Safe With Him (37 page)

“What? I’m sorry. Could you repeat that?”

“Miss Winters, Storm gave your information as his emergency contact. You are, in fact, his sister, correct?”

“Yes, I’m his sister,” she answered the question and heard Draco’s sharp intake of breath. “What about Storm?” She watched as Draco took a step toward her.

“Miss Winters, while working undercover in collaboration with federal and state police, Storm has—”

“State police?” Her eyes again shot to Draco, and he froze in his steps.

“Yes, ma’am, I’m sorry to inform you that Storm sustained injuries, that—”

“Injuries.” She felt her heart sink. “Wh-wh-what kind of injuries?”

“He was shot—”

“Shot?”
Storm has been shot?
No!
No
.
There must be some kind of mistake. Not Storm. Not my brother. No…no…no…

“The last I spoke to—”

“Where is he? How is he? He’s okay, right? He’s not…not…please don’t tell me he’s—”

“No! No, ma’am! At last word, which was only moments ago, he’s in surgery as we speak. He was rushed to the hospital in Roanoke. Do you know where that—”

“The hospital?”

“Yes, ma’am, maybe—”

But his words were cut off as she fell to her knees. Storm. Her brother had been shot. She felt Draco’s arms pull her into him, holding her tight as the tears ran down her face. “Storm’s been sh-sh-shot,” she cried out, not ready to believe. Not Storm. Not her brother. Her big strong brother who had always kept her safe.
Who has been keeping him safe
? The police? He was working with the police?
Isn’t that what…what the hell did he say his name was
?
He said something about undercover and state police
. State?
Draco is state and I’ve asked him
… “No!” She jerked her body away from Draco’s arms so fast and so hard that she was on her feet looking down at Draco before her movements even registered. “He was…and you…I asked…he…you…I can’t lose him!” she ended on a scream.

Draco jumped up and made a step toward her. “Baby—”

“No!” She threw her hands up to stop him. “Don’t come near me.” She looked at him for a beat as he stopped in his tracks. “Why?”

“Bree—”

“You lied to me!” She whipped around. She needed her bag, her keys, and her car. Now. She had to get to the hospital. To Storm. Spotting her bag by the door, Draco must have left it there last night, she ran to it and dug through it for her keys. “Why, Draco? Why would you lie to me?”

“I didn’t—”

“You didn’t? I asked you, standing right here. I asked you if Storm was working with the police. You said no! Why did you tell me that? Why?”

“Baby, let me explain—”

“You had plenty of time to explain. You chose not to. You chose to lie to me. I trusted you. You, Draco, the man and you the cop. I trusted all of you. Why wouldn’t you tell me? I could have stopped him.” She thought about that for a second. If she had known, she could have talked Storm out of doing…whatever the hell he was doing, that got him shot.
Oh God! Storm’s been shot
! The pain gripped her heart so tight she almost fell to her knees.

“Breezie.” Draco gasped as he again started toward her.

“No!” She caught the doorknob to keep herself from falling.
If Draco would have just told me, Storm would be okay now.
She steadied herself.
His lies may have caused Storm’s death
…“No!” She squeezed her eyes closed as she fought back the pain. She wouldn’t, couldn’t, think like that. When she opened her eyes, she looked right at Draco. “If he…if Storm doesn’t…if I don’t get
my
brother back whole, for the rest of my life I will hate you!” She turned, opened the door, and ran for her car. The only thing now was…Storm.

Draco was frozen where he stood with Bree’s words pounded into his brain while his heart felt as if it was being ripped from his chest, piece-by-piece.
If I don’t get my brother back whole, for the rest of my life I will hate you
…
for the rest of my life I will hate you
…
I will hate you
…
hate you
…
hate you
…
hate you
. His Breezie. His incredible, strong, fearless, Breezie. He stood and watched her break right in front of his eyes and did…nothing. “Fuck!”

