Alaskan Mountain Pursuit Elizabeth Goddard (best short novels .TXT) 📖

said, “I should get going. I want to head Isaiah off at the entrance. He’s being so wonderful—overprotective, but wonderful. See you guys later.” Heidi waved and stepped out.

Will turned his attention to Sylvie, his brown eyes cocooning her in warmth and safety. She tried to shake it off. The effect he had on her scared her. She needed distance. Especially since being near her had put him directly in harm’s way too many times already.

How did she remedy that?

Will was all she had in this. The only person she could trust. She’d never needed anyone before. Didn’t want to need him now. Was it really necessary to depend on him? Surely now that law enforcement was involved, she’d be able to get through this on her own.

He sat in the chair. “I’m sorry I’m late. Have you signed the release papers yet?”

“Yes, I’m waiting on the nurse to bring the wheelchair, which is so stupid.”

“Hospital policy.”

“Yeah, I get that.” Sylvie needed to say goodbye. She needed time to regroup and figure this out alone. Not put him in danger anymore.

He’d argue, of course. They were on the same search, after all. But Sylvie wasn’t at all sure that she wanted him to find the answers. She was afraid of what that truth was, and she couldn’t trust Will with secrets.

He’d already shown her that.

Sylvie shifted, uncomfortable with her thoughts. Her need to get away had as much to do with the warmth she felt—the increase in her pulse at his intense gaze—as it did the need to keep him out of danger, and perhaps to keep him from learning things she’d rather keep hidden.

What was he thinking, just now?

He’d quickly flown right over the barriers she’d erected to protect her heart. How could that happen when Sylvie knew better than to let her guard down? Her mother’s life had practically self-destructed over two different men she’d loved.

She let thoughts of the way her real father had hurt her mother wash over her. Images of how Damon had treated her mother accosted her. Those thoughts should do the trick. Help her cut Will loose.

“What’s wrong?” His brows twisted. “Sylvie, tell me.”

“I don’t know what you’re doing here. You didn’t have to come.”

He stood, startling her. “What do you mean? Of course you know why I’m here. Have you forgotten we’re in this together? Someone is trying to kill you, tried to kill both of us, and our mothers died together. Sylvie, this involves us both.”

She averted her gaze, hating the pain she was causing him.

“Sylvie, look at me.”

She didn’t want to. “Will, I’m going home. I’ll take a cab to the airport and be back in Seattle in a few hours.”

“Are you forgetting that someone found you scuba diving in the middle of nowhere? That someone followed us both to Snake’s cabin and shot down the man who rescued us? And someone came into this hospital and tried to kill you here. Are you forgetting that?”

Sylvie hated how weak she still felt, but she sprung to her feet to meet Will’s challenge. “No, Will, I haven’t forgotten. But I cannot be responsible for anyone else getting killed in the crossfire. No one has tried to kill you, except as a way to get to me. Even yesterday, the man with the gun—he only aimed it at me. Your life was at risk merely from your proximity to me. Now, argue with me on that point.”

The nurse came in with the wheelchair and cocked a brow. “Keep it down in here.” She gave Sylvie a cursory glance. “You ready?”

Nodding, Sylvie sat in the wheelchair.

The nurse pushed her forward, and she felt all the more an idiot—getting scolded for yelling like she was a misbehaving child. Stupid hospital policy. She wanted to tell Will to go home, but she wouldn’t make more of a scene in the hospital. Wouldn’t embarrass him.

“You hate flying, Sylvie.” He walked next to her as the nurse pushed the wheelchair.

“What?”

“You’re not going to fly back to Seattle because you hate flying, remember?”

Sylvie refused to continue this conversation until they had privacy. Thankfully, Will didn’t press her for an immediate answer. The nurse pushed the wheelchair onto the elevator. They rode the box down to the next floor. The wheelchair rolled forward until Sylvie was finally wheeled through the hospital exit. She stood and bid the nurse to take the wheelchair and go. Sylvie wished she had called for her own cab, but Heidi had interrupted her with the clothes for which she was grateful. And then Will turned up to escort her.

So she couldn’t escape right away. But at least now she could reply to Will. “I remember.”

His eyes were devoid of their usual warmth. “Then you’ll remember that my mother also died on that plane. I’m in up to my neck. I can’t keep you here. I can’t even force you to work with me on this, but I’ll ask you to do me one favor.”

“What’s that?”

“Tell Chief Winters everything you know, so that we can work on things from Mountain Cove.”

Mountain Cove.

Sylvie blew out a breath. She hadn’t exactly told them everything. She hadn’t mentioned her suspicions about Damon because she had nothing to go on, no specific proof to inplicate him, nor had they asked. But Sylvie’d heard the fear in her mother’s voice, and she was still trying to figure out why her mother was running to Mountain Cove, of all places.

Once again, Will waited for her reply. Sylvie watched patients being wheeled from the hospital and greeted by loved ones. Others entering the facility. She thought again of her mother’s last words. The voice mail she’d left.

Sylvie, it’s Mom. I can’t say much over the phone but please be careful. Hesitation, then a whisper, Watch your back, baby. Be aware of your surroundings. I’ll explain why tomorrow. I’m flying to Mountain Cove on a bush plane. I know what you’re thinking, but I’ll tell you more when I get there. It’s Damon...