Theirs to Keep (Tangled Hearts Trilogy #1)(45)

Merrick’s expression darkened, but Cade cut him off before he could get worked up.

“The only way running her prints would work is if she’s already in the system. It’s a long shot, and frankly, we’ve held back because if she’s had trouble with the law in the past, we don’t want it to affect her future. With us. We know we can’t turn a blind eye to her past forever.”

Cade broke off and ran a hand through his hair. He was tired. Worried. The issue of Elle was ever present in his mind and had worn him down over the past months.

“Maybe a part of me is afraid—like Elle is—to find out what’s in her past. I don’t want to lose her.”

Merrick nodded. “She’s remembering more. I don’t want to rush her and force the issue before she’s ready to handle it. What if we go dig it all up and find out who she is and she cracks under the pressure? I know it’s not right, but I don’t care about what’s right. I care about what’s best for Elle, and I care about not hurting her.”

“I understand,” Dallas said. “My main concern is that you get into a situation where Elle can’t get the care she needs because of your fears of discovery. I have a few contacts who could get her an identity. Driver’s license. Social Security card. Birth certificate. Think about it. She’d likely feel a little more secure if she didn’t fear discovery on a daily basis.”

Dallas tucked the clipboard he was holding against his side. “Get back to me if you want me to get in touch with a guy I know. He owes me a favor.”

“Thanks,” Merrick said.

“Now tell me how you’re feeling,” Dallas said to Merrick.

Even as he spoke, he prodded Merrick into sitting on the exam table, and he listened to Merrick’s lungs and checked the rest of his vitals.

“I’m fine,” Merrick said, but his voice broke as he coughed.

Dallas frowned. “Son of a bitch. You’ve got to be careful, man. A whole hell of a lot is riding on you remaining healthy. This is your one shot. You may never get another. I’m telling you this as your friend and as your doctor.”

“What was I supposed to do? Leave her in there to die?” Merrick demanded.

His hands were curled into beefy fists, and he looked like he wanted to put one of them through the wall.

“Chill, man,” Cade said in a soft voice. “She’s okay. We need to focus on you. You can’t go down now.”

“I don’t want you working out this evening,” Dallas said with a frown. “Take it easy tonight. Rest up, and if you’re feeling up to it, you can train in the morning. But I want your ass here at the clinic as soon as the session is over.”

Merrick nodded.

Dallas put his hand on Merrick’s shoulder. “I’m going back to check on Elle. I’ll be back to let you know when you can see her.”

The two men watched as Dallas left the room, and then Cade turned his gaze on Merrick.

“He has a point,” Cade said. “Elle needs an identity. It can’t help to wake up every morning worried what the day will bring. She can’t even go to the grocery store without fear because she doesn’t have a driver’s license or any sort of identification.”

“So, what, we get her a fake ID?” Merrick asked slowly.

“We could,” Cade said. “But I was thinking along the lines of something a little different.”

Merrick lifted one eyebrow. “What do you have in mind?”

Cade blew out his breath in a controlled manner as he figured out just the right way to say what he was thinking. It was something he should have thought of a lot earlier, but he wouldn’t have wanted to pressure Elle too soon. Hell, maybe it was still too soon to be thinking along these lines.

“If we’re going to invent an identity for her, then why not go with one that affords her the most protection?”

“I’m with you,” Merrick said.

“We give her ours,” Cade said in a low tone. “We make her Elle Walker-Sullivan.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

MERRICK WAS SILENT FOR a long moment as he stared at his friend. “You mean, like marriage?”

Cade nodded. “Yes and no. I mean, there’s no way to have an official ceremony where she marries us both. Look, I may be jumping the gun here. I’m only speaking for myself. I have no idea if you’re ready for that kind of commitment or not—”

Merrick held up his hand to cut Cade off. “I’ve already committed to her, and I didn’t do it lightly. I’m in this for the long haul, and marriage is a logical step. But as you said, there’s no way to work that kind of thing out when more than two people are involved.”

“Well, if we’re going to create an identity for her, then we give her one of our names and then we go through the process of having a legally binding ceremony wherein she marries whoever’s name she didn’t originally take. She can keep her original name and hyphenate it so that she carries both our last names.”

“So she’d only marry one of us,” Merrick said grimly.

Merrick’s heart thumped like a jackhammer against his chest. Sure, he knew what kind of relationship he’d signed on for. He’d never have Elle fully to himself, and he was okay with that on most days. He’d be a liar if he said he never struggled with it.