Page 25 of Karma

Dare wasn’t aware of anything around him except the injured woman on the ground. Heart in his throat, he bent his head close to hers. “Liza?”

She didn’t respond.

“Baby, you with me?” He stroked his hand down her cheek, unable to believe the fear that had settled deep in his gut.

Memories of another time Brian had taken someone out with his fist came flying at him, the image of Stuart Rossman hitting the ground, the sound of his head cracking against the floor reverberating in his head.

“Let me through.” The guy Dare had seen Liza with earlier stepped forward.

“She needs space,” Cara said, immediately blocking the man from getting near Liza.

“She came here with me,” the man said.

“But I’m taking over from here.” Dare spoke low, his tone dark even to his own ears.

“Jeff, let’s go. You can check on her later,” a redhead said to him.

“But—”

“No buts,” Cara said in cop mode.

Dare owed her one.

“We’re leaving,” the other woman with Jeff promised.

Liza’s sudden moan of pain caught Dare’s attention. She was conscious. “Liza?” Dare asked.

He glanced at her pale face as her eyes opened. “Brian. I need to get to Brian.”

“He’s being taken care of,” Dare said, keeping his voice level and calm. If he expressed even half of the anger he was feeling toward her sibling, she wouldn’t want anything to do with him. And right now, he desperately wanted to be with her and make sure she was okay.

“I need to see him.” Liza lifted her head but winced and stopped the sudden movement.

Dare settled cross-legged beside her and gently moved her head into his lap. “The paramedics are on their way,” he assured her, hoping he was right.

“So is Alexa,” Cara said. “She okay?” Cara gestured to Liza.

“I think so,” Dare said. But he wasn’t. He was grateful Liza couldn’t stand because Dare would lay odds his own legs wouldn’t be steady just yet.

“I’m fine,” Liza murmured. She wasn’t moving her head, but at least she was talking and coherent.

“How’s the pain?” he asked.

“Better.” But her unshed tears proved that claim was a lie.

“You know, if you wanted my attention, all you had to do was ask. Getting hit by a flying fist is a little extreme.” He forced out the joke with a grin and was rewarded with a small smile. Followed by another wince.

“What happened?” Alexa knelt, her doctor bag in her hand.

“She was hit by someone about to throw a ball at the tank,” Dare said.

Liza ran her tongue over her lips. “It was an accident,” she said.

Dare clenched his jaw at her explanation but said nothing to contradict her. He kept his mouth shut while Alexa checked Liza’s pupil dilation, asked her questions, took her blood pressure, and generally made sure she was okay.

“Can you sit up?” the doctor asked.

Liza attempted a nod but clearly regretted it. Instead, she allowed Alexa to gently lift her into a sitting position.