Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Several hours later found them in a partitioned room in Danbury Memorial’s ER. Ainsley had a butterfly bandage taped over the laceration above her right temple and her other, smaller scrapes had been cleaned and covered as well.

Unbidden, Dare’s hands curled into fists at his sides. He couldn’t get the sight of her ragged, torn flesh out of his mind. It replayed on loop over and over, serving only to increase his fury. Thank God she’d taken a step to the side when she had. Just a few inches to the side and the bullet would’ve pierced her heart instead of grazing her arm.

Dare wasn’t a fool; bad things happened everywhere. But this was his town. Over the past couple of hours he’d played several possibilities through his mind. It could’ve been a random drive-by shooting, though he seriously doubted it. The bullet could’ve been intended for him, but that didn’t quite feel right, either. Which left one option: that Ainsley had been the intended victim all along.

His focus returned to Ainsley, who listened intently as the nurse held out a sheet of instructions to care for the wound. “No showers for twenty-four hours, and make sure to check for infection when you change the bandages.”

“I appreciate it.” She offered a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Dare glanced at the nurse. “Will she be okay?”

“No major injuries, just a laceration along with some bumps and scrapes.” The nurse directed his words at Ainsley. “Keep your abrasions covered for the next week or so and you’ll be good as new. If you have some at home, Neosporin will help the healing process and minimize scarring.”

He turned back to Dare. “Your girlfriend will be fine in a few days, just make sure she takes it easy in the meantime.”

He didn’t bother to correct the guy and instead offered a small nod. “Thank you.”

The nurse smiled. “I’m going to get her aftercare instructions, then you two can get out of here.”

Dare thanked the nurse and made sure the curtain was pulled shut before turning back to Ainsley. Her gaze was focused on the industrial-style linoleum floor, and he watched her for a long moment before speaking. She looked utterly calm. Too calm. “You holding up okay?”

She nodded listlessly. “I’m fine.”

Stepping forward, right into her field of vision, he squatted in front of her, then waited for her to meet his gaze. She blinked at him, her expression carefully blank, mask back in place. He recognized that look already, and he hated it. “The truth.”

She lifted one shoulder. “Just tired. And sore. I’ll be okay.”

He captured one small hand and drew it between his own. “I know you’ll be okay; you’re strong,” he acknowledged. “But if you ever need anything… I’m here. You can always come to me.”

For a moment, her eyes filled with pain so acute that he could feel it as it sliced through his heart. In those bright blue depths, he saw fear and worry and something else he couldn’t quite name.

Dare gritted his molars together. Goddamn it. If there was ever a woman who needed support, it was her. He wanted so fucking badly to pull her into his arms and hold her tight. But he couldn’t.

Ainsley would never ask for help, and he had a feeling that any sort of physical intimacy—innocent or otherwise—would drive her further away. The last thing he wanted was for her to pull away from him. She was in danger, and he needed to keep her with him, where she would be safe.

He settled for resting one hand on her shoulder and giving her a gentle squeeze. “Everything’s going to be okay. I’ve got my guys working on it. We’ll figure out what happened.”

As he knew she would, she dabbed at her eyes with her fingers as she leaned away, distancing herself both physically and emotionally.

Despite every instinct screaming not to, Dare allowed her to retreat. For now. There was a lot going on in her head and her heart at the moment, and she needed time to come to terms with all of it.

He pushed to his feet. “We’ll get those prescriptions filled on the way home. Then you can get some rest.”

She didn’t look at him, and Dare’s gut twisted. He hated seeing her like this. He hadn’t yet brought up the possibility of who might be responsible, and he didn’t want to upset the fragile balance they’d achieved.

“I’m going to go wash up. Will you be okay ’til I get back?”

She smiled a little. “Take your time.”

In the small bathroom, Dare splashed cold water over his arms, scrubbing away the dirt and grime from the sidewalk, and the small smears of Ainsley’s blood that clung to him. A few small scratches stung as he soaped them, but it was nothing that required medical attention.

He gripped the edges of the sink and drew in a deep breath. Ainsley had been through so much, and the last thing she needed was to see the anger simmering just beneath his calm exterior.

He dried his hands and face, then made his way back down the hallway. As he approached Ainsley’s room, he moved quietly, not wanting to disturb her if she was resting. He peered around the curtain, and the sight that greeted him stopped him cold.

Ainsley was standing in front of the small mirror above the sink, lifting her shirt to check the bruises along her ribs and back. Dare’s breath caught in his throat as he saw the dark, mottled marks that stood out against her pale skin.

A grimace pulled at his lips. She’d apparently fallen a lot harder than he’d initially assumed. As he studied the bruises, he noticed something strange. The marks seemed to be grouped together, placed almost strategically, as if?—

Good Christ.

His heart slammed against his ribs. As he looked closer, the suspicion twisting in the back of his mind intensified. The colors were all wrong. These weren’t fresh bruises; they were old, faded to a sickening palette of yellow and green.

Rage surged through him as the truth solidified in his mind, hitting him like a punch to the gut. Each mark on her body was a testament of the pain and fear she’d been living with for far too long. Dare dropped the curtain back into place and clenched his fists, tamping down the fury that threatened to erupt.

When he had his emotions firmly under control, he called out softly to get her attention. “Ainsley?”

“Come in.”

He forced a smile as he pulled back the curtain and stepped into the room. Ainsley turned to face him, her eyes wide with a mix of embarrassment and fear that she’d been caught.

“I’m surprised the nurse isn’t back yet,” he said conversationally. “Hopefully we’ll get out of here soon so you can go home and rest.”

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I hope so.”

Dare swallowed hard as he studied her. He wanted to reach out, to comfort her, but he held back, giving her the space she needed.

He busied himself instead with arranging for one of his deputies to bring his truck to the hospital. It was ready and waiting for them a half hour later when Ainsley was finally released. They made a brief stop at the pharmacy to get her prescription filled, then headed out to the parking garage.

Ainsley stuck close to his side as he guided her toward the truck and unlocked the door. Her mobility was hampered by the injury to her arm, so Dare opened the passenger door for her, then lifted her easily into the passenger seat. In this position their faces were almost even. He studied her surreptitiously as he reached across her torso and buckled her into the seat. She twisted her hands in her lap, looking everywhere but at him, and Dare closed the door with a sigh.

He’d give her some space for now, certain that was what she needed. He hoped that once this blew over, she’d come clean with him and tell him the truth.