I felt even worse than before. Bran must have run into Angie after she and I had talked.
She’d kept up her part of the deal. She’d left him alone.
He drew back. “I ran into her while tracking a group of artists. They went to the outreach center for lunch and I went along with them. She didn’t do anything, didn’t try anything. I left as soon as I confirmed the kids weren’t there. I swear.” He put his first two fingers of his right hand to his forehead. “Scout’s honor.”
“I doubt you were ever a Scout.” I kissed his forehead. “We’re good.” I shifted my weight, feeling the bony outlines of the steel frame bed under me. “Why don’t you go get me checked out? I’d like to go home to our own bed.”
Bran stood up. “I’ll get the doctor. Don’t see a problem with you signing yourself out as long as you don’t do anything silly.” He picked up his coat and left before I could answer.
“Men,” I whispered to the empty room before closing my eyes. All I wanted right then was my own bed and a cuppa tea.
I drifted, half-awake and wondering what to do about my Felis attacker. There was an outside chance, a thin chance it had nothing to do with my case. Most Felis stayed on the straight and narrow but there could be someone out there who walked on the other side and it’d just been bad luck.
Really bad luck.
I made a mental note to call Jess and see if we had any miscreant relatives on file.
“You’re a tough one.” The strange voice hit my ears at the same time as the rich earthy Felis scent invaded my nostrils.
Male. Alpha.
Here.
I resisted the urge to open my eyes right away, hoping he’d think I was sleeping. With a tube in my arm and still weak from the concussion I wasn’t in any state to jump up and start fighting.
The pounding in my ears increased as I realized Bran could be back any second, with or without other humans.
“I know you’re awake. Don’t worry, I’m here to talk.” A low chuckle followed. “Unlike my associate, I don’t knock women around.”
I couldn’t resist. I opened my eyes.
The large man sat at the bottom of my bed, his bulk filling the hospital-issue chair and then some, muscles spilling over the side. His bare arms were covered with tattoos—lions, tigers and other felines.
Definitely family.
He looked like an ex-boxer, his warped nose barely able to draw a straight line. Short-cropped black hair over dark brown eyes that studied me with the intensity of a hunter. Dressed in jeans, a black T-shirt and leather jacket he waited for me to finish studying him.
“Family,” I said.
He nodded.
“Jess?” I tried not to sound too hopeful. I was in no condition to turn down help if Jess sent it.
A hurt look came over the middle-aged face. “No.” He looked as if he was about to spit on the ground. “I don’t work for the Board.”
“Oh.” A chill ran up my aching spine as I sat up straighter, considering my options. It was hard to resist glancing toward the door.
He held up a meaty hand. “Don’t hurt yourself. I’m here to talk. Nothing else.”
“So let’s talk.”
“Eddie Longstrand.” He didn’t get out of the chair to offer his hand. “I’m here on behalf of the Middleston family.”
I frowned. “I’ve been replaced?”
“I like to think of it as supplemented.” He got to his feet, standing almost as tall as Bran. “You wouldn’t even know about me if that idiot hadn’t slammed you.” He shook his head. “I’d hate to think what would have happened if you’d been really hurt. Wrath of Hammersmythe and all that. As it is he’s going to have a shitload of trouble if and when she catches his ass.”
I pushed myself farther up the bed. “Which idiot?”
“The guy who hit you, Nathan McCallister.” Eddie stuck his hands in his pockets. “He works for the Chandlers. We’re sort of...competitors. We do stuff for the families.” He tapped his chest. “Jake’s my cousin, twice-removed.”
Felis enforcers.
I tamped down a twinge of panic. I’d never had a good encounter with an enforcer.
“What do you want?” I looked at the IV line. I could pull it out and use the pole as a weapon.
I could also fart and fly if I tried really hard.
“I’d like to offer you an alliance.” Eddie pressed his lips together into a tight thin line before continuing. “We’re after the same thing—the girl.”
“Lisa. Her name is Lisa.”
Eddie eyed me. “The girl. Jake asked me to tag along, keep watch on where you went and did.”
I read between the lines in a burst of belated wisdom.
He pulled out a small notepad and pencil. “You’re in no condition to make a big decision right now, I know that. I’m not going to take advantage of a wounded family member to pressure you. I’m going to give you my number. When you’re ready to talk, call.” The pencil stub scratched across the slip of paper. “Or just wave me in through the front door. I’ll be around.”
The piece of paper fell on the starched white sheet and he was gone, slipping out the door like a damned sumo ninja.
Bran came back in a few minutes later. “Okay, we’ve got the paperwork processing to get you out of here. Doc’s on his way to sign off on the discharge. He’s not happy but I told him I’d keep you in bed—” His voice trailed off. “What’s wrong?”
“Just take me home.” I pointed at the note, still sitting on the edge of the bed. “And put that someplace safe. I’ll need it later.”
Within the hour I was home and in bed, wearing an old nightshirt and tucked in with the stained bedspread up around my shoulders despite my protestations. Bran was downstairs making tea while Jazz padded around my covered feet and trilled her annoyance at my taking back the big pillow before nightfall.
I pushed down the blanket as Bran appeared, balancing a tray.
“Too warm for this.” I kicked the bedspread to the bottom of the bed, creating a mountain range for Jazz, who immediately spread herself out to claim as much ground as possible.
“Tea, toast. Lightly buttered and if you feel sick say something.” Bran put the tray on the floor and passed me the mug. “Doctor said for you to take it easy. You get any bad headaches, nausea or disorientation and he wants you right back in Emergency.”
“Bah.” I sipped the tea and sighed. “Heaven.”
He crawled in beside me, carrying his own cup. “So what’s with the phone number?”
“What number?” I reached down for a slice of toast, delaying the inevitable. My stomach rumbled.
“The phone number I picked up at the hospital.” He watched me rip off small bites of toast and chew them until they were mush. “It wasn’t lying there on the bed when I left you.”
“It seems that I have acquired followers.” I chose my words carefully knowing Bran’s temper. “The visitor informed me that I got bodyslammed by a Felis enforcer by the name of Nathan McCallister, who works for the Chandlers.”
Bran clenched his teeth, his jaw taut. “What the fuck for?”
“Because it seems I need a babysitter. Or to be precise, two.” I took another mouthful of tea, studying Bran’s face.
He drew in a deep breath, his jaw tightening to the point that I heard his back teeth grinding.
“Again, what the fuck for?” He spat the words out.
I reached down and took another piece of toast. “The two families may be feuding with each other but they’ve got the same idea—use me to hunt down the kids and then they’ll take them whether I agree or not.” I nibbled on the lukewarm slice. “Obviously they don’t have a lot of faith in me convincing the lovebirds to go home. So I find them and the enforcers grab them.”
Jazz trundled over to pick at a crumb on the sheets.