Hope started a vicioӀarted a us beat in Rio’s chest. A life. A normal life. All that Grace had dreamed of. Free of fear. Of always looking over her shoulder. She’d be dead to the rest of the world. Loved and forever cherished by him.
“What about her sister, Shea?”
“Without Grace, her value decreases. I’ll do my best to dim any enthusiasm for Shea, but I can’t guarantee anything. I have no doubt that KGI will keep her safe.”
“Thank you,” Rio said in a low voice.
It was hard to say to this man. But Hancock was trying to make amends. He’d tried to save Grace. He’d done what was necessary to accomplish the mission, and a lifetime ago, Rio would have applauded that drive and single-minded determination. He would have admired it. Would have aspired to have been like that. Machine, not man. The greater good above all else.
Hancock stood and started to walk away, and Rio knew, without a doubt, he wouldn’t see Hancock again. Not unless Hancock wanted it. He’d fade back into the shadows. Back into a life steeped in gray. A gray world Rio himself had existed in before Grace had barged in with a burst of color, love and understanding.
“What about Elizabeth?” Rio called after him. “What will your report say about her?”
Hancock paused and turned around. “What would you like it to say?”
Rio hesitated and thought back to that innocent little girl who’d been so close to death before Grace had given her back her life. He lifted his gaze back to Hancock. “Tell them…Tell them that she died as well. That Grace was unable to save her.”
Hancock nodded. “Tell Grace…Tell her that she’s one hell of a woman. She had Farnsworth by the balls. Never quite seen anything like it. She’s pretty damn fierce.”
“I’ll tell her,” Rio said, feeling the first surge of hope creep over his shoulders.
“Safe journey,” Hancock said before disappearing from the doorway.
“Safe journey,” Rio murmured in the empty air.
Rio hurried back to the waiting room, anxious to know if there was any word on Grace. She’d been in surgery for three hours already and he had no idea how long to expect it to last.
As soon as he hit the doorway, he knew there was no word. Nathan looked up and silently shook his head. Rio bit back his frustration and blew out his breath, his shoulders sagging with fatigue and worry.
Elizabeth was sitting next to Terrence. The picture of the tiny little girl next to the mountain that was Terrence would be amusing in other circumstances. But then Elizabeth looked up and caught Rio’s gaze. Sorrow swamped her expressive brown eyes.
Then to Rio’s surprise, she pushed away the blanket Terrence had wrapped her in and got up. She walked to Rio, her face solemn, eyes sad. She stopped in front of him and looked up to meet his gaze.
“I know my father wasn’t a good man. I’m sorry for what he did to Grace. She’s such a good person. She’s like sunshine and love all wrapped up in one.”
Damn if tears didn’t burn Rio’s eyes all over again.
Gently he reached down and tucked her hand into his. “Come sit down and talk to me, Elizabeth.”
She followed him to the far corner, away from the others. He sat and she stood awkwardly as if she had no idea what to do or what she should do. His heart broke when he looked at her, because she was trying so hard to be brave when her entire world had shattered around her.
“Come here,” he saiӀx201D; hd softly.
He held out his arms and she went willingly into his embrace. He hugged her to him and then lifted her onto his knee.
“You’re right. Your father wasn’t a very good man.” He wouldn’t lie to her. Elizabeth wasn’t stupid. She knew what her father was. “But he loved you very much. Love will make you do all manner of things. He would have done anything to save you because he loved you that much.”
She nodded solemnly. “I wished to be better so many times. I kept praying for a miracle because I wanted him to be good. I used to pray that God would make me well and that my father and I could go somewhere and start over. I—”
She bit her lip, but Rio could still see her entire mouth trembling.
“You what?” he gently prompted.
“I used to think that me being sick was his punishment for all the bad things he’d done,” she whispered.
Rio hugged her tightly, his heart breaking for the burden this child had carried for so long. She was just a baby. Old beyond her years.
“Oh, honey, no. That’s not how it works. Your father made choices. God doesn’t punish you for the choices he made. You were a gift to your father. He loved you so very much. Bad things happen to good people all the time. It sucks. It doesn’t always make sense. But look at Grace. She’s been treated horrifically by people who want her for what she can do. She’s good through and through. But she’s suffered so much. It’s not fair bu
t then much of life isn’t fair. It’s how you live that matters. It’s how you deal with the bumps in the road.”
“I don’t have anyone now,” she said quietly. “I never knew who my mother was. I think my father took me from her when I was a baby. What will happen to me, Rio?”
He smiled tenderly and wiped the hair from her forehead. “I have an idea that I’d very much like to get your input on.”
Her brow wrinkled and she stared questioningly up at him.
“What do you say, you and I go down and see if we can find something to eat and we’ll talk over the proposition I have for you.”
Her eyes lit up for a moment but then they dimmed, and she glanced toward the door as if expecting someone to walk through at any moment.
“What about Grace? I don’t want to leave her.”
“Terrence will call us the minute the doctor comes in if we’re not here. Then we’ll race back up as fast as we can so we can be there when she wakes up. Deal?”
Elizabeth smiled and bobbed her head up and down. “Deal.”
CHAPTER 40
GRACE struggled through an endless sea of murkiness, shadows that seemed to reach out and wrap around her like vines. She warded off the encroaching darkness, wanting instead to savor the warmth of the distant light that seemed to grow dimmer all the time.
She knew she wasn’t dead, but she also knew that she was dying. This was it. The epic battle between life and death. It all sounded so poetic but quite frankly it sucked and there was nothing particularly poetic about dying.
Rio?
It was a small whisper in her mind. She wasn’t sure she had the strength to push it out, but she desperately needed confirmation that he was alive and okay, that she hadn’t failed. And she needed the comfort of his presence because her mind was frighteningly blank. So dark and barren and cold.
Iր019;m here, baby. Right here. With you always. Just open your eyes, Grace. I’m right here. Open your eyes and look at me.