Draco bent over, hands to his knees. He couldn’t breathe. His Breezie…
hate you
.
Hate you
.
Hate you
. He dropped to his knees as her words continued to haunt his thoughts, his heart, his soul. “What did I do?”
I trusted you, all of you
. She had. She had trusted him, and he had destroyed that trust by keeping his word to Storm. Who now was…shot, dying? Bree! She wouldn’t survive losing Storm. His Breezie, his gorgeous, funny, teasing, sexy as hell Breezie and without Storm she would be…be…

He got to his feet, then pulled his phone from his pocket. She may not want him there, but he would be close in case she needed anything. “Any-fuckin-thing,” he growled as he took off running out the door to his truck. Never once did he even hear the shrills of his security system alarm going off since Bree had raced out the door, or the ringing of the phone he still held in his hand. The only thing now was…Bree.

“Il mio cuore, la mia anima, il mio Breezie.”

Bree ran through the doors of the emergency waiting room and straight to the information desk, without breaking stride, until her body slammed into the window that surrounded the check-in area. “Please tell me Storm is okay, that he’s not…not…that he’s okay,” she begged the lady sitting at the desk before she had even slid the window open.

She waited for what seemed like forever for the woman to open the stupid window. “May I help you?” The woman sounded too casual, exactly like she was one of those dead-on-her-feet-waitresses-and-she-could-be-going-home-if-you-had-not-sat-in-her-section would have used.

“My brother?” Bree cried out.

“What?”

“Storm, is he okay? Please, lady, tell me he’s okay.”

“Last name?” she asked with boredom.

“Winters. Storm Winters.”

After what seemed like hours of the woman typing as she faced the computer monitor, she looked back at Bree. “I have a Stormy Winters listed. Is that him?”

“Yes, yes, that’s him. Is he okay?”

“Are you a family member?”

Yes, yes, I’m his sister, please tell me, is he okay?” She was ready to beg and felt like screaming, but she had to know if Storm was okay.

“If you will have a seat in the waiting room someone will be out momentarily to speak with you.” The woman still sounded bored and completely at ease.

“Just tell me. Is he okay?”

“As I said, someone will be out to speak—” She started to say in that same tone.

“You have him on that.” Bree slammed her fingers into the glass. “Just tell me he’s not…not—”

“Ma’am, if you would have a seat—”

“Look, lady, this might be just a job for you, but
my brother
is back there.” She jerked her arm as she pointed to the Emergency Department doors. “And all I know is, he’s hurt, can you just tell me if he’s still alive?”

“Ma’am, if you would—”

“If you tell me to take a seat,
one more time
—” Bree hadn’t even realized her voice was getting louder and louder.

Then someone stepped up beside her and spoke over her. “Is there a problem?”

Not brothering to look at who was standing beside her, she answered, “I just want to know if my brother is alive.” Bree stood there with tears pouring down her face unchecked.

The man gently scooted Bree aside, leaned down into the window, and spoke to the woman in hushed but sharp tones. Although Bree couldn’t hear to understand his words she didn’t miss the demand in his voice. When he stood back up, he turned to face Bree, gave her a slight nod, then turned and walked away.

Bree quickly stepped back to the window. “Well?”

“He is still in surgery at the moment, and they have been notified that a family member is here and will send someone down to speak with you.”

“Thank you.” Bree sighed with relief, Storm was alive.

Storm is alive. Storm is alive
. She repeated it like a mantra, over and over in her head as she made her way to the first available seat. She sat and sat, waiting and waiting.
This can’t be good
.
Why is it taking so long
?
No, long is good, right
?
I mean, if they were done it could mean…could mean Storm didn’t
… “No!” She shook her head. Storm would never give up on her, and she wasn’t going to give up on him. “Storm,” she whispered as she bent at the waist, elbows on her knees and dropped her head into her hands.

