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Tension hung thick in the air, so thick it permeated Liam’s drug-laden brain. He studied the two of them, taking note of Alex’s tousled hair and swollen lips. Well, hell. A conflicting combination of protective outrage and relief buzzed through him. Hoping for something didn’t mean he was comfortable seeing the results firsthand.

They’d deal with that in a moment, but first, he had an important question to ask. “So, did you get the assholes who did this to me?”

Jericho’s head lifted. “Both the assassins are dead, but the male who sent them is proving difficult to find.” The bite in Jericho’s tone said it was tearing him up.

“Fair enough. At least the fuckwads who shot me are dead. Won’t be long, and you’ll have their leader as well. He can’t hide forever.”

They made small talk for several minutes while Alex fussed over him, fluffing pillows and nagging Doc about his pain medication. Jericho told him Gavin was running Howlers. No worries there. The fire demon was capable.

When Alex talked about her training with Victor, satisfaction lit up her face. It couldn’t have been easy for her. She’d always been resistant to using her abilities. Not that Liam had been much help. Keeping her hidden had been his first priority. The more human she appeared, the safer she was. Given the spark in her eyes, he questioned if hiding her gift had been the best decision. There was a confidence about her that hadn’t been there before. It seemed Alex had slayed some of her demons without any help from him.

Exhaustion pressed in. It was time to take on the topic they’d all been tap dancing around before his energy fled.

“Hey, Sunshine. Mind stepping outside for a bit while Jericho and I talk?”

She hesitated, mouth opening then closing again. “Liam, maybe I should stay. I mean, if it has anything to do with my being Jericho’s Chosen—”

“Just give us a few minutes,” he insisted with a squeeze of her hand.

She nodded and slowly rose from the chair as if reluctant to leave them alone.

Jericho caught her arm and mumbled something in Alex’s ear that had her nodding in agreement. Some of the worry faded from her expression.

“Hey, Doc. Do you mind keeping Alex company?”

“Certainly, she can wait in my office. I have some paperwork to catch up on, anyway.” Doc adjusted something on one of his machines before escorting Alex to the door.

As he led her into the hallway, Jericho called out to him, “Don’t leave her alone.”

“No problem,” Doc said, closing the door.

The knot of tension in Liam’s chest unraveled as he watched Jericho see to Alex’s protection. With just a few words, he’d gained her cooperation. The fact she hadn’t argued blew him away.

Jericho settled into the chair Alex had vacated, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. Somber lines etched the contours of his brow.

No sense in drawing this out. Liam leveled him with a look from beneath his brows. “You and I both know Victor is never going to let me walk out of here with Alex.”

“No. He isn’t.”

Liam responded with a sharp nod. “Then, it’s good she has you.”

Silence.

“What do you mean?” Jericho asked slowly, sounding like he dreaded the answer.

The male wasn’t going to make this easy on him. Liam shifted for a more comfortable position in the bed, fighting a groan when his wounds throbbed. “Listen, I knew the score when I bonded her to you. Knew if I survived, things couldn’t go back to the way they were. Hell”—he grimaced—“maybe that’s a good thing. Alex deserves better than hanging out in a bar night after night with a derelict like me. Shit, it almost got her killed. Now with this target on my back, she’d be in even more danger.”

Jericho shook his head, bewilderment on his face. “So, you’re giving her up? Just like that? But I thought the two of you… That you—”

“I never touched her.” The words emerged in a defensive growl. “Alex was mine, but not in the way you’re thinking. I knew people thought otherwise. Didn’t see the point in setting them straight.” Apparently, neither had Alex. “Figured she’d be safer that way.”

Jericho sank back into a stunned slump. “I don’t understand. If you weren’t in love with her, why did you claim her as your Chosen? It’s not like you to risk your neck for some female you just met. Why didn’t you turn her in to the Council from the beginning?”

“Alex didn’t tell you?”

Jericho’s jaw flexed. “Seems she didn’t tell me a number of things.”

“I’m not surprised.” Liam rasped his fingers over the stubble on his cheeks. “The girl still has nightmares.” Seeing your family slaughtered would do that. It was something he knew all too well. “I didn’t hand her over because she was just six.”