Perilous Refuge by Kathleen Tailer

Author:Kathleen Tailer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-06-28T16:00:00+00:00

TWELVE

Chelsea awoke with a groan and glanced around the hospital room. Bits and pieces of the day gradually returned to her memory. She vaguely remembered the trip to the hospital and the doctors drawing blood and taking a chest x-ray. There was a monitor on her finger testing for oxygenation, and she felt tubes in her nose that were delivering oxygen to her, as well.

But despite the physical evidence, the whole thing seemed like one incredibly nasty nightmare. She moaned and rubbed her head, trying to ease the horrible ache behind her eyes. Once again, someone had tried to abduct her—and this time they had very nearly succeeded in drowning her in the process. Only a few more moments beneath the water and she knew instinctively that she wouldn’t have made it.

She looked around the small room and saw Alex sitting in a chair that was obviously too small for him. He had moved the chair so that he was blocking the door. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be sleeping fitfully. She wondered fleetingly if Miss Abigail had made it safely back to the hotel in Maui with Mr. Westin, and a wave of guilty trepidation assailed her. She had been foolish to think she could have a day’s escape from danger. Quite clearly, danger would follow her wherever she went—and it would put those around her at risk.

The thought of Miss Abigail and Alex in peril made her heart constrict as a wave of sadness overwhelmed her. She was also terrified of losing her life to Carver and the terror that he undoubtedly had planned for her. He was extremely determined to get her in his clutches, as evidenced by these multiple kidnapping attempts.

Pain and anger warred for supremacy in her tangled emotions. She took a deep breath, her chest heavy with effort. She was tired of constantly looking over her shoulder and already apprehensive about the loneliness that would undoubtedly consume her future. Would it never end?

* * *

Alex stirred and shifted, then noticed that Chelsea was also awake. He gifted her with one of his rare smiles. “Well, I’m glad you’re back among the living. That was a pretty close call.” He stood and stretched, then moved to her bedside, his gaze intense.

“How is Miss Abigail?” Chelsea asked quietly, her voice hoarse.

“She’s doing well. Mr. Westin got her safely back to Maui and is being extra vigilant after what happened to you at the beach. Thankfully, she’s still planning on going through with the surgery tomorrow. I got a call from the doctor while you were sleeping and he again expressed that it was imperative that you were near the hospital during the operation. He actually wanted you in the surgical waiting room, but I told him that was impossible. We agreed that near the hospital would have to be good enough.”

Alex studied Chelsea carefully and felt a wave of relief wash over him. She was clearly exhausted, but according to the doctor she would survive her close encounter in the water with no ill effects.

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