Second Chances (26 page)

By the time he put the phone away Brian was emotionally exhausted.

Mark arrived shortly after bringing coffee and fresh sandwiches, figuring correctly that Brian hadn't eaten.

"Don't argue! Just get it into your stomach! You can't look after Karina if you collapse."

Once again, there was no arguing with that logic and Brian tucked in to his food. Afterwards, he almost felt human again. Silence reigned between the two friends as unspoken words hung in the air around them.

The first words to come out of Brian's mouth surprised them both.

"I love her, you know. It took seeing that butcher's knife slicing into her to realize how much I care. God. I wish I'd told her first."

"Tell her when she wakes up."

"She'll think I'm just saying that because she's hurt. She believes some of the damnedest things."

"If she does, it's because she's uncertain. After your weekend together, she shouldn't feel that way at all." Mark said in a calm, steady tone.

"I know that. It's just we didn't get around to open declarations of love. We were so close and loving the entire weekend that words didn't seem necessary—and now I see they were even more necessary than I thought." Brian buried his head in his hands. "God, I want a chance to go back and tell her."

Mark eyed him sympathetically. "Karina's been through a lot. She needs to know that you're there for her in all ways and forever. You know that you want to marry her, but does she know that? She needs the emotional security of belonging." He leaned forward, adding, "Just as much as you need it, too."

Brian somberly contemplated that bit of wisdom. So often, honesty at that level was missing in relationships. That had been part of the problem with his marriage.

He didn't want that. He wanted to know that Karina was his, heart, body, mind and soul. He needed to know that. Just as she needed to know that he was hers. If she still wanted him, that was.

They hadn't exactly had a clear path so far. However, Ian was well and truly out of the way now. And although he was currently being treated in the same hospital, he'd require psychiatric care and most likely live out the rest of his life in a padded cell.

Karina and Brian were free to resume their lives, whatever that meant. He refused to think about her moving back into her old place. That wasn't even an option any more.

A grimace crossed his face. Would she actually want to return to his home though where she'd been terrorized? It was still a mess. He mentioned the problem to Mark.

As usual, Mark's practical nature rose to the situation. "Get a cleaning crew in. Bring in lots of fresh flowers. If you're serious about this relationship, offer to let her redecorate the place or whatever she needs to make her want to live there again. The house is beautiful. It wouldn't do to let Ian ruin that for you both as well. He's caused enough problems."

"True." Brian hesitated. The next words stuck in his throat. He needed to tell someone.

Mark was looking at him, his expression curious. Brian took a deep breath, finally blurting out, "The guilt is killing me. I should've have been able to save her. Jesus, Mark, what good was I? Knocked out cold by the bastard I was trying to protect her from."

A long moment of silence stretched between them.

"You did what you could, Brian. You're not a superhero, you're a human being. You remember that, right?"

Brian hesitated and then nodded.

"Gentlemen?" A tired voice interrupted them gently.

Turning, Brian recognized Karina's surgeon. He jumped to his feet anxiously. "Doctor. How's Karina? Did everything go okay?"

The doctor smiled reassuringly at them. "Karina's going to be fine. With physiotherapy, she should have the full use of her shoulder again. They're settling her in for the night right now. Depending on how she feels, she might be able to go in a couple of days. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going home to bed." The doctor shook hands with them and walked away.

Surprised, Brian looked at his watch. Good Lord, it was almost two in the morning. He looked over at Mark. "Did I get you out of bed? I just realized what time it is."

Mark laughed at him. "That's what friends are for. Let's take a quick look at her then you'd better come back to my place for the night. You can't help her now. She needs to rest and so do you."

Later on, lying on Mark's couch, Brian worried about Karina. He'd wanted to stay there with her, but the nurses had said she'd sleep for at least six hours now. He'd be back by then. She wasn't going to wake up alone.

If he had his way, she'd never be alone again.

***

Ian watched the guard constantly. He lay inside the prep room beside the surgical doors. He'd be going in next.

Inside anger burned deep. Almost burning through the pain. He deserved the pain. He deserved more than that. He'd failed. And failure was not an option. His injuries were minor. They had to be. He was still here. The pain pills they'd given had dulled the agony, but not his anger. Two bullets.

The damn cops actually shot him twice. And neither bullet did him in.

Nothing else they did to him would, either.

Alive and not behind bars meant a second chance.

It hurt to move, so he did so deliberately. His insides squeezed tight, bitterness burned the back of his throat. He could not let this stop him.

Brian couldn't be allowed to win.

He had to pay for the pain he'd inflicted.

So pay he would. Determined, Ian watched the guard laugh into his cell phone.
Good. Enjoy your conversation. Keep your attention elsewhere. You'll never see me coming.

Until it's too late.

K
arina slept fitfully, surfacing off and on before finally waking at 6 AM, alone.

The smells of a hospital were unmistakable. Nightmares had tormented her sleep, but awakening to reality was worse. Tears rolled down her face and she was helpless to stop them. Chilled to the bone and feeling like she'd never get warm again, she tried to pull the blankets up higher, but her arm wouldn't work properly. The IV needle in the crook of her elbow was awkward and frustrated her attempts to get comfortable. She wanted it gone and not being able to do anything about it was suddenly the last straw. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks in earnest. She didn't want to be there. She wanted to be back in Brian's house, with everything the way it was before Ian's rampage.

