“Can I help you?” The receptionist from behind the emergency room counter asks without even looking away from her computer screen.
“Um, yes. Brad sent us. You have some things for us?” She finally breaks away from her screen and looks at both of us Just then, her phone rings and she raises a finger, putting us on hold. Without thinking, I glance down at Lanie just as she looks up at me with irritation written all over her face. She huffs and rolls her eyes, causing me to chuckle slightly.
“I’m sorry, that was Brad.” The receptionist says. Good to know he is watching us. She quickly goes about handing us the paperwork we need, along with the identification badges. We thank her and enter the hallway.
“Guys, to the right is a family bathroom. I want you to step in there.” I take Lanie’s arm and guide her into the bathroom, following Brad’s instructions.
“Okay.”
“Under the sink is a box. Lanie, the reason I asked you to pull your hair back, was so you can put on the wig and glasses. This will help with surveillance cameras, which means the only one for me to edit is the one in the emergency room when you entered. All the other ones will be on a recording. This is just a precaution in case someone recognizes you.” Lanie does what is asked before turning to me.
“A red head, huh?” I ask with amusement in my voice. I have to admit, she’s pretty hot for a red head. She bites her bottom lip while she blushes and looks down. I tilt her face back up towards me and pull her lip from her teeth. “Don’t do that. Don’t hide yourself from me.” I lean in and press my lips against hers.
“Uh, Jaxon. If you’re done, we need to get going.”
“Brad, your timing is impeccable.” I back away and adjust her glasses before pulling her into my arms. She wraps hers around my waist in return. “Take a deep breath.” She does what she’s asked. “Okay, Brad. We’re ready.”
“Good. Now, when you hit the end of the hallway, you’ll take the third set of elevators to the fourth floor. Just before the elevators open, I will set off an alarm. This will cause the elevator to stop, but rest assured, it’s me controlling it from here. I will have the other two open and waiting to escort anyone that’s not a professional to leave. When those two are on their way down, I’ll open yours. Guys, you’ll only have a short amount of time to get this done. There will be someone on the floor waiting for you. His name is Paul. He’s one of my guys. Let him help you.”
We follow his directions and as he said, the elevators come to a complete stop. What I wasn’t expecting was for Lanie to begin to panic. Her body is pressed against the back of the elevator wall and her hands are grasping the handle so tight her knuckles have turned white. Her breathing has accelerated so much, she looks as though she’ll pass out.
“Brad, you need to hurry this up. I don’t think she’s a fan of elevators. She’s hyperventilating.”
“Lanie, are you okay?” He asks in our ears.
Stepping in front of her, I place my hands on both sides of her face and force her to look into my eyes. “Lanie, breathe with me.” She shakes her head no quickly, nervous and scared. I’m sure she isn’t even listening to me. I know I must use force to get her to listen.
“Don’t tell me no! You’re not allowed to tell me no.” I snap with force in my voice. She looks at me with fear, but deep down, I know this is what she needs. I remember when I scared her before, she said she would do anything in fear, I’m going to use it to my advantage. “Now, c’mon, focus.” I begin inhaling nice and slow like I did before. Her eyes dance with mine and she begins to follow suit. “That a girl.” We breathe slowly until the elevator comes to life and we begin moving again. Once it stops, she’s calmer and her hands are resting on my forearms.
“You’re hiding your tattoos again.” She notices when she pulls the long sleeved white shirt I’m wearing under the scrub.
“You’re just now noticing that?” I take her hand and we exit the elevator. “I didn’t want to scare anyone.”
“Good thinking.”
“I asked him to cover those hideous things up too.” Brad interrupts us.
“They aren’t hideous.” She defends me. I give her hand a slight squeeze.
“Even if they aren’t, he needed to cover them up in case someone recognized you. I didn’t want him to be noticed, making it easy for someone to find him later.”
“Thanks.” I shake my head. When we make it to the nurse’s station, I ask for Paul. He shakes my hand and gives Lanie a pat on the shoulder. When he walks us to her sister’s room, she freezes.
“You have about ten minutes if you want to talk to her before we continue.” Paul, a tall slender man says.
“Will you stay with me?” She grips my hand as if it’s a lifeline.
“If you want me to.”
“Guys, enough of the talk and more of the doing.” Brad calls. I guide her into the room. “Paul will stand guard. I’ll call out to you when we have to move.”
We walk up to the bed. Laura is a younger image of her sister. Her features are similar but different in their own way. She’s zoned out, staring out through the window.
“Laura.” Lanie whispers. When Laura turns to look at us, she blinks several times.
“Am I dreaming?” Lanie shakes her head no. She releases my hand and takes a step towards her sister, taking Laura’s hand in her own. “Are you really here?”
“Yeah, sis. It’s me. I’m here to take you away.” Lanie sounds so strong. That is until Laura’s tears fall. They both embrace each other and cry. They need this moment so I give it to them. Shortly after, I step behind Lanie and rest my hands on her shoulders. Laura looks past her sister to me, then back to Lanie.
