“Well, I don’t think anything’s happened to her, but I just thought you might want to know she’s in the emergency room.”

His murderous mood, quickly replaced with dread, then annoyance. “What do you mean you don’t think? Weren’t you watching her?”

“Yeah, I was. I was right outside her office. So, was Steve. She walked out with that Luke guy, and they got in his car. So, we followed them. He dropped her off at the emergency room, and she ran in.”

Ran in? “This happened right now?”

“About fifteen minutes ago.”

“And you’re just now calling me?” Alex’s voice thundered.

“Well, Luke parked and didn’t seem too worried when he strolled in. So, I didn’t know what to think.”

Alex squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. “What hospital, Hank?”

After getting off the phone with Hank, Alex filled Romero in on what was going on. He called Valerie a few times. Each time it went to her voicemail. Feeling even more annoyed, he grabbed his keys and headed out.

“Are you telling her about Hank and Steve?” Romero knew Alex well enough to know where he was headed.

“If I have to.”

“You sure that’s a good idea?”

Alex wasn’t, but he was done with the guessing games. He’d get to the bottom of this today. Why was Valerie in the emergency room not answering her phone? And more importantly why the f**k was Luke with her?

“I better go with you.” Romero hurried along side of him.

Alex passed Sal on his way out. Sal followed him out the back door as Alex explained he was gone for the day and got in his truck. Romero jumped in the passenger side.

The more he thought about Valerie and Luke the more he felt like punching something or someone. Maybe it was a good thing Luke was in an emergency room. It might come in handy.

CHAPTER 26

Alex tried Valerie’s phone again. With a grunt, he hung it up when it went to voicemail again. Why the hell wasn’t she answering? Maybe she was hurt. The dread crept through him, overpowering any other emotion. He sped up. Suddenly nothing else mattered. He just had to make sure she was okay.

They pulled into the parking lot and jumped out as soon as they parked. Both of them hurried through the parking lot, Alex’s heart pounding in his chest. He saw them before he entered the emergency room through the sliding glass doors. They were facing the other way, but from behind she appeared to be fine. Then it happened. It was subtle or inconspicuous as Bruce so nicely put it. Luke’s hand touched her neck. Valerie let her head fall back and he massaged it.

Just like that Alex felt ready kill again. The sliding doors opened. Romero must’ve sensed the need to interrupt Valerie’s neck massage. He cleared his throat excessively loud. Both Luke and Valerie turned at the same time.

There was no hiding the bewilderment in Valerie’s expression but most notably the unease in Luke’s.

“What is this, Val?” The jealously finally manifested, taking over any kind self-control or common sense Alex might’ve normally had. He wasn’t thinking straight anymore, but he didn’t care. “Why the hell are his hands on you?”

Romero took a cautious step in between Alex and Luke. Valerie glanced around. Alex knew people were watching. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was that he got the truth. She’d slept with this guy and lied about it. Did she really expect him to just deal with her being around him all day, touching her whenever he felt like it? Like hell.

“What are you talking about, Alex?”

“You don’t think I know about you rushing out to meet up with him for breakfast twice this week? I asked you last night about your day. You told me everything but that. Why?”

Valerie stormed past him out the sliding room door. Alex followed her. “I can’t believe you came here now to make a scene about that. How did you know I was here anyway?”

“Just answer the question, Val. Why are you keeping things from me? Why does he think it’s okay to put his hands on you? ” The more he thought about it the angrier it made him.

Luke stayed inside, a good thing too, because at this point Alex might’ve slammed him against the wall and asked him instead.

Valerie seemed completely puzzled. She shook her head. “You knew, and you didn’t say anything?”

“Because I’ve been waiting for you to tell me, Z! I know everything. I know you slept with him too. You spent the night at his house. Were you ever gonna tell me about that?”

“What!”

He was done with the bullshit. She’d gone crazy on him when she thought he was cheating on her. Now he had every right. There were too many unanswered questions. He was beyond livid. He was ready to explode. “When you met him the morning of the rehearsal, he held your hand. What the f**k was that about?”

Valerie stared at him, her brows pinched. Alex could almost see her mind working. “How do you know that?”

“They told me!” Alex punched his finger toward the parking lot. “They saw everything, Val.”

Valerie tilted her head slightly and glanced out into the parking lot. “Who are they?”

“The guys I have watching you! Can you just answer the damn questions? Why are you keeping things from me?”

Valerie’s eyes opened wide. “You’re spying on me?”

“No—”

“You have people watching me?”

“I had to, Val. Bruce is dangerous. If they hadn’t been watching, the day he showed up at your apartment he could’ve—”