Read Online In The Still of the Night [The Protectors 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Marla Monroe - Free Book Online Page B

climbed into the driver’s seat once Tina was inside the car with Jenna’s head safely in her lap.
    He kept checking his rearview mirror to see Jenna lying in the backseat.
    “How are you doing back there, baby?”
    “I’m fine,” she said through gritted teeth.
    He turned his attention back to the road and concentrated on getting them there fast but without jarring her. He pulled into the emergency room entrance, and after throwing it in park, jumped out of the car to open the door. Tina eased out from under Jenna’s head. Riley moved her aside and helped Jenna to sit up and ease out of the car. He let her hold on to him as she stood up.
    A nurse rolled a wheel chair out to the car, and Riley helped Jenna sit in it.
    “What happened?” the nurse asked as she wheeled her into the emergency room entrance.
    “Her ex-husband beat her up,” Riley answered.
    “How long ago?”
    Riley looked at Tina to answer that.
    “I’m not sure. I found her about forty-five minutes ago.” Tina looked at Jenna.
    Jenna swallowed and said, “About six or seven hours ago.”
    Riley closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath through his nose. She’d been hurting all that time and hadn’t called a soul. He wanted to shake her for not calling him.
    “Why the hell did you wait so long to call somebody?” Riley demanded.
    “She didn’t call at all. I found her when I came to pick her up to go shopping,” Tina said.
    Riley followed behind the nurse pushing the wheelchair.
    “Sir, we need her information at the check-in desk,” the nurse said.
    “Tina, you know more about her than I do. You answer their questions. I’m going with her.”
    “Sir, you can’t go back there with her until they finish the exam. I’ll come get you when they finish.”
    Riley stopped the wheelchair and looked down at Jenna.
    “You tell them everything. Do you understand? Let them do their job. If that means staying here, you’re staying.”
    Jenna nodded her head and looked down. Riley cursed under his breath and stood up to let the nurse continue to the back. He stood there with his hands on his hips and worked to regain control of his temper. Knowing that she hadn’t trusted him enough to call him for help both hurt and angered him at the same time. He wasn’t mad at her but mad at himself for acting like an ass toward her. Finally, he returned to where Tina was giving the clerk the information they needed. He only half listened.
    “Okay, that’s everything for now. We do need a copy of her insurance card and driver’s license when you can get them to us.”
    “I’ll get them to you as soon as I know what they plan to do with her,” Tina promised. She stood up from the chair and followed him to the waiting room.
    Her skin appeared pale, and it was obvious she was worried about Jenna.
    “Better call Logan and let him know where you are and what’s going on.”
    “You’re right. I’m going to step outside where I can hear better to call him. Come and get me if they come out and are going to let us back to see her.”
    He watched her walk through the sliding doors. All he could do now was wait. Normally he was a patient man, but this was not one of those times.

    * * * *

    Jenna let the nurse help her undress and slip on the ugly green hospital gown. Then she stepped up to sit on the stretcher. Every movement aggravated the pain in her side and hip. She didn’t think Riley had noticed her hip, thank goodness. She figured it was black and blue, as well. She looked around the room. It looked like every other emergency room she had been in over the years. The last three times had been here.
    The events of the night before came flooding back to her. Somehow her ex had gotten inside her house. It had to have been through the front door since Tina had come in that way. He’d pulled her out of bed by her hair, yelling at her almost incoherently. Then the beating had started. Her head must have hit the corner of the night stand when it turned