Reluctant Prince. Dani-Lyn Alexander
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the woman pushed the clattering cart into the hallway, Mia coughed.
Using the sounds as cover, Ryleigh buried her face in Mia’s hair. “Did you tell them anything?” Unsure if the soft whisper of sound had reached her sister, she held her breath and waited for an answer.
The quick, discreet shake of Mia’s head allowed her to relax. She dropped back against the stretcher. With Mia’s weight pressed firmly against her and the knowledge that they were safe for the moment, she allowed her eyes to drift closed.
The kind nurse kept up an incessant stream of chatter, the sound merging with the background noise of the emergency department and creating a steady buzz in Ryleigh’s already pounding head. She tried to block the racket, the pain, the fear.
Letting her mind drift brought visions of the tall, dark stranger who’d disappeared once again. Had she imagined him?
Images of the second stranger intruded, ratcheted up the tension level, tightened her muscles,
Mia shifted.
The movement sent a bolt of pain through Ryleigh’s head. “Ugh.”
“You okay?”
Ryleigh caught the raw fear in Mia’s eyes.
“Of course, I’m okay.”
The tears spilled over and poured down Mia’s cheeks. She turned her face into Ryleigh’s chest and wept.
“It’s all right, baby. I’m fine.” She rubbed Mia’s back, smoothed her hair. Poor baby.
“I…was…” She sniffed, struggled to gain control. “I was so scared.”
“Baby, calm down. I’m here, everything’s all right now.”
“I thought you wouldn’t find me. Then I thought you were going to…” Sobs shook her tiny, fragile body.
“Oh, honey.” Ryleigh used her sleeve to wipe away her own tears. “I’m sorry. Nothing’s going to happen to me.”
Mia lifted her head, her eyebrows drawn together, anger coloring her cheeks. “You can’t know that, and you can’t promise me that.”
Ryleigh grabbed a box of tissues from the counter, pulled out a couple, and handed the rest of the box to Mia. Her parents would have done anything to stay with their children. Her grandmother’s fight had been desperate, but futile, as she struggled to hold on until Ryleigh was old enough to be Mia’s guardian. She sighed. “Look. I can’t promise you nothing will ever happen to me, but I can promise I’ll be here for you as long as I live. Always. I’ll never leave you, baby, and there’s no way I would have left that building without finding you first. So no more worries. Deal? It’s just you and me now. We’ll always take care of each other. Right?”
A half smile almost reached Mia’s eyes. She nodded and threw herself back into Ryleigh’s arms.
Ryleigh kissed her head. “Love you, little sis.”
“Me too, big sis.”
* * * *
The sisters’ conversation touched Jackson in a way he couldn’t possibly comprehend, and raised protective instincts foreign to him. He had little experience with emotions, much less the barrage threatening to drown him. He leaned his head back against the wall and swallowed the lump blocking his throat. What was wrong with him? Perhaps his father had been right to banish him. He was weak.
A nurse hurried past.
He shoved away from the wall and pushed the wheelchair into the cubicle she had just left.
The two girls lay tangled together on the gurney, eyes closed, vulnerable.
Anger crushed the self-pity he’d allowed to take root. No one had the right to take either of these girls from the other. He had to get Ryleigh out of there and figure out how he could save her, if she would even go with him. She’d been in such a hurry to leave before, but now she’d found her sister, her urgency had probably lessened or disappeared completely.
He cleared his throat, loath to disturb them yet desperate to get them to safety.
Ryleigh’s eyes fluttered open. “Hi.” Her smile filled her eyes. “Nice outfit.”
His heart stuttered. He’d forgotten he’d snatched a set of scrubs from a utility closet and thrown them over his clothes. “Thanks.” He grinned and pushed the wheelchair to the side of the stretcher. “Is this your sister?”
Even in sleep, the young girl whimpered and stirred.
“Yes. This is Mia.” She studied the girl with affection, smoothed her tangled hair.
“Is she all right?” His level of concern for the child surprised him.
“Yes, thank you. She wasn’t hurt, just scared.”
Jackson wanted to reach out to the little girl and smooth her tousled hair as well. He ignored the instinct. “She’s had a hard day.”
Her soft, husky laughter filled the room, flowed through his body, teased his very soul. “You don’t know the half of it.”
He shook off the urge to climb onto the bed beside them and wrap them in his protective embrace. “Well, I guess I’m too late to help you make your escape?”
She scowled. “Well, actually…” She chewed on her lower lip.
A shiver coursed through him. He resisted the impulse to smooth her brow.
“I was still thinking of taking Mia home,” she whispered and looked past him.
Relief flooded him. “Do you want a hand?” Goose bumps prickled along the back of his neck, and he glanced over his shoulder. He had to get them out of there, now. Why, though? There should be no immediate danger, yet…
She shrugged, searching his gaze, and pulled her sister closer.
He hadn’t even told her his name, didn’t know her name. How could he expect her to trust him? “I’m sorry, I haven’t properly introduced myself. I’m Jackson Maynard, and you are?” He extended his hand.
“Ryleigh Donnovan.” She placed her hand in his, and it sizzled. A small shower of sparks ignited. She flinched back. “What the…”
A pleasant warmth spread through his palm and up his arm. What the hell was going on? He forced a laugh and answered with a shrug. “Static electricity? Weird, huh?”
She stared at him, searched his eyes, probed deeply, and then shrugged. “Yeah, weird.” This time her laughter was more nervous than genuine.
“Anyway, why do you want to get out of here so badly?” It didn’t matter to him either way, as long as she wanted to go, but he wanted her a little more at ease with him so she wouldn’t bolt the minute she got the chance. He also hoped she’d ignore the whole sparking incident.
She looked past him again, put a shaky hand to her mouth, and chewed on a fingernail. “I’m exhausted, and I just want to go home.”
“Will the doctor release you?” He moved the wheelchair aside to study the IV set up.
“Probably not. He said I still need x-rays.”
He gestured to the IV. “I’m going to have to remove this if you want to get out of here.”
She nodded and held her arm out, her eyes continuously scanning the emergency room. What was she looking for?
He angled to allow himself a view of the doorway as he pulled the tape from her arm, slid the needle free, and grabbed a fresh gauze pad from the tray. “Here press this against your arm. We’re going to have to hurry.”
Her gaze shot to the doorway as she straightened. “Mia, you have to wake up now.” Ryleigh shook her sister’s shoulder.
Mia jumped, startled.
“We