Page 90 of Rogue Hope
Ronan took in the scene in an instant. “Kenji?”
“On your six.” Kenji flew back through the door, medical pack in hand.
“He going to make it?” Axel asked as Griff dragged Harrison to his feet.
“For sure. Looks worse than it is,” Kenji said as he fell to his knees at Zara’s side. He gave her a wink. “Great bedside manner, am I right?”
Ronan rolled his eyes. “Should I prep the helo for medevac?” he asked Kenji.
“I got this,” Kenji said softly as he nudged her hands aside. He lifted the edge of the jacket, frowning down at Finn’s chest. But he shook his head. “Ambulance is only two minutes out. ER team at Hope General’s expecting us.”
Kenji pressed down on the dressing again and moved to rummage in his pack. “You’re doing great,” he assured her. “Man’s gonna live to fight another day.”
She nodded, but the sharp lump in her throat prevented her from talking. She stared into Finn’s face, watching every rise and fall of his chest, his blood warm against her hands, his words echoing in her mind.
Are we square now?
As the chaos of extraction swirled around her, she took Finn’s hand in hers, and leaned close to his ear, even though she knew he couldn’t hear her.
“Come back to me,” she whispered fiercely. “We have unfinished business, you and I.”
And somewhere in the depths of unconsciousness, she could have sworn his fingers twitched against hers, the faintest acknowledgment.
49
Twelve hours later,the rhythmic beeping of hospital monitors provided a strangely comforting soundtrack to Zara’s vigil. She shifted in the uncomfortable plastic chair, adjusting her position to ease the ache in her legs. The flare had subsided to manageable levels, but after everything they’d been through, her body was demanding rest she couldn’t afford to take.
Not while Finn lay here, motionless except for the steady rise and fall of his chest.
Now that she knew Finn was out of danger, she had time—way too much of it—to consider their relationship.
Did she even want to try crafting a relationship with a man who’d literally sold her out?
Was she crazy?
Zara studied his face, relaxed now in sleep, the lines of tension and determination temporarily erased. Her throat tightened as she remembered the moment he’d stepped in front of her, the split-second decision that had put him in this hospital bed instead of her.
She reached out, hesitating briefly before allowing her fingers to rest lightly on his. The simple touch sent a wave of emotion through her chest that she wasn’t entirely prepared for.
“Thank You for protecting him,” she prayed quietly, the words coming naturally after years of practice. “For showing me the truth before it was too late.”
The door opened with a soft click. She straightened, quickly withdrawing her hand as Ronan, Maya, and Kenji entered. Their expressions held that particular combination of relief and triumph that came after successful operations.
“How is he?” Ronan asked, his voice deliberately low.
“Stable,” Zara replied. “Kenji was right. His lung had collapsed, and he’s got a few broken ribs. But the bullet missed his heart. He’ll make a full recovery.”
Kenji moved to check Finn’s chart, his medical training impossible to suppress. “Good trajectory. Clean wound, minimal tissue damage. Plus, you know, I’m brilliant.”
“Speaking of which,” Maya said, leaning against the wall, “Admiral Knight sends his regards. Said to tell you both ‘well done.’”
Zara shook her head slightly. “It was Finn who figured it out. I should have trusted him sooner.”
“We all missed it,” Ronan countered firmly. “Reynolds played the long game. Nobody suspected him.”
Zara’s shoulders slumped as she exhaled. “If I’d just listened to Finn sooner ...” She shook her head, frustration evident in her voice. “He tried to tell me about Reynolds, but I wouldn’t hear it.”
“Hey,” Ronan cut in, his tone firm but kind. “Reynolds played us all. The man spent years building his cover—nobody had him pegged as Cipher.”
