A Little Harmless Secret (19 page)

With her father’s voice in her head, she reached behind her to grab the gun in her waistband. Her cousin was too quick. Before Alicia could raise her gun, Millicent shot her arm. The hot burn of the bullet forced her to drop the gun. She tumbled to the ground, her head hitting the pavement. She was stunned for a moment, but she rolled and swept her legs under Millicent’s feet. Her cousin screamed as she tumbled to the ground. Fear and anger pumped through Alicia as she rose to her knees and went after her cousin.

Alicia balled up her fist and hit Millicent square in the nose. The sound of bone breaking left her slightly ill as blood spurted.

“You bitch,” Millicent screamed.

She fought her way to her feet, and her cousin realized she’d lost her gun also. Alicia moved to grab her backup gun, when she felt cold metal against her temple.

“Oh, I have dreamed of this for years. I was disappointed that I gave up that Aston Martin and I didn’t even kill you. The best part about all of this is that I will now have all your money.”

Alicia almost opened her mouth to correct her. Bridget would inherit everything. Apparently Millicent thought she had succeeded in hiding herself from everyone. With the GPS, Devon and Conner would surely find her soon. Millicent would end up in jail, even if Alicia had to die to get her arrested.

“Stand up,” Millicent ordered. She tugged her up by the shoulder of her shirt.

Alicia tried to think of a way to get to her knife, but with the gun aimed at her head, it was too much to risk. She held her hands up and got up to her feet. When she did, she saw a slight movement out of the corner of her eye. She prayed it was Devon and Conner or she truly was dead.

“Goodbye, Alicia. I really hate to have to do this.”

Alicia refused to give up. She turned and faced her cousin. “Do it this way you cowardly, traitorous bitch.”

Millicent’s mouth tightened as she steadied her arm, leveling the gun at Alicia’s heart. The second before she pulled the trigger, a shot rang out from the left. It hit Millicent square in the chest. She stumbled back and dropped her gun. Blood soaked the white shirt she was wearing.

She fell against the picnic table and then rolled down to the ground. It was as if she were watching some kind of horrible movie in slow motion. Pounding feet came rushing toward her.

Devon reached her first. He grabbed her and shook her until her teeth chattered.

“Don’t you ever fucking do that again!” he yelled. She opened her mouth but found herself crushed against his chest. “Just don’t.”

“How is she?” Conner said.

“Fine.”

She blinked, trying to focus on Conner’s grim face. He walked over to Millicent and felt for a pulse.

“Is she alive?” she asked, but her voice sounded weak to her ears.

“No.”

The sound of sirens grew as lights flooded the area. She tried to swallow and almost choked on bile. The area began to fly by her as if she were on a merry-go-round.

“Devon.”

“I don’t want to hear it. I can’t believe you left me like that.”

“I don’t want to fight about it. Not right now.”

“That makes two of us.”

“I do need one thing from you,” she said, as uniformed officers filled the area.

“What’s that?” he bit out.

“Don’t let me fall.”

Then she felt herself tumbling into a deep black hole.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Devon paced the hallway at Queen’s Medical Center as they waited for Ali to be taken care of. Worst part was that they had refused to let him ride in the ambulance. He wasn’t considered family so he’d been told to drive. Thankfully, Conner had shoved him in his car and driven him to the hospital. Now they waited.

He looked down at the scrubs he now wore. They were pale blue, faded from many washings. The officer who met them at the hospital had taken his clothes and swabbed his hands for gunshot residue. Now he stood waiting to hear about Alicia in borrowed clothes.

The sound of approaching footsteps had Devon stopping in his tracks. A rangy, dangerous looking man in a pair of casual slacks and a pressed shirt approached them.

Conner stood. “Hey, Carino. Thanks for coming.”

“When Micah called I made sure to get the caller.” He looked at Devon. “Mr. Stryker?”

Devon nodded.

“I’m Rome Carino from the HPD. I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

“Okay.”

“The person who is dead at the scene was Millicent Hughes?”

“Yes. She’s Ali’s cousin. I am assuming it is.”

