In their youth, love had burned hot like a flame, wildly flickering and dancing for all to see. When she married another man, he believed that fire to be snuffed for good. Yet unexpectedly, today, he found the red glow of a fiery ember in her eyes, still raging against all odds. It caught him by complete surprise.
'And you're wrong, Fie. It has always been about you and me.'
Stepping around her, he walked away, unable to look back. Instead, he focused on his hollow footsteps. The sound nearly drowned out the regret heard in her choking sobs. The splendor of the grand chateau drifted by in a blur. He felt numb.
He couldn't turn around. If he had, he might never want to leave.
'He's asking for you. ICU room eight.' Yolanda smiled weakly. Raven could tell the woman was exhausted. 'He doesn't have the strength for a long visit, but I'm afraid you're going to have to be the judge of that. He's so stubborn.'
Raven stood, rushing to Tony's wife with open arms. Closing her eyes, she held the woman firmly in her embrace, willing her strength. 'How are you holding up?'
When they parted, Yolanda shrugged without complaint. 'I'm gonna take his parents to the chapel, maybe get some coffee in the cafeteria.' Unspoken emotion lay just beneath the surface of her words. 'Come find me if —'
'I will.' Quick to speak up, Raven didn't allow her to finish the thought.
Before leaving, Yolanda stepped toward Christian, who'd risen from the sofa when she entered the waiting room.
'He wants to see you, too, Christian.' With a smile, she reached for his hand and kissed it.
'Me?' Delacorte questioned.
'Yes, you. I'm sure he'd like to thank you for bringing his parents to Chicago. I could tell your generosity surprised him.'
'No doubt.' Christian nodded, directing a sheepish look toward Raven. He looked unworthy, like an instigator of a prank that turned out to be mistaken for an act of kindness. But she knew better.
After Yolanda left the room, Raven turned toward Christian. 'You heard the man. He wants to see us both.' She swept her arm to the ICU room door, encouraging him.
Reluctantly, he stood his ground, stuffing his hands into his jeans pockets. 'You go. He doesn't need to thank me for anything.'
The aw-shucks routine was adorable, but Raven understood her partner. 'Oh, believe me. I know that man in there. He has more to say than just thanks. Trust me on that one.'
Christian narrowed his eyes at her, then slowly nodded again. She knew he was bracing himself for an audience with the ingratiating cop who'd attempted to serve him lousy coffee while setting him up for a subtle interrogation—all in the name of law and order.
'Lead the way.' He sighed.
A flood of memories filled Raven's mind as she walked slowly down the sterile corridor of the ICU. Medical science blended its own pungent concoction of vague medicinal odors and pine cleaner, with a dash of human secretions laced in anxiety and hope. She avoided a curious glance into open doorways, not wanting to invade the privacy of the seriously ill who shared her partner's plight.
Room number 8 was the fourth door to the right, the only room with an attendant dressed in blue seated outside. Raven kept her eyes focused on the sympathetic gaze from a young police officer stationed at Tony's door, who stood as she neared. She acknowledged his service with a nod, the first shift of the twenty-four-hour police protection for the Rodriguez family. The assignment of the young officer meant her days of freedom were numbered. Soon, she'd be hampered with an entourage of her own. The thought saddened her, but nothing prepared her for what followed, seeing Tony for the first time after his assault.
Standing at the threshold of her partner's room, Raven shuddered, a faint gasp fresh from her lips. She'd never seen him so weak—and lost. Tubes and machinery sustained him. Tony looked so frail and thin, his skin pale from blood loss. It was as if the muscles of his body had atrophied overnight. With his eyes closed, he had the appearance of a corpse, except for the steady beep of his heart monitor.
Christian sensed her shock and grasped her shoulder, saying, 'He's alive, and on the right side of the dirt. That counts for something.'
At the sound of Christian's voice, Tony opened his eyes with a sluggish effort. In his condition, it took him a moment to place Raven's face. But once he had, a weak smile crossed his lips.
His lips moved to say her name, but opted for a simpler version. 'Mac.'
'The doctor said you were lucky. You're gonna be okay.'
Pulling up a chair next to his bed, she gently squeezed his hand, knowing precious little of his medical condition. With effort, Tony filled his lungs with a shallow and unsteady pant. The man knew the difference between wishful thinking and the truth, possessing surefire radar to detect bullshit. But it didn't stop her from trying.
'They were m-mercs, Raven. Laser scopes.' His voice nothing but raspy air, dry and faint. 'Connected to Bl- Blair. Be careful.'
She had kept the break-in at her house a secret from him and Yolanda. They both had enough to deal with. Tony's dark eyes already communicated his concern for her safety. Even with his life still at risk, he worried for her.
'Listen to me, Tony Rodriguez. You've only got one job while you're here. And that is to stay alive. You hear me? Prove to that bastard that he can't keep a macho man like you down. A Tex-Mex is hard to kill.' She smiled through the tears filling her eyes, choking back the lump in her throat. She tightened her grip on his cold fingers. 'I love you, Tony.'
Leaning closer, she kissed his cheek. One of her tears doused his skin, mingling with his own. She brushed it away with a thumb.
Tony was family now. And her family needed protection.
Wiping the tears from her face, she steeled herself for a fight. Under the cover of darkness, Blair's killer was a coward, resorting to an assault on an unsuspecting off-duty police officer in clear sight of his family. Unfortunately, in this quietly raging society, retribution against the police had become prevalent, and often for minor offenses such as traffic citations.
Tony looked tired, barely able to keep his eyes open. But she knew he wasn't done.
'In case anything happens—' He swallowed and tightened his grip on her hand, fighting back a deepening shroud of pain in his eyes. 'Please take c-care of m-my family. Yolie is strong, but—'
Raven opened her mouth to reject his withering hope, but now wasn't the time to deny him anything. Even though she refused to believe he might die, something as small as an errant blood clot could seal his fate, a familiar complication for gunshot wounds.
Clenching her jaw, she assured him, 'You know I will.'
A weak smile faded from his face. She knew her promise gave him comfort. Staring into his eyes, she let the contented silence build between them. Without words, Tony was preparing her for the worst.
'Oh, no, you don't.' She nearly choked on the realization. 'You're giving me that all-knowing Yoda stare, the one that says I shouldn't question my training officer.' Despite the humor in her words and a crooked half smile, a tear contradicted her message. 'You taught me everything, Tony. And I know you're just too damned ornery to die. I got my stubborn streak from you.'
'Not so, Grasshopper. You c-came by that honestly— from your old m-man.' The old Tony glimmered just beneath the surface of his pain, too frail to emerge. 'Is Christian here? I'd like ... to t-talk to him, alone.'
Faced with reality, she discovered her partner was breakable after all. But leaving him to the care of others went against the woman she was, and her training. Tony released his grip from her fingers, letting go.
'He's here, Tony.' Glancing over her shoulder, she nodded her encouragement for Delacorte to take her place. She ran fingers down Christian's arm as he stood by her side. Even in Tony's weakened condition, he hadn't missed Raven's subtle gesture of affection.
