Whatever he decided to do, however, he knew it had to be a fresh start. A new life. A new… way of operating.

And hey, at least he wasn’t suicidal. And with a niece on the way, a nice little house, and an open horizon? Things could be so much worse—

A nurse appeared in between the jambs. “Family, you’re going to want to come into Larisse’s room. Right now.”

As the four of them jumped up, Trez took Therese’s hand without thinking about it. But she was not going in there without him, that was for sure.

He was going to be by her side for what came next. God knew, he had plenty of experience with death.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Therese didn’t remember much about the race to her mahmen’s patient room. But she knew she had Trez’s hand, and was so grateful he was with her. Even though he was a new addition to her life, she needed his support. And he was there for her, their eyes meeting just as they ripped open the glass door and—

“Larisse?” her father cried.

Oh, God, she was—

Therese stopped dead such that her brother slammed into the back of her and nearly knocked her over. Except… wait, was she seeing this right? Were her mahmen’s eyes open?

“Larisse!” her father said as he threw himself down on the bedside. “My love!”

The nurse smiled. “Her vitals are stronger than they’ve been since she’s come to us. She’s back. And we’re going to give her a little time, but if things stay like this, we’ll try her breathing on her own.”

Her father was whispering, and her mahmen was looking into the eyes of her hellren, the connection, the love between them, so tangible, it was as if there were another person in the room with everybody.

And then her mahmen searched out Therese.

Tears formed and rolled out onto the pillow, the frail hand lifting its fingertips from the white bedsheet.

Therese surged forward, mirroring her father’s sprawl. “I’m right here.”

Those pale lips moved, but Therese sniffled and shook her head. “Don’t try to speak. Not yet. Just know that we’re all here, and we’re not going anywhere.” She turned and motioned to her brother. As he came over, she smiled at her mahmen. “See? Everyone’s here.”

“Mahmen,” Gareth said in a choked voice. “You’re back.”

“Wait, and there’s one more.” Therese reached out her hand. “Meet my… friend… Trez.”

There was a pause, as Trez stared at them all from just inside the room. His face was remote, his eyes opaque, his body super still. For a split second, Therese had the sense he was going to leave. But then he pinned a smile to his face and stepped forward.

“Madam,” he said, “it’s my pleasure to meet you.”

As he stood at the foot of the bed, his towering height and incredible strength seemed to dwarf the room.

Larisse lifted her hand again. And waved ever so slightly.

Therese wanted to hug Trez with all her might. Yes, this was a totally awkward situation—but he had more than risen to the occasion. As was his way, she was learning.

This is all going to be okay, she thought. Absolutely okay.

Strange… she didn’t feel like she was reassuring herself just about her mahmen in that statement.

“Okay, folks,” the nurse said. “We’re going to do an examination on her, and I think some privacy is warranted.”

Trez raised his hand. “I’ll step out.”

“I’ll stay,” Rosen said.

Gareth glanced around. “Would anyone be offended if I go back and eat? I’m starved.”

Therese smiled, but felt like she had to force it as Trez stepped back. Even though he was still with them, she had the feeling he’d left.

“You can have my portion,” she said to her brother. “I’m full.”

“Good deal.” Gareth patted their mahmen’s knee through the sheets. “I’ll just be next door, Mahmen. And then I’ll be back.”

Larisse nodded ever so slightly.

“Me, too, Mahmen.” Therese smiled and stroked Larisse’s thin arm. “I’ll be right back, too.”

There was a quick discussion about the breathing tube—in which no promises were made, considering the workup hadn’t been done yet—and then Therese walked out with Trez. There was a pause when he and Gareth said something back and forth, and that was when she learned Trez was leaving. Going back to town. But would be available by phone if anyone needed him. Numbers were exchanged between the males—at which point she made a joke about her being bad about answering messages about family crises.

“Too soon?” she said as her brother gave her a dry look.

Finally, she and Trez were alone.

“I’ll walk you out?” she said.

“Just to the elevator. You’re needed here.”

When he offered her his arm, she took it with some relief, but she was pretty sure it was a reflexive gesture on his part. As they passed by the glass doors of the patient rooms, she did not look into any of them. She didn’t want to be reminded of how easy it would be to lose the ground they’d so unexpectedly gained with her mahmen. And there were other things she didn’t want to think about.

How ironic to get back her family and lose him in the same night.

“Trez?” she said as they passed by the nursing station and left the unit.

“Yes?”

They stopped and turned to each other at the same time. Abruptly, her heart skipped a couple of beats and her palms got sweaty.

“I know this is weird.” She brushed her hair back and figured it was a mess. Or maybe it wasn’t her hair that was tangled up and knotted. Maybe it was her brain. “I mean, this has gotten really intense, hasn’t it. So it’s got to be weird.”

Please let it just be the drama-weird that’s going on here, she thought.

“No, it’s fine. I mean—” He shook his head. “It’s great that your mahmen came back—”

“Where are you. And be honest. I’m too wrung out to sift through lies, even if they come from kindness.”

Trez opened his mouth, like he was ready to go straight up platitude on her. But then he broke off and paced around. When the double doors of the unit broke open, she braced herself for the nurse coming back to get her with a report that things had been misinterpreted. Or that a crash cart was needed. But no. It was an orderly with a load of bed linens.

When he was out of range, Therese couldn’t stand the waiting any longer. Her nerves were shot, she was exhausted, and all of iAm’s amazing Italian food had formed a cement block spiced with oregano and basil in the pit of her stomach.

“I know I told you I was willing to be patient,” she said. “But I think I may have overstated that virtue—”

Trez stopped abruptly and looked her right in the eye. “My shellan died. Badly. And like, recently. Very recently.”

Therese exhaled the breath she had been holding. She didn’t like the sad news, but she wasn’t surprised, and at least this was nothing she needed to take personally.

“I’m so sorry.” She nodded back at the doors. “So it must be really hard to see all that. Be around it—”