“Who’s the hottie?” Lanie leans against my chest and lets out a small giggle.
“All you need to know, is that he’s a friend here to help us.”
“A hot friend.” Laura smiles and winks at me. This time I can’t hide my smile, but I can hide my face. I rest my head against the back of Lanie’s. “By the looks of it, he’s more than just a hot friend. Maybe the hot new boyfriend. Nice work sis.”
“Laura, I only have a few minutes….”
“Actually,” Brad interrupts. “You need to leave, now.” Just then, Paul comes rushing in and transfer’s Laura’s IV bag from the machine to the bed. “Frank just walked into the building. He’s on the elevator. Go! Go! Go!” He yells in our ears. Paul unlocks the bed and we hurry out of the room.
“I thought you said we had time.”
“He must have been on his way here already. He obviously saw through the drill.”
We make it to the patient service elevator quickly before Lanie yells, “Wait!”
“What is it?” I ask.
“I forgot her paperwork. I have to get it.” She begins running towards the vacant room.
“Lanie, wait!” I yell. The elevator door opens and Paul pushes Laura inside.
“We can’t hold this elevator much longer, the other elevator will open any minute.” Brad yells.
“Can’t you control it?” I spit.
“I’m trying the best I can.”
“Try harder Brad!”
Paul decides to hold the door open so I can run and get Lanie. When she emerges from the room, she begins walking swiftly towards me. I have my hand stretched out waiting for her to take it. The chime from the visitor elevator opens and a tall man steps out.
“Go ahead.” I usher her towards the elevator.
“Who are you?” The man yells out and begins running towards us. “Did you just come out of that room?”
“C’mon Jax.” Lanie turns to pull my arm.
“Lanie? Is that you?” He asks and she freezes on the spot.
“Don’t turn around!” I quietly instruct from behind her. “Walk calmly.” I place my hand on the small of her back and begin walking towards the service elevator.
“Jax, you have to cause a distraction. She left papers in the room. You need to go grab them, which in turn, gives them time to get downstairs. You need to do this.” Brad says in a hurry.
“No.” Lanie’s plea is silent. “Jax, don’t leave me.”
“Hey wait!” Frank calls from behind us as we make it to the elevator.
Paul releases the elevator doors. They begin to close and I shove Lanie in. She turns and looks at me in fear. “I’m not leaving you, sweetheart. I’ll meet you downstairs. Trust me.” I watch the elevator doors come to a close. The last thing I see are a set of eyes full of fear staring at me. “Trust me.” I repeat again before turning and facing this worthless piece of shit.
“Hey, you!” Frank slides to a stop. It’s literally taking all of me not to knock out the fucker right now. I know if I do that, then he will know I’m with her and everything we’ve done will be for nothing.
“Jax, listen to me. You have to be calm. I know you like I know myself, take a deep breath. He can’t know that you’re with her.” Brad’s voice fills my ear.
“Who did you just push into that elevator?” Frank asks.
“I’m sorry sir, I can’t tell you. It’s against patient’s rights.” I use a fake accent to throw off my voice.
“Nice.” Brad praises.
“That woman you were with. Who was she?” Frank turns and follows me as I walk carelessly into the room Laura was in. “Do you know her name?”
“Who? Ginger?” I pick up the forms Lanie left on the table.
“Yeah. What’s her name?”
“That is her name, sir. Her name is Ginger.” I step around him.
“Where’s Laura?”
“Who?”
“Laura.” I can tell he’s getting angry. I’m loving every bit of it too. Being responsible for his internal struggle is completely worth it all. “The patient that was in this room.” He points to the empty room.
“The patient?”
“Yes, the patient!” He waves towards the empty space. “She’s my sister in law. She was here earlier, and now she’s gone.”
“Oooh, Laura.”
“Jesus Christ.” He pulls at his hair.
“Keep it up Jax. They are putting her in the ambulance now. I told Lanie you will meet with her at a different location.” Brad informs me.
Knowing she’s safe and away from this jackass lifts a huge weight that’s been pressed on my chest since we first stepped foot on the plane.
I hold up the papers in my hand and show him. “We’re taking her down to do some testing. Her results seemed to be off, so the doctor wanted to check again. When we came in here, she was sleeping. So, we decided to take her downstairs.”
“Let me see those.” He snatches the papers from me. Brad chimes in.
“He’s looking for a flaw, but he won’t find one. Get out of there, Jax. Lanie and her sister are off the property and no one has followed them.” Thank God, she’s safe.
“I need the orders for the testing, sir. If you want to go and get a bite to eat or something, she will be back soon.” I hold my hand out for the papers. He finishes looking over them and hands them back.
“I’ll wait here for her.”
“As you wish. Can I have someone get you something?” Like a swift kick in the jaw?
“No, just go.”
“Not a problem.” I nod and mumble the words “mother fucker” as I exit. When I make it inside the elevator and it’s finally on its way down, relief fills my body. “Is Lanie is okay?”
