Joseph (14 page)

Joseph cleared his throat and thought back to the weeks they had spent in country waiting for Doc to get better. “You had a massive head trauma when we pulled you out of the Afghani camp. The first couple of days, you responded well to rest and what little medication I had squirreled away in that God-forsaken wasteland. The enemy forces had us holed up. We couldn’t leave, not just because of you, but because of Jared. He screwed up his ankle. Bad. We all lived on rations meant for one and it weakened all of us. You started to get worse. Your eye? Well, I honestly don’t know if we could have saved it even if we got out the first night.”

Joseph watched Doc focus on one of the granite tiles between his feet. Waves of exhaustion poured over him. He could barely keep his eyes open. “Did you ever tell her?” Joseph felt his eyes close and damned if he could do anything to keep them open.

“Who? Did I tell who what?” Doc’s voice brought him back to the edge of consciousness.

“Huh? Oh yeah, Keelee. You couldn’t talk so you signed when you were in the cave. The night I watched you towards the end? You kept signing you needed to tell her you loved her.” Joseph heard some sort of mumbled reply, but he couldn’t focus anymore. His body felt like it was floating. The waves pulled him over the edge and oblivion took over.

Ember snuggled further into her bed. Soft. So soft, warm and comfortable. Oh, the bliss of waking up in one of those perfect positions that you never want to move from because your body hovers in complete relaxation. No stress, no aches, no reason to get up.
Hmmm...why is the light so bright?

Ember bolted to a sitting position, blinking rapidly, pushing her hair out of her eyes. The unfamiliar room confused her. Memories of the previous week shoved themselves into her mind. The ranch. She was at Frank Marshall’s ranch in South Dakota. Guardian’s training and recovery facility.
Joey and Chief! No…no it’s alright. They’re okay
. The clock on the bedside table explained the sunshine. Noon. Flopping back on the pillows, she rubbed her face.

Double bags of dog crap! She was supposed to have relieved Doctor Cassidy after a nap. Ember flew into the bathroom barely cognizant of the fact she should be exhausted. She beat her patented five-minute shower time by at least a minute. Clothes on, hair and teeth brushed in less than three.

Ember ripped open the door, launched out of the room, and slammed face first into a hard, immovable object. The force of the collision landed her directly on her ass. Not a dainty sit-down. Oh no, this was a boink-rebound-smack-splat that ended in a full double-ass cheek plant of Olympic proportions.
Man, hardwood floors hurt like crazy
.

A man’s hand presented itself in front of her face. “Dr. Harris, I presume?”

Ember pushed her curls out of her face and looked from the hand, up the well-muscled arm, past to the massive chest on to the dark hair and laughing brown eyes of a rather mature looking man. She wouldn’t call him old, but the grey at his temples and the lines around his eyes indicated he was older than his well-conditioned body let on.

Ember accepted the hand up. Without any dignity, she reached back and massaged her sore posterior. “Ahhh...yeah, that would be me. I’m all about making great first impressions. I didn’t dent you or anything did I?”

A warm rumble of laughter filled the hall. “No, I think you received all the damage during that collision.”

Ember felt the blush rolling up to her cheeks. “Yeah, I think you’re right. Good thing I have ample padding. You Guardian guys are like freaking brick walls.”

Again warm laughter rolled from the man. “Well, I’m not quite sure how to take that. Are we built like brick walls or mentally as thick as them?”

Ember did a double take at the man. “Honestly, from the guys I’ve met so far, I’d have to say a lot of the built and a little of the other. Do you work or train here?”

The man shook his head and motioned towards the grand stairway. “Neither, my name is Gabriel. I run Guardian.”

Ember stopped at the top of the stairs. Ahh…
the
boss. “In charge of everything? Everybody? That means you could tell Joey not to go after the cartel.”

Gabriel put his hands on his hips and gave Ember an assessing look. “Yes I could, but I won’t.”

What? Why not?
“But he’s exhausted. He’s been injured and is recovering from a massive infection! Can’t someone else go?”

Gabriel motioned down the stairs and Ember fell in beside him. “I’ll ensure he’s recovered and medically cleared before he’s released to finish this assignment. There isn’t anything in this world that could stop him from taking out the man who put a contract out to kill you. I’d rather he have the support in the field that we, at Guardian, can provide.”

