Page 57 of Be Courageous
Monty shrugged nonchalantly, giving no indication at all that he wore a microphone synched by Bluetooth to Ben’s camera. “I won’t be pressing any charges, Len. Let’s just let bygones be bygones.”
Katz’s dark-gray eyes narrowed at the intentional use of his first name. “Same thing goes with the journalist,” he tacked on. “You mess with me, and she’ll be the first person to disappear.”
Nice. The threat had to be a misdemeanor at least.
“I hear you. We’d like her back now.”
With a smirk on his handsome face, Katz pulled open the rear door. Tony’s heart soared at the familiar sight of Ruby’s copper curls, only her head was lolling, like she was sleeping sitting up. He rushed to her side.
“Bella!” Ducking into the car, he lifted her chin to gauge her condition. His training as a medic kicked in. The minor laceration on her cheek made his blood boil, but it was nothing. Her eyes were slightly open, like she was struggling to wake up. Their glassiness suggested sedation.
He pulled his head out of the car. “What did you give her to knock her out?”
Katz’s shrug was an imitation of Monty’s. “No idea. My assistant was responsible.”
Biting his tongue against a retort, Tony ducked back into the car, freed Ruby from her seat belt, then scooped her up like a baby and pulled her out, leaving her purse for Monty to recover. Without a backward glance, he marched toward the nearest bench, where he sat with Ruby still in his arms, her head heavy on his shoulder. “I’m here, Bella.”
A small part of him was aware of Katz’s immediate departure, of Monty clasping Ruby’s purse as he came to stand over them. “Does she need a doctor?”
Tony, upon checking her pulse, had found her wrist swollen and discolored. His temples throbbed with fury. Palpitating her other wrist, he was comforted by the steady pulsing of her vein beneath his fingertips. He was conscious of Ben joining them, shucking off the ghillie suit that had kept him camouflaged.
He caught Tony’s helpless gaze. “We’ve got some great footage.”
Ruby’s eyelashes fluttered, garnering Tony’s full attention, especially as she mumbled his name, her tongue clearly impaired by the sedative. “I’m sowuh.”
Sorry?The word arrested him from counting her heartbeats. A fat tear rolled out of the corner of one eye.
“It’s okay. You’re safe now, Bella. No one’s going to hurt you again.”
At his assertion, her face crumpled into a picture of misery. With a cluck of dismay, he adjusted his hold on her, then lifted her in his arms, intending to take her home.
“Wait.” Monty threw a hand up. “She’s bleeding. There’s blood on your pants.”
Horror electrified Tony. He sat abruptly on the bench again, searching automatically for a wound and discovering the lining of her coat was drenched. She was bleedingdown there. But he knew exactly when she got her monthly flow and that would have happened over a week ago, though come to think of it, he couldn’t remember it happening any time recently.
He lifted a stricken gaze at Monty, whose expression had turned thunderous.
“Yeah.” Tony’s voice was like gravel. “She needs a doctor.”
* * *
Ruby kept her eyes closed, feigning sleep, even though the effects of the tranquilizer had worn off completely. Her sprained wrist throbbed within the bandage that now kept it immobile. The sounds of the bustling hospital, audible through her closed door, assured her she was safe, reunited with Tony, whom she couldn’t bring herself to even look at.
Her pregnancy was a thing of the past. How had something she hadn’t wanted at first become so precious to her? And now it was gone. Her joy lay in a dark and muddy puddle, and the fault was entirely her own.
She didn’t have to open her eyes to know that Tony was sitting in the reclining chair next to her, brooding as he waited for her to wake up. Only if she woke up, she would have to explain to him why she’d kept their baby a secret.
Just talk to him, you coward.She owed him an explanation. She owed him way more than that, but it was too late now.
Dreading the conversation to come, she drew a bracing breath, opened her eyes, and rolled her head on the pillow to meet his bloodshot gaze.
Gosh, if he lookedthatbad with deep brackets around his mouth and dark circles under his eyes, she would hate to see herself right then. “Hey.” Her voice was like sandpaper.
“Hey, yourself. How’re you feelin’?” His chocolate-brown eyes bored into hers.
“Sore.” She swallowed against a dry throat. “Could I have a drink of water?”
“Sure.” He stood and held the large plastic cup for Ruby to sip out of through a straw. As she nursed the chilled water from the straw, she tried to think of what to say.