Page 30

C lara’s fingers wrapped tightly around the mug of hot cocoa. She hadn’t taken a single sip since Holden had placed it in her hand. People moved around her, deputies leaving her house while her brother and Holden spoke in the hall.

It was nearing evening, but she’d barely absorbed anything anyone had said after talking to Jesse.

She touched her neck. She could still feel that arm wrapped around her. And her throat still felt light, like the air wasn’t getting through.

It was hard to breathe suddenly, and she couldn’t look away from the spot in the hall where the person had grabbed her.

“Clara.”

Jesse crouched in front of her.

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.”

Rage flickered over his features, but it came and went so quickly she almost missed it. He was trying to shield her from his anger. But he couldn’t. Not completely. “What do you want to do? I’ve still got a few hours left of my shift, but you can stay with Becket until I finish.”

“Or you can come with me,” Holden added quietly.

God, nothing seemed like the right choice. She didn’t want to intrude on her brothers. Things weren’t good with her and Holden. And she no longer felt safe in her own home.

“Sheriff.”

Jesse turned as one of the deputies tilted his head toward the door. He looked back at her and squeezed her thigh. “I’ll be right back.”

The second he left, it was just her and Holden. There were so many emotions she probably should have felt at being alone with Holden, but after the day she’d had, all she could feel was safe.

He sat beside her on the couch, his gaze boring into her, his muscles looking big and tense. “I’d like to stay with you.”

She swallowed, wanting to say yes. Wanting this man to remain by her side and keep her safe.

But then what? He would leave in a week when Jesse solved the case? Where would that leave her and her heart?

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She rose and took her hot cocoa to the kitchen, where she set it in the sink. She didn’t hear Holden behind her, but she was aware of him. His heat. His strength.

A lot of people would argue that they couldn’t feel strength, but with Holden, it was everywhere he went.

“Clara—”

She turned. “You broke up with me.”

Pain cut across his face. “I know. It was a mistake.”

“No. A mistake is forgetting to turn on the dishwasher after you fill it. It’s leaving the house without your phone or forgetting to set an alarm for the morning. Breaking up with me because I had a virus was you running scared, after you promised you wouldn’t. It was intentional.”

His eyes were so dark, they almost looked black. He stepped forward, and she moved back, needing the distance between them.

This time, it was hurt that flashed through his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

His words were quiet. And God, they sounded genuine.

“I’m sorry I hurt you,” he continued. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t be the person you needed me to be.”

She swallowed and looked down, her fingers tightening on the counter behind her to stop from touching him. Drawing him toward her.

“Let me be better,” he whispered, taking another step closer. “Let me prove to you that I can be better.”

A mixture of hope and need snuck into her chest, teasing her with the idea that she could trust him. “What happens if I say yes, and I have another health scare? Or I get hurt or something really bad happens?”

“I’ll be with you the entire time, by your side.”

She wanted to believe him. She really did.

He lowered his mouth to her neck, but before his lips could touch her skin, she whispered, “Don’t.”

He paused, his head lifting just enough for her to see his eyes. She could still feel his breath on her skin.

“Why not?” he whispered.

“Not here. Not now.”

His gaze flickered between her eyes. “Okay. Not now. But I will earn back your trust. For now, let me stay. Let me be close so I know you’re safe.”

She closed her eyes, the feel of him, the smell, making her body sway toward him.

“Okay.” The single word came out as barely a whisper. “But on the couch.”

“Thank God.” He touched his forehead to hers.

She closed her eyes, letting his heat seep into her. They remained exactly as they were until Jesse stepped back into the house.

“Did you decide—” Her brother stopped.

Holden took a slow step back. And damn her, but she wanted to pull him back again.

“I’m staying,” Holden said, no hesitation in his words.

Jesse looked at Holden before studying Clara’s face. Even though Holden was his best friend, Clara knew he’d only leave her with him if he knew she was okay.

She gave a small nod before moving around the island and lifting to her toes to kiss her brother. “I’ll call if I need anything.”

“Good.” He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug.

When they finally separated, he shook Holden’s hand, and the two men shared a look she couldn’t decipher before her brother left.