He nodded as he made a note. “Ali being Ms. Alicia Hughes?”

“Yes.”

“Who shot her?”

“I did. She had already shot Ali, and was about to shoot her again.”

Again he nodded and said nothing as he made a few notes.

“What’s the damage here, Carino?” Conner asked.

He made a face. “A lot of this is out of my hands. MI-6 and CIA are all over the fucking area bagging evidence, and I get to be their liaison.”

“Lucky you,” Conner said.

“Yeah. Anyway, it will be played up more than likely as a mugging. With you admitting to taking the shot, it makes it easier. You tested positive for GSR.”

“Why would I lie about that?” Devon asked.

The police office shrugged. “Stupid people always do.”

“I’m proud I shot the fucking bitch. In fact, if you told me she had made it to the hospital and survived, I would hunt her down and kill her again. Happily.”

“Yes well, let’s keep that out of the report,” Conner said.

Carino nodded. “No problem. The spooks really don’t care. They’d probably like to pretend as though it didn’t happen, but the noise in that area of town draws attention. Also, they’re planning on trying their best to keep your name out of it.”

He nodded, but he was barely paying attention now. A doctor was walking toward them.

“Mr. Stryker?”

“Yes.”

“Ms. Hughes is fine. It was a flesh wound, but apparently she hit her head, which along with the blood loss made her a little dizzy.”

Relief rushed through him. “When can I see her?”

“Right now.”

He didn’t give either Conner or the detective a backwards glance. The doctor handed him off to a nurse, who led him back to a room. He stepped into the room and for the first time in many years, sent a prayer of thanks to the heavens. The rest of his fear seemed to thaw when he saw her. He couldn’t believe how close they had come to losing her.

When he realized he was grinding his teeth, he forced himself to quit.

“Are you going to keep standing over there glaring at me?” she asked, her voice barely heard over the beeping of the machines. Her eyes were still closed, and she was as pale as the white sheets. It angered him all over again.

“If I want to.”

She chuckled, then winced. He walked over to her bedside. “Are you in pain?”

“Not much. They just gave me some meds, and they are going to let me go.”

“I think you should stay.”

She finally opened her eyes. They were blurry with pain and meds. “I don’t want to be here. The doctor said I will be fine and since I won’t be alone tonight, I could go home.”

He opened his mouth but the nurse came in. “I hear you’re going home.”

Ali nodded.

“I don’t agree, but what do I know,” the nurse said.

“I’m on your side,” Devon murmured.

She winked at him as she started to pull out the IV. “It was only a flesh wound, but the doc did say you need to rest. I assume you will be her caregiver.”

“I’ll be—”

“Yes,” he said interrupting Ali. He knew she was going to try and put distance between them, but he wasn’t going to allow that. Not now.

“Good. Make sure she gets sleep, but not too much. If she’s throwing up at all, make sure you take her to the closest ER. That could be signs of a concussion, although we don’t think she has one.”

He nodded.

“Excuse me, I’m right here,” Ali said, her voice as petulant as a five-year-old refused a treat.

The nurse shook her head. “You let Mr. Stryker take care of you. I heard you’re a mother, but you don’t want to end up back here, do you? A few days of rest and you’ll be all better.”

Ali sighed in defeat and closed her eyes. The nurse winked at him again.

“My daughter loves your newest version of Stryker Force.”

He smiled grateful she had at least gotten Ali to accept he would watch over her. “She doesn’t have the newest one. It isn’t out yet, but I can send her a prototype of it.”

The nurse smiled. “She would love it.”

He got her information and then turned to Ali. She was the one glaring at him now.

“I guess we need to get something for you to wear home. I’ll get you a pair of scrubs.”

He turned before she could argue with him again. He was finding out that sometimes it was just best to roll right over Ali. Otherwise, she would just argue with him until he went deaf.

Then, he stopped for a second. Home. That sounded fucking wonderful. And, once he let her rest and they sorted out the investigation, she would just have to accept it was her home too now.

* * * *

Alicia blinked when they turned into this driveway and found it flooded in lights. As soon as they parked, the door slammed open and Dee came running out.

