Tav’s shoulders sank with relief and a small laugh escaped his mouth before he could stop himself.
“Yes,” he chuckled. “That does help a lot. Thank you, and keep me posted.”
“You bet,” Rhodes agreed. “And rest assured, my people are working around the clock to find out everything we can, but you know how some of the law enforcement avenues can be.”
“Bureaucratic red tape,” Tav sighed. “Know that I appreciate all you’re doing, brother.”
“You owe me a steak,” Rhodes chuckled. “Be well.”
“You too.”
They ended their call, and Tav sat back on the sofa, a weight lifted off his shoulders. He had been sure that Oliver Church had made up the husband, but now he had verifiable proof with Rhodes’ words. His brother had never let him down, and Tav trusted him implicitly.
She’s not married, so we did nothing wrong being together, Tav thought, hope welling up inside him. Now I just have to convince Lora of the same thing.
But that was the least of his immediate concerns. First, he had to alleviate the mountain of pain that was building inside her. In a day or so, she would be shifting for the first time, and her world would be spun into another realm of confusion again.
And I just have to make sure I’m here to see her through it.
Tav had a terrible feeling that it was easier thought than done.
14
Surprisingly, Lora’s bath did ease her pain more than she had expected, but she suspected that it had more to do with the tenderness that Tav had bestowed upon her than the actual act itself. After she pulled herself from the tub and made her way back to the bedroom, she found a bottle of Percocet and a glass of water waiting for her, but when she looked at the label on the bottle, there was no name.
He’s a Kur. I’m sure he’s got a whole pharmacy packed away here somewhere, just in case of emergencies, she thought with some exasperation. She found herself wondering how many situations like this one Tav had found himself in, but she dismissed the thought. She was just beginning to warm up to him again, despite the weirdness of their encounters. Lora didn’t want to cheapen it with tainted ideas. After all, she had been given the opportunity to take off earlier and let it go, even if she had been in pain. That had to account for something.
Maybe it’s just time to let go of all my suspicions and let this thing play out. Maybe this is my body telling me that I’ve done enough fighting, and it’s time to move on.
There were worse prisons to be in, Lora reasoned, and she would be lying to say that she wasn’t enjoying herself.
Curled in bed again, she waited for the pills to take the last of the pain away, her fingers closing around the remote control to find something to watch on television. She thought about calling out for Tav, but she had a feeling that he would be by to check on her anyway. So, she settled onto her side to fix her eyes on a silly rom-com.
Her eyes grew heavy as the Percocet kicked in, and she struggled to stay awake until Tav finally reappeared in the doorway. By then, she was fading out completely.
He held a silver tray in his hands, the smell of soup wafting into her nostrils. Lora’s stomach flipped slightly as she realized that she hadn’t eaten since breakfast, but her body was still too sore to entertain the idea of food. The mere thought of it made her gut rock, and she shook her head as Tav gestured toward it.
He set the tray down and perched on the side of the bed, careful not to touch her as he studied her face.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, his voice low and husky. The mere tone of his words sent shivers through her body, and Lora had to turn away.
I don’t care how much of an attraction I have to him, I could still be a married woman. I can’t look at him like that…even if he’s looking at me like he can see right through my soul.
She closed her eyes and sighed, but the image of his burning stare was etched behind her eyelids.
“I’m okay,” she mumbled, her words slightly slurred and sounding far away. “I-I’ll be okay.”
“Of course you will,” Tav replied. “Why don’t you try and eat something. I can help you.”
Her eyes cautiously opened, and again, their gazes locked, the energy surging between them magnetic.
“I can’t,” she muttered, shaking her head as she moved to sit up. Instantly, Tav was at her side, supporting her head and helping her up. The feel of his hands on her body sent a combination of hot and cold coursing through her.
If he does anything, I’ll be powerless to stop him, she thought, wondering if that wasn’t the biggest cop out she had ever told herself. She wanted him to touch her but didn’t, the uncertainty of all that was going on overwhelming her.
But Tav made no move to do anything but assist her, propping her disheveled dark hair against the white of the pillow linens.
“Just have a couple bites,” Tav pleaded. “You should keep your strength up, and the nutrients will do your muscles good.”
Lora’s eyes narrowed slightly. She cocked her head to the side and stared at him.
“You sound like you know what’s wrong with me,” she said sleepily. “Do my symptoms sound familiar to you?”
Tav shook his head but averted his eyes so that Lora could not clearly read the expression on his face. She got the distinct impression that he was lying to her, but she didn’t want to accuse him of that when she wasn’t sure.
That’s the entire problem, isn’t it? I am just so damned unsure.
He moved to collect the tray, laying it over her lap and raising the spoon to her lips. For a moment, Lora wanted to refuse it, but when he pressed the utensil to her mouth, the broth was welcome. The salty flavor was rich, and the vegetables were simmered to perfection. In spite of her unsettled stomach, Lora’s eye widened in appreciation.
“Did you make this?” she asked. She wasn’t sure why she was so surprised. Tav had already proven himself to be amazing at everything he did.
“Yes. Is it all right?” He sounded concerned. Lora chuckled.
“Better than anything I could do,” she assured him, reaching for the spoon, but Tav pushed her hand down and continued to feed her where she sat. A hot blush tinged her cheeks as she allowed for him to do it.
“I spoke with my brother earlier,” Tav told her after spooning a few more gulps into her mouth and settling back as she wiped her own lips. The warmth of the food flooded her entirely, and she was exceedingly grateful that Tav had insisted she eat.
“Oh?” she asked. “What did he say?”
She found herself hoping that whatever news the other Kur had discovered, it would not result in uprooting Lora from her warm, comfortable spot that night.
Not that she was concerned that Tav wanted her to go, especially not in the amount of pain she was in. Whatever information he had, it would keep until tomorrow.
“He’s done a thorough search for Andrew Young,” Tav told her. “No such man has a missing wife. Oliver lied to you.”
Unexpectedly, Lora felt her shoulders stiffen, and the agony shot through her again.
“What did he say about Oliver?” she asked dully, unsure if she could trust in Tav’s brother’s assessment. She wanted nothing more than to believe him, but if what he was saying was true, who was Oliver, and why was he looking for her? None of it made sense otherwise.