Ember shook her head as he held open the screen door and accompanied her down the porch steps. She started towards the clinic. He kept her leisurely pace not seeming to be in any hurry. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, but in addition to the dialog stuck on repeat in her head the lack of conversation teetered on awkward.

Finally, she blurted out what she had been thinking. “I wish I’d never called him. If I had just gone to the police or turned the thumb drive over to Dale’s employers, none of this would’ve happened. Four men are dead because of that damn drive. Dale, the two men on the way to Joey’s and the man they sent to kill me. Chief was shot and Joey was pushed to the limits of his physical endurance.” She stopped on the crush rock path before they reached the hospital.

“Look, I know I don’t have the right to ask you not to allow him to go. He would be pissed if he knew I had. But I’ve come to the hard cold realization I love that man. What he has done? I mean the work he’s done for you? Is it…I mean he’s still a good guy, right? He hasn’t killed anyone that didn’t…I guess what I’m trying to ask is…”

“Let me help you out here. Joseph is a scalpel. My organization uses him to surgically remove cancerous lesions that if left in place, would allow abominations of humanity, beyond our civilized world’s limited comprehension, to flourish. He is the best in the world. Period. And as to your point about none of this happening had you not contacted him? Yeah, you’re right. It probably wouldn’t have. But Dale would still be dead. You’d be dead. That, my dear, is a certainty. Also, an absolute fact—the corrupt politicians, judges, law enforcement officials and businessmen who channel those drugs into our nation would still be making money hand over fist. And every man, woman and child who are addicted to the cocaine, ‘H’ and weed would still have easy access to the drugs that will eventually destroy their lives or kill them. But because you called, that network is now in ruin, those filthy participants are either on the run or in jail. And as an added bonus two confirmed murderers and one ruthless assassin are no longer part of my world.”

He turned towards the clinic and started walking towards the front door. “Yep, you sure screwed up when you called Joseph.”

Ember blinked rapidly at the older man’s unconcealed sarcasm. Gabriel’s words ripped out guilt she tried desperately not to show. She felt responsible for three deaths. Yet had she not called Joey she would have been dead herself. Was it better that others died so she could live?

As a doctor, she’d been trained to do everything humanly possible to save lives. The man that she loved beyond all measure had been trained to take lives. Ember’s analytical mind tried to process what Gabriel’s comments implied. Stripped raw and in the stark light of day the facts were irrefutable. Her Joey was a good man doing a horrible job. If she hadn’t called, she’d be dead and the drug network would still be fueling the nation’s addiction. Easy to repeat. Difficult to internalize.

Gabriel stood patiently holding the door until she looked up at him. “It doesn’t make any difference in how I feel, but thank you for the facts.”

“If one does not use fact and reality to navigate through life the consequences can be intolerable. When decisions are influenced by emotions, the results are at best skewed and in the worst case scenarios the results are devastating.” His eyes hardened and his voice carried an edge of sharpness that hadn’t been there before.

“Are you speaking from experience?” Ember mentally slapped both hands over her mouth.
Stupid, stupid, stupid
. Why did she even open her mouth? God, sometimes she was her own worst enemy.

“Indeed. An emotional decision made by a person who was trying to protect me nearly cost me my family. But that is a story for another time and place. I need to speak with Joseph and you—together. The course forward has been charted and I need both of you to be aware how things are going to play out.” The warm demeanor he displayed in the house vanished.

Ember shuddered at the menace of his words. His attitude left no doubt this man was the driving force behind Guardian.

He motioned towards the door for her and waited for her to enter. If the course he had charted involved Joseph and the Cartel, she knew the way forward was riddled with heartache and complications.

*

Joseph watched Ember and Gabriel cross the distance from the main ranch house. They had stopped before they entered. The conversation seemed intense. He watched Ember carefully. She was completely out of her element, yet the woman still amazed him. Smart, adaptable, sexy, and
his
. At least for the time being. He harbored no illusions. Once he left the ranch, he would never be able to see her again. Any number of nations or criminal organizations would pay to have the distinction of erasing anything the assassin Fury cared about. Even the remotest possibility of someone making the connection between his alias and his real name was too much of a risk to take. He rarely saw or contacted his family for that reason. Weeks of precautions, misdirection, doubling back, covering his route and watching for shadows preceded any physical contact. Electronic communication was easier, but it, too, had risk.

He was lost in thought, staring sightlessly out the window, when he heard them come into the small ward.

