It shouldn’t have happened. He knew better. He knew the danger out there, and he’d allowed himself to be lulled into a false sense of security. It wasn’t like him at all.
Alex looked at his bloody face in the bathroom mirror. He was lucky that this was the only price he had to pay for his momentary lapse in judgment. Beth could have been killed.
He slammed his fist down hard on the porcelain sink.
Damn, he knew better. Maybe John was right. Maybe he had let his emotions cloud his mind.
“You all right in here?” John appeared in the doorway.
“I’m fine,” Alex said through gritted teeth.
“I can tell. You look like hell.”
Alex started dabbing at his face. “I've had worse.”
“That you have. How's the rest of you?”
Alex washed most of the blood off his face and assessed his injuries.
He had a cut above his right eye. Another on his cheek. His nose was bleeding but not broken. There was a hell of a bruise forming on his jaw.
He lifted his shirt and took a look in the mirror. His side was red as hell, and there was already some purple showing through, but other than that he was fine.
“Battered, but not broken,” Alex said.
John nodded. “I'll double the guard on the floor tonight. You guys get some sleep. I have a feeling this last defeat isn't going to sit well with our guy.”
Alex turned from the mirror. His muscles were beginning to ache as the adrenaline fled his body.
“You think he’ll try again tonight?”
“I doubt it. He’s going to need to regroup and come up with a new plan,” John said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to get some information out of this latest guy. Thanks for not snapping his neck.”
“I wanted to,” Alex admitted.
“I know.” John clapped him on the shoulder. Alex winced.
“You sure you're all right?” John asked. “You don't need me to send anyone else in?”
Alex glared at his friend. “I'm not leaving her, John.”
John looked at him long and hard before nodding again. “All right then,” he said before turning and leaving.
The room stayed silent. Alex helped Beth into the bed, and pulled her into his arms. She cried for a little longer before sleep took her, and her breathing slowed. He kept his arms around her and waited for his mind to stop buzzing long enough for sleep to find him as well.
But it wasn't the fear of more attacks that kept him awake. It was the last thing he'd said to John.
He wasn't leaving her. He'd meant it. And he hadn't just been talking about tonight.
Chapter 12