rising pulse.
“What are you doing here?” she asked. Looking around, realizing she was in the hospital, she added, “What am I doing here?”
“I came as soon as I got the call,” Ryan said, his low, deep timbre wrapping around her. An emotion flickered behind his eyes that she couldn’t immediately pinpoint. At six foot two with the muscled body of an athlete, Ryan could take care of himself and anyone else around. She told herself that was the reason him being there comforted her...but comforted her from what?
Reality dawned on her as a full-body shiver rocked her. She’d been attacked by Beckett Alcorn, son of the most prominent man in town. His father had recently been named a person of interest in the fifteen-year-old kidnapping case that had rocked the small tight-knit community of Mason Ridge, Texas. News broke yesterday that Charles Alcorn had escaped before questioning and a manhunt was under way to find him.
Fear seized her, cramping her stomach. What if Beckett came back? No one would suspect him, the grieving and confused son. Too bad she couldn’t tell Ryan what had actually happened, what she really knew. She’d done her part. She hadn’t told a soul what Beckett Alcorn had done to her. So why was he trying to deliver on a fifteen-year-old threat now?
“Who else has been here?” She glanced at the door.
“Our friends. Your sister.” The questioning look he gave her reminded her that she couldn’t afford to give away her true emotions. No one could know about Beckett.
“What really happened to you?” The sight of Ryan—his gray-blue eyes and hawk-like nose set on a face of hard angles softened by rich, thick, curly dark brown hair—settled her fried nerves enough to let her think clearly.
Beckett had misjudged her this time. She’d distracted him long enough to escape. He’d be better prepared next time. Lisa and her family were in grave danger and she needed a plan.
“A guy came out of nowhere and jumped me. I’m guessing they didn’t catch him.” Playing dumb with Ryan was her only choice. Otherwise, Beckett would hurt her sister or nephew as he’d promised.
“Must not’ve.” Ryan’s cell buzzed, his gaze followed hers to the door. “People have been dropping by or calling every half hour to check on you.”
“Where’s my sister?” Panic beat rapid-fire against her ribs.
“At work. Said she’ll stop by when she gets off at three.” His dark eyebrow arched.
Lori would be safe as long as she was in a public place. Beckett would strike in the dark when she was alone. Lisa had to make sure that didn’t happen. She tried to sit up, but her arms gave and her head pounded.
“Hold on there. Where do you think you’re going?” Ryan asked. His suspicion at her reaction evidenced in his tone.
“Nowhere like this.” She tried to adjust to a more comfortable position.
“Do you know who did this to you?”
“No. Of course not,” she said a little too quickly. It was true that she didn’t remember much after escaping. Her mind was as fuzzy as her vision. One thing was crystal clear. Ryan asking questions was a bad idea. She needed to redirect the conversation. “How’d I end up in the hospital?”
“You crawled into the street as Abigail Whitefield drove past on Highway 7. She stopped and called 911 on the spot.”
“I’ll have to stop by and thank her on my way home,” Lisa said, wincing. Speaking shot stabbing pains through her chest.
“The deputy wants a statement. He’s been waiting for you to wake up.” Ryan’s cell phone buzzed. He checked the screen and then responded with a text.
“Everything okay?” she asked.
“It’s work. It’ll hold,” he said without looking at her.
She’d heard that his construction business had been booming. “How long have I been out?”
“Just a day.” He chewed on a toothpick.
“What?” She tried to sit up again with similar results, pain forcing her to still.
“Whoa, take it easy there. You shouldn’t try to move until the doctor checks you,” Ryan said, locating and then pressing the nurse’s call button before tossing the toothpick in the trash. There was compassion in his eyes and sympathy in his tone, and for some reason she didn’t like either. She didn’t want to be the one he pitied. She wanted to be something else to him, something more meaningful than a friend. The thought appeared as out of the blue as a spring thunderstorm in north Texas. Both could be dangerous. They’d known each other since they were kids. Besides, relationships were too risky and Lisa didn’t go there with anyone.
But it was Ryan, a little voice inside her head protested—a voice she quickly silenced.
Waking in the hospital was messing with her head. Her nerves were fried and she was reaching for comfort. And those thoughts about Ryan were as productive as harvesting burned corn.
“I just need a minute to clear my head. I’ll be okay.” The last thing she remembered was seeing Beckett’s face as she ripped off his ski mask while he was trying to strangle her. He’d panicked for a split second, which had given her the window of opportunity she needed to push him away, kick him in the groin and run. Lisa was lucky to be alive.
“We’ll find the person who did this to you. He won’t get away with it. You have my word.” Ryan’s voice was barely a whisper, but there was no mistaking the underlying threat in his tone. “In the meantime, the doctor or nurse should make sure you’re okay.”
“So, what’s the verdict so far? Have you spoken to anyone?” She scanned her arms for bruising, remembering the viselike grip that had been clamped around them. Black and blue marks were painted up and down both. “I’m guessing I have cracked ribs based on how painful it is to breathe.”
“Let me go find that nurse.” He made a move to stand, but Lisa grabbed his arm, ignoring the piercing pain.
“Please stay.” The words came out more desperate-sounding than she’d planned. “It’s just nice to see a friendly face.” She added the last part to cover, praying he believed her. In truth, she was scared to be alone in her current condition.
Ryan followed her gaze to the door again.
“I’m not going anywhere.” When his gray-blue eyes intensified, they looked like steel.
She didn’t want to acknowledge the relief flooding her or how much his presence sent tingles of awareness deep in her stomach. Whatever spark he might’ve felt had to be long gone by now, replaced with sincere friendship. He showed no signs of experiencing the same electricity humming through her when she touched his arm. Maybe if she’d handled things differently between them years ago...
A young dark-haired nurse wearing glasses and aqua scrubs entered the room, shuffling to Lisa’s side.
“I’m Shelly. How are you feeling today?”
“Good, considering I’ve been dead to the world for the past twenty-four hours.”
“You’ve
