“I just wondered if having Ramie and Ari here would help. I mean make her feel more at ease,” Beau added. “I’m sure it was startling to wake up in the hospital and have a bunch of surly-ass, pissed-off men in her room.”

“No way,” Zack said emphatically. “No fucking way. No way I’d risk them like that. I can’t believe you’d even suggest something like that. Caleb would lose his damn mind.”

“Just hear me out,” Beau said, holding his hands up. “Of course we’d have heavy guard, and those fucking bastards are cowards anyway. They won’t show their heads in public or broad daylight. They do their shit off the grid and in the shadows. And if it helped ease Gracie’s fears and convinced her you weren’t going to murder her in her sleep, then it would be worth it, don’t you think?”

“I think it’s a bad idea,” Zack said stubbornly. “And even if we wanted to do it, Caleb would never agree. Hell, can you imagine if Ramie accidentally touched Gracie? Or if Gracie touched her, not knowing what it would do? Then not only will Gracie have gone through hell, but then Ramie will experience that same hell.”

“True,” Beau grudgingly admitted. “I hadn’t thought of that. Still, there has to be something we can do. When Gracie is released from this place, she isn’t going to want your help and she’s an absolute target. Short of kidnapping her, I don’t see what you can do.”

“I will kidnap her,” Zack said fiercely. “She already hates me. If making sure she stays alive until we bring down these assholes means she hates me more, then I can live with that. As long as she’s alive to hate me.”

Beau rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “Okay, so we won’t bring the girls here. But I still think it’s a good idea to get them together with Gracie as soon as possible. This has clusterfuck written all over it.”

Zack mused a moment, glancing back through the doorway at Gracie a second time to make sure she was still resting quietly.

“There’s also the issue of Sterling,” Zack said, a foul taste in his mouth at the mere mention of the other man’s name. “I doubt the bastard will just stay away. They’re involved even though he says not romantically. But it would appear he keeps close tabs on her or at least has more than a passing acquaintance, so I’d expect him to roll in before she’s discharged.”

“I’ll get a man on him to monitor his comings and goings. At least you’ll get somewhat of a heads-up if he heads this way.”

“Lizzie is working on getting me another place to stay. I’m not going back to my apartment. The security there sucks. Ramie and Ari could come then as long as we have all safety measures in place.”

Beau nodded. “That’s a good idea. Let me know when Eliza finds you something. I’ll make sure it’s furnished and stocked with groceries and I’ll damn sure tighten security so you’ll know when an ant farts on the property.”

A light sound came from Gracie’s bed. Zack jerked around to see her stirring. The frown and strain were back on her face and she turned restlessly, a small sigh escaping her swollen lips.

Answering pain registered in Zack’s chest. He should be there at her bedside comforting her. Touching and holding her. Not be on the opposite end of the room because he couldn’t bear to see so much fear in her eyes when she looked at him. When she would look at him, that is. So far she’d avoided his gaze except for a very few times. As if she couldn’t bear to look at him.

“I’m going to run,” Beau said in a low voice. “But I’ll check back periodically. Text or call me if anything goes down or you need anything. And I’ll send Eliza over with dinner for you and Gracie, provided she feels up to eating. Maybe having Eliza here will ease some of Gracie’s fears.”

“Good idea,” Zack said. “I should have thought about her when you suggested bringing Ramie and Ari. But make damn sure Eliza doesn’t come alone. I’m not disrespecting her or her skills in the least, but I don’t want her going solo while these nut jobs are gunning for us.”

“No, I agree absolutely. I’d rather none of us fly solo anytime soon. They obviously have a hard-on for anyone remotely involved with DSS so all bets are off and I wouldn’t assume anyone is safe.”

“I want these guys, Beau,” Zack said in a low, fierce tone. “I want their blood.”

“You’ll get it if I have anything to do with it,” Beau vowed. “I have a few shots of my own to get in for what they did and tried to do to Ari.”

“Make damn sure she isn’t blaming herself,” Zack said.

Beau nodded and then clapped a hand over Zack’s shoulder.

“Okay, then I’m out of here right now. Seeing Gracie makes me want to get back to Ari and reassure myself she’s okay. This scares me, Zack,” Beau admitted. “If anything happened to Ari . . .”

“I get it,” Zack said in turn. “Believe me, I get it. Hey, do me a favor. When you call Eliza about dinner, ask her to buzz me on her way up so I can step outside to talk to her.”

“Will do,” Beau said. He blew out a long breath. “I’m sorry about this, man. Everything. I know it has to suck. I wish to hell there was something I could do—some way to help.”

“You can. By helping bring down the people who did this to her. I won’t rest until every last one of them is six feet under. Preferably in pieces.”

Beau nodded and then quietly walked away. Zack turned back to go inside the room and return to Gracie’s side, eager but at the same time reluctant for her to wake up again. Maybe this time he’d get some answers. There was only so much he could take, and this was eating him alive.

TWELVE

ZACK stood in Gracie’s cracked doorway as he waited for Eliza to make her appearance. After checking with the nurse to see if Gracie was under any dietary restrictions, he’d asked Eliza to bring soup. The nurse had told him that while there was nothing to prevent her from eating, it could very well be painful for her to chew and she might just not feel well enough to keep anything down.

He was going to sit by her bed and feed her himself if she needed it. He hated to think of her in any discomfort at all. He couldn’t take away the pain brought on by her injuries but he could at least ease any hunger she might have.