Chapter Fifty-Three

“WILL HE COME TO SEE ME?” Acacia asked Rick as soon as he entered the room.

It was more than twenty-four hours after she’d arrived at the hospital. Her head still ached, but the nausea had subsided.

Rick had absented himself while Doctor Büchi examined her during morning rounds. He remained in the hall while the nurses tidied her and dressed her wound. When he returned, Acacia was nibbling at her breakfast.

“The boss has already been here.” Rick sat next to the bed. He was casually dressed in jeans and a black shirt. But for whatever reason, he wore combat boots.

Acacia dropped her fork on the breakfast tray. “When?”

“While you were asleep.”

“Will he come back?”

Rick shook his head. “He’s gone.”

“Where?”

Rick leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees. “He’s flying Kate from Paris. She’ll arrive this afternoon. She’s bringing your cat.”

Acacia leaned back on the pillow. “He wanted to see that I’m all right, but he doesn’t want to talk to me.”

“Fuck,” Rick swore under his breath. “He wants to talk to you, but he had something to take care of.”

“Has he found the man who took his family’s artwork?”

“How are you feeling this morning?” Rick asked in response. “What did the doctor say?”

“I want to see him,” she whispered.

“Acacia, I don’t think—”

“I need to see him.” She lifted her voice.

Rick hesitated. “I’ll call him. You can speak to him on the phone.”

Rick walked into the hall.

Acacia waited on tenterhooks for him to return. She tried to formulate sentences in her mind, but had difficulty deciding what to say.

A few minutes later he returned. His face was impassive. “The boss is busy at the moment. He wants you to rest and take care of yourself.”

Acacia’s eyes filled with tears.

Rick lifted his hands. “Don’t cry. Kate will be here soon. When you’re discharged from the hospital, I have orders to take you both back to Paris. And, uh, your cat. What’s your cat’s name? Ned?”

Acacia pressed the call button for the nurse. She threw the covers back and shifted to the edge of the bed, near her IV stand.

Rick moved forward. “What are you doing?”

“I’m leaving.” She wiped her eyes with a napkin.

“You can’t leave. You have a head injury.”

She turned furious eyes on him. “Why didn’t you stop him from going after the Russian?”

“What makes you think that’s where he’s gone?”

“Because he’s obsessed with getting justice for his family. I know his team was working on finding Yasmin’s ex-boyfriend. I know he wouldn’t want me to know he’s in Russia.”

“Listen, you need to rest. I’ll call the nurse.”

“No. I’m not going to lie here while he destroys himself.”

Rick skirted the bed to stand in front of her. “There’s nothing you can do.”

“I have to try.”

He rubbed his face with both hands. “Get back into bed. Kate has your cat. Don’t you want to see your cat?”

“Tell Kate I’m sorry. I’m going after Nicholas.”

“No, you aren’t.”

Acacia leaned forward at the waist. “I’m not asking for your permission. I killed a man in Morocco. Did you know that?”

Rick’s expression didn’t change.

Her shoulders slumped. “You already know. But what you don’t know is that I have to pay for that. I have to pay for taking a life by saving a life. And I’m going to save Nicholas.”

“That’s the nuttiest fucking thing I’ve ever heard.” Rick glared at her. “Some terrorist tried to kill you, and you severed his artery with a spoon. I should give you a fucking medal. Do you hear me? You don’t need to save anyone for protecting yourself. It was self-defense.”

“I didn’t mean to kill him, but I did. I accept the consequences.”

“You need to have your head examined.”

“What’s going on?” A nurse stood in the doorway. “Why are you sitting up?”

“I’m leaving. Please remove the IV.” Acacia held out her hand.

“You aren’t going anywhere until you’re discharged by the doctor.” The nurse pushed Rick aside. “And who are you? Why are you shouting at her and using foul language? I’ll have security remove you.”

Rick folded his arms over his chest. “Lady, I am security.”

“Tell Doctor Büchi I’m signing myself out. If you don’t remove the IV, I will.” Acacia gave the nurse a determined look.

“Just wait. Okay? It’s dangerous to try to remove an IV when you don’t know what you’re doing.” The nurse gave Rick a severe look. “Both of you, just stop. I’ll find the doctor.”

She scurried into the hall.

“If you cared so much about him, why’d you leave him?” Rick spoke.

“If he didn’t care about me, why did he hire a team of commandos to rescue me?” Acacia countered, slipping off the bed.

She was unsteady on her feet and had to grip the railing for support.

Rick touched her elbow. “You need to lie down. You can’t even stand up.”

She pulled away from him and fell against the bed, almost toppling her IV stand.

Rick caught it just in time. “Fuck. Will you just sit down?”

She leaned heavily on the mattress. “One way or another, I’m getting out of here, and I’m going after him. Are you going to help me or not?”

Rick pulled out his phone and tapped at the screen. “You aren’t going anywhere without clothes.”

Acacia looked down at her hospital gown and bare feet. “I can’t wear this?”

Rick’s face reddened. “Are you nuts?”

She frowned. “It was a joke, Rick.”

He crossed the room, speaking into his phone in hushed tones.

Doctor Büchi bustled into Acacia’s room a few minutes later. “The nurse said you want to go home.”

“That’s right.” Acacia held her hand out. “Please remove my IV.”

The doctor turned to Rick. “Could you wait outside, please?”

Rick made eye contact with Acacia, who nodded at him. He withdrew and placed his cell phone to his ear.

“Why don’t we talk for a moment?” The doctor pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down. “Tell me what’s happening.”

“I need to go. I’m feeling better, and I have things to do.”

“You have a concussion that needs to be monitored. You have a head injury that’s open so we can irrigate it to fight the infection. You need to stay here.”

Acacia was contemplative for a moment. “If I hire a private nurse to deal with the head wound, can I leave?”

“You aren’t a prisoner, Acacia. But you’ve just had a traumatic experience. I understand you want to go home, but I’d like you to speak with one of my colleagues first.”

“A psychiatrist?”

“Yes. Doctor Aswan has worked with newcomers to Switzerland, some of whom experienced trauma in their homelands.”

“I’m not crazy.”

“I didn’t say you were.” The doctor’s expression grew reproving. “That’s a very unkind way to refer to another person.”

“I don’t mean to be unkind.” Acacia felt guilty. “But I’m not ready to speak to someone about what happened.”

“Healing is a process. Doctor Aswan won’t make you speak about anything you don’t want to, but she will be able to help you make sense of your feelings.”

Acacia elected to adopt a conciliatory expression. She lowered her voice. “Doctor Büchi, I know you have my best interests in mind. I realize I need to speak to someone. But right now, the only person I want to talk to is Nicholas, my partner. He’s away on business, and I can’t wait until he comes back.”

The doctor studied her. “If you want to leave, you’re free to do so. You’ll need to sign some paperwork, however, since you’ll be signing yourself out of the hospital against medical advice.”

“I’ll sign,” Acacia volunteered quickly.

The doctor studied her for a moment. Whatever she saw on Acacia’s face seemed to decide matters.

The doctor stood. “I’m going to send you with some prescriptions. I’m going to give you Doctor Aswan’s information, too. I’d like you to make an appointment with her.”

“I will.”

“I’ll be back shortly. Please wait for me.”

Acacia reclined back on the bed to rest. She closed her eyes as a wave of dizziness passed over her.

Her thoughts turned to Nicholas. She hoped she wouldn’t be too late.