“Tom, is she okay?” Fin asked.
“She’s fine,” the woman answered for herself, clambering to her feet with the aid of her partner.
“You’re bleeding,” Fin stated the obvious.
“I said I was fine,” Agent Luckman snapped.
“Let me take a look at you.” His grip on Taylor began to loosen, and jealousy speared her, reigniting her burning rage. Why did he have to care about his stupid ex? It wasn't even like they were still together. If he released his hold on her, she was going to fling herself right back at her target.
“You stay with Taylor,” Agent Drake ordered. “You need to calm her down, and she’s not going to listen to anyone else. I’ll take care of Chloe.”
“I'm fine,” the woman insisted once again.
“She needs to see a doctor,” Fin said.
“I’ll make sure she’s taken care of. Just take Taylor into one of the interview rooms and calm her down.”
As Agent Drake led his partner away, Fin dragged Taylor through the crowd that had gathered to watch what was going on and into a small, quiet room. Taylor suspected that if she hadn’t been a victim of such a heinous crime, then she would be in handcuffs right about now.
She didn't care in the least.
They could put her in handcuffs if they wanted. They couldcart her off to jail and lock her up in a cell. She didn't care.
She didn't care about anything anymore.
“Why would you do that? Chloe is doing everything she can to find the man who hurt you. She was almost killed trying to stop him.”
Taylor just shrugged.
“This behavior is unacceptable.”
He was talking to her now like she was some spoiled, recalcitrant child. Although she supposed that was how she was acting.
“You have to understand that there isn’t anything between us. I found you, I know that I make you feel safe, I know that you need to feel that way right now. But this obsession you have with me, it’s just a coping mechanism.”
How dare he downplay her feelings, make out like she didn't know what was going on inside her own head.
“They’re not!” she screamed. “I love you. And if you would just forget abouther, then I know you would love me too. It’s her fault. She let him get away, and now she’s stealing you away from me.”
“No, honey.” His voice turned impossibly soft and gentle, and he grasped her upper arms in his strong hands. He gave her a sad smile, then he reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, took hold of her chin and tilted her face up, so she had to meet his gaze. “You and I are not together. We are never going to be together. I care about you and your future. I want you to recover. I want you to be happy. I want you to be able to do everything with your life that you want to. But not with me. I think it’s my fault. I’ve given you mixed signals by always being here. That ends today. You’re going to go home with your family, and you’re going to let them help you. I know what you went through was horrendous, and I know that it messed with your head. But let them help you. They love you.”
And he didn't.
She could see it in his eyes.
He was with her physically, but his mind and his heart were still with Chloe Luckman.
This was really it.
The end.
After this, she was never going to see him again.
What would happen to her?
How would she cope?
What would she do when she was afraid if she couldn’t have Fin close by?