That thought stopped her cold. That's what Ian had wished, to turn time back and have things return to the way they were before. Only that option wasn't available—for any of them. Just as Ian had to live with change, so, too, did she. The past twenty-four hours were now a permanent part of her world.

Where was Brian? Was he okay? What about Ian? Had the police killed him? Please, let them have at least caught him. The alternative would be too awful to think about.

Tired, confused and uncomfortable with pain, the tears rolled faster and faster until she was sobbing uncontrollably.

"There, there. Take it easy, dearie. I know you're hurting. It's time for your shot. I'm going to quickly check you over and make sure everything's okay first." The nurse bustled about and Karina lay acquiescent under her ministrations. "You feel rotten don't you? Well, here's your medication. Just lie back and rest now. Soon, it'll all go away."

It was already going away. The nurse's voice floated in and out of Karina's mind, before finally disappearing completely. Karina gently drifted back to sleep on drug-induced wings.

***

The doctor walked in while Brian sat next to the bed, willing Karina to wake. He placed a firm hand on Brian's shoulder and pointed to Karina, deep in slumber.

"Glad to see her sleeping. But you need the same thing. Rest. You're no good to her like this."

"I was hoping she'd be able to go home today."

"Not happening," the doctor replied, checking Karina's chart.

Brian nodded. "Fine. I'll come back in a couple of hours."

"Do that. I need to tell you that her attacker is coming out of surgery now. He'll survive to pay for his actions."

"Thanks for letting me know. I'm torn between wanting him to be worse off and sorry that it was necessary for him to be hurt at all."

"That's perfectly understandable. Don't feel guilty about it. Just head off and rest, and maybe do something constructive to distract yourself. You've got at least four hours before she wakes up again." With that last bit of advice, the doctor left the room.

Brian wasn't happy about leaving Karina. Nevertheless, it was an opportunity to start removing all traces of Ian's visit, which would help her recover faster. There was no way he was going to let her return to Sandra's house.

With that in mind, he headed to his house to clean up. He'd spend a few hours doing that, then he'd come back to the hospital to watch over her again.

***

Opening her eyes, Karina lay still, taking inventory of just where she was and why. Pale-colored light peeked around faded yellow curtains that hung in the window. The quality of the sunshine made her think it had to be early morning, maybe even dawn. Memories began to flood back, and Karina closed her eyes against the unbelievable rush of pain and vestiges of panic. Shivers wracked her system until the realization that it was all over finally settled in.

A distinctly odd sound came from the other side of the room. Slowly, carefully, she shifted to look.

Brian lay stretched out, slumped half off the visitor's chair, fast asleep. Karina grimaced. He was going to be brutally sore when he woke up, not only from his position but also from his poor face. Just look at it. Her heart went out to him.

He made a snuffling noise in his sleep. One of his hands came up and rubbed his nose before falling back to the arm of the chair.

Even battered and bruised as he was now, he was beautiful. When the nurse came in, Karina was lying quiet in the morning light, her gaze locked on Brian. She watched as the grinning nurse tiptoed around Brian's long legs.

The nurse smiled down at Karina. "That's quite a watchdog you have there, young lady," she whispered conspiratorially.

"Isn't he though?"

"Let's have a look at you." The nurse bustled around, checking Karina's bandages and her blood pressure, taking her temperature and adjusting her new IV. "I'll bring you some fresh water. Are you ready for a glass of juice?"

"Yes, please. Any chance of a coffee?"

"I'll see. Be back in a minute." She tiptoed out of the room.

Karina couldn't help it, she giggled. What kind of watchdog was he anyways?

"I heard that," came a raspy voice from the chair. "I have to admit, it's one of my favorite sounds."

"What is?" she asked.

Slowly he opened his eyes. That deep, magnetic gaze sought hers and smiled.

"Listening to you laugh—that is, if I can't listen to the sounds you make when I touch you." His voice deepened even further.

Heat climbed her throat and warmed her cheeks.

"And I love the fact that I can make you blush." Amused satisfaction tinged his voice as her skin burned even more hotly.

He pulled his large frame up and out of the small chair, and stretched. With a stifled groan, he worked the kinks out of his back and neck before taking the two steps to her bedside. "I'd scoop you up for a big hug but I don't want to hurt you."

She reached her good arm up slowly to accept whatever version of an embrace he'd give. He dropped the bed's side railing and gently lay down beside her, cuddling her close. His kiss warmed her heart and his smile warmed her soul. But his face brought tears to her eyes.

"How are you feeling?"

"Shh. I'm fine."

She stroked his bruised face, her fingertips brushing across the now brightly colored splotches. "Your poor face! He hurt you." Gently, she reached out with her good arm to stroke the split lip and swollen jaw.

Brian covered her hand with his. "I'm fine. I'm not the one lying in a hospital bed. How are
you
?"

"I'm a little stiff, a little sore, but I'm okay." she said. "Did anyone say when I could go home?"

"It's up to the doctor, but I'm hoping he'll send you home today to finish healing."

"Home sounds good." Her smile faltered as she remembered what had happened the last time in his home. No, home actually didn't sound so good. She anxiously pleated the sheets with unsteady fingers as she muttered, "I want to go back to Sandra's basement suite."

"Out of the question. First, you need care. Second, the cleaners are in the house right now. And third, I think it's important for you to go back and put all your memories where they belong, in your past."