Jaden shook his hand. “Be safe out there. Report back when you can.”
The door closed and Jaden’s attention turned to Lauren. “You need sleep and we’ll have to wait a while until it’s safe to be in the air.”
“And a hot meal. A warm bed. If a plane can fly, you’ll wake me up immediately, right?” she asked, stifling another yawn.
“As soon as the storm breaks, we’ll get you both out of here. You’re going home.”
Home? Where was that anymore?
Home felt a lot like Jaden.
A few hours of sleep and dry clothes made all the difference in the world to Lauren. She woke to find Jaden’s arms wrapped around her, her back pressed against the crook of his arm, and her head resting on his shoulder.
The moment she stirred, his eyes flew open, and his arms tightened around her protectively.
“I’m okay. Just thirsty. I didn’t mean to wake you,” she said.
He repositioned, loosening his grip. “Don’t get up. Stay here. Rest. I’ll get water for you. I want you to save your strength. We have a long journey home later.”
As soon as he moved, she missed the feel of his strong, warm body against hers. “Has my brother’s condition changed?”
Jaden shook his head. “He’s stable.”
“I can hardly imagine what it’ll be like to have my brother back. I mean….he left ages ago. I don’t really know him anymore,” she said.
“Your brother’s safe. You’re safe. Nothing else matters,” Jaden said, returning with a fresh bottle of water for her.
“Because of you, I’m alive.” She wondered about Jaden. Who kept him safe?
She heard rhythmic breathing coming from the makeshift bed Gunner had made.
“Speaking of my brother and his safety, what about the hospital? I mean, will anyone be able to get to him there?” she asked in a whisper.
“If he’s turning State’s evidence, then he’ll receive the best possible protection and care. Believe me. They’ll do everything in their power to keep him alive to testify. It’s not for the reason you want or because they care but the result is the same,” he said, taking his seat next to her again.
She leaned in closer to him, wanting to be as near as possible. “Can I stay at the hospital with him?”
“You can visit. He’s in critical condition which probably means a trip straight to ICU, so we’ll have visiting hours to consider. Other than that, you should be fine. We’ll have to figure out a way to disguise you.”
“Meaning it’s best if they don’t see me going in?”
“It’s just a precaution. We don’t know who might be watching, and until he breaks consciousness we don’t have a clue as to what all this is really about. Everything we said before was just guessing. Max is the key,” he said.
Lauren’s stomach dropped. “You don’t think there’s a chance he won’t—”
“He’ll be fine. He’ll get the new lease on life he needs when this is over. A new identity. A new location. A real job. This is his best chance to start over if he’s serious about wanting a new life,” Jaden said.
“Why not do that before? I mean, couldn’t he have turned himself in to the government?” She felt his body tense and it dawned on her. Jaden had said it before. She would have been in danger. Plus, if Max turned state’s evidence he would have to give up everyone he knew before. Which was basically her. She wondered if that could be the reason he’d called. Did he want her advice before making the commitment? Did he want to say good-bye? Guilt sat heavy on her chest.
Lauren hadn’t considered the possibility that once he testified she might never see him again. The sadness of the thought hit her hard.
One day at a time. For now, she’d be grateful her brother received the second chance Jaden’s didn’t. “You told me about your brother. Do you have parents out there somewhere waiting to hear from you? Or other siblings?”
“There’s no one.” His words came out calm, like he was used to life on his own. Lauren could relate on so many levels.
“Can I ask a personal question?” She didn’t expect him to answer, but it would be nice if he’d give her something, another reason to trust him.
“Go ahead.”
She issued a breath and went for it. “Is Jaden Dean your real name?”
“It is now.” There was no conviction in his voice.
“You don’t remember your real name, or you don’t tell people?”
“There a difference?” Had he gone so deep under cover that he’d forgotten who he really was? She’d read that happened to officers.
“You told me to trust you and I did. I still do. But I don’t even know your name. I know next to nothing about you. It makes me think you don’t trust me. Do you?” she asked.
“Look. My parents died in a car crash not long after my brother was killed. I had a grandmother who took me in. She lived long enough to see me graduate high school. From there I signed up for the military,” he said, looking pained from the admission.
And toughened up? Became so tough no one could ever get close to you? Yet, she felt surprisingly close to him. How was it even possible? She knew so little about him. But she felt closer to him than she’d ever felt to anyone. Including Max. “You’ve lost so many people in your life. People you must’ve cared about.”
He shrugged. “Not much loss really. My old man used to rough us up when we were little. Said he was teaching us how to be men.”
“I’m so sorry.” She touched his arm, ignoring the frissons of heat from contact.
“Don’t be. It’s how I know a real man would never hurt a person he loves,” Jaden said in a hiss.
Chapter 17
Whop. Whop. Whop.
The sweet sound of a UH60 Black Hawk came from the distance. Jaden squeezed Lauren’s hand. He’d told her more about himself in the last fifteen
