Claimed by My Broken Bodyguard

Chapter Four

Hallick’s POV

We pull up to the hospital, parking side by side in the visitors car park before Noah leads the way into the main hospital. I scowl as the smell of antiseptic and sick people fills my nose, I f.ucking hate hospitals.

We walk down endless hall after endless hall until we reach a door where two jacked up college kids are seated either side. The black kid on the right pushes himself to his feet, grabbing Noah’s hand and pulling him in for a bro hug as they clap each other on the back.

‘Any issues?’ he asks, the two men shaking their head, the tanned looking guy on the left is the one to answer though.

‘All good, no one has been near the room other than the nurses’ he informs their friend.

Noah blows out a relieved breath, releasing the first guy so he can bump fists with the second.

‘I really appreciate this guys, I know it was a s.hitty call, I’m sure you had better things to do on a Saturday night’ he mumbles.

The first guy growls angrily, ‘nothing more important than you and your sister’ he tells the kid beside me. ‘You know us man, you need us, we’re there.’

Noah nods, ‘yeah, I know, but I still appreciate it’ he replies.

The two men wave their farewells and we watch them walk away before the athlete takes a deep breath and pushes open the door, peeking inside before opening it wide and stepping in, with me behind him.

In the middle of the room is a hospital bed with an older woman sitting in a chair beside it, quietly sobbing. Noah heads toward her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she looks up, hastily wiping her eyes when she sees us.

‘I’m sorry, I was just . . I think I have gotten something in my eye’ she whispers, glancing toward the bed where a second woman is lying asleep.

‘Mum, you are an even worse liar than Se’ Noah mumbles back in a low voice, ‘it’s OK to be upset, I’m here.’

The woman nods, fishing a tissue out of the oversized bag that rests on her knees and blowing her nose. ‘I know, but I’m the one supposed to take care of you, not you comfort me’ she replies. Peeking around her son, she looks at me, ‘who is this?’ she asks warily.

Noah glances back at me before placing a hand on his arm, ‘this is Hallick’ he tells her, ‘he works for Eden’s boyfriend.’

His mother’s face brightens in understanding, ‘you work for the Cadell family?’ she asks, her voice more welcoming.

I nod, ‘yes Ma-am’ I reply gruffly, uncomfortable being scrutinised.

Noah’s mother nods, ‘you look like a man that can handle himself Mr Hallick’ she tells me, ‘I trust you.’

I’m a little taken a back as the woman has only just met me, how the hell can she trust me already, but the look on her face tells me it’s true.

Turning back to her son, she starts to wave a hand at him, ‘you were supposed to stay at that wedding! Seona told you to go.’

The athlete snorts out a laugh, ‘I went and now I’m back, I had to bring Hallick here. Waving for the woman to stand up, he adds ‘now go and get a coffee Ma, you look beat’ he states honestly. ‘I would send you home for some sleep, but I know you won’t go so I won’t waste my breath, but I am going to insist on food and coffee.’

He angles her toward the door, ushering her out as the door swings closed behind them, cutting off their hushed voices.

I take a step closer to the bed, getting a better view of the patient. Her face is swollen and bruised, her right arm in a white cast that lies beside her on top of the covers. Her hair is matted with blood, but from what I can see, I’m pretty sure it’s normally a dirty blonde when clean. From the outline of the covers, I can see she’s of slim stature, and I wouldn’t peg her at more than five foot six at a guess.

As I’m studying her, the woman’s eyes snap open all of a sudden, and a jolt of what feels like lightning shoots through me as brilliant blue eyes like the ocean connect with my own brown ones.

She instinctively moves away from me, sinking further into the covers as she uses her free hand to try and tug them tighter to her. I want to reach out, grab her hand, for some reason hating that she’s scared of me. I don’t know why, lots of people are scared of me, just looking at me makes them wary, but for this woman to look at me with terror cuts into me.

‘P . . please . . ‘ she whispers, her eyes darting to the door then back to me, ‘I . . . don’t . . ‘

I growl out frustrated, the sound making the whole situation worse, ‘I’m not going to hurt you’ I grumble.

Noah’s sister doesn’t believe me, I can see it, no doubt heard those words from her piece of s.hit husband enough times to know it’s all crap.

I hold up my hands, showing her that they are empty, ‘I came with Noah’ I tell her, ‘he asked me to help.’

The woman’s shoulders relax just a tiny bit as she still watches me warily, ‘you know . . my broth . . er?’ she gasps out, her face grimacing in pain.

I nod, ‘work for Eden’s guy’ I reply curtly, ‘at Cadell’s.’

The name sparks recognition in the woman’s features and she slowly lowers her hand again.

‘Eden . . my brother’s friend’ she murmurs.

Nod again, ‘he came and said you need help’ I point at myself, ‘I’m help.’

She chokes out a laugh, that turns into a sob, ‘no-one can help me’ she whispers, turning away from me.

I take a tentative step closer to the bed, ‘I can’ I huff, ‘your garbage of a man, husband? I can keep him away from you.’

Seona doesn’t look at me, ‘my husband . . . is a good . . I tripped’ is her response and I can visibly see her convincing herself. Her words are enough to turn my blood to lava, the wavering belief shrouding her that next time it might just be different.

‘You know, they all say that’ I snap angrily, ‘I fell, I tripped, I walked into something, and it’s all b.ullshit.’

Seona flinches but still keeps her eyes on the wall of the room, ‘I think . . . you should leave . . ‘ she whispers.

‘No’ my single word answer finally drags her gaze back to me again, and her eyes widen in surprise.

‘You . . . you can’t say no’ she whispers, trying and failing to put some type of power behind her words. I want to laugh, when was the last time this woman tried to stand up to anyone?

I hear a commotion outside the room, and seeing Seona cower instinctively as a distinct male voice comes through the closed barrier I turn on my heel and stride to the door.

Inching the door open gently, I peek out into the hallway where I am greeted with the back of Noah’s body, a man standing across from him.

‘She’s my wife, I have a right to see her Noah’ the tall broad shouldered man with brown hair snarls, glaring with dislike at the kid who is blocking the doorway, arms folded.

‘The last time you saw her, is how she ended up here f.ucker’ Noah retorts, his voice filled with an equal amount of hatred toward the visitor.

‘I don’t know what you are talking about’ the stranger replies, ‘she fell over, you know how clumsy she can be, now step out of the way before I move you.’

Yanking it open, I step out, pulling it firmly shut behind me as the new comer swings his gaze toward me.

‘Who the f.uck are you and what were you doing in my wife’s room’ he demands, taking a step toward me as I give Noah a push, telling him silently to step aside.

‘I’m Seona’s protection detail, and you are disturbing her rest’ I retort coldly.

The man bristles, ‘she doesn’t need protection, she’s my wife and I’m a damn cop.’

I shrug, ‘don’t care’ I reply, ‘I’ve been hired to do a job and I’m going to do it.’

‘Fine’ Seona’s husband snaps, ‘you can stand out here like a guard dog then, just get the f.uck out of my way so I can see my wife.’

‘She’s resting’ I repeat, crossing my arms over my chest and straightening myself up to my full six foot four inches which puts me at a good three inches taller than the d**k in front of me.