Shane looked up from his ER bed when he heard voices he recognized coming toward him. Charlie. His heart warmed at the sound of her voice. He’d be cranky at whichever one of the guys had woken her up in the middle of the night, but he couldn’t be too mad. He’d been stuck in this damn room for hours. His shoulder throbbed like a bitch, and he was still pissed as hell at himself for getting into the situation in the first place. A friendly face would be welcome. Plus, maybe they’d finally let him out of this joint if he was with someone who was willing to keep an eye on him. Charlie would be mad at him, too, but she’d probably also let him go home with her.

He smiled despite the pain. Going home with Charlie was the best idea he’d had all night. Just the feel of her lying next to him in bed would have him back to tiptop shape in no time. His shoulder wasn’t dislocated, thank God, but the doctor had still wrapped it and put his arm in a sling, telling him to rest it completely for a couple of days and then light duties only for two weeks. Shane figured he would manage two days—three tops—before he was itching to get back on the truck. Having Charlie right there beside him, until shift started again at least, would make that time all the more pleasant.

He frowned when the curtain to his cubicle was pushed aside and Scott Wilder entered alone. What was going on? “Dude. This was an accident. Do we really need to talk about it?”

Scott sat on the end of the bed, his eyebrows drawing together. He glanced at the hall and then back to Shane. “I’m not here about the fire, Shane.”

Shane’s eyes narrowed and he twisted in the bed, trying to see around him. “Then why are you here? I heard Charlie’s voice. Where is she?”

“She’s just outside.” Scott’s voice was low. “But I wanted to talk to you first.”

The tone in his voice made Shane’s gut drop right to the floor. “Scott? What are you doing here?”

“I’ll cut right to it, if you promise not to lose your shit in the middle of the ER.”

Shane managed a curt nod, but his fingers curled into fists. His injured shoulder screamed in protest, but he barely noticed. “What happened?”

“Charlie received a text message a few hours ago that you were injured in a fire.”

He squinted, confused. “I was. I don’t visit ERs for fun.”

“The address she was given was out past the highway, off Meadow Lane.”

Shane’s entire body tensed and his mouth twisted with the pain. He’d refused the heavy narcotics from the nurses earlier, and he’d never been so glad to have his wits about him as he was now. “Scott. What. The. Hell. Happened?”

“Someone grabbed her as she was looking around for you guys. She managed to escape, but she’s got a concussion, bruising, and likely a twisted ankle. She called me direct as soon as she got free, and I picked her up and brought her in to the ER.”

Fuck losing his shit. He was way past that already at the first words out of Scott’s mouth. Shane swung his legs out, pushing up from the bed, the damn hospital gown they’d dressed him in gaping open. He didn’t give a fuck. “Where is she?”

“I’m right here.”

Charlie’s voice was quiet, but Shane’s eyes still widened at the sight of her, standing like a scared, timid rabbit at the entrance to his ER room. One side of her face was almost purple from bruising, a bandage covering what had to be a long cut to her forehead. Her hair hung lank around her tear-stained face and she hung on to the edge of the curtain like she was relying on it to stay upright. Fuck.

Shane took a step forward, but Scott nailed him with a “sit the hell down” glare and then hustled over to help Charlie into the space. He leaned her against the bed while Scott dragged over a chair and then helped Charlie lower into it. She moved slowly and deliberately, as if there were more bruises covering her in places Shane couldn’t see.

Charlie reached over and took his hand. All he wanted to do was drag her into his arms and hold her until he was sure she was okay, but he couldn’t even manage that with his injured shoulder. He’d had to rely on Scott to do what should have been his job. It all should have been his job. Protecting her. He squeezed her hand, but in his mind all he could see was red. If he hadn’t been stupid enough to get hurt on the job, then she wouldn’t have even been out there.

“It’s not your fault, Shane,” Charlie said, her voice a little stronger. “Whoever it is just used you as an excuse. There were any number of ways they could have gotten me out there.”

She knew him so well it was scary. He looked over at her, his eyes narrowing as his gaze swept along her face and then the rest of her body. “Where are you injured?”

She shrugged, wincing. God, they made a pair. “Concussion, cut that needed stitches, a bit of shock at the scene that seems to be subsiding now Scott brought me here.” A small smile brushed her mouth, and Shane couldn’t help but smile back. He sent a small prayer of thanks up that she hadn’t been injured worse. “How about you?” she asked.

“Shoulder sprain. Nothing to worry about. Who was it?”

She frowned. “Who was it that grabbed me? I couldn’t see his face. He had it covered. His eyes, though . . .” A shiver ran through her. Scott grabbed the blanket off the end of Shane’s bed and wrapped it around her shoulders. Shane would bet money the shock wasn’t fully resolved. As soon as he made sure she was medically cleared, he’d have to get Scott to get her something warm to drink to fight away any lingering shivers.

Ignoring the pain, he pulled himself upright in the bed again and took both her hands in his. “What about his eyes, Gorgeous?”

She closed hers, thinking back. When Charlie’s eyes opened, Shane was sucked deep into the haunted look. It was as if she were still back there in the dark, fighting for her life. He wasn’t sure he was ever going to forgive himself for not being there. “His eyes,” she said, holding his gaze. “His eyes were evil. And familiar.” Charlie turned to Scott. “It was Langley. It had to be.”

Shane’s grip tightened on her hands and he forced himself to relax so he didn’t hurt her further. There was someone else, someone who was worthy of that hurt. Herman Langley. Shane was going to kill him.