She sat like that with her hands resting on each side of her head as she stared at the floor, when from the corner of her eye she watched a can of Mountain Dew and a paper cup appear in the empty seat beside her. She raised her head, never taking her eyes off the can of drink, before she turned to look behind her and saw Draco walking away.
What the hell is he doing here
?
Haven’t his lies caused enough pain
? All at once the pain of Draco’s deceit, the fear of losing Storm, the anger that all of it could have been avoided if only Draco hadn’t lied.
He lied to me!
She picked up the can, holding it in her hand.
It’s my favorite
…
don’t like drinking out of the can
… She had confided in him, little things and things she had never told another living soul…ever. “I trusted him and he, he lied!” She stood up, turned, and watched him…walk away.
I had trusted him, damn it, with everything I was!
And he betrayed her! Without thinking, she drew back her arm and as hard as she could she sent the unopened drink can flying.

The can hit Draco in the center of his back and exploded, sending sprays of drink all over his back and down the backs of his jean-covered legs, and it hit the floor, spinning and spraying soda over his shoes. He jerked back around, looking more pissed, more furious, than she had ever seen him, or any man, look in her entire life. For a second she was scared of him as he looked down at the can as it slowed its spinning then back up to her. She saw a pain so deeply etched on his face that it stole her breath, then just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, and his facial expression turned to shock? Was that shock on his face? She didn’t get the chance to be sure because he shouted, “No!” And his eyes left hers as he looked beyond her and all around her. “She’s Storm’s sister. Leave her be.” And then he turned and walked over to the window.

She looked around her and for the first time since she had run through the hospital doors, she noticed that the waiting room was full of people. But, it wasn’t just any ‘people,’ it was…cops. Lots and lots of cops who were slowly backing away from her.

She walked across the floor as far away from the window—that Draco stood staring out of—as she could get and dropped down into an empty chair. Was this someone’s seat? Had they been sitting here? She wasn’t sure, and she really didn’t care. The seat was empty, so she sat. And, if it happened to be someone else’s, well, blame that on Draco too.

“You’re Storm’s Ree.” She heard a deep voice spoken from someone who had apparently decided to take a chance and sit down beside her.

Ree
. What she wouldn’t give to hear Storm call her that right now. “Yes,” she answered flatly, but never looked up from her lap.

“He’s gonna pull through. He’s strong like his sister,” the stranger stated with confidence as he continued to talk to her. “He has to be,” was said in almost a whispered plea.

She turned to look at the man who had sat down beside her. It was the same man who had helped her with the woman at the front desk. “How do you know?” She couldn’t resist asking, more curious about the man who had stepped up to help her…why?

“How do I know you’re strong? Storm talks about you all the time. He’s so proud of you, you know?”

“Storm talks to you…about me?”

“All the time.” He smiled at her and for a minute Bree actually took the time to really look at this man who seemed to know Storm. He was nice looking. Okay, more than nice, with his five o’clock shadow dusting his face and greenish-blue eyes that almost glowed. He wasn’t small, not at all the way those muscles pulled at his plaid shirt and brown vest. Even his jeans molded to his legs that straightened out in front of him right down to his…cowboy boots? She ran her eyes back up his body and yep, he dressed like one of those cowboys she’d seen on TV. She looked up at his dark hair. All that was missing...she moved her eyes to the seat beside him and there it was…a cowboy hat.
What the hell is a cowboy doing in Virginia
? She almost giggled until his words registered.

“Who are you?”
And how do you know Storm
?

“Oh, sorry, forgot we’ve never really met before. I’m Cole.”

That was all he said. Just ‘I’m Cole’ like that should mean something to her. “Cole?”

“Yep.” Guess he really did think that explained everything.

“How do you know Storm?”

He just looked at her for a beat like she was a puzzle. “I’m Detective Cole Aleric.” He paused like he was giving her time for that information to sink in.

“You’re a cop?” She stated it like a question, but Detective, duh, cop.

“Yeah, Drug Enforcement.” Again another pause. “Storm’s partner.”

“Partner?”
Partner?
Wait, Storm’s not gay
. She had seen him time and time again with different women coming and going from his apartment.

