Shane finished by bending his elbows and leaning the rest of the way down, placing his lips gently on hers. It wasn’t a kiss of passion. But one of promise.
“I hate to interrupt this touchin’ scene, but I gotta witness I need to interview,” came a voice from the doorway.
Growling, Shane stood up, recognizing Matt’s voice. “You got shit timing friend.”
“Yeah well, add it to my list of other transgressions.” Matt’s eyes cut over to Leon and Suzanne. “You Leon?” Receiving a nod, he added, “I gotta interview you too, since you were at the crime scene.”
“Crime scene?” Suzanne asked in confusion.
“The clinic,” came the terse answer.
She slid back into Leon’s embrace unnerved to hear the clinic being called a crime scene.
Annie looked up at Detective Dixon, suddenly fearful of reliving the events of last night, while hearing the heart monitor speed up again. Shane caught that look and slid his hand down to hers, holding it tightly.
“It’s gonna be all right, baby. I’m right here,” he said.
Her eyes cut over to his expressive blue ones and she gave a quick nod. Linking her fingers with his, she turned her attention back to the detective.
“Okay, Detective Dixon. I’m ready,” she said, trying to not show that she was shaking.
Matt’s face gentled as he said, “Considerin’ you’re holdin’ my friend’s hand, how about you call me Matt?” Seeing a small smile cross her face, he continued his questions.
She answered everything, giving as detailed a description as she could. Occasionally she saw a glance between Matt and Shane, but didn’t know how to interpret it. Several times she heard her voice waver, met each time with a squeeze to her hand. Shane was willing his strength to her and she gladly accepted it.
“Det…I mean Matt. What happens now? I mean they know me. They know where I work. Where I live.”
Before Matt could answer, Shane swung back around planting himself firmly in her line of vision as he leaned over the bed again. “Baby, that shit does not touch you again.”
“But…”
“No fuckin’ buts. That shit does not touch you.”
Pulling her lips in, she wanted to know more, but Shane didn’t seem to be in a mood to share.
Matt spoke and she looked around Shane’s body so that she could see his face. Realizing that Shane was holding on by a thread he moved to the other side of her bed so that she could see him easier.
“Doc, with your statement and Leon’s, we are already picking those three up. The main man with you last night was higher up than we have gotten and we’ve been after him. I know it doesn’t feel good right now and it wasn’t planned, but you have just helped us close the loop tighter around the top of the chain.”
“But she’s still in danger,” Suzanne bit out from the corner. “You all don’t seem to get that she is now in the middle of this mess!”
Shane swung around, piercing her with his glare. “Suzanne, I get that you’re her friend and you care, but what you don’t get is that I’m sayin’ this shit doesn’t touch her again.” Seeing that Suzanne was about to argue, he cut her off. “I’m out now, back on the force as vice. We got police protection for the clinic and she will have it ‘round the clock. When she’s not with me, then she’s got someone on her.”
At that, Suzanne mouth dropped open, but not before Annie looked up sharply. “What do you mean I’ve got someone on me?”
Shane’s eyes penetrated hers as she heard Matt chuckle in the background. “Baby, you’re with me,” he explained. “I got outta this shit life by takin’ them down. Now I’m livin’ for me, not goin’ back under, and I’m doin’ it with the sunshine that I found. This shit wasn’t supposed to blow back on you. It did and they’re gonna pay for that and pay big. And until that happens, I’m callin’ in all my markers and you got protection when I’m not around and all of me when I am.”
Suddenly exhausted, Annie slid back into the pillows, all the fight gone out of her. Shane’s blue eyes warmed and he pushed her hair back away from her face. “You need to rest, baby, and I’m gonna be right here. You can rest easy, ‘cause I’m not leavin’.”
The nurse walked in, checking her vitals and giving her another dose of pain meds. Eyeing the group, she announced that she thought the patient needed more rest and less visitors, before marching out of the door.
Leon and Suzanne walked over to the side of the bed where Matt had been standing. Suzanne kissed her cheek and whispered, “Be safe, doc.”