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Her sh Dale’s as they left

Keith sat down next to Isabelle’s bed and put his hand on her shoulder The kick of jealousy Grant felt rit his teeth

"I’m not sure you should leave," said Keith "You’d be safer here"

"I’ll rest better at home"

"And I’ll be there to htened with irritation as his gaze shifted from Isabelle to Grant "She’d be safer here"

Isabelle gave Keith a warning look "I know youhoht if you’re worried In fact,is over"

Grant barely stoe to deed to claotten him in trouble Keith was her friend and, like it or not, Grant had to respect that

"Three’s a crowd, don’t you think?" asked Keith as he stood to leave "Is there anything I can get you before you leave?"

"Will you check on Aht?"

"I think so"

"I’ll take care of it Callelse"

Keith left, and Grant couldn’t stop touching Isabelle He tried to reassure hi with panic, unconvinced He stroked her hair, relishing the feel of the slippery strands under his palm

"Keith is threatened by you," said Isabelle

Good At least he’d done that right "He’ll live I’m more worried about you You could have been killed"

She gave hiht with fear "You don’t think my accident was accidental, do you?"

God, he hated seeing her afraid Still, he wasn’t going to lie to her "I’m sure you had to have considered the possibility"

"I thought it was justsouilty, you know?"

"This wasn’t your fault"

"Tell that to theree"

Grant took her face in his hands, holding her gently "You can’t do this to yourself I’ve seen what guilt can do to a person, and I won’t let that happen to you"

Isabelle blinked back tears Her green eyes, norht, were dimmed by shame "I’ve never hurt anyone before"

"And you didn’t this time, either And to prove it, I’ll have Mathews check out your car and see if it’s been tampered with"

"I don’t knohere it went," she said "They must have had a truck tow it away"

Grant smoothed her hair away from her face "Don’t worry about it I’ll find it and take care of everything"

She nodded and leaned her head against his chest "Everett’s dead," she whispered in a bleak tone

Grant cli he could rief disappear "I know, honey I know"

"He doesn’t have anyone to plan his funeral"

"We’ll do it together," he assured her

She was quiet for a long time and then, in a faint voice, said, "Amanda’s next I can’t lose her, too"

"You won’t lose her I pro to be okay" Grant wanted to hold her until this whole mess went away, but it wasn’t in the cards

The nurse ca her reply "You’re all set to go home now, Isabelle Call or come back if you have any problems, okay?"

"I will," said Isabelle

The nurse looked at Grant "Are you going to be with her tonight?"

"Yes" Right by her side He’d seen men who’d been hit in the head take a turn for the worse in the blink of an eye Her bu any chances Isabelle was too precious

"Good Keep an eye on her, just in case, but she should be fine"

"I won’t let her out of ers around Isabelle’s upper arrip to help ease her from the hospital bed

"I’m fine, Grant Really You don’t need to hover"

His jaas hard and hiswith it, all his ht "I almost lost you today"