Page 24 of Justified Lies (TFH Team Bravo #3)

She noticed that a woman went into Ian’s room. Security was tight at Tripler, so she figured it was another CIA agent wanting to talk to Ian. She had been dressed like one in a suit and heels. Before Eden could think about that too much, the door to Kap’s room opened.

“Your Kapone is a strong man. I think he is going to be just fine.”

Drawing in a deep breath, she let the doctor’s comments filter through her worry.

She knew Kap looked better, but hearing it from Dr. Adams was more reassuring than just seeing the evidence before her.

From the moment he walked up and told her, Kap would have a long recovery ahead of him.

He needed rest because of the blood loss.

The fact that Marv had hit the one place on his upper body, other than his head, that the vest didn’t protect was one of the weirdest things to ever happen.

He would have been fine, but the bullet had nicked an artery, and if TFH hadn’t called an ambulance to be on standby, Kap would probably be dead.

“Thank you for everything.”

He nodded and headed off down the hallway. Drawing in a deep breath, she stepped back into the room. The moment Kap saw her, he broke into a smile.

“Come here,” he said.

She did, but she took her time. Now that she was ready to tell him she loved him, she was scared. What if he hadn’t really meant it? A lot of people said things they didn’t mean when they thought they were dying.

“Can you take that thing down?” he asked, tapping the bed guards. She nodded and did as he asked. He patted the mattress. “Come here.”

When he said the words this time, his voice was deeper. His Georgia accent rolled through her, blasting her with heat. She did as he asked. He took her hand, but she found it hard to make eye contact.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” God, she sounded like an idiot. For the last two days, she had wanted to tell him she loved him, but now she was being a coward.

“Everything after I got shot is hazy.”

“Yeah?”

“I think I told you I loved you.”

She nodded.

“I don’t remember you telling me the same. Is that why you’re acting weird? You are about to break things off?”

She made eye contact with him. “No. I…” she sighed, courage fading.

“Babe, tell me.”

“I love you.”

He didn’t react right away, and she worried that he regretted his declaration. Then, his lips curved, and soon he was giving her that fantastic smile of his. It was brighter than the sun.

“Good, because I love you.”

Happiness burst through her, and she smiled at him. “That’s good.”

He patted his shoulder. “You look tired. Beautiful, but tired. Why don’t we take a little nap?”

Now that Eden knew he was safe and that she loved him, the last couple of days hit her. “That sounds like a great idea.”

The woman known as Sam stood near the door, unable to proceed further into the room. She didn’t like hospitals. They reminded her too much of the night her parents had died.

She pushed that thought out of her head.

That wasn’t important right now. Now, she had to ensure that Ian was truly safe.

She had waited almost two days before she came, but she had to make sure things had calmed down.

As it was, she’d practically run into David Scott.

He looked a little worse for wear, but the man still made the trip over to Hawai’i. She would give him that.

“Are you going to stand there gawking at me?”

She hesitated, then walked closer. She had done a lot to make herself unassuming. Walking through the halls of a military facility had her nerves stretched tight. The suit might be the reason. She hated to dress like this, but she knew how the CIA worked.

When she saw him, she fought the gasp. Ian was a handsome man with movie-star looks. Right now, he looked like he’d had the shit beat out of him. He had a black eye and a broken nose, even though it looked like it was healing fine.

“There you are. So, you decided to come in person to mock me.”

She frowned. “No. I wanted to check in on you. Everyone said you were okay, but I wanted to make sure. Why would I mock you?”

He frowned, and, of course, he looked even sexier doing so. How could a man look so sexy all beat up? This was what was wrong with the world.

“Bellows got the drop on me.”

She cocked her head. There, in his voice, she heard the recrimination. She straightened and looked him straight in the eye. Those beautiful blue eyes.

Stop thinking things like that.

“Bellows killed at least nine agents, maybe more. I think it’s no big deal that he got the drop on you. Surviving is the important part.”

His eyes narrowed. “Indeed.”

Dammit, when he got all perturbed and talked like that, his disdain was easy to hear, it got her hot. Mainly because there had to be something wrong with her.

“I have to go.”

“But you just got here.” Sarcasm dripped from his words.

“I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

He opened his mouth, but she shook her head and started backing up. The door opened behind her, and she twisted around, ready to defend Ian. A nurse smiled at her.

“Hello. I’m here to take Mr. Smith’s vitals.”

She was young and smiling, as if she had won some kind of prize. Taking Ian’s vitals was a prize most women would be willing to fight over.

“Make sure you take care of yourself,” she said, hurrying to the door, needing to get out, to be free of this building.

“Sam,” he called out, but she ignored him.

Hurrying to the stairwell, she started her long descent to the first floor.

She slipped on a pair of sunglasses, hiding her eyes.

Having two different colored eyes tended to attract attention.

She hadn’t had time to put her contacts in.

With more bravery than she actually had, she strode through the first floor, nodding to a few people she recognized from the CIA.

None of them recognized her. Why would they?

She didn’t look anything like she had back when she worked with them.

As she stepped out into the sun, she drew in a deep breath of the perfumed air and started to her car. She needed to get out of there before anyone recognized her.

Eden’s head was on his chest, and his arm was wrapped around her. Having her by his side made everything right in his world. He wasn’t sure exactly how this would look, but he wanted to be by her side.

They had time to figure it out. There was a clatter in the hallway, and her head popped up.

“Damn, that’s my parents.”

“What?”

“I know it isn’t ideal. I mean, we just got back together, and we have to see if we can make this work—”

“There is no seeing. We will make this work.”

She gave him a small smile. “Well, either way, that’s our parents, I think. Even for former CIA assets, they can be kind of…well…Texan.”

“No problem.”

Then he heard an unmistakable voice.

“Where is my boy?”

His gaze collided with Eden’s.

“Surprise?”

“How did you get them here so fast?”

“Mom and Dad took the jet.”

El and Eden lived so modestly that Kap sometimes forgot that they were the children of billionaires.

“Don’t be mad.”

“Not mad.” He smiled and shook his head. “Thank you.”

She smiled. “I love you, Kapone Hanson.”

“Remember that once you meet my mama.”

She was laughing when she kissed him.