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She started to shake her head but winced. “No,” she said instead. “He clipped me from behind. Hope?”

Brick’s chest tightened as he relived the memory. “He got to her, but she fought him off until back-up arrived. She’s safe.”

Isobel’s lids slid closed as she sighed. “I’m sorry, man. I should have been more alert.”

“It’s my fault.” Egan smoothed her hair from her forehead. “I distracted you.”

“No.” She opened her eyes and fixed them on Brick. “Tell Hope I’m sorry the SOB got to her. It won’t happen again.”

“Damn straight.” Brick wondered if he should ask what Egan meant by his statement, but he suspected it was best left as a private conversation between the couple. “I’m going to step out. You’ve got a waiting room full of people making the hospital staff nervous. I’ll let them know they’re good to head out, so you can rest.”

“Yeah, I think they gave me something to make me sleep because I’m fading fast,” she murmured, and Brick exchanged a pointed look with Egan. Likely, they hadn’t given her more than a pain reliever, but her head injury was enough to keep her fatigued and sleepy.

Her eyes already closed, and her breathing evened in slumber before Brick could make a move. He nodded at Egan. “Make sure she gets some rest. Call if you need anything.”

“I will. Thanks, man.”

The waiting room had cleared out by the time Brick returned. Jay, Payton, and Tristin were the only ones who remained of his friends, and they sat around talking with Hope, flanking her like a human shield in a way she wouldn’t realize was strategic. They stood when they saw him approach.

“She’s resting. He hit her pretty good, but she’ll recover. Probably quicker than most people. Egan’s staying with her, so we should probably clear out.”

“Bridget said she would check on her when her shift starts in the morning and give us an update,” Payton said. “I’m glad she’s okay. I never thought anybody would be able to surprise her like that. She seems so invincible.”

“No one’s invincible.” Brick’s eyes captured Hope’s, and he hated the fear and sadness he read in their depths. His job was to protect her from that, and his failure weighed heavy on his shoulders. “Are you ready?”

She blinked as if she expected him to say something else and was surprised that he wanted to leave instead. “You’re taking me home?”

“It’s not safe there,” Jay interjected. “We need to make sure you’re somewhere this guy doesn’t know about. Brick offered for you to stay at his place for tonight. We’ll consider other options tomorrow, but for now, this one makes sense.”

Brick studied Hope’s reaction, not surprised to see the wariness enter her eyes, though she averted her gaze to hide it.

“Of course,” she responded before reaching behind her to grab her purse. “I’m ready. It’s been a long day, so I’ll probably fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.”

He heard the meaning behind her words. She would go with him, but she didn’t want to talk about her decision. That suited him. He couldn’t handle trying to change her mind only to watch her walk away from him.

∞∞∞

Freshly showered and buried deep under the covers of Brick’s king-size bed, Hope lay on her back watching the shadows play across the ceiling. She could hear the faint sounds of the television in the living room, alerting her that Brick was also still awake. Though he had to be exhausted, he was determined to keep vigil over her all night.

She wished sleep would stop her wayward thoughts, but her mind refused to relax. She’d been tied up in knots since her earlier conversation with Brick, and his distance from her only made it worse. He’d been by her side most of the day, but he wasn’t the attentive man she’d grown used to. They were acting like strangers, and she’d never felt he was a stranger. From the moment she’d met him, he’d put her at ease like they’d known each other for years. Before her decision to leave, she would have been able to talk to him until she relaxed enough to fall asleep.

Now, she was left alone with her thoughts and Brick’s scent clinging to the sheets.

The truth didn’t hit her until she was with the others at the hospital waiting for news on Isobel. Talking with Payton and Bridget helped her put things into perspective. She made her decision because she wanted to protect her new friends from harm, but her choice instead made them feel like failures, like she didn’t trust them to do what they were born to do.

She didn’t see it that way, but she understood the reasoning. She wanted to explain herself, but Brick kept his distance from her at the hospital. He was unapproachable on the ride to his home. Without uttering a word, he’d made it clear he didn’t want to talk.

Pushing up to a sitting position, she stared at the door, imaging him on the other side. Did he miss their talks? She did. He had a way of making her feel special, as if whatever she said was important to him. She believed he likely remembered everything she’d told him, every moment they spent in each other’s company. He’d become a fixture in her life that she wasn’t ready to let go of. She was torn between wanting to protect him from the threat against her and never wanting to lose his friendship.

Before she lost her nerve, she tossed back the covers and padded toward the door. The slight creak announced her approach, so she didn’t waste time moving down the hall into the living room. He’d switched off the television but didn’t turn around. A single lamp illuminated the room. She felt a chill, causing goosebumps to rise on her skin. She was suddenly aware of her lack of attire. Brick loaned her a fresh T-shirt to sleep in, and the fabric swallowed her slight frame. The short sleeves hung down to her elbows, and the hem stopped below her knees. Even fully covered, she felt bare. She wrapped her arms around her and almost turned back, but she needed to be heard. She needed him to know how she felt.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she blurted.

“You’re still feeling the adrenaline from earlier. It’ll pass.”

She wished he would turn to face her. She wanted to see his face, to see if she could read what he was feeling. “You sound sure of that. I wish I could be. I don’t think it’s going away anytime soon. Not until…”

“Until?”