a doctor and two nurses went in and stayed only a few minutes before leaving again.
As they passed, Dec heard the word 'morgue.' It was over.
Bryn stayed in the room, probably not wanting to leave him yet. Dec tried to imagine sitting there next to his father's body, knowing that when you left, the staff would come in and take him to the morgue and put him in a refrigerated drawer. The notion made him feel sick. His family meant everything to him.
He walked the hallway a couple of times, watching the clock on the wall. After spending almost an hour that way, he only had a little while left before he had to report for duty.
Would it be better to leave before she'd seen him?
No. He couldn't do it. He'd wait as long as he could and if she hadn't come out yet, he'd leave a message of his sympathy with the nurses for her. She might have been alone in that room when her father had died, but at least she would know he'd been there.
103
Cover of Darkness
by Kaylea Cross
Jesus, he'd never felt such a powerful need to comfort anyone.
Another nurse passed him, her rubber-soled shoes squeaking on the linoleum, and went into Jamul's room. Less than a minute later, Bryn emerged through the doors in the wheelchair with the nurse pushing her, and when she saw him she froze.
She had to be exhausted and devastated, and she seemed surprised as hell to see him standing there. "Dec," she said, voice rough as sandpaper.
He came to hunker down in front of her, took her icy hands in his. The nurse left them alone. "I'm so sorry."
She nodded and sniffed, gazing down at their joined hands. "Thanks."
Damn, he wanted to hold her so bad. She looked so lost and alone it almost broke his heart. He didn't understand how it had happened so quickly, but over the past few days he'd grown attached to her. Protective of her.
"At least I got to say goodbye," she whispered. "Not everyone has that chance."
He rubbed his thumbs over the cool skin on the backs of her hands. "Someone from his staff is coming to be with you."
Those obsidian eyes were so full of pain. "You came back."
"Yeah. Spence sent someone after me as I was leaving."
"It was sweet of you. I appreciate it."
Hell, he'd have done anything for her. He respected and admired her. Waiting in a hallway an hour or more was nothing. "I didn't want you to be alone."
104
Cover of Darkness
by Kaylea Cross
Staring at him, her beautiful eyes filled with tears, then she flung her arms around his neck and burrowed into his shoulder. Cursing himself for making her cry, he could feel her pain as she battled for control, and slid his arms around her. Careful of her bandages, he tucked her in close and stroked her back, giving her what comfort he could. She felt so fragile in his embrace. Too small to carry such a burden on her slim shoulders.
After a minute or so she pushed away and dragged her hands across her wet face. Sucked in a ragged breath. "Sorry.
I'm okay now."
"Don't apologize." Unable to stop himself, he framed her face between his hands and stroked her hair. "What can I do?"
She forced a sad smile. "Nothing. You've done more than enough for me already."
No he hadn't. "Want me to take you downstairs?"
"Sure."
Glad to have something to do, he went around behind her and pushed the wheelchair to the elevator and back to her room.
Spencer turned his head as they came in. "Bryn," he said,
"I'm so sorry."
"Thanks."
Dec stood beside her and glanced down at her face. Her eyes were staring dully now, from exhaustion and pain and grief. Sleep was probably the only thing that would comfort her.
105
Cover of Darkness
by Kaylea Cross
Two nurses came in to take over and helped her back into her bed. He still couldn't believe the anguish she must be going through. But he was out of time and couldn't do anything more for her.
He came over to her bed, brushed a hand over her hair.
"You have to go?" It was an observation, not a question.
He nodded.
She reached up and pressed her
As they passed, Dec heard the word 'morgue.' It was over.
Bryn stayed in the room, probably not wanting to leave him yet. Dec tried to imagine sitting there next to his father's body, knowing that when you left, the staff would come in and take him to the morgue and put him in a refrigerated drawer. The notion made him feel sick. His family meant everything to him.
He walked the hallway a couple of times, watching the clock on the wall. After spending almost an hour that way, he only had a little while left before he had to report for duty.
Would it be better to leave before she'd seen him?
No. He couldn't do it. He'd wait as long as he could and if she hadn't come out yet, he'd leave a message of his sympathy with the nurses for her. She might have been alone in that room when her father had died, but at least she would know he'd been there.
103
Cover of Darkness
by Kaylea Cross
Jesus, he'd never felt such a powerful need to comfort anyone.
Another nurse passed him, her rubber-soled shoes squeaking on the linoleum, and went into Jamul's room. Less than a minute later, Bryn emerged through the doors in the wheelchair with the nurse pushing her, and when she saw him she froze.
She had to be exhausted and devastated, and she seemed surprised as hell to see him standing there. "Dec," she said, voice rough as sandpaper.
He came to hunker down in front of her, took her icy hands in his. The nurse left them alone. "I'm so sorry."
She nodded and sniffed, gazing down at their joined hands. "Thanks."
Damn, he wanted to hold her so bad. She looked so lost and alone it almost broke his heart. He didn't understand how it had happened so quickly, but over the past few days he'd grown attached to her. Protective of her.
"At least I got to say goodbye," she whispered. "Not everyone has that chance."
He rubbed his thumbs over the cool skin on the backs of her hands. "Someone from his staff is coming to be with you."
Those obsidian eyes were so full of pain. "You came back."
"Yeah. Spence sent someone after me as I was leaving."
"It was sweet of you. I appreciate it."
Hell, he'd have done anything for her. He respected and admired her. Waiting in a hallway an hour or more was nothing. "I didn't want you to be alone."
104
Cover of Darkness
by Kaylea Cross
Staring at him, her beautiful eyes filled with tears, then she flung her arms around his neck and burrowed into his shoulder. Cursing himself for making her cry, he could feel her pain as she battled for control, and slid his arms around her. Careful of her bandages, he tucked her in close and stroked her back, giving her what comfort he could. She felt so fragile in his embrace. Too small to carry such a burden on her slim shoulders.
After a minute or so she pushed away and dragged her hands across her wet face. Sucked in a ragged breath. "Sorry.
I'm okay now."
"Don't apologize." Unable to stop himself, he framed her face between his hands and stroked her hair. "What can I do?"
She forced a sad smile. "Nothing. You've done more than enough for me already."
No he hadn't. "Want me to take you downstairs?"
"Sure."
Glad to have something to do, he went around behind her and pushed the wheelchair to the elevator and back to her room.
Spencer turned his head as they came in. "Bryn," he said,
"I'm so sorry."
"Thanks."
Dec stood beside her and glanced down at her face. Her eyes were staring dully now, from exhaustion and pain and grief. Sleep was probably the only thing that would comfort her.
105
Cover of Darkness
by Kaylea Cross
Two nurses came in to take over and helped her back into her bed. He still couldn't believe the anguish she must be going through. But he was out of time and couldn't do anything more for her.
He came over to her bed, brushed a hand over her hair.
"You have to go?" It was an observation, not a question.
He nodded.
She reached up and pressed her
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