Fractured (Dividing Line #4) (30 page)

“No,” replied Riley, folding his arms determinedly across his chest.

“Get out of the fucking way. Now.”

“What are you going to do, murder him in front of everyone? You lay one finger on him and you’ll go to prison. With your record it would probably be for the rest of your life and you have a family that needs you. There are people who’d kill to have that and I’m not going to let you throw it all away.”

“Ow, you hurt my bloody back,” groaned Mikey, slowly climbing to his feet. His eyes settled on the bed. “Ryan.”

“What?” he snapped, whipping round to face him.

Mikey nodded at the bed and Ryan followed his line of sight. “Rachel,” he exclaimed, rushing to her side. “You’re awake.”

Her eyes, heavy with exhaustion, flicked about the room in panic. When they settled on Ryan her panic seemed to ease.

“It’s okay Sweetheart, you’re safe. You’re in hospital. You’ve just had surgery but the doctor said you’re going to be okay.” He raised her hand to his lips. “I’m so glad you’re awake.”

She was too weak to reply so all she could do was stare back at him. Mikey peered over Ryan’s shoulder, one hand pressed to his lower back. “Good to see you awake Rach. I knew you’d pull through.”

Jez approached the bed too but Riley remained at the back of the room, afraid of jinxing Rachel’s recovery.

“You alright Mate?” Riley asked Starkey, who was leaning against the wall, getting his breath back.

“I’ve had worse,” he grimaced, straightening up. Then he turned to Ryan. “You’re under arrest for assaulting a police officer.”

“Please Mate, you can’t do this, he was just upset,” interjected Mikey.

“I bloody well can.”

“He doesn’t know what he’s doing,” said Jez, rushing round the bed to intervene. “Have some compassion.”

“I did have some compassion until he attacked me. It’s best if you come quietly Mr Law, there are a lot of sick people here who don’t need you upsetting them.”

Ryan cursed himself for being an idiot as Starkey pulled him away from the bed, tugging his cuffs from his belt.

Rachel released a throaty rasp that they all took to be ‘no’ and reached out for Ryan.

“Look at the state of her, don’t go taking her husband from her, she needs him,” said Jez, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. “Please.”

Starkey looked down at Rachel, who looked right back at him with pleading in her eyes. “Oh fine,” he sighed, replacing the cuffs on his belt. “But no second chances. One more stupid stunt like that and you really will be nicked.”

“Thank you,” said Ryan. “I’m sorry for what I did, I had no right.”

“Alright. Just make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said sternly before marching out of the room and resuming his post on the door.

“Jesus that was a close one,” said Jez.

Ryan sat back down beside Rachel. “Sorry for being a prat,” he told her. She rolled her eyes in response, making him smile.

“Rach, there’s something you should know,” began Mikey.

Ryan shot him a hard look. “Not yet.”

“What?” she whispered, grimacing with pain.

“It’s okay, it’ll keep.” When she threw him a warning look Ryan knew she wasn’t going to let it go until she knew and he glowered at Mikey. “You couldn’t keep your big mouth shut.”

“She needs to know.”

“Fine,” huffed Ryan. He’d wanted her to be a bit stronger before breaking the news to her. “Alex is still alive.”

He’d expected her to be upset, frightened even after the damage Alex had inflicted on her, but on the contrary her eyes turned jet black.

“That’s my girl,” he said, kissing her fingertips one by one.

“Don’t worry Rach, we’ll finish him once and for all,” said Jez.

“Not yet,” she whispered, limbs twitching with agitation.

“I don’t understand,” said Mikey. “Are you saying you don’t want him dead?”

“That’s not what she’s saying at all,” replied Ryan, reading every subtle expression that ran across his wife’s face. “She’s saying she wants us to wait until she’s back on her feet.”

Rachel managed to nod her head once.

“Rach, you really should let us handle this...” began Jez.

But Ryan cut him off. “No. She’s more reason than anyone here to go after Alex. She’s in and we wait until she’s ready, is that understood?”

“Yes,” said Riley from the back of the room.

“Oh come on Rach,” said Mikey.

Ryan shot to his feet, knocking over his chair. “We wait. Do you fucking get it?” he snarled in his face. “This is nothing to do with your sodding businesses, it’s fucking personal and you will do as Rachel wants.”

Mikey held up his hands. “Okay, if it means that much to you. I just think we should strike while he’s still weak.”

“There are other ways to hurt him until we’re ready to finish him,” said Ryan, righting his chair then retaking his seat. He looked down at Rachel. “But this time you don’t leave my side,” he told her. “We do this together.”

“Like everything else,” she whispered back.

THE END

Many thanks for downloading my book, I hope you enjoyed it. Rachel and Ryan will return soon in Shattered, Dividing Line Series book #5. In the meantime I do have other crime books available to purchase on Amazon. You can also follow me on Twitter or visit my website, heatheratkinsonbooks.com.