Trent didn’t have to say a word as he left the hospital, because I knew exactly what the look on his face was meant to convey. But he said it, anyway.

“Do you know what you’re doing?” His voice was laced in incredulousness as I led him out into the hallway.

I could have answered him in a multitude of ways, but I chose the most honest one at the moment. “Not a fucking clue, thanks for asking.”

“Chief Conway won’t like you staying here—”

“Which is exactly why there’s no need to tell him, Trent. He doesn’t need to know. I’m not here in a professional capacity.”

“Well, at least you’re not denying it,” he replied dryly. “And what capacity are you here in?”

“Just a concerned citizen.”

“Ah, there’s the denial.”

I clenched my jaw. “Just go back to the precinct, Trent. Get those samples run, and let’s find this son of a bitch.”

He tucked his notebook back into his pocket and ran a hand through his sandy hair. “You know I will. I’m going to check with Constance, too. See if the story she got matches the one I just heard.”

“You don’t trust Hailey?” I snapped, my eyes bright with frustration.

“No, I don’t trust Ms. Spencer,” he stated easily with a shake of his head. “And neither should you.”

* * *

Hailey had managed to get herself leaned back on the stretcher, laying on her side facing me, her shoes still on. She was still in her own clothes, much to the dismay of the nurses and doctors, but Constance had informed Trent that she’d been adamant she wasn’t staying, and wouldn’t need the hospital gown.

I set the alarm on my phone for half an hour from now and made a mental note to try to coax her into at least getting changed into the gown at that time. I had a funny feeling I knew how that was going to go over, though, and my mouth curled up at the thought.

I understood Trent’s apprehension at my involvement in this case. Hell, I knew I should be more apprehensive. But, damn it, this woman’s life was in danger, and while I’m sure she realized it before now, I’m not sure it’d really sunk in until those tears started to fall earlier.

She was alone, and had no one to turn to. Which was the reason I stayed at the hospital. I came from a big family, and I’m not sure I’d ever had a moment in my life where I could say I’d had a chance to feel what utter loneliness was, but I wanted Hailey Spencer to have a moment where she didn’t have to feel that way, either.

I closed my eyes, still silently convincing myself that that was the only reason I was here.

When I opened them, my phone was vibrating in my lap.

I fell asleep.

I hauled myself slowly from the chair. Another few hours in that thing and I was going to be begging the doctors for some painkillers myself.

“Hailey?” She hadn’t moved, and her chest was still rising and falling easily. It was the most peaceful I’d seen her since I met her, and even under the bruises and swelling, I could tell from the lower part of her face that her features were softer. There wasn’t a man on Earth who’d say she wasn’t pretty, and as I gently pushed her hair from her face, a pang of guilt twisted inside me again that someone could distort that pretty face so violently. “Hailey, it’s me.”

A soft groan answered me, and her eyes fluttered but they didn’t open. I wondered if the nurse had already been there to check on her, but I thought I would’ve awoken if she had. Hailey mumbled something, but I didn’t quite catch it. “I can’t hear you, Hailey. Wake up, hmm?”

She inhaled sharply as she tried to roll onto her back, and my hand jutted out to stop her, pulling her back toward me again to her side.

“Just let them take me,” she whispered.

That time, I heard her muttered plea loud and clear, and a cold shiver ran down my spine.

“Please…” she continued, the word falling from her lips almost inaudibly. “Please.”

She wasn’t awake, and suddenly, I didn’t want to wake her up. She seemed so at peace with the idea, it shattered me from the inside out. But to wake her up and have to remind her that it wasn’t over, that she still had to fight…I felt guilty for having to do it.

But Hailey Spencer had fought against her attacker today and won. She was still alive, and she’d fought back. She had a lot of fight left in her, and she needed someone to remind her of that.

I answered her the only way I could, softly and with conviction. “No fucking way.”

* * *

The evening and nighttime hours went by without a hitch. By seven o’clock, Hailey was sitting up again, begging just as much for a cup of coffee as she was to be discharged home.

