Secret Obsession (Carder Texas Connections #6)(59)

“She’s not here, baby.” Lyssa kissed the little girl’s cheek. “Mama’s here, though. I love you.”

Jocelyn’s chin quivered. She looked confused.

“It’ll take time,” Noah whispered.

“This wasn’t how it was supposed to be,” Lyssa said. “Mary wasn’t supposed to die. No one was.”

Ransom walked over, holding out a phone. “It’s Rafe,” he said.

Noah grabbed it. “Tell me you got her out!”

Lyssa leaned into the phone.

“Barely. Zane broke through the signal just in time. The damn building exploded as we were leaving, but I got her out.”

“Can I talk to her?”

“She’s in the E.R.,” Rafe said, his voice exhausted. “She won’t say what he did to her, but she’s a fighter.”

“Take care of her. I’ll be home as soon as I clear up a few details.” He listened. “Yeah, home to stay. I want to be part of the family again. No more secrets.”

Lyssa stilled. She was a detail to be cleared up, then he’d be leaving. She hadn’t considered... She should have realized...

She held Jocelyn closer. Lyssa’s life had to be about what was best for her daughter. She had Jocelyn; Noah had his family. They needed him.

“The ambulance is here,” Ransom said.

Noah wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Let’s get you and Jocelyn checked out.”

Lyssa fought against her own needs. She had to stay strong. “We can go ourselves. You should see to your family.” She blinked, forcing back the emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

Noah stilled. “Is that what you want?”

No. But she couldn’t say the words. “It’s best.” She’d caused him enough heartache. Why wouldn’t he want to leave?

She crawled into the back of the ambulance with Jocelyn. The paramedic placed oxygen masks on her and the baby.

The driver closed the door and they sped down the road.

Ransom walked over to Noah and slapped him upside the head. “What the hell are you doing?”

“She...she told me to go.”

“You might be the best agent I’ve got, Falcon. You might be able to read the enemy like a damn psychic, but you’re an idiot when it comes to women. That woman practically begged you to go with her.”

Noah shook his head. “You’re wrong. Now that it’s over...”

“Now that it’s over, nothing is stopping her from letting down her guard.”

He stared at the white van as it disappeared behind a small hill.

“Everything happened too fast. What feelings she has—if they’re still there—probably aren’t real. Not like...” his voice trailed off. He’d nearly said, “not like mine.”

“You ever felt this way before?” Ransom asked.

“I loved the idea of her the moment I met her,” Noah admitted, staring at the ground. “She’s more than I dreamed of. She smart, determined, fierce, brave—”

“Then what are you doing standing here? Afraid?”

“Terrified. She might realize her feelings for me are only based on gratitude.”

“Been there, done that, Noah. Let me share something my wife taught me. Don’t assume anything about a woman’s feelings. Because more often than not, we don’t give them enough credit. Trying to protect her, I almost lost my wife. Don’t let Lyssa get away.” Ransom dropped a set of keys into Noah’s hand. “Go get her. If she turns you down, I’ll have a bottle of whiskey on the plane waiting for you.”

Noah clutched the keys. “If she turns me down, I’ll need it.”

It took twenty minutes to locate the hospital where they’d taken Lyssa. Noah strode into the E.R. “Lyssa Cafferty?” he asked.

“Family?” the nurse asked.

“I hope so,” he said quietly.

She sent him a harsh frown. “If you’re why that young lady is crying behind curtain three, you better get in there and beg for her forgiveness.” The woman crossed her arms over her ample bosom and glared at him.

He swallowed. “Yes, ma’am.”

If the men who’d placed the Falcon on the most wanted list in Afghanistan had seen Noah’s tentative tug of the curtain, they’d have laughed their asses off.

“Lyssa?”

He entered the small curtained-off room. She swiped her hand over her face, but her eyes were red, her cheeks tear-stained.

“Where’s Jocelyn?”

“They took her for an X-ray. They wouldn’t let me go.” She dug her fists into the blanket. “What are you doing here?”

He crossed the room and sat in the chair beside the bed. “Are you okay?”

“A few bruises from knocking the chair over and breaking it so I could hit the deck.” She held out her wrists. “The rope cut into my skin. Otherwise, I’m fine. What are you doing here? I thought you were going home.”

He stared up into her eyes, trying to read her emotions, trying to control the swirl of want inside of him. Should he tell her how he felt? He wanted to, but his entire body shook with apprehension. He’d faced death more times than he cared to admit, but he’d never been truly afraid until this moment.