I hated hospitals. Fucking despised them. This one wasn’t any better. High-dollar art on the walls and classical music in the waiting rooms didn’t erase the smell of antiseptic in the air. They could lay as many marble tiles as they wanted, set out expensive orchids—it didn’t change what this place was. Celebrities died and decayed like everyone else. I wondered if they thought adding this gloss and shine could change the outcome.

My two best agents followed closely behind me. I rarely traveled without them.

It shouldn’t have been so easy for me to gain access to this wing. I glared at the security guard watching as I walked past. Amateurs. They had no business being in charge of people’s safety. The press was camped outside, and I hadn’t seen any attempts to ask for their credentials or keep them from infiltrating the hospital. Who was in charge?

I had time to think on the flight to L.A., but not enough. The last couple of years should have been all the time I needed, but I had developed and fine-tuned a mechanism for blocking out anything related to Journey. I never saw her movies. I turned off the TV if she was being interviewed. I never read the articles about her. I focused on building Westbrook Securities for my daughter. I wanted an empire that would keep her safe. It kept me away from Journey. I had deceived myself into believing it was a better alternative.

Until now.

We continued past the nurses’ station as I scanned the numbers on the doors. I heard the men’s heels hit heavy on the floor behind me, announcing our arrival. I was tempted to call in more of the Weston Securities force to fortify the entire wing. I had to face Journey first. I stopped in front of her door.

Room 321.

I wasn’t ready for this.

“Wait here,” I directed the agents. “Don’t let anyone in. Keep an eye on this hallway.”

“Of course.”

I pushed open the door. My chest pounded from the deep breath I was holding in. Dante Peacock hopped up from his seat, balancing three different cell phones in his hands.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he screeched.

But I didn’t answer. My eyes were on her. Journey was still. Her pale blue eyes were closed and for a second my heart felt shredded. It was hard to breathe. She shouldn’t be in that bed. I wanted to scoop her up and run out of here with her in my arms. There were lines and tubes running into her arms. A thin hose for oxygen was taped to her nose. Fuck. No.

“How did you get in here, Asher?” Peacock was agitated. It didn’t take much to rile him up. “No one called you.”

My gaze broke away from Journey and landed on him. I’d never seen him look this bad. The man was always put together. He had dark circles under his eyes. I looked down at his hands. His nails were bitten and raw.

“How did this happen?” I felt the heat rise in my neck.

He shook his head. “No. No. No, Asher. I’m not letting you barge in here like this. You really think she wants you here? I didn’t call you.”

My eyes narrowed. “I asked you a question. Answer me.”

Dante nodded and pointed toward the door. He wanted me to follow him to the hallway. I sighed as he led the way. He closed the door behind us. We stepped away from my agents and moved into a family counseling room with glass windows.

“I don’t know what Journey can hear,” he explained. “We shouldn’t argue in front of her.”

I eyed my agents from the where I was standing. They had an eye on the activity in the hall as well as Dante and me.

“I don’t see a need to argue,” I replied.

His shoulders relaxed. “Good. I thought you were going to start acting all commando again.”

I folded my arms across my chest. “I don’t know about commando, but I want a full debrief. Every eye witness account. Every photograph from the scene. I need a full rundown of her schedule for the past two weeks and any cross-referenced encounters. I’m going to need the security camera footage and a list of all members of that gym.”

Dante rolled his eyes. “See? Commando. You haven’t been on Journey’s security detail in two years. Not since you became Mr. Billionaire. Don’t think you can prance in here with your hot agents and take over. You aren’t in charge of Journey. I am.”

I huffed. “Look what happens when you’re in charge. She gets shot.” I wanted to wrap my hands around his neck. “Get me what I asked for.”

“You’re not my boss. Journey is. You can’t order me around. Or anyone for that matter, Asher. You haven’t been a part of this family for a long time. We all know it. Most importantly, Journey knows it.”

I wasn’t going to engage in my personal history with Dante. I was here to do something much more important. “Trust me. I have no interest in hiring you, Dante. But until the suspect is in custody, Journey isn’t safe. I’m taking over as of now. I can protect her. You clearly aren’t cut out for it.” I glared at him. Beads of sweat covered his brow. He would argue, but he always folded in the end. It was only a matter of time before I wore him down.

He sputtered. “This is not my fault. I’m as shaken as anyone. I’m not a bodyguard. I’m her manager. Don’t put this on me. She makes her own security calls.”

“And who lets her do that? Where is the guard for her door? Where was her bodyguard this morning?”

He blinked. “She went to the gym. She never takes security to the gym. It’s her personal time. She is very clear about that.”

I groaned. “See? You don’t understand how important her security is 24-7. It’s not part-time. It’s never part-time. In fact, her security should have doubled after her nomination. Did it?”

Dante looked confused. “I-I don’t deal with that part of her management. You know that.”

“Get me the information I need. The agents with me should have full access to all the reports. They will be working this with me. Also, set up a meeting with her doctor within the hour. I want to speak to her doctor immediately. Journey needs to be moved tonight.”

“Tonight? She just got out of surgery. Dr. Mills wants her to rest.”

I fought the urge to let my heart rip open again. Journey should never have had surgery. She shouldn’t be here. There was an attack on her life and Dante had no idea how to handle it. She needed me now more than ever. I had to stay focused and get her out of here.

“She can rest in a safer place than this hospital. I’ll take care of her from here on out.” I walked out of the family conference room, and stopped in front of Journey’s door. I wanted to make it clear he wasn’t stepping foot back inside until I had what I wanted. My agents flanked the entrance behind me.

Dante twisted his lips together. “You’re honestly going back in there?”

“Yes.”

He rolled his eyes. “She’s going to kill me for doing this.”

“At least she’ll be alive to carry it out,” I mocked.

“This is seriously messed up. She hates you, Asher.”

“I don’t care how she feels. I’m going to do what I’ve always done—protect her.”

Dante shook his head. His hands rested on his hips. “Fine. But if you’re going back in there don’t upset her. Just stay quiet. She needs calm right now. Don’t even talk to her. Ok?”

“Ok.”

I nodded and walked inside room 321.

I took the chair in the corner and watched Journey sleep. Her dark blond hair was pulled to the side in a braid. I guessed that was one of Dante’s touches.

I should have been here. I could have stopped this from happening. I could have kept her safe. I never would have let her go to the gym alone. How stupid and lax had this team become since I left? Was this how they had operated for two years?

I knew they hated me. Dante’s words weren’t a surprise. I walked away. Turned my back on her. I abandoned her.

Watching her sleep like this, I couldn’t come up with a single reason why I wasn’t spending my life with her.

My elbows dug into my knees as I buried my face in my hands.

The machine beside her beeped. She sighed lightly in a deep sleep.

I did something I never did—I prayed.

I swore then and there, that I would never leave Journey unprotected again. I’d make whatever deal God wanted me to make, to ensure she woke up and smiled. I wanted to hear her laugh. I wanted to watch her walk on the beach. I wanted to catch her curled up with a book. I wanted to see her dance around the kitchen to silly 80s songs. I’d do whatever it took. Whatever sacrifice God came up with, to give her all those moments again.