Submit (Surrender #2)(16)
Author: Melody Anne

“I’m so glad to hear she’s awake. Is everything going to be fine?”

“Yes. Some piece of scum drugged her at the party, but the doctor figured out what it was and he’s successfully treating her now. If I weren’t so worried about her, I’d beat her to a pulp for scaring me like this,” Rachel said as she steered them down the hall to Lia’s room.

“I’m glad it’s getting better now. I can wait out here while you spend time together,” Ari offered. Before Rafe could object, his sister stepped in.

“No way are you waiting outside. Lia needs all the friends and family she can have right now, especially since Shane got arrested and totally ditched her to wake up with no one around.”

Rafe stopped in his tracks as he looked down at the mischievous smile on Rachel’s face.

“After I’ve seen Lia, you need to explain that to me in detail — not in front of her, though.”

For a brief moment, he didn’t think she was going to answer him, but then she shrugged and started speaking. “Apparently, a couple of officers came to talk to Shane about what happened to Lia. He was in a mood and took a swing at one of them, so they handcuffed him and hauled him off.”

Rafe waited for her to keep speaking, but she just turned and started moving toward Lia’s room again. He watched her back in stunned disbelief as she pulled away from him, before he got his feet to move and caught up to her within a few long strides.

“Do you care to elaborate? I’m really in no mood for games, Rachel!”

“I know you’re worried right now, so I won’t snap at you for using that tone with me, but that’s all I know, so you’ll just have to ask Lia. Not that she knows that much as all of this happened while she was knocked out cold.”

“How can you act so cavalier about our sister being harmed?” he snapped as they reached Lia’s room.

“Believe me, I wasn’t acting cavalier a couple hours ago, but Lia’s awake — dealing with a headache and extreme exhaustion, but otherwise fine. Now, I just want to hurt her all over again for being so stupid. She knows better than to go to some party in the middle of nowhere — especially without me.”

Rafe gave up for the moment. Both of his sisters needed to do some major growing up. Rachel just wasn’t taking this disaster as seriously as she should. He’d protected both of them so much their entire lives that they had no clue about the dangers in the real world. It looked as if he needed to educate both of them, extensively.

Rafe and Rachel entered Lia’s room, and her eyes brimmed with tears as the three of them moved to her bed.

“I’m so sorry you had to rush home, Rafe. I’m getting better now. I promise,” she assured him in a weak voice as she slowly held up her arms to receive his loving hug. He pulled her gently against his chest and held her head there, just as he’d been doing since she was a toddler. She cried softly against his neck.

“It’s OK, Lia. When you’re stronger, I’ll give you a lecture, but right now, I’m just happy to see that you’re alive and well. I couldn’t handle it if anything ever happened to you,” he said as he relished being able to hold her again, knowing there had been others in similar situations who had not been so fortunate.

“I screwed up. I won’t ever do something so foolish again. There’s no need to lecture me at all,” she promised with a sob.

Rafe had his doubts. He was sure she’d soon forget about her foolishness, and be right back to being self-destructive. There were times he wished he lived in a century where he could just lock both her and Rachel up. That way he could ensure their safety. But if he tried to tell them that, he’d be toast.

“Now that I know you’re going to be all right, you need to tell me what’s going on with Shane.”

Lia pulled back and a slow smile appeared on her face, diminishing a bit more of his concern.

“Well, I wasn’t awake, but the doctor told me he was being uncooperative and got his butt hauled to jail. I think we need to make him sit there a while longer.” The heavy breathing at the end of her statement testified that she was nowhere near full strength yet, but at least she was well enough to smile in delight at Shane’s being arrested.

“I thought you and Rachel liked Shane.” Rafe was confused by both of his sisters’ obvious glee at his best friend being thrown in jail.

“He’s been a bit of a pain lately. Sitting in a stinky jail cell serves him right,” she answered before leaning her head back and looked menacingly at him.

Rafe’s suspicions grew as he watched the mixed emotions roll across Lia’s face. It was time for him and Shane to have a good long chat.

Chapter Ten

“You look good behind bars. I hope you haven’t found yourself a girlfriend already.”

Fury surged through Shane as he looked at the sardonic face of his best friend. How in the hell could Rafe stand there smiling while Lia was lying helpless in a hospital bed several miles down the road Maybe his best friend really was as cold as people said.

“Get me the hell out of here, now! These idiot cops who wouldn’t know their asses from their faces wouldn’t let me make a phone call or speak to Bill. If they aren’t suspended for at least a month, I’m going to—”

“Calm down, buddy. I spoke to Bill as soon as I found out the situation. The two arresting offers are transfers from LA, where things are done a bit differently. I don’t think they’re going to have seats left when the chief is done with them. If I have this nice officer here open the doors, are you going to behave?”

“How in the hell can you crack jokes while Lia is injured, unconscious, and maybe worse? I thought you were a better guy than that, Rafe,” Shane thundered, his voice almost catching before he shoved the emotions down. He didn’t need Rafe seeing how hard he was falling for Lia.

“You do know me, Shane. Do you honestly think I’d make any kind of joke if Lia weren’t OK?”

It took several seconds for Rafe’s words to sink in, but when they did, Shane’s eyes widened in surprise before he plopped back down on the hard bench in his cell. Of course Rafe wouldn’t be cracking jokes. He’d be freaking out just as much as Shane was. Lia must have pulled through while he’d been gone.

“She’s OK,” Shane said, needing to hear his words out loud.

“Yes. The drugs are out of her system and the seizure was just a side effect from whatever those animals gave her. She’s demanding food and eating up all the attention she’s getting. I will say that she’s been quite irritated that you left, even if it was in handcuffs,” Rafe said with a laugh.