Watching From The Shadows: Trident Security Book 5 by Samantha A. Cole Read Free Book Online

Brody’s return with a doctor and nurse in tow. Marco stepped away from the bed so they could exam her, but remained close by. Vitals were checked, a light was flashed into her eyes, and a litany of questions were asked to determine if she knew her name, the date, and who the president was, among other things. After the doctor said he wanted to keep her another day for observation, Harper became upset. “No! I can’t. I have to get home to take care of my baby. I can’t stay here.”
    The doctor eyed Marco who nodded. “No worries. She’s not going anywhere. Her mother is watching the baby.”
    “But…”
    His glare told her he’d tie her to the bed if he had to. “No buts, Harper. I’ll tell you everything that happened, but you’re staying here until the doctor says you can go home. End of argument.”
    He could see she wanted to prove him wrong and continue to argue, but she wisely kept quiet until the doctor and nurse left the room. But then all bets and kid gloves were off. “Who the fuck do you think you are?” she hissed.
    “For now, I’m your bodyguard…” He couldn’t hold back any longer. “And apparently the father of your baby.”
    Her mouth opened and closed several times in shock until Brody cleared his throat and they both turned to face him. “Should I stay and play referee, or should I step outside and keep everyone else away from the door while you two hash this out?” He grinned and shrugged his shoulders. “Personally, I’d like to stay and watch the fireworks.”
    “Out,” they growled simultaneously.
    The pain-in-the-ass sighed dramatically and headed for the door. “Fine. Just keep the decibel level down, will ya? This place is filled with sick people trying to get better, and some really hot looking nurses—especially the brunette doing paperwork at the desk. Holler if you need me—but not too loudly.”
    The moment the door closed and they were alone, Harper sat up, and despite the blood draining from her face at the sudden movement, pulled the blanket off her body. When she began to swing her legs over the side, Marco growled. “Don’t fucking think about it, Harper. You’re not going anywhere and you won’t like what I’ll do to you if you try to get out of that bed.”
    Instead of arguing with him, Harper’s coloring turned from white to green and she clutched her stomach. Having seen that look before many times in the military, and on Nina’s face after her chemotherapy sessions, Marco lunged for the plastic basin on the bedside table. Throwing it into Harper’s hands, he was just in time as she puked into it. The stench curled his own gut, but he fought the urge to join her while he pulled her hair out of the way as she emptied the contents of her stomach. When the retching finally slowed, she began to sob and Marco’s heart clenched.
     

C HAPTER 5
    Thirteen Months Ago
    Harper had been trying to suppress falling apart for Marco’s sake, but the past few days…hell, the past few months came crashing down around her. Nina had been closer to her than her own sister had ever been, and watching her dwindle down to ninety pounds as her life drained from her body had been heart-wrenching. They had become best friends within a week of being assigned as dormitory roommates in college and it wasn’t long before they were telling each other their deepest darkest secrets. Secrets about which they were sworn to silence.
    Marco’s strong arms enveloped her as she cried into his shoulder. His hands rubbed up and down her back slowly while his solid chest rumbled with his low murmurs of comfort. The heat from his body warmed the chill which had sent shivers down her spine. Inhaling deeply, she savored the leather and citrus scent of his cologne. Nina had gotten it for him a few Christmases ago, and after smelling it on him that first time, it had become Harper’s favorite scent. Unfortunately, it made her wish Marco wasn’t the man he was, instead of being the man she