The Thief (Black Dagger Brotherhood #16)(99)

And thought of his mahmen for no good reason.





FORTY-FIVE


As Sola stood outside her grandmother’s patient room—which was just two doors down from where Assail had been, she decided she never, ever wanted to see the inside of this facility again. Between her experience after the abduction, coming here for Assail…and now this?

She was beyond done—and praying that the three-strikes-and-you’re-out rule applied.

“He’s been in there for so long.” She looked over at Assail, who was beside her. “I mean, what are they doing to her?”

Dr. Manello had been amazing, getting them here in record time, running more tests, checking everything. But it had been hell. Sola hated limbos when they didn’t matter. When it was something like this? Having no firm footing was flat-out unbearable.

As she stared at the closed door, she tried to see through the panel. When the whole X-ray vision thing didn’t work, she gave mind reading a shot—and also got nowhere. Finally, in desperation, she attempted to see into the future.

Total no-go. So much for superpowers.

“No matter what it is,” Assail said softly, “we will deal with it. You are not alone.”

She refocused on him. He was staring at the ground, his face grim, his eyes unblinking. His profile was, as always, so striking, the angles of his cheekbones and his jaw so perfect, his jet-black hair a striking contrast to his skin, his brows an elegant slash.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with him, she realized that up until now she had always felt alone. Her grandmother was someone to take care of, someone to watch over, not a partner. And Sola’s biggest fear, when she had been on the wrong side of the law, had always been what would happen to her vovó if something happened to her. She was all the woman had.

Sola’s own health and safety had been a burden for that reason.

But now, in the midst of whatever crisis this was, she found that she had backup—and not in the gunfight kind of way. No, she had someone at her six to process decision-making with. To share grief with. To collapse against when she needed a fall-apart before she could keep going.

She reached over and took his hand. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

His eyes, as sad as her own, lifted. “I will not desert you in this.”

If that was not a vow, she didn’t know what was.

Leaning in, she put her hand on the side of his face and brushed his lips with her own. “Thank you—”

As the door to the patient room opened, she stiffened and tried to read the features of the doctor. “What,” she demanded.

But Dr. Manello didn’t seem offended by the rudeness. “We’re looking good. We’re looking reaaaaaaal good.”

“Wait—what?” She shook her head. “What are you—wait, what?”

He smiled. “Her heart’s good. Her blood work’s fine. There’s no evidence of a blood clot or stroke. Her pressure’s still a little on the low side, but she hasn’t been eating or drinking much so she’s dehydrated and she needs to get some rest—”

“No more cooking!” Sola stamped her foot. “She’s been at that goddamn stove since we got out of the car—I’ve told her to sit down and let us wait on her. She’s so stubborn!”

In spite of its quick onset, her burst of anger burned out quick, and in its wake came a shaky relief that made Sola sag against Assail.

Dr. Manello nodded his head. “She is a little set in her ways from what I’ve seen. And listen, going forward, use me. Tell her that she has to behave better or you’re calling her doctor in to read the riot act to her.”

Sola put her hand over her pounding heart. “She scared the crap out of us.”

“I think she scared herself. And I want to keep her here for a day or two, just to make sure we’re not missing anything.”

“That’s a great idea. Keep her as long as you like.”

“Just so you know, she is not happy with this plan.”

“I don’t think she would be,” Sola muttered. “But it’s not her call.”

Dr. Manello gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Go on in there. You guys are welcome to visit anytime, and call me if you have questions. Don’t be alarmed at the IV. We’re just running fluids into her and some electrolytes. And the monitors are simply there to keep track of things. I’m going to repeat some tests tomorrow at nightfall and we’ll see where we’re at. But again, a couple of days of observation here would be great for me.”

“Then that is what we’re going to do. Thanks, Doc.”

“You are so welcome.”

Sola glanced at Assail. “I’d like to have a moment alone with her? So I can yell at her?”

He bowed low. “But of course. I shall wait here.”

After she kissed him again, she went for the door like an avenger, opening it wide with every intent to yell—but then she had a sudden wobble as she saw her grandmother so small in the big bed. And she was really glad the doctor had given her a heads-up on the IV and the equipment. If she hadn’t known better, she would have been alarmed.

“Vovó, you’re staying here,” Sola said before the woman opened her mouth. “Stop with that right now. It’s doctor’s orders and we are going to do what they say.”