“Umm, yeah. We’ve been partners for about five years now—”

“Storm’s not g—”
Detective
.
Cop
.
Partner
.
No!
No, Storm couldn’t be, he wouldn’t… “Storm’s a cop!” she shouted the last as she jumped up from her seat, looked down at this man, before her eyes unconsciously sought out Draco. And there it was, the truth. It was written all over his guilty face.
About five years now
.
Years
.
Years!
Storm’s been a cop for years and never told me?
“Why?” she whispered to no one. Unaware of her movements, Bree stalked across the room toward Draco, who was moving toward her. “You knew?”

Draco heard Bree shout. “Storm’s a cop!” He whipped around from the window he had been staring out at nothing to see Bree looking right at him, her eyes filled with disbelief, as she mouthed “why” and then she asked, “You knew?”

He wanted to explain, tell her everything. About the promise he had made to Storm. How he begged Storm to tell her and the guilt that was eating at him by keeping it from her. “Bree—”

“You did!” she shouted at him as the knowledge of his betrayal filled those gorgeous amber eyes. “You knew and yet you just let me wonder and worry, not having a clue what was going on. Did you even care?” Now those eyes filled with pain. Pain he had put there. “Did you even stop to think for one second what it would do to me to lose the one person, the
only
person, who has ever given a damn about me? Could you have stopped him? Stopped this,” she swung her arms out, indicating the hospital, “from happening?” She leaned into him, eyes flashing in anger and accusation. “Could you, De-tec-tive Vittore? Or were you just too busy fucking me as you fucked over my brother?”

“Winters?” Draco heard the name called from just this side of the Emergency Department doors, and he turned at the same time Bree did, then watched as she ran to the woman standing there looking around the waiting area, until she noticed Bree rushing toward her.

By the time Bree had made her way to the woman, Draco, as well as most of the other officers, were at her back, anxiously awaiting word on Storm’s condition.

“I’m Nurse Greene, I need to speak with the family of Stormy Winters,” the woman stated as her eyes took in not only Bree but the crowd that surrounded her as well.

“I’m his sister. Please just tell me, is he…is he…alive?” Bree stammered out so brokenly it took everything in Draco not to wrap her up in his arms. It was killing him watching her in so much pain and heartache.

“Yes, he’s stable, but—” Again the nurse’s eyes roamed the group of people. “Are the rest of you family as well?”

Draco watched as Bree turned and noticed the crowd around her before she turned back to the nurse. “No, I’m his only family. They’re just…just
cops
.” And there it was. She had referred to ‘cops’ as she had the first time he saw her, like it was a nasty disease. Everything they had built, all the trust she had given, the acceptance and belief that cops were the ‘good guys,’ gone. Wiped away. Because of him.

“Mrs.…?” The nurse prompted.

“Bree. Bree Winters”

“Yes, well, Miss Winters, if you would follow me, the doctor would like to speak with you concerning Mr. Winters.” The nurse took the few steps back to the Emergency Department doors, then paused as she turned back to Bree. “Is there anyone you would like to be with you?”

“No.” Draco heard Bree answer.
Fuck! She will be back there, alone, when the doctor told her the ‘but’ the nurse had started
. His Breezie, at the worst time in her life, alone. Broken. In pain and…alone.
Just like when she was locked away in that apartment
. As the nurse turned back to escort Bree through those doors, “Wait,” Bree added, then turned back and scanned the groups of people waiting. When her eyes accidentally met his, they again filled with pain, then moved on until she found who she was looking for. “Cole?”

“Right here, sweetheart.” Draco heard Cole answer, and he watched as Storm’s partner moved his way up to her.
Sweetheart
. Draco wanted to…
slap that word out of your vocabulary
. Bree’s words had never sounded better.

“Storm trusted you, right?”

“With his life, as I do him with mine.”

“Will you go with me?” Bree asked quietly. “Back there to talk to the doctor, I mean?” She sounded so defeated, so tired. Draco watched with his heart breaking as the tears came into Bree’s eyes and fell down her face unchecked.