A Matter Of Justice (Grey Justice #4)(88)

Irelyn moaned slightly, and Grey squeezed her hand, making sure she knew he was there with her. He would tend to Irelyn, ensure her safety and well-being. Once he was sure she would be okay, he was going on the hunt. If Dark was still alive, he would find him. And he would kill him.





Chapter Thirty-Seven





Sitting in a chair beside Irelyn’s bed, Grey held her hand, his fingers purposely on her pulse. He relished every beat. She was still unconscious. The doctors had warned him she might sleep for hours. Not only from the sedation from surgery, but also because her body was in desperate need of rest.

Her hand, like much of her body, was swollen with varying shades of bruising. He hadn’t been able to talk with her about what happened, but it didn’t take a genius to see that she had been in a brutal fight. His only consolation was that if Dark was still alive, he was hurting, too. And if he was alive, he had to know he was living on borrowed time.

“Hey, how is she?” Nick Gallagher stood at the door. His face was covered in soot, and he still wore the same fatigues he’d had on earlier.

“Unconscious, but the doctor said she should make a full recovery. She’s going to be incapacitated for a while, though. The surgeon had to do some major repair work to her fractured leg. Other than that, she’s got a broken right arm, her left shoulder was dislocated, and she has numerous bruises and a dozen or so stitches from all the glass cuts.”

“She’s damn lucky to be alive.”

Yes, she was lucky, and so was he. The possibility of living without Irelyn wasn’t something he ever wanted to face again.

“Where’s Jonah?”

“At Hill House, working with the fire department. He checked in a second ago. Said they’re still going through the debris, but so far there’s no indication that anyone died in the fire.”

It was as he’d figured. Sebastian Dark lived. “I’m going to kill the bastard.”

“You stay with Irelyn. Slater and I have got this.”

“No. Dark is mine. It might take a while, but I won’t stop until I find him.”

“Main thing is making sure Irelyn’s okay.”

“She won’t be completely safe until Sebastian Dark is out of her life. I intend to make sure he never comes near her again.”

“How can I help?”

“Dig as deep as you can. Once we get his location, I’ll need you to oversee things at home till I get back.”

Gallagher slapped him on the shoulder. “Whatever you need.” He glanced down at Irelyn. “She’s a fighter.” His voice held admiration.

Grey’s throat closed up, but he managed a husky, “That she is.”

Gallagher headed toward the door. “Let us know if you need anything.”

“Thank you. And give my thanks to Jonah, too.” He looked down at Irelyn and cleared his throat of that uncomfortable lump. “She’s more precious to me than I can say.”

“I know how you feel.”

As Gallagher walked out of the room, Grey realized he did know how he felt. A couple of years ago, Gallagher had almost lost Kennedy.

The incredible relief of knowing Irelyn was going to be all right was catching up with him. He was exhausted, but also jubilant. A few hours ago, he hadn’t known if he’d ever see her again.

There were so many things he wanted to say to her, so many things he looked forward to sharing with her. Their life together had never been simple and probably never would be. Neither of them had easygoing, laid-back personalities. They liked to get involved, loved challenges, and enjoyed challenging each other. No matter what they faced, as long as they were together, they could conquer anything.

Exhaustion was weighing on him, but he had a couple of things to accomplish before he could rest. Standing, he pulled a burner phone from his pocket. Using code words and vague phrases he hadn’t used in years, he texted people he hadn’t heard from or seen since he and Irelyn had left England. Some would likely ignore his texts. Others might even use what he told them to hurt him. But he would use every avenue available. Irelyn would not be safe until Sebastian Dark was no longer breathing. Grey was going to do everything in his power to make that happen.

Satisfied he had done what he could for now, he returned to sit beside Irelyn. Taking her hand in his once more, he leaned his forehead against the cool, crisp hospital sheets. Closing his eyes, he allowed his thoughts to relax and roam. His mind played myriad images of his and Irelyn’s life together, and then his thoughts went to the day when everything changed. Why his mind settled there, he didn’t know. Why not go to the first time he met her, when he’d been so smitten by her beauty and incredible sweetness? Or why not the kisses they’d shared, the love they’d made, or the quiet times when all they’d had was each other and that had been enough? No, his mind veered toward that awful, awful day when the world as he’d known it had fallen away and only destruction lay before him.

What had started out as one of the best days of his life had turned into his worst nightmare. He’d been in his dorm room, packing and getting ready to head home. His finals were over, and he’d just received the news that he’d been accepted into MIT in the States. He had been practicing what he was going to say to his parents when the call came. Details blurred after that. He’d rushed to get home only to find that it was all true. His parents had died in an explosion. There had been only body parts to identify, but enough to confirm that they were indeed the remains of Andrew and Natalie Bishop. He’d been walking out of the morgue, his grief almost unbearable, when Irelyn had called.