate at his heels.

“Caitlin Kincaid and Sam Harper?” Travis growled at the receptionist.

“You are?”

“Caitlin’s husband.”

She checked her screen and said, “Ms. Kincaid is in room 4.”

“How about Mr. Harper?” Nate asked

“Are you a relative, sir?”

“No. A co-worker.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t divulge such information.”

“Damn it,” Travis swore. “Nate, take care of Sam, and let me know immediately what you find out. I’m going to see Caitlin.”

He got buzzed through the double doors of the ER and immediately found the room. He slowly expelled the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Relief hit him. He leaned against the doorframe to calm his racing pulse. She was okay. Thank fuck, she was okay.

Caitlin was sitting up on a hospital bed; a doctor was checking her vitals. Rage warred with concern when he saw the doctor palpitate her abdomen, exposing the discolorations that were forming.

“Caitlin,” he whispered raggedly.

“Travis?” Her voice was groggy.

“Are you her husband?” the doctor asked as he double-checked the information on the clipboard.

“Yes. Travis Blake. How is she?”

“Her x-rays checked out okay. There are some bruising and abrasions.”

“Sam . . . Travis . . .” she whispered.

“Ms. Kincaid, you do realize it’s our belief that Mr. Harper drugged you?”

“What?” Travis asked.

“An injector was found close to her,” the doctor informed him. “And witnesses say Mr. Harper stabbed her with it.”

Holy Fuck! Sam administered the anti-serum.

“He was helping me . . .” Caitlin muttered.

“She’s still out of it,” the doctor told Travis quietly. “We’re still waiting for the toxicology report. I’ll go fast track that right now.”

When the doctor left the room, Travis raised his hand to touch Caitlin’s face. The overwhelming panic had receded, but another one was slowly gripping his heart in a vise. She was nearly taken from him, and with how things ended with them last night, regret churned in his gut. There was no place for bullshit pride or anger in their relationship.

“I’m so sorry, Cat.”

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