No Strings Attached

Chapter Twenty Eight

It took forty five minutes to drive to the hospital – Tori didn’t follow one single rule of the Highway Code, she just floored it.

Shannon never said a word, her fingers toyed nervously with the strap of her handbag where it sat on her lap. She refused to move it because she’d stored the pistol in there – nothing would stop her getting to Nate, and she had to respect the fact that Jayden was obviously concerned enough to have given it to her in the first place. She’d take it to the heavens if she had to.

They rushed inside after parking up – Tori stopped for a second at reception and said nothing but “Caine”.

The young man at reception looked up softly – his eyes dazzled at the sight of such a beautiful young woman – her mass of pale blonde curls stark and vibrant against her black outfit – violet eyes shimmering with unshed tears, and pointed the two of them to the second waiting room at the end of the hall. Shannon followed behind – her cream Uggs moving soundlessly over the white floors – why did they always have to make a hospital white – so that it became a haunting, fucked up parallel heaven?

Jayden was alone in the waiting room – hunched in his chair with his palms gripping the back of his neck. He raised his eyes the second he heard Tori’s heels clacking against the echoing floors – his face full of despair.

“Now you can talk,” Tori ordered quietly, throwing her coat over one of the plastic chairs, before leading Shannon down to sit with her. She’d broken down when she saw Jayden’s face, her arms clasped around her stomach as she doubled over with the force of her tears.

“Someone ran him off the road according to the footage on the security cameras,” he blew out his breath forcefully, “The car’s mangled – it’s a write off.”

“And him?” Shannon begged desperately, “Please tell me he’s okay!”

Jayden came forward to his knees, taking Shannon’s hands between his own, and ducking his head to catch her eyes.

“He’s unconscious. Has been since I found him – there is some internal bleeding, and one of his lungs has collapsed,” Shannon choked out some protests – mascara drenching her eyes, “But Shan ... listen to me, Shannon! Nobody is stronger than Nate is physically – he’ll get through it. He just needs to rest and let his body recover – you know I’m right. He’s not going to leave you without a fight honey, trust me!”

Every nerve ending in her body shook as she looked into Jayden’s eyes, and she felt his resolve – she felt the absolute certainty behind his words. As though with tremulous hands, her subconscious clung to that look – to that resolve – because right now it seemed the only thing she had that gave her any reason to take the next breath. Any strength that she gathered, she took from his words.

“Who was it?” Tori said quietly, “Sebastienne?”

Jay nodded meekly, his hand running across the dishevelled stubble that was now littering his features – bringing with it a gaunt exhaustion in his dark skin.

“I think so,” hesitantly he glanced back at Shannon, whose shoulders seemed a little more able to take the weight of his next words, “The Russians – they were asking around on him – putting out feelers. I think Sebastienne took the bounty.” He finished quietly – as though somehow the volume would make it easier.

“The bounty?” Tori’s eyes narrowed – dark and intense in an amethyst storm. She carried her brother’s spirit for that moment, it was clear to both of them, “Sebastienne took a hit on my brother?”

Jayden got a chill at the sound of her voice – it was ice cold, and somehow detached, although he knew she never could be that in this situation. Anger was driving her – stone cold, blood thirsty fury. His heart ached for it.