Page 54 of Belonging to Them
“Which hospital?”
“Margaret Chung.”
“I’ll meet you there,” he says.
Garth navigates us through traffic, easily finding the fastest route to the hospital.I watch the people in the other cars, wondering about their lives, wondering if they’re in the same kind of hurry I’m in, if any of them are worried about loved ones.Who else is on their way to the hospital?Who else has received bad news today?
A flashbang.It could have been an accident.Some idiot got his hands on one, and set it off as a joke.People do stupid fucking dangerous shit all the time, and the park near the university would be a prime location for such a stupid stunt.So that’s entirely possible.
I doubt Ella and her guards would have wandered into the middle of an actual protest or some kind of sting or hostage situation where law enforcement was using flashbangs to resolve the conflict.
Which leaves me with the very probable suspicion that this wasn’t an accident.There are the threatening texts Ella has received.Maybe they really did come from Tommy’s enemies.And if so, I can’t help wondering, how did these guys know where to find Ella in the first place?Were they following Ella, or did someone—like Gianna—tell them where she would be?
FOURTEEN
Kingston
The hospital parking lot is raised somewhat, with a short decline leading down to the hospital itself.I make my way down the steps and find Ella, Terrence, and a heavily-tattooed blond guard whose name I can’t remember sitting on a bench outside the hospital.Standing in front of them is Jaxon.Everything looks peaceful, calm, and the roar of San Esteban traffic is muted behind me.Still, my lunge feel frozen with panic.
No, I have to be calm.I’m a fucking adult, I’m in control, and Ella needs someone to support her, not freak out.I walk to them as calmly as possible, going straight for Ella.She starts to stand when she sees me.
“Don’t get up, sweetheart,” I say, taking the free spot on the bench next to her.“Are you okay?Tell me you’re okay.”
She opens her mouth to say something, then hesitates.
“Ella?”I ask.
Taking my hand in hers, she says, “It’s hard to hear right now, but I’m okay.My ears are ringing.The doctor said it would stop after a few hours.”
A bandage covers her arm, and two more are on her knees.“What happened?Jaxon said something about a flashbang?”
“Terrence and Roman kept me safe,” Ella says.“There was never any explosion, but they treated it like a real grenade.”
I look over at the two men, both of whom look largely unhurt, just scraped up like Ella is.These men were there with her, guarding her, doing their best to make sure she’d be okay.I make a mental note to arrange gifts for them.
“How are your ears?”I ask loudly.
“It’s been better,” Roman says with a shrug.“But we’ll be okay.”
“Thank you, both of you, for keeping my girl safe.”
“It’s just part of the job, sir,” Terrence says, his brown eyes serious.
“It might be a job to you, but she’s the world to me.”By the time I’ve finished shaking both their hands, Sebastian is hurrying down the steps from the upper parking area to the front of the hospital.
“Ella,” he says, looking wildly among everyone in our little group before fixating on her.There’s nowhere to sit next to her, so he squats down in front of her and takes her free hand in his.
“I’m all right,” she says, cupping his bearded cheek.
“I take it everyone has been discharged?”I say to Jaxon.
“Yes, I was just waiting for you to arrive before taking my men back to the office,” he says.
“Bash and I are going to take Ella home, then,” I say.“Thank you again.”
“Two more guards will meet up with you at your place,” Jaxon says.“Cora will introduce you so everyone’s clear on who belongs.Where do you plan to go—yours or Sebastian’s?”
“Kingston’s,” Bash says.“It’s safer, more security measures on the building.
