“I won’t, Mama.” He took a step closer to Sadie, sharing a quick triumphant smile with the girl.
“Text me when you get there and when you leave.”
He nodded. “I can go then?”
She smiled. “Go have fun, sweetheart.”
Sadie broke free of Zeke’s hold to high-five Brodie.
“Mercy,” a shocked, commanding voice said over Zeke’s shoulder. “I don’t know how y’all sardined your way in here, but now it’s time for you to skedaddle.”
“Brodie, kiss your mama,” Regina said.
He did as commanded, and Liv hugged him until he wriggled against her hold.
Regina stepped forward and pressed a palm to Liv’s cheek. “Don’t ever give us a scare like that again, you hear?”
“I’ll do my best.”
Regina kissed her forehead. “I’ll send your father and brother to you,” she glanced at Zeke, “in ten minutes.”
Liv squeezed her hand. “Thank you.”
Regina gathered herself before ushering the kids out the door. She paused near Zeke to pat his arm before marching out and taking the ER nurse with her.
Liv placed a hand on the edge of the bed to steady herself.
Suddenly, Zeke was at her side. “Here, let’s get you back into bed.”
“No, I’m fine.”
“You have a mild concussion and a stab wound. You’re not fine.” An anger she understood all too well laced his harsh words.
She stroked a finger along his stubbled jaw. “What happened to me was not your fault.”
“You were under my protection. It bloody well was my fault.”
“I’m a trained FBI agent. My body. My responsibility.” It could be argued that she hadn’t done a bang-up job of protecting herself in the past week. But she wasn’t into splitting hairs. “I need to speak with Pierce. He might have glimpsed my attacker.”
“Ash and I already spoke to him. He’s meeting with a forensic artist in an hour.”
“Kimber Wu?”
“Sounds right.”
“Good. She’s the best.”
“Will she really be able to get a decent sketch from a ‘glimpse’?”
“She’s done it before. If anyone can do the impossible, it’s Kimber.”
Spotting her phone and purse on a chair beside the bed, she went to retrieve them and noticed five missed phone calls.
Recognizing the number to her parents’ restaurant, she frowned.
“What’s the matter?”
“I’m not sure.”