“Woman, get your ass back in here,” Micah yelled, as he followed her out.

The two little ones brought up the rear. Dee came around to Devon’s door. As soon as he opened it, Dee jumped on him, hugging and kissing him.

Then, she smacked him. “You do that again,
I
will kill you.”

Micah came over to her. He gave her an understanding smile, which was more than she’d gotten from Devon. He’d been cranky since she’d woken up in the hospital.

“How you doing, Alicia?”

“Okay.”

She stepped out of the car and straightened. Her surroundings started to revolve around her again. Her stomach pitched and she stumbled a bit. With only one good arm, she almost fell.

“Whoa there,” Micah said, and he grabbed her by the arm.

Devon came around the front of the car muttering all the way. Most of it was not that nice and all about her.

“Give her to me.”

That autocratic tone was starting to really anger her. Why did he think he was in charge of her well-being?

“I think not,” Alicia said.

Of course, Devon completely ignored her. He shoved a laughing Micah out of the way as he picked her up. Even though she knew he was angry, he was gentle with her.

“I don’t need someone to carry me.”

“Shut up.”

“Don’t tell me to shut up, wanker.”

“Devon, is something wrong with Mummy?” Bridget asked. She opened her mouth to tell Bridget not to worry.

“She hit her head and her brains are a little scrambled. She also had a cut on her arm, so that’s why it’s in this sling. The doctor said she’ll be just fine.”

Bridget’s frown dissolved.

“The doctor said she has to rest, so we have to make sure she does.”

Her daughter trailed after them, along with Alana. “We can make sure she has lots of snacks.”

Devon chuckled. “That sounds like a good thing. She also has to stay in bed.”

“The doctor didn’t say that.”

“No, that was me. You will stay in bed.”

“Will that make Mummy better?”

“Yep. She’ll be all better if she stays in bed.”

“That’s a lie.”

“Are you telling your daughter that if she feels badly she should run around getting sicker?”

She ground her teeth together.

“Good. Now, why don’t you go in the kitchen with Dee while I get your mom settled in my room?”

“Okay,” she said, running off with her new friend.

Devon carried her up the stairs, much like he had the day before. Had it really been only a day since they’d spent the night making love?

“Devon, you can’t just order me into bed.”

“I think I just did that, with the blessing of the nurse.”

“You really should take me to my room.”

“No.”

“What?”

He stepped into his room and walked over to the bed. Alicia noticed that the bed had been made and then the sheets turned down. Devon had apparently made sure the room was prepared for them.

He set her down, again being gentle, then covered her up.

“Don’t do that.”

“I’ll do what I want.”

“It’s hot, Devon. Remember, I’m accustomed to Seattle weather.”

With a sigh he shoved the sheets aside.

“There’s no need to be a complete jackass, Devon.”

Every muscle in his body seemed to still. “What did you say?”

“I said you’re being a jackass.”

He said nothing and she looked up. When she saw his face, she wished she hadn’t.

Rage tightened his jaw and anger darkened his eyes. “Let me get this straight.”

She opened her mouth, but he held up his hand.

“No. You will let me finish. I am the jackass? Not you, who ran off as if you didn’t have a care in the world, except for confronting your cousin.”

“Yes, but—”

“No,” he said, his voice a little more forceful. “You will shut up right now. You ran out there with the knowledge that the bitch might kill you. No thought to your daughter, no thought to me. You are a selfish, heartless woman, Alicia Hughes.”

Then, he turned and stomped out of the room.

She stared at the empty doorway thinking he would return, but he didn’t. Her vision wavered and she realized she had started to cry. The fear, pain, and anger came rushing back to her. Her body started to shake as she sobbed. Turning onto her good side, she buried her face in the pillow and cried.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Devon ignored everyone in the house and strode to his office. He slammed the door behind him, not caring if it made him an ass or not. He headed straight for the whiskey on his desk. After filling the shot glass to the brim, he downed it in one long gulp. It stung as it slid down his throat and he was happy for it. Rage still poured through him as the scene in his bedroom came back to him.