Page 48 of Fixation

Then we go past the sliding doors that lead to one of the CT scan rooms.

I would’ve gone in there with her. Would’ve hugged her while they checked her for injuries. All so she wouldn’t be alone.

Can’t. The results. It’d fuck them up.

“She’ll be taken care of.” Bennet has his hand on my shoulder. Fuck his hand. I watch her lying there. Hold my breath. “We have the best of the best here. Why don’t you go outside and wait for us there?”

“No.” My arms hug my chest tighter to keep me from punching him in the throat. “I’m staying here. I’ll be treating her.”

“Anderson—”

“No one else,” I growl, staring at her through the glass. “No one else is better than me. You know that.”

Some people say surgeons’ egos are inflated. That we think too highly of ourselves.

Not me. My ego isn’t involved when it comes to saving Harper.

I was stating a fact. No other surgeon here is as skilled as I am at what I do.

Bennet makes a low sound at the back of his throat. Half-grumble, half-recognition.

More tests. More waiting. I follow her into every room. Holding her. Assisting with moving her around. Picking her up and putting her down. Looking after her. Checking the results of her CT scan.

Clear. Clear. Clear.

No internal bleeding. No broken or cracked bones or cracked ribs. No concussion.

Nevertheless, I still feel on edge. Still look at everyone like they’re the enemy. Like they might take her from me.

We’re being escorted into a private room. It’s agony, this waiting for her blood work to come back. There was no need for it, but I told them to take it anyway.

An hour later, her tests check out.

I breathe easier when I learn she’s not pregnant. Either that, or it doesn’t show in the lab work yet. It’s too soon to tell since her ovulation was less than a week ago.

Whatever it is, it’s fine. We’ll have babies. Many of them.

We’ll start trying again as soon as she’s better.

As soon as the throbbing in my temples subsides. There won’t be an accident or kidnapping then.

I’ll look after her for as long as I live. I’ll never be late again.

She sleeps, resting peacefully on a hospital bed that isn’t the one I have in my basement.

I don’t leave her side. I hold her hand, waiting for her to wake up like she’s done a few times over the last hour.

Each of those times, she’s asked for me.

My woman.

“Anderson.” My name is a whisper.

“I’m here.” I squeeze her hand. “I’m here. You’re fine.”

Her eyelids are heavy. She parts her lips. “I am?”

No, she isn’t. She’s here instead of in my bed. She was taken, goddammit.

Her pain has gutted me. That doesn’t constitute as fine .

Since she needs to focus on healing, I lie and say, “Yes, you’re fine, sweetheart. I want to take you home. What do you say?”

“The driver?”

I see bright red, and it isn’t her hair.

It’s fury.

“Gone.” I get out of my seat. My lips find the soft skin of her temple, and I inhale her.

“Let’s go,” she murmurs.

“Good girl.”

I pull out the change of clothes I brought her from my locker when the door to her room opens.

“Hello, Miss Arlington. Glad to see you’re up.” Dr. Bennet nods at her, then casts his eyes on me. On the pile of clothes in my hands. His brow furrows. “Anderson. It would be better if we kept her here overnight for observation.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Anderson.”

He can say my name on a loop all day long. Harper is being discharged.

To give us privacy, I draw the curtain around her hospital bed. I hope it’s enough of a signal for him to get the hell out of here.

Harper is silent as I remove the offensive hospital gown from her.

Bennet clears his throat. “There’s another thing.”

“What?” I snap, my voice low for Harper’s benefit.

“The police would like to talk to her. And you.” He sighs. “Detectives Rockdale and Englewood are out in the hall.”

They’re here? Harper mouths.

I fold her in my arms, hugging her, blocking out the entire world. I don’t want her to worry about anything, especially at a time like this.

“Ignore him.” I shift, holding Harper in a seated position, easing one of my spare T-shirts over her. I slide my huge jeans over her legs. “We’re getting out of here.”

“They said they were investigating another murder case related to Harper?”

“No one was murdered today.” Just killed. With good fucking reason.

“About that.” My God, will he ever shut up? “They mentioned the car crash didn’t appear to be an accident.”

While he talks, I scoop her up. No hospital wheelchair for her. No nurse or orderly to help me take her to my car.

I have her.

Harper nestles into my arms. Soon, we’ll be home. Where she belongs.

I draw back the curtain, ready to leave.

Bennet’s waiting there, his gaze severe. “Anderson. What happened out there?”

“He kidnapped her.” I stare down at him, my arms tight around Harper. A human shield. “I saved her.”

“He did.” Harper’s eyes flutter open. She’s trying hard for me.

She loves me.

“Are you sure—” he starts.

“Wanted a ransom.” She digs her fingers into my shirt. “I have some money, my parents…own a production company.” Amidst her babbling, she tugs at my shirt. “Anderson. My parents. If it gets to the news before they hear it from me, they’ll panic. Help me. Call them.”

“I already talked to them.” Technically, she did. I texted them on her behalf about the hostage situation. Promised she was fine at the moment and would be in touch soon. “They’re waiting for your call later.”

“Your family’s lucky to have you, Anderson,” Bennet says, still sounding like he’s struggling to believe I have one.

He wouldn’t be wrong. For the longest time, I didn’t have anyone. Thanks to Harper, I do.

“Thank you.” Harper blinks at me. Both Bennet and I watch her. She has more to say, and neither of us rushes her. “The detectives? I need to talk to them. Before we leave. Please.”

“Our lawyers will handle them,” I quip.

“No.” Her quickened breath sets off something feral in me. I want to take her far away. Somewhere no one else exists but us. Keep her safe so that she can always stare at me with those beautiful eyes. “They’ll think…say… accuse ! That word. They’ll charge you. They can’t. You saved me.”

At her conviction, Bennet lets out a relieved sigh.

“Let me talk to them.” She moves her hands, patting them over my shirt. “Where is it? My phone? I have an app that records all my calls. Ours is there too. Tell them to listen to it. Then we’ll go home.”

I don’t love that she’s here instead of in our bed. In fact, I hate it. But if I push too hard, they’ll cuff me.

They won’t let me take her anywhere without hearing our phone call.

“Okay.”

The door bursts open as the two detectives storm in unannounced.

I angle my body to shield her from any accusation they might throw at her.

“Miss Arlington.” The woman in the green blouse rushes to talk first. “We were at your home. We needed to inform you that you’re no longer a suspect in Werner Jade’s case, but no one answered.

I had a bad hunch, and oh my God. I’m so sorry that you’re here.

There are other detectives outside waiting to talk to both of you.

I took the case from them, so don’t worry.

We’re going to get the person who did this to you. ”

“He’s right here,” I say.

Both detectives zero in on me.

Bennet doesn’t wait for them to arrest me. With Harper’s instructions, he gets her phone and plays the recording of the call between Harper and me.

They listen to it twice. Englewood and Rockdale agree that what I did wasn’t legal. They also agree that I saved her life.

They assure me they won’t arrest me.

“We’ll be in touch,” Englewood warns. “Have your lawyers contact us to schedule an interview.”

I promise I will. Harper’s already asleep, snoring lightly as she curls into my chest.

“I’m taking the next two weeks off.” I’ll need time to help her get better.

After that, I’ll need another day or two for us to be…

Just us.