Then it was just her and Holden…and suddenly she was nervous. Scared that she’d wrap her arms around him and not let him go.

She took a few big steps back. “I might, um, take a bath.”

He nodded, watching her so closely that she wanted to squirm. “Call me if you need anything.”

Nope. She wouldn’t be needing a thing.

She turned and walked quickly, almost ran out. The second she reached her bedroom, she closed the door and let her breath rush out.

Time. She needed some time to trust Holden again. She could not just fold because he was here, and he was beautiful and strong and he smelled really good.

In the bathroom, she turned on the tap and undressed. Once a candle was lit and the lights were off, she sank into the tub.

Usually, a warm bath relaxed her. But tonight? Tonight her body was tight and stressed and she couldn’t sit still.

She leaned back and closed her eyes, trying to allow the tension to ease from her body.

It did nothing. Diddly-squat. Absolutely no relaxing happening here.

Maybe some magnesium flakes would help.

She reached for the jar on the counter but accidentally knocked it off. The glass hit the floor and shattered.

She gasped—and that gasp turned into a cry when the door flew open and Holden charged in, fury on his face.

Holden placed the almond croissant on a plate with some cucumber sticks, hummus, and olives. Aspen had dropped off the croissants and he’d found the rest in Clara’s fridge.

Thank fuck she’d let him stay. If she hadn’t, he wouldn’t have slept. Not one damn minute. Someone had broken into her house. Attacked her.

His feet itched to go out and find the person. Show them exactly what happened when they lay their hands on his woman.

Was Clara right? Was this person a woman? Who? Someone from the hospital? Briar? Helen? Deb? Hell, there were dozens of women who worked there, it could be anyone. Was it someone who was working with Malcolm, or trying to protect him?

They needed answers and they needed them now.

Jesse had told him that Malcolm was temporarily suspended from practicing until everything was sorted out. All the sick patients were his. Not only that, but he didn’t have an alibi for the night Scarlett was murdered.

Holden was about to head to the bedroom when his phone rang, Briar’s name on the screen.

He tensed, considered not answering, but…fuck. He was still in the middle of her kitchen renovation.

“Hey, Briar.”

“Hi! I just wanted to call to let you know I paid the final installment for the kitchen.”

“Great. I’ll start installation next week.”

“Perfect, well—”

“Did you have a good afternoon?”

There was a small pause. “Uh, yeah, I guess. I was at work. A twelve-hour shift. Although, as usual, we were understaffed. And who do they expect to pick up the extra patients? Me.”

Holden’s fingers tightened around the phone. If Briar was working, then it couldn’t have been her. “Can I ask you about Malcolm?”

“Malcolm Trundle? Sure. I heard about his suspension. I should probably be more surprised about what he did than I am.”

“You’re not surprised that he made his patients sick?”

“He was a man whore. Slept around like he was Casanova.”

Holden frowned. “How does that—”

“He’s not a good person. And people who aren’t inherently good obviously do bad things. Plus, all that sepsis treatment fame probably went to his head and he started getting a God complex.” Briar huffed. “Anyway, I need to go. See you next week for the kitchen install.”

She hung up, and Holden lifted the plate and headed toward the bedroom. If Malcolm slept around, could he have pissed off the wrong person and someone was framing him? Or had he pulled a woman in to help him, and that woman had attacked Clara tonight to protect him?

There were too many possibilities.

He stepped into Clara’s room and had just set the food on her dresser when glass shattered in the bathroom.

He cursed and ran, crashing through the bathroom door to find Clara, naked in the tub, broken glass on the tiles.

Clara cried out and pulled her knees up. “Holden! What the hell?”

“What happened?”

“I broke a jar of magnesium.”

He scanned her, needing the confirmation that she was okay.

When his heart rate started to return to normal, he finally focused on other things. The drops of water trickling down her arms. The smooth thighs tucked against her body.

Shit . He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’ll clean it up.”

“ After my bath, you mean.”

“Now, Clara. I don’t want you to cut your feet. I’ll be quick. I’ve also brought you food.”

Her brows lifted. “Food?”

