The three of them waited for the elevator, and Clint realized how much he hated this hospital. He was sick of visiting Lydia in hospitals. He really wanted her to be well. He wanted both of the Hidalgo women to be well. Then he re-thought his position, if Lydia weren’t in the hospital, he wouldn’t have found her, however he had been damn close to finding her. Thank God the Marshall’s put up with his presence when she was in the hospital.
When they got off on the fifth floor it was easy to determine which room was hers. There was another US Marshall outside her door. He didn’t recognize him. Beth introduced Clint to Ed, and he provided his military ID to the man.
“The doctor just left. She said that Lydia was probably going to sleep through until morning,” the big man explained.
“Thanks, Ed,” Beth said. “If she’s asleep, we’ll leave.”
Clint opened the door and held it for Beth to go through. His gaze immediately zeroed in on Lydia. Damn, she looked so frail in the hospital bed. He had just seen her two months ago as she was discharged from this same hospital and she had been looking so happy and healthy. To see her like this about broke his heart.
“Beth?” Lydia didn’t open her eyes.
“I’m here and I brought a friend.”
Lydia turned her head on the pillow and slowly lifted her lids. It seemed to take a moment for her to focus.
“You came. Oh Clint, you came.” Her smile lit up the hospital room, and filled every fiber of his being. He was at her bedside in an instant and gripping her outstretched hand.
“I’ll always come for your baby. Always.” Her face might be thin and ravaged by illness but she was the most beautiful woman on the planet.
Lydia’s smile dimmed. “You need to leave. Nothing’s changed.”
She was right, but it still hurt to hear her say it.
“I’m staying. I don’t care what’s going to happen in the future, for right now you need me, and I need to be with you.” Despite her verbal rejection her grip never lessened. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. He heard the door open and close. Bless Beth, she knew they needed this time alone.
“Clint, you know we can never have a future together. I’m either going into Witness Protection, or if Papa decides not to testify, I’ll be going back to Mexico. Don’t do this to yourself. Please don’t. I don’t want you hurt. Anyway, you only know me as someone who is a patient in a hospital, or someone who needs to be rescued. Just leave, it’s for the best.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it. I know you, Lydia Hidalgo, and over my dead body will you be going back to Mexico.”
“But if my father…” her voice began to slur with the drugs they gave her.
“I hope so…” Lydia’s eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep. Clint looked around the room and pulled up a chair. He would watch over her as she slept. He couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her now that he was here. What’s more, he had some thinking to do.
First thing, he needed to find out from Lydia’s father if there was anything stopping him from testifying, because there wasn’t a chance in fucking hell he was going to let the Hidalgos return to Mexico. Of course there also wasn’t a chance in hell he was giving up Lydia to the Witness Protection Program either.
The phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out. It was Darius asking him for a status. Rubbing the back of his neck, he gave another quick glance at Lydia, then took his time responding to Darius’ text. He wasn’t surprised by the immediate offer of help. He didn’t expect anything less. He promised to call later.
He was tired. He had caught a little bit of shut eye on the flight from California to Dallas. The problem was all activity that had just gone on in California before he had left. He’d been up for almost two days and it was catching up with him.
Clint still needed to think through how best to protect Lydia. All of his big ideas that they should stay together were just assumptions, they hadn’t really ever talked about a future together. Hell, they hadn’t even really had much of a present together. All of their time together had been while she was recuperating in the hospital.
Scratch that. There were the first five days they had spent together. He looked down at her wrist and swore. He could still see a faint scar where the rope had bit into her flesh. Why hadn’t they got there sooner? Seeing that small sign of abuse was all it took for him to flash back to the jungle.
****
“Clint?”
He looked up and saw Beth standing over him. He must have fallen asleep. He looked at his watch. It hadn’t been too long. She held out a cup of coffee.