Page 5 of Justified Fear (TFH Team Bravo #2)

Three

“ I don’t know why I’m here,” Keely said, as she crossed her arms over her chest.

The here was Tripler Army Medical Hospital, and the TFH folks had insisted. So, she was dehydrated. So what? Nothing some water couldn’t fix. She didn’t need an IV.

“You had cuts on your arms that could have gotten infected. You also have a mild concussion.”

This came from the hottie who’d saved her.

Ryan .

Keely looked at him and inwardly sighed.

He was so beautiful that he made her teeth hurt.

His hair was blond, but that was too simple a word for the color.

It had gold threaded throughout, and while short, it still curled at the ends.

Curling her fingers into her palms, she fought the need to slip her fingers through what looked like silky strands.

The rest of him was just as pretty. He was built like a swimmer, with long, lean muscles. She wanted to take one big bite out of his hard ass. Maybe the slight concussion had her thinking crazy thoughts.

She tore her attention away from Ryan and glanced down. Yep, right beside him was the beautiful Maya. She sat at attention, watching everything.

“I have anti-bacterial cream at home.”

He made a noise that was a cross between a grunt and a laugh.

It was oddly attractive. The man didn’t need something like that to make him more appealing.

Blue eyes with specks of gold in them, a long, hard body that she was sure had at least a six-pack, and all that blond hair.

He looked like he’d stepped off a sand volleyball match.

She’d love to see him in a set of trunks, his hair a mess from the trade winds…

She pulled back from that fantasy. Men like Ryan Morrison didn’t go for women like her. Chad had driven that lesson home. He was definitely nicer than her ex, but she understood that she didn’t attract men like Ryan.

“I told you I called my Aunty Lulu. She’s coming to get me.”

His gaze studied her, and she fought the urge to shift. “The docs want you to stay overnight.”

Keely wrinkled her nose in irritation. She was wearing a set of scrubs provided by the hospital.

Usually, she would have loved the idea of being dressed up like she was on Grey’s Anatomy .

Getting them after running through the jungle being hunted by bad dudes and wild boar—not to mention the occasional rat—was not her preferred method.

“They can’t keep me here.”

“No, but it’s just a few more hours. You should stay here.”

She looked down at Maya. The dog was watching them as they discussed her imprisonment. “You agree with me, right? We girls need to stick together.”

The look she gave Keely was pure doggie disdain.

“Concussions are not something you want to play with.”

She looked up at him. Again, she couldn’t get over what a hottie he was. She was afraid to wipe her chin because there was a good chance she’d find drool there.

“Whoever you are, you are correct.”

Inwardly, Keely groaned. Aunty Lulu.

Ryan looked over at the doorway. “I guess you’re Aunty Lulu.”

She nodded, studying the man. That’s when she took in Lulu’s appearance.

The small woman was dressed very casually in a pair of long yoga pants and a t-shirt with tennis shoes.

Her short salt and pepper hair was far from styled.

It was the middle of the night, but typically, that didn’t matter.

Keely had never seen her grandmother’s bestie look so messy.

“Aunty Lulu,” she said. She was both relieved and irritated. Now, Ryan had no reason to stay with her.

“I’m Ryan Morrison with TFH.”

Lulu looked down at the dog. “And you would be?”

“This is Maya. She’s my partner.”

Lulu nodded. Most likely, she already knew everything about TFH. As one of the top defense attorneys on the island, she knew just about everyone in law enforcement. If she hadn’t met them personally, she had a dossier on them.

“You’re part of the new group. The search and rescue part.”

Yep, she knew exactly who she was talking to.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Lulu’s polite smile expanded. “Such nice manners. Thank you for finding my goddaughter and staying with her to keep her safe.”

“He was just making sure I stayed here, Lulu.”

Lulu spared Keely a glance before looking back at the agent. “Of course. But that’s keeping you safe. Tell Adam Lee that Aunty Lulu said hi.”

He tore his gaze from Keely’s, and she felt cold. That was insane, right? Who got attached to a person after just a few hours? “Well, I guess I should leave you two alone.”

“Thank you, Agent Morrison.” Keely looked down at the beautiful dog. “And Maya. Thank you for finding me.”

He hesitated, looking around the room. He found a pad of paper and a pen. After writing on it, Ryan tore the sheet away and stepped closer to her bed. “This is my number. If you remember anything else, or you feel unsafe, call me.”