He smiled as he left the room to grab the plate of food and the dustpan and broom.

There was a small gasp when Clara saw the croissant. “I didn’t have that in my house.”

“Aspen brought it over.”

“Remind me to kiss her feet when I see her next.”

He handed her the plate before squatting to clean up the glass and magnesium. “You don’t get sick of croissants?”

“Do you get sick of breathing?”

He laughed. “Guess not.”

She picked at the flaky dough. “I’ve loved croissants since I had my first, and when I tried my first almond croissant, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. Although, I didn’t eat them a lot while I lived in New York.”

“Why not?”

Her knees remained pulled up, covering her body. “Often, I was so busy that I just forgot to eat, period. And when I did eat, it was usually a can of tuna and some microwavable rice that I kept in a work drawer.” She shook her head. “I really did lead a different life.”

“Do you miss it?”

She scoffed. “Never. It was one of those situations where you think you want something, but then you get it, and you’re like…is this it? And it just kind of feels hollow.”

“So what does living in Amber Ridge and working as an acupuncturist feel like?”

“The fresh air I didn’t know I was being starved of.” She frowned, popping a little bit of croissant into her mouth. “Or at least, it did until everything started happening with Scarlett.”

He scooped up the last bit of glass before looking at her. “It’ll be over soon.”

Yeah, that wasn’t something he could promise. But fuck, he’d do anything to give the woman some peace.

She swallowed. “I’m sorry I lost the USB.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for. You protected yourself, which is what you needed to do.” He rose. “I’ll get rid of this and set up the couch.”

He turned and started toward the door.

“Holden…”

He turned.

“Why did you come here today?”

“To tell you that I’m the biggest idiot on the planet and beg for your forgiveness.”

Her brows dipped. “What changed between last week and today?”

“I realized it was too late to run.”

That frown deepened.

“Let me know when you’re going to bed so I know you’re okay.” He closed the door quietly and stepped into the living area.

He’d just finished setting up the couch when his phone rang. “Jesse, you found something?”

“I’ve got a list of the hospital staff who weren’t on today. I’ll interview them tomorrow.”

“I spoke to Briar. She told me she had a twelve-hour shift.”

“She did. Deborah Fuller wasn’t on.”

Could she be involved? She was fit for a woman in her sixties, but in a fight, he’d put his money on Clara winning. But he didn’t know her well enough to say it couldn’t be her. “What about Helen?”

“She also worked a twelve-hour shift.”

He nodded absently. “Keep me updated when you have more information.”

“Will do. And you look after my sister for me.”

“I’ll protect her with my life.”

“I know you will.”

Holden hung up. After eating something, he had a quick shower in the hall bathroom before checking all the locks in the house.

He was just sitting down on the couch when Clara poked her head out of the bedroom.

She wore an oversized T-shirt, and fuck, she looked cute.

But then his gaze caught on the cut on her head.

The bruising on her neck. And that familiar anger slipped through the shield.

“I’m going to sleep now,” she said quietly.

“Call out if you need anything, honey.”

Her chest rose. “I will.”

The door closed with a soft thud, and he had to fist his hands to stop from pushing up from the couch and going to her. He just wanted eyes on her. To hold her. Tell her he’d messed up and beg for her forgiveness.

He turned off the lights and climbed beneath the blankets on the couch. But he didn’t sleep. He lay there, memories of that afternoon playing over in his mind. The open front door. The blood on the floor. The fear when he couldn’t find her.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force the memory away.

He wasn’t sure how much time passed, maybe an hour, maybe three. But at some point, a soft shuffle sounded from the bedroom, followed by her door opening.

It was dark, but he could still see the shine of her eyes as they met his. The length of her legs left uncovered by the shirt.

Without a word, she made her way over to him, pulled back the blanket, and slipped in beside him. When she looked up, her eyes were wide and vulnerable. “Is this okay? I can’t sleep. If it’s not—”

“Yes.” He wrapped an arm around her and tugged her closer. “Sleep. You’re safe with me.”

She sighed before laying her head on his chest. Slowly, her breathing evened out. And finally, he could sleep too.