“She’s stable,” the doctor said. “She flatlined, but we got her back. Took a little longer to bring her blood pressure up to an acceptable level.”

She flatlined. She died. Good God.

“Why? What happened to her?”

“We don’t know yet.”

“I need to see her.” Hunter didn’t give a damn how raw his voice sounded.

The doctor looked over at Hart, who nodded. “Of course.”

Two more technicians came out. One wheeled a cart filled with equipment out the door, then Hunter entered.

A plump blond-haired woman in scrubs and thick nurse shoes wrote notes on a clipboard. She swung around at his entrance. “She’s not awake yet.”

He nodded but didn’t move.

Hard to tell which was whiter, Abbie’s face or the pillow under her head and the sheet covering her. He wanted to hold her, to feel life moving through her. The machines taking her vital signs beeped happily with a steady rhythm, but he needed to touch her to convince himself she was going to be okay.

His heart beat out of control. He’d almost lost her. Almost lost the one thing that meant more than life to him. She’d started climbing inside him the first time her laugh snuck past his barriers to touch him. Somehow she’d breached his best defense and wrapped her fingers around his heart.

He couldn’t imagine living without her.

What a time to figure that out.

“Let me finish up, then you can come over here,” the nurse told him. She turned to a lightweight laptop unit set up next to Abbie’s bed.

He took in a deep breath and ran a hand over his hair. He could handle waiting a few more minutes now that Abbie was breathing and her heart beat at a stable pace.

No database information was worth losing her.

The nurse’s typing jarred his thoughts, reminding him why Abbie had taken this risk. She expected him to get her mother’s records. He shook himself mentally. Don’t let her down now. If he left with nothing else, he was getting her mother’s medical records. Easing the small computer shaped to resemble an iPhone from his pocket, he pulled up a program that would lift everything the nurse was typing on her laptop.

Like her staff access code.

And he wanted to find out if a treatment had induced Abbie’s near death.

“That should do it.” The nurse gave the machines registering Abbie’s vitals stern scrutiny, nodded to herself, and walked over to where Hunter stood. “I’ll be back to check on her, but if you need anything just press that red button on the control box by her bed. Dr. Hart sent an electronic directive that you not be bothered other than visual checks. Ms. Blanton’s vital registration is set on high alert for any significant change.”

Hunter nodded and pulled his hand from his pocket, where he’d deposited the miniature computer before she turned around. Once the nurse left, he moved to the side of Abbie’s bed and reached his hand to her face. His fingers shook.

She’d died an hour ago.

He smoothed his hand over her skin, which was warm and soft. The ache in his chest eased. He could breathe again.

“Mr. Thornton-Payne-” It was Hart.

Hunter didn’t turn around. “As soon as Abbie can be moved, she’s going to a facility where I can be with her. I’m not leaving until then.”

“That’s not necessary. You’re welcome to stay as long as you wish. Just let us know if you need anything. I assure you she’ll receive the best medical care here-”

Hunter lifted his hand to silence Hart’s rambling.

The door swept open and closed.

He eased his hip onto the bed, needing to be closer to her. To do a better job of protecting her.

Had someone at Kore given Abbie a treatment that caused this? That made no sense unless the person who did so had no idea Hunter was coming to see Abbie before he left. Why take that risk here? Did this have something to do with Gwen?

What if no one was responsible… except Abbie?

She’d suggested she fake a sickness to see if he’d be allowed to stay. Had she tried something that got out of control?

She hadn’t faked coding.

Her color improved as her blood pressure continued to rise. He breathed in her soft fragrance. She smelled… alive.

Lifting her hand in his, he held her cool fingers, willing her to come back to him.

Abbie woke up slowly in a queasy drugged state she couldn’t place the reason for feeling. Her chest ached as if someone had used her for a war drum. The inside of her mouth tasted like cardboard.

She squinted against the light until her eyes focused.

Hunter came into view. He held her hand sandwiched between his.

Her heart wiggled in a happy dance until she took in the faraway look on his face. She wanted to hug him and wipe away the sadness curving his shoulders. Why did her mind pick this moment to throw up warnings? Hunter had questioned what she’d told him. He planned to hand her over to strangers.

So why the downcast eyes? Was he putting on a show of concern for the medical staff?

Wait. How could he be here, without any doctors or nurses?

She mumbled, “Thought they wouldn’t let you stay.”

Hunter’s eyes shot to her with a sudden flash of relief. “How you doing?” He leaned down and kissed her lips so sweetly she was in heaven, happy for those few seconds until he moved away to kiss her forehead.

Tears welled up at his tenderness, but she would not show that weakness. Not to someone she shouldn’t trust as much as she did.

When he lifted his head, he stared at her as if he couldn’t get enough in one look.

She wanted to believe that, but…

“I’m tired,” she said. “Don’t know why when I just woke up.” Her throat was dry. She coughed. “Can I have-”

He was up grabbing a glass of water before she finished. “I’ll help you.” He raised the bed so she could sip.

When she finished, he put the cup aside and sat down facing her, taking her hand again. Her heart fluttered blissfully at the contact, but she wasn’t going to rush down that road a second time and have a head-on collision with his distrust. “So how’d you get in here?”

“I changed their minds, or rather you did.”

“Me? What’d I do?”

“You don’t remember your blood pressure dropping?”

She lifted her hand and rubbed her head, reorienting herself. “I gave blood, then the nurse gave me crackers and juice… that’s all I remember.”

Hunter studied her a minute. “I toured the facility with Dr. Hart, then went to dinner. By the time I finally got him to bring me back I convinced him to let me say hello to you. We were coming down the hall when the medical team rushed into your room.”

“Why?”

Hunter’s throat moved with a swallow. “Your blood pressure dropped until you flatlined.”

Oh, shit. “You’re kidding.” She’d been touched at seeing the flash of worry in his face, but now his flinty eyes hardened.

“No. I’m not kidding.” His gaze wavered with something dark and frightening when he spoke just above a whisper. “I’m getting you out of here. Now.”

“No!” She started to talk, then glanced around, up at the ceiling, then at him.

He nodded, catching her concern about being heard, and swung around beside her. She scooted over to make room. Before he sat back, he lifted her into his arms, careful of the wire running to the machine.

Her head spun at the change, but she gripped his muscled arms for stability. She wanted to sink into his warmth, to savor the way he held her close, but he’d set the rules for this engagement before they entered Kore.

Hunter didn’t trust her. At all.

She was determined to earn that trust, but carefully.

Leaning toward him, she kept her voice down to shield what she said. “They haven’t run any tests on me yet so we still have time. You might be able to forget about what you need from Kore, but I’m not leaving until I have my mother’s records. We had an agreement.”