Savage Redemption (The Caraksay Brotherhood #10)

Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

R osie

What’s going on? What should I do?

I’m in a daze when I stumble back into my room in the castle. Eva is there, with Erin perched on her lap leafing through a toddler’s board book. It’s one of Erin’s favourites, with bright colours in and different textures for her to touch.

“Ah, there you are.” Eva glances up at me. “Do you know where your father got to?”

I shake my head and sink onto a sofa. “Is she all right? After the fire, I mean. All the smoke…”

“Oh, she’s fine. And ready for her dinner, I expect, after all that excitement. Shall we go down to the kitchen, see if Mrs McRae needs any help?”

“What? Oh, right. Yes, you go. I can take her…” I hold out my arms.

“Are you sure? You look to be in shock, pale as a ghost.” She peers suspiciously at me. “Are you quite certain you didn’t inhale any fumes?”

“No, no, I’m fine. Really. It was all just a bit…”

“Dramatic?”

Yes. And the rest.

“That poor man. And that little boy. I hope they’re both okay.” She hands Erin to me and heads for the door. “I’ll see if there’s any more news when I get downstairs. Are you sure you won’t come?”

I shake my head and pick up the discarded picture book. “We have colours to learn. We’ll be busy for a while, but I may pop down later.”

She slants me a smile and hurries off, leaving me with my churning thoughts.

I settle Erin beside me on the sofa, the book clasped in her hands. It’s upside down, but she doesn’t seem to mind, which is just as well as my head is whirling.

What was Adan thinking? He could have been killed. Still might, if Ethan Savage works out who the unconscious man in his clinic really is.

And why does that bother me quite so much as it does? Adan is my enemy, my father says so, and he knows what’s best. Adan San Antonio means me harm, and Erin. We’re here, on Caraksay, hiding from him.

I should tell Ethan what I know, who Carlos di Costa really is. That’s the right thing to do, surely. He can protect us. Adan won’t be able to do us any harm.

Except… I don’t believe he is dangerous. Well, not to me or Erin. He said so, didn’t he? And he never lied to me before. He… he took care of me.

And now, he might die. Might already be dead, for all I know. He looked bad, really bad. I bite back a sob.

I don’t want Adan San Antonio to die.

I… I love him. Or something similar. Possibly.

I like him. I care about him. I’m grateful to him and I want him to survive, to be okay.

I leap to my feet. I need to see him. Now. I need to know he’s alive.

I scoop up my baby and her picture book and head for the door.

I spot the site forewoman, I think she’s called Bex, and Tony Haigh, one of Ethan’s top generals just leaving the clinic as I approach. I duck out of sight and wait for them to pass. The door to the clinic is unlocked, so I slip inside and pause to listen. I hear footsteps and a scraping sound from one of the rooms off the tiny waiting area, then the low murmur of voices. Megan, talking to Nataliya. The girl replies, her voice raspy.

I wait for a moment, then, shushing Erin, I creep towards the other treatment room. I try the door. It’s unlocked, obviously. I slip inside.

Adan is lying in the bed, on his back, his eyes closed. An oxygen mask covers his lower face, and a drip is suspended above him, discharging a clear fluid into his arm. I gasp at the sight of the bandages on his hands and feet, but otherwise he appears peaceful. He could just be asleep, ready to wake up at any time.

There’s a chair beside the bed, and I drop onto it. I reach for his hand, think better of it, and lay my fingers on his wrist instead.

“Adan,” I whisper. “Can you hear me?”

Erin chunters her contribution.

I watch his features, scanning for the slightest signs of recognition, of returning consciousness.

“Adan, it’s me. Rosa. And… and Erin is here, too. Come to see her daddy.” I’m scanning his face for anything, the most minute sign that he knows I’m here. Anything. Anything at all.

His features remain deathly still, the only sound the faint whoosh of the oxygen mask and the sporadic beep of the machine monitoring his heartbeat. I glance up at the technology, but none of it means anything to me.

“You idiot,” I murmur. “You were almost killed. Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to rush into burning buildings? You saved those kids, though. You’re a hero, and Ethan will realise that. He has to. But even so, best he doesn’t know who you are or why you’re really here. I won’t tell anyone, I swear. Just… just you get better, you hear me?”

Did his hand twitch? Just briefly?

I hold my breath.

“Adan, I?—”

“Rosie?”

I leap up, whirl around. Megan is outlined in the doorway, flanked by two guards.

“What are you doing here, Rosie?” She bustles in to check her patient. “How did you even get in?”

“The… the door was unlocked,” I stammer. “I was just…”

“You were speaking to him. In Spanish.”

Spanish? Was I? I hadn’t even realised, but it had felt natural to slip back into that. We always spoke in Spanish.

“How did you know he speaks Spanish?” the doctor asks. “Do you know him?”

I shake my head. “No, no, I don’t know him. I just thought, maybe… I was worried about him. And Nataliya, too, obviously.”

“She’s in the next room, if you were thinking of visiting her, too.”

“Right. Yes, yes, of course.”

“You’ll have to leave now, miss. He’s not allowed visitors. Boss’s orders.” One of the guards has stepped forward and is ready to escort me out.

“Yes, I’m going. Sorry, sorry to have bothered you, Megan.”

She bows her head and watches me leave, the guard on my heels. Out in the waiting area, he asks if I want to drop in on Nataliya, so I thank him and pop my head around her door.

“Are you up to visitors?”

“Oh, yes. Come in.”

I spend a tense ten minutes or so making conversation, most of which is dominated by her account of her recent ordeal. Any doubts I might have had regarding Adan’s part in the rescue are dispelled. Nataliya is singing his praises. Well, croaking them. He really is a hero, and she’s keen for everyone to know it.

“I was so scared. I was trying to drag Andrej out, but I just couldn’t and… I don’t know what I’d have done if he hadn’t come.”

“Did you tell Ethan that?”

“Yes, yes, I think I did.”

I nod. “Good, because you know how he is about strangers on the island.”

“Well, yes, but he’s right. We do have to be careful.”

“I know.” She’s only a kid, I don’t mean to put her on the spot. “Sorry. Look, I have to go, I need to get Erin fed. I can come back soon, though. If you like.”

“That would be nice. And please, bring Erin. I think Megan will let me out of here by tomorrow, but I don’t know where I’ll be living. Our cottage is all burned down.”

I give her a hug. “I wouldn’t worry about that. Just you concentrate on getting better.”

I leave the clinic under the watchful gaze of the guard and Megan, still confused over how I feel about Adan, but at least I do believe he’s in good hands.

There’s nothing else I can do but sit tight and wait. And hope Ethan doesn’t opt to err on the side of caution.