“I’m okay.” I can hear her voice and I take a sigh of relief. “Are you okay?”
“We just did the tango with a monster and you’re asking me if I’m okay?” I huff a laugh. Of all the things she would be worried about, she’s focused on me.
“Jax. It sounds like someone cares deeply for you.” The elevator doors open.
“Brad, if there was a way you could not listen to everything I say to her, that would be wonderful.”
“Shutting up now.” He laughs. “There will be a blue car towards your right when you exit the doors. I’ll be in there waiting for you.”
“Did you hear that sweetheart?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay.” I can hear relief in her voice.
“Oh, and Lanie?”
“Yes?”
“I’m more than okay.” I open the door and slide into the seat next to Brad.
“Okay. Hurry up.”
Lanie hasn’t said a word since we left her sister. Once I showed up at the location they were taken to and stepped out of the car, she was already running towards me. As if in slow motion, she jumped in my arms. I had never felt more at home than in that moment. Our relationship, if that’s what this is, isn’t by any means what you’d expect. I’ve only pressed my lips against hers twice, but I know now, that after meeting her soon to be ex-husband, this has to go at her own speed. Frankly, I’m more than happy with that. I want her to be able to trust me without flinching at my touch or worry if I’m going to break her.
“I’m going to miss her.” She wipes a tear from her cheek.
“You’ll see her again.” I reassure her. We’re about halfway from the airport to the garage. I rest my hand on hers, giving as much support as I can.
“You can’t guarantee that. Just like I can’t guarantee he won’t find me before the hearing.”
“Lanie, I will do whatever it takes to make sure he never lays a finger on you or your sister again. I promise you that.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” She says softly. I pull over and exit the car. She opens her door and steps out as I’ve come around to her side. “What are you doing? We’re in the middle of nowhere.”
Ignoring her, I slam the door behind her. She steps back so she’s flush against the car. I push myself against her, placing my hands on her face.
“Now, you listen to me. I am not him. My name is Jaxon Montgomery, not Frank fucking Morris. And I don’t ever make promises that I don’t intent to keep. I am a man of my word, damn it. Yes, I may scare some people because of the way I look, but I’m not cold hearted. I couldn’t be, even if I tried. I don’t know what it is about you, but I have this urge to make sure you know how much I care for you. Do you honestly think I would fly across the damn country to put my neck on the line for just anyone?”
Tears pierce her eyes, but I don’t care. She needs to know that there are other men out there that aren’t monsters. She needs to know that she can be loved the way she deserves to be loved. She needs to know she’s loved by me.
“No.” She blinks away her tears. “No, I don’t think that.”
“You cannot even fathom the feelings I have for you right now. It’s only been a short time since I’ve met you, but I can’t stop these feelings.”
“I’m sorr…” I don’t let her answer. I press my lips against hers, and I needing to show her how much I care. The feelings I have for her, I’ve never felt for anyone else in my life. She has drawn something out of me that I didn’t know existed. When I’m with her, I feel like I’m home. She wraps her fingers around my neck and opens her mouth just enough to invite me in. Sliding my tongue over her lip, I let out a groan before her tongue meets mine with just as much force and passion.
“I think I’m falling in love with you.” I let out between kisses. She freezes instantly. “I don’t want you to answer. You don’t have to do a thing. I know this doesn’t change anything between us, Lanie. Just know that I will wait for you, forever if I have to. It doesn’t matter if it takes a month or a year. Heck, it doesn’t matter if it will take ten years, just know this, I fell for you the moment you stepped out of Brad’s car. That moment I saw the hurt in your eyes in the Square the night you saw me with my sister, was the moment I knew I would do anything for you. I don’t expect anything from you. But I want you to know that… that, I won’t leave you. And when the time comes, I’m sure as hell going to fight for you.”
Her hands slide up to my face and begin caressing my stubble. Her eyes dance around as if she’s searching for something to say.
“When I first met you, I saw kindness and caring in your eyes. You’re not an angry man, but I can see that you get angry at times. Your eyes tell me that you are full of love and compassion. I also see honesty in your eyes when you speak. I don’t deserve someone like you. I don’t want you to think you have to wait for someone that doesn’t think she’ll make it past the divorce hearing.”
“You will make it. So help me God, Lanie. You will make it. I promise you that.”
“Don’t make broken promises, Jaxon.”
“Jax.” I correct, causing her lips to turn up into a little smile. She now knows my weakness.
“What I’m saying is, I don’t want you to wait for me.”
“You don’t get to make that choice…” Lanie presses her finger against my lips, shushing me.
“I wanted you to know that… I, um… I am falling too.”
“What?” Am I hallucinating? Did I just hear her right? Did she just tell me she… that she…
“I said, I’m falling for you too.” She leans in and presses her lips against mine. I pull back just as she begins to deepen the kiss.
“Do you know what this means?”
“What?” Her eyes dance with curiosity.
“It means I’m never letting you go.”