She took the piece of paper and felt the backs of her eyes sting. “I will.”

Then he was gone. The silence in the room was defeating.

“Well,” Lulu said. “That is one hot man, and you have his number.”

She chuckled, fighting the need to cry. “It’s his job.”

The snort Lulu gave did make her laugh.

“So, how are you feeling?”

“Like I ran through a tropical forest for hours, hiding from bad dudes and feral pigs.” Her smile faded. “Have you heard anything?”

Lulu shook her head. The Asian woman might be tiny, but she had her fingers on the pulse of all crime in Honolulu.

“It’s weird because the Kellys weren’t connected to any crime that I know of.”

“Maybe it was just a robbery?”

“Nothing was taken. And from what I read, they came in guns blazing.” And there it was. She knew TFH and HPD were keeping everything quiet, even making sure they didn’t know her name. But Lulu had a copy of the report. “I do want to warn you, though.”

Her heart sank. “The news got hold of my name?”

“God, no. TFH is very good at keeping secrets. No, I talked to your parents.”

“Oh, no. Why did you tell them? I could have done it tomorrow.” Or maybe next year.

“Yes. Your father and mother are on their way.”

Well, damn. “That’s gonna be fun.”

“You are the youngest and the only girl. And you live thousands of miles away from them. They are worried.”

“I understand that. It’s just that you know Dad. He’s gonna freak out and try to get me to move back to Texas.”

And that was not happening. Keely was just gaining a reputation in Hawai’i, and she had fallen in love with her little house.

Her father had been raised in that house, and it had been in the family for four generations.

She loved waking up in the morning with the sun on her face and a cool trade wind blowing through the curtains.

Her first memories of baking were in that kitchen with her grandmother.

“Tell him no.”

She snorted. “You know how he is. I will tell him no, but he will push me, and we’ll fight.”

Keely hated to admit it, but she was a bit of a Daddy’s girl.

Being in an argument with her father wasn’t uncommon because he was an overbearing alpha who always thought he was right.

He never forced her to do anything she didn’t want to do, but she hated to be at odds with him.

Well, with anyone. She was a people pleaser.

“It’s okay. I’ll tell him we’ll get you security.”

Keely would hate that, but if it was the only way to get her father off her back, she would do it.

“I don’t think we need to go that far. I have a feeling this might have had to do with one of the dinner guests. Maybe hold off on the security thing.”

Lulu smiled. “Sounds like a plan. Wanna get out of here?”

“Yes,” she said, relief loosening the muscles in her shoulders.

“I’ll hunt up one of the docs and see what I can do.”

“Thanks, Lulu.”

She stepped closer to the bed and took Keely’s hand. “I’m just glad you’re okay. I promised your grandmother and your father I would watch over you.”

Keely blinked. People thought her grandmother’s friend was a terror, and she was, but she was also a protector.

“Thanks, Aunty Lulu.”

“I’ll be right back,” she said as she headed out of the room.

This was a mess. She was now a witness, or maybe even a suspect, to a mass murder.

Her parents were on the way over, and that was going to spell all kinds of problems. And she felt as if she had been beaten up and left in the mud.

She wanted to get back to her house, take a shower, and forget this ever happened.

For some reason, at that moment, the image of Ryan Morrison flashed through her brain. Okay, she didn’t want to forget everything.

Ryan and Maya arrived at TFH in record time.

Tripler—aka the massive pink building on the hill—was closer to Pearl Harbor-Hickam Joint Base than to Honolulu.

Queen’s Medical had been overwhelmed with a multi-car wreck, so TFH had taken her to Tripler.

The security was tighter at that hospital, being as it was the main hospital for the entire military on the island.

Usually, it would take him longer to get back to headquarters, but it was still early. In an hour, H-1 would be packed with people on their way to work and school for the day.

He parked his truck and looked over at Maya. She had been agitated since they’d left Keely in the hospital. “She’s fine. Her aunty is there.”

Maya did not look convinced.

“Yeah, I get it. You didn’t want to leave her. Join the club.”

It was hard to stay focused on anything other than Keely. The woman was gorgeous. Even dehydrated and clearly in shock—not to mention the slight concussion—she made sure to thank the team profusely, including Maya. There was a glow about the woman. Warm, happy…sexy.

He pushed that thought away. She was a damned victim, and she didn’t need men coming onto her. “Come on.”