“I don’t understand what the holdup is,” she snapped, staring at the vacant doorway as though telepathically willing the doctor to appear.

“The holdup is the hole in the back of your head,” I replied with a similar snippiness, rubbing my eyes. Then, I realized how cruel I sounded. “Sorry, that was uncalled for. But, damn it, that’s got to be the most uncomfortable chair I’ve ever slept in.”

“Sleep in a lot of chairs, do you?”

I ran my hands down my face, leaning forward, my elbows on my knees. “Someone’s feeling better,” I smirked. “How’s the headache?”

“Still there,” she admitted. “But it’s not as bad as yesterday.”

“They’ve got you on the good drugs.”

“You’re a cop. You’re supposed to tell me drugs are bad.”

I grinned, relieved to see her smiling instead of scowling in agony. “I’m human. There are definitely good drugs.”

“Oh, you’re a bad cop,” she chuckled. “Okay, on a serious note, can you find me some coffee in this godforsaken place? If this headache sucks now, just wait till the caffeine withdrawal kicks in.”

I stood, stretching. “I swear to God, Hailey, if you make a cop joke and ask me to sniff out some doughnuts, too…”

She held up her hands in surrender. “You said it, not me.”

“Hailey Spencer, how are we feeling this morning?” The doctor strode in, making a beeline for the chart at the end of the bed. He barely glanced at me or his patient until he’d flipped a few pages on the clipboard. When his gaze rose, he glanced from Hailey to me, then took in my uniform, now creased from sleeping in it, the top button undone at the neck. “Sorry, Officer, I didn’t realize you were stationed in this room.”

“I wasn’t. Just keeping an eye on a friend.” I held his gaze. He didn’t look away immediately, and I silently dared him to remind me of proper visiting hours.

The doctor—I failed to catch his name—stared a moment longer than necessary, then turned to Hailey. “It looks as though you had a decent night, Ms. Spencer. How’s your headache, on a scale of one to ten?”

“Two.”

“Is that you talking, or your desire to go home?” he asked with a knowing grin. I crossed my arms, thinking that maybe this guy wasn’t so bad after all, seeing as he had the guts to call her on her shit.

“Both,” Hailey bit out. “I’m fine, Doctor. I’d just like to go home to my own bed.”

The doctor circled around to the other side of her, setting the chart down on the bed to examine her head wound closely. “And you’ve got someone at home to monitor you for another day or so?”

“I don’t need some—”

“Yes,” I blurted out. “She won’t be left alone, if that’s what you’re asking. I know how concussions can go.”

Hailey’s glare was murderous, but it only made me want to laugh out loud. Her options were limited; turn down my implied offer to stay and risk being held in the hospital for another day, or give in and get to go home.

“You’re all set, then.” He tilted her chin slightly to look at her facial bruises and scratches, but they were superficial in comparison, and only time would fade them. “Ice will help keep the swelling down, and I’ll write a prescription for you to take some analgesics for the pain as necessary.”

“I don’t have—”

“That sounds perfect, Doctor. Thank you.” I wasn’t winning any points with Hailey by continuing to cut her off, but the doctor seemed to find humor in her obvious frustration that was so obviously directed at me, and he just nodded.

“I’ll have the nurse bring back the paperwork,” he said, patting Hailey’s shoulder gently. “You take care of yourself now, Ms. Spencer.” He gave her an encouraging smile, nodded toward me, and left the room.

“I don’t know what it is you think you’re trying to pull, Alex, but I don’t have the money for a prescription, or this overnight stay for that matter. And I certainly don’t have any intentions of having you stay at my place with me, pretending to be the good doctor.” There was venom in her voice, and she lowered her feet onto the floor, intent on shoving her feet back in the boots I’d convinced her to take off sometime during the night. I never did get her into a hospital gown, though. She swayed slightly with the abrupt movement, and I jolted forward, catching her under the arm.

“That’s okay, Hailey,” I whispered with a devilish grin, holding her upright. “I’ve got no intention of staying at your place tonight. And I certainly don’t want to play Doctor with you, either.”