I dial Mitch, the first person’s number I see in the call history.
“Boss,” Mitch says in greeting.
“Please help us. Dean . . . he’s been hurt a–and needs medical assistance,” I sob.
“I’m on it.” The line goes dead, and I toss Dean’s phone to the side.
Placing my hands back over his stomach, I close my eyes as the tears pour down my face. I can’t lose this man, not now, not ever. For the first time in my life I’ve felt the connection my father told me that he felt for my mam and I’m not ready to lose it.
Chapter 11
Mitch
The moment Dean’s number popped up on my screen, I knew something wasn’t right. He’d taken his bride and left the reception a little over an hour ago. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know what they were doing. So for him to be calling me something’s happened.
“Boss,” I mutter in greeting while scanning the room as I start toward the exit.
“Please help us. Dean . . . he’s been hurt a–and needs medical assistance.” Bridget’s sobs come through the other end of line. Soon as she says they need help I’m already bolting for the elevator.
“I’m on it,” I inform her and hang up the phone. I pull up the group chat I have with the rest of the security team we have in place letting them know something’s gone down. I also message Bridget’s and Dean’s fathers letting them know Bridget called and Dean needs medical assistance.
Soon as the elevator stops on their floor, I dash down the hall and to their room. The door is already left open a crack and I push it fully open.
Anger flows through my veins at the sight in front of me.
My boss is lying on the floor unconscious, blood seeping from his wounds. From the looks of it he’s been stabbed.
At first glance it looks to be Bridget doing this to him, but I’d seen the way she looked at him and she couldn’t have done this to my boss.
Stalking across the room, I drop down to my knees on Dean’s other side and check him for a pulse. I find it there but it’s faint.
“I . . . tried to stop him. I d–didn’t mean f–for this to happen,” Bridget cries.
“Bridget, I need for you to calm down for now. Men are coming up here to help him. We gotta get him to the hospital and you need clothes,” I state firmly.
“I don’t have anything besides my dress,” she says.
“We’ll get you some then,” I grumble.
The door to the room is pushed open and Dean’s men, along with his now father-in-law’s, fill the room. Bridget’s father, Tomás MacDermott, storms in with a furious expression on his face. For a man of his age, you’d think he looked older, but he stands tall and assumes control of any room he’s in. Dean’s father comes in right behind him. MacDermott takes one look at his daughter’s face and pulls her away from Dean to allow us to get him ready for the paramedics who should be here any minute now.
“What happened?” MacDermott demands.
“Kean . . . he saw . . . he w–watched D–Dean and I. P–pulled a gun out. Da . . . I tried to s–stop him. I did. I shot him but he stabbed him. Still, he . . . stabbed Dean,” Bridget stammers.
Kenyon kneels beside me. “You believe her?” he murmurs the question for only me to hear.
I nod my head once, letting him know I do. He’d question her since neither of us know her and our loyalty is to Dean. He’s our number one priority but seeing her reaction to what’s happening and how she was trying to stop the bleeding when I came in, I knew she wasn’t lying.
“Iníon, calm for me. We will fix this,” MacDermott says calmly to his daughter while holding her to him.
The paramedics come in and take over.
Within moments, Dean is loaded up onto a gurney and rushed from the room. If MacDermott weren’t holding onto Bridget, I swear she would have followed right after them.
“Mitch, go with him. We’re following right behind you,” Mr. O’Connell, Dean’s father, announces.
“Yes, sir,” I say and give a curt nod. I already intended to go with Dean. Being his right-hand man, it’s my job to have his back and keep him protected.
“I need to go with him,” Bridget murmurs.
“And you will, iníon. But you need to be dressed in something besides a shirt.” I’m surprised at the softness in MacDermott’s voice as he soothes his daughter.
“Oh,” she utters and glances down at herself. Hands coated in blood as well as the shirt covering her body.
Bridget mutters something under her breath, but I don’t hear it or pay attention to anything else as I follow the paramedics with my boss strapped to the gurney.
Soon as they have him loaded into the back of the ambulance, I hop in and sit out of the way while they work on him.
Dean’s head rolls and his eyes flutter open. He calls out Bridget’s name then passes out once again.
Time stands still while I watch my boss and best friend be worked on. We’ve done a lot of shit together but never once have I had to watch Dean be worked on in order to save his life.
Fuck mo shaol.
Can this trip to Ireland be any more thrilling?
Chapter 12
Bridget
I couldn’t think. All I kept seeing in my mind is Dean lying on the floor bleeding out. I’ve never felt such terror in my life.
Not until today.
Sitting in the hospital waiting room, I’m stuck with such fear I might lose a man I never wanted in the first place. Ironic how only yesterday I didn’t want anything to do with Dean, yet he’s charmed his way in quickly.
“Family of O’Connell?” I lift my head off my knees and stand.
Before my da would
