He’s right here, breathing. Safe.

He grazed Liam’s cheek and moved downward, careful of his neck, and laid his palm on the younger man’s chest. Just felt it rise and fall in reassuring rhythm, heartbeat strong.

Someone shifted on the other side of the bed, and he could sense the person touching Liam, too. “He’s all right, darling,” Dev said to his wife. “He’s going to be fine.”

Liam stirred, twisting. “No…”

The fear and pain in his battered voice tore out Jude’s guts. Gently as he could, he held his friend’s hand and squeezed. “Shh, it’s me. Lily and I are here. So are Dev and Geneva. Don’t try to talk.”

“Hurts.”

“I know it does,” he said, holding back tears. “Try to sleep.”

“Jude,” he whispered brokenly. “Why? I’ve never… hurt anyone…”

“I know you haven’t. You’re a good person, my best friend and-oh, God, don’t cry. Please, Liam.”

But there was no turning the tide. Harsh, rasping cries shook Liam’s body and Jude couldn’t take it. He could not sit by and listen, simply do nothing. He started to rise, but Lily caught his arm.

“Wait. Dev is going to him,” she said quietly. Then, to his friends, “Watch his IV.”

Jude heard his friend lie down on the bed with Liam. Nobody gave a flying rat’s ass how it might look to anyone else who came in. The younger man collapsed against Dev and sobbed as though his heart were shattered.

“I’ve got you,” Dev murmured, over and over. “We’re right here, Geneva and me. We’ll never leave you alone again. Never.”

Well, that might be hard to manage in normal, daily life. But Dev would do anything, Jude knew, if it meant the safety and well-being of the gentle soul in his arms.

Several minutes later, Liam was spent, limp and exhausted. “Is he asleep?” Jude asked quietly.

“Yeah, he’s out,” Lily answered.

Rage seethed in his blood, replacing the panic of earlier. “The motherfucker who did this had better pray to his God for whatever mercy he can get. Because when I find him, I’m going to tear him limb from goddamned limb.”

When the nurse fussed about visiting hours being over, Jude struggled to convince Geneva and Dev to leave. They were devastated about Liam’s attack, but Jude pointed out that Geneva needed her rest. Especially if they planned to speak with Liam regarding their relationship with any degree of coherence. They promised to return first thing.

To the watchful nurse, Jude announced that he and Lily were staying, and unless she could provide around-the-clock security for Liam, she could kiss his ass.

Watching the two men doze, Lily wiped the tears from her face. Jude was sitting in a chair, his top half resting on the bed. His hair had worked free of the leather tie and spilled over the pillow next to his friend. Liam’s good side was nestled into Jude as much as possible, bandage peeking from under a fall of black hair. His face was bruised, a little swollen.

But the worst was the strangulation mark around his neck. Mottled and purple, it bisected his throat in a thin line. He must’ve been so terrified, convinced he was about to die.

After all of this was over, she prayed Jude and Liam would forgive her.

Dietz was behind the attack on Liam, no question. Threats were one thing, but he’d crossed the line. Harmed an innocent. His actions smacked of desperation, and where there was a desperate man, there was a guilty one.

She didn’t know how all the pieces fit as of yet, but she knew one thing-Jude St. Laurent was a good, honorable man. Yes, he was frightened by the memories that were trying to surface. Some of them were bound to be bad. But she’d bet her life none of them included betraying his country.

Jude’s brain had been swept by Dietz and his henchmen. Dietz did not, under any circumstances, want Jude to remember his past with SHADO. Was burning to recover the files as quietly as possible. Which could mean only one thing.

Jude had made a discovery, had locked Dietz’s balls in a vise. Dietz had taken him out of commission, but kept him alive for a reason.

The files. Six worms Jude had sent to different places as a safeguard. Evidence? Maybe.

Somehow, she had to learn what was in the file. She needed time to think. To plan.

Her gaze strayed back to the bed. Jude’s rage over what had happened to his friend was a terrible thing to witness. As she’d seen through his paintings at the gallery, this man loved. Deeply. And was loved in return by many.

How could she have been so blind? Even Jude saw better than she did.

Sitting up, she wondered how long they’d been there. The police would be by before it got too late, wanting to speak to Liam. Make their report. If she hurried, she’d have time to slip out and make a call before they arrived.

With a furtive glance at the pair, she crept out and rode the elevator to the main floor. She went and stood outside, a few paces from the front entrance, and turned on her cell phone.

No more messages from Dietz. No doubt he was confident she’d call. She hated to oblige him.

He answered on the third ring. “Took you long enough. Then again, I suppose you’ve got your hands full at the moment, putting your cute little boy toy back together.”

“What’s wrong with you, you sick fuck?” she snarled. “He’s an innocent young man who’s never harmed a soul. He has nothing to do with whatever games you’re playing.”

Careful. Don’t let him know you’re on to him. He’ll expect you to be angry about Liam, but he’s arrogant. Make him think you still believe Jude is guilty; keep him confident.

“You were warned to do your job, so I was forced to get your attention. Don’t be a maverick and your lover doesn’t get hurt again.”

“I have things under control,” she said, letting him hear she was pissed. “I’ve found five out of the six files, but I haven’t had time to contact you today. We had an engagement this evening and I might have managed to get it to you later if you hadn’t sent in your goon.”

“I told you to have the file for me by Friday. You failed.”

“I did not. It’s still Friday for another hour,” she pointed out. Fucking bastard.

Silence.

“All right. A point conceded in your favor,” he said calmly. “Though I expect in the future you won’t keep me waiting.”

She ignored that. “I’ll have the file to you first thing in the morning.” Then she would have time to copy it tonight, continue working on cracking the code. “Meet me at the same park?”

“No need. My man relieved you of your thumb drive before he took care of your lover.” Dietz sounded amused. “Careless of you to leave information that could start another world war lying about in your closet like a pair of shoes.”

No!

“It was hidden and locked up,” she said, seething.

“For all the good it did. What sort of spy can’t locate and liberate a simple thumb drive?”

Lily felt ill. Her best chance to find out the truth, gone. She had no clue where Jude might’ve hidden the last file.

What am I going to do now?

Somehow, he had to remember. It was the only way. “Is everything on track with eliminating St. Laurent?” Time to test how good of a liar she was. “I gave him the second dose a short time ago, before we left on our date. He’s asleep in Liam’s room and will be very sick when he awakens. I need to get him home soon, away from the hospital.”

“Excellent. Wait another week, then give him the third dose. Make it strong enough to kill him-I’m tired of waiting.”

“Yes, sir.” I’ll kill you instead.

“I’ll be in touch.”

Lily stuck the phone back in her purse.

“Not if I can help it, dickwad.”

Twelve

Lily returned to the room and drew up short. A uniformed officer and a man in plain clothes were inside, standing at the foot of Liam’s bed. The guy not in uniform had a shield clipped to his belt. A detective, then.