“You’re supposed to be in bed resting.” Ember’s reprimand didn’t hold any bite. He looked over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow.

Adam walked into the room pushing Chief in a wheelchair. “Couldn’t keep him in the bed any longer. In fact, I’m surprised he’s still in the building.”

Joseph turned and placed his hands on his jean-clad hips looking down at his bare chest and feet. “I wouldn’t be here but somebody decided to leave my boots and shirt at my cabin in Wyoming.”

Gabriel laughed. “I’ll have to remember that trick.” He walked over and extended a hand. Joseph gripped his boss’s hand shaking it firmly. “I need a sit rep, gentlemen.”

Joseph nodded toward Doc, who immediately began the briefing. “Chief is on limited duty for the next four to six weeks.” The doctor’s effort to speak without a stutter or pause forced his speech to slow. “I’ll monitor the bullet wound, but it will take at least that long before he is deployable. Joseph needs to remain here for the next seven days so I…can…ensure he finishes his course of antibiotics. He needs a ‘go/no go’ done and then I’ll release him for duty.”

Ember cleared her throat and all four men looked her way. “Ahh…excuse me but ‘go/no go’? I’ve been a trauma doc for a while now and I’ve never heard that term.”

Joseph noticed the men all shifted their gaze to him, deferring the response. “After every mission people in my career field are required to pass a psychiatric evaluation to ensure we haven’t lost our link to humanity. Most people doing what I do have borderline psychological tendencies. The ‘go/no go’ evaluations help Guardian determine if we are a ‘go’ or a ‘no go’ for the next mission.”

“Oh. Will the psychiatrist come here or do we go to him?”

The corner of Joseph’s mouth raised slightly at the implication she would be following him. He could get used to this woman being with him wherever he went. Gabriel sat down on Joseph’s bed before he answered. “Dr. Wheeler is located in Hollister. He is on staff and will come to talk with all of you.” Gabriel held up a hand to stop the comments. “Doc, you haven’t kept an appointment since you came here. I will no longer tolerate that avoidance tactic. You will attend each meeting or answer to me.” Gabriel’s dark eyes bored into the tall blond before he received a barely perceivable nod. Turning his attention to Chief he continued, “You’ve got a facility to run, I want to make sure there are no issues. No arguments.”

Chief shrugged and winced as he lifted his leg, resting it on the bed across from his boss. “Roger that, sir.”

Joseph watched with interest as his boss turned to Ember. “You, young lady, have been close to four deaths, two injuries and countless stress-filled hours. You will talk to my doctor and you will follow his directions or I’ll keep you on this ranch until you do. You’re under Guardian’s protective custody.”

Joey watched it happen. Ember’s eyes narrowed and her face flushed a torrid shade of red. Her arms crossed. He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face.
Better you than me, Gabriel.
He leaned against the window frame careful to keep his back away from the sharp edge of the molding.

“Oh, really? I need a psych eval? Me? Because I’ve been associated with four deaths and had several stress-filled days? Is that right?”

Gabriel tensed before he nodded. Joseph knew his mentor had just figured out the little minx had bared her claws.

“Well, let me educate you, Mister Gabriel. I’m a board certified Emergency Medicine Doctor. I routinely work fifty-six hours straight. I’ve been buried elbows deep in a patient’s open chest massaging their heart while my other hand plugs hemorrhages waiting for another doc to sew them up. I have watched people die from a tooth infection and I watched them die after being blown to hell in a chemical plant explosion. Don’t even
talk
to me about stress,
Mister
Gabriel. I may be under your protective custody, but I’ll be damned if you will direct any medical procedure for
me
. So thank you very much, but, no thanks.”

Joseph dislodged himself from the window sill and walked over to stand directly in front of her. The fury in her eyes lit him up. The fire inside him continually burned high for her, but
damn
the thought of mad sex with her put gas on that fire. He loved the feisty little spitfire.
Shit. Admitting it made it real. He did love her. Probably always had.

He put both hands on her shoulders and kept his voice low between the two of them. “Nobody doubts your abilities, little girl. In the trauma center, you don’t know the people you treat, right? You knew Dale. You saw the two men who were going to kill you. You saw what the assassin did to Chief. You helped me go through some pretty serious shit. Whether you want to admit it or not, it’s different this time. If you won’t see a shrink because it’s the right thing to do, see him because it would make me feel better. Help me focus on what I need to focus on rather than worry about you.”