might also be bleeding into her pelvis. What will happen now?”
She could feel Devlan nod as his chin came to rest upon the top of her head. “I’ve already called in favors from some friends of mine, Diana. They’ll work on Hannah to the best of their abilities. She’ll pull through. You have the best in the area to help her.”
As his words sank in, Diana suddenly realized just how bizarre his presence in the hospital was. It was almost surrealistic. She stiffened and pulled away from him, leaving the comfort of his arms with the suspicion that things were not what they seemed. Reaching for another tissue, she took a moment to regain her composure. She could feel his intense gaze upon her as she moved away to a safe spot within the small room.
“How is it, Mr. Doyle, that you’re here?” She managed a shaky laugh. “I mean, how did you hear about the accident and get here so quickly?”
There was a slight hesitation before Devlan answered. His gaze did not quite meet hers as he spoke, which only increased her suspicion. She watched him warily as he focused on his clean, short fingernails.
“I was already here, Diana. I was upstairs in a meeting with upper management. I’m doing some work with the hospital. There was a lot of talk about the accident, and when I heard Hannah’s name I came down.”
Diana was not sure she believed him, but judging by his sharp appearance she suspected he was doing some sort of work. Whether or not it was upstairs was another story altogether. However, he did have the means to help her, and at that moment Hannah needed all the help she could get. The police had told her that the driver could not show proof of insurance, and that did not bode well for her at all.
She nodded slowly and sat back down on the couch, keeping a safe distance between them. Her guard was up again, and she intended to keep it that way. No, she needed to keep it that way.
Seeing her continued hesitation, Devlan took a step toward her and spoke quickly. “Let me help you help your daughter, Diana. I can do it. I can ensure that she has the best medical care available, with specialists in every field.”
“I am capable of taking care of Hannah, Mr. Doyle.”
He nodded impatiently while his hand waved away her words dismissively. “I know that. But I am offering you financial help. You have no insurance. How will you pay for her care?”
The warning bells that had rung when she first saw him were an all-out cacophony of noise now. Her eyes narrowed until they were almost slits. “How did you know that?”
“Common sense, Diana.” When she continued to stare at him suspiciously, he shrugged. “You just started full-time, did you not? Does your job offer you benefits immediately?”
She grimaced. He was right. “We’re covered as of the first of the month.”
“You see? You can’t get her the care I can. Trust me, Diana. I will do my best for her.”
“But why? I can offer you nothing in return. You know I can’t repay you; I have no money.”
“I don’t want your money.”
Their gazes locked, but Diana held her tongue and waited for him to elaborate. Tense moments passed until his gaze slipped away from hers to travel her length. Unlike Peter’s scathing and contemptuous look, Devlan’s was warm and appreciative, and Diana felt the power of it all the way to her toes. He cleared his throat, but his voice grew deeper when he finally answered her unspoken question. “There are things other than money that you can offer.”
She could imagine what that meant.
Though her mind screamed that she was being foolish and reckless, her heart told her that nothing mattered more than her daughter. She would do anything for Hannah. Taking a deep breath, she met Devlan’s gaze steadily.
“What would I have to do?”
“I would expect that you return with Hannah to L.A. I can take care of you both there. Hannah will have the best medical care that money can buy. We can discuss repayment
She could feel Devlan nod as his chin came to rest upon the top of her head. “I’ve already called in favors from some friends of mine, Diana. They’ll work on Hannah to the best of their abilities. She’ll pull through. You have the best in the area to help her.”
As his words sank in, Diana suddenly realized just how bizarre his presence in the hospital was. It was almost surrealistic. She stiffened and pulled away from him, leaving the comfort of his arms with the suspicion that things were not what they seemed. Reaching for another tissue, she took a moment to regain her composure. She could feel his intense gaze upon her as she moved away to a safe spot within the small room.
“How is it, Mr. Doyle, that you’re here?” She managed a shaky laugh. “I mean, how did you hear about the accident and get here so quickly?”
There was a slight hesitation before Devlan answered. His gaze did not quite meet hers as he spoke, which only increased her suspicion. She watched him warily as he focused on his clean, short fingernails.
“I was already here, Diana. I was upstairs in a meeting with upper management. I’m doing some work with the hospital. There was a lot of talk about the accident, and when I heard Hannah’s name I came down.”
Diana was not sure she believed him, but judging by his sharp appearance she suspected he was doing some sort of work. Whether or not it was upstairs was another story altogether. However, he did have the means to help her, and at that moment Hannah needed all the help she could get. The police had told her that the driver could not show proof of insurance, and that did not bode well for her at all.
She nodded slowly and sat back down on the couch, keeping a safe distance between them. Her guard was up again, and she intended to keep it that way. No, she needed to keep it that way.
Seeing her continued hesitation, Devlan took a step toward her and spoke quickly. “Let me help you help your daughter, Diana. I can do it. I can ensure that she has the best medical care available, with specialists in every field.”
“I am capable of taking care of Hannah, Mr. Doyle.”
He nodded impatiently while his hand waved away her words dismissively. “I know that. But I am offering you financial help. You have no insurance. How will you pay for her care?”
The warning bells that had rung when she first saw him were an all-out cacophony of noise now. Her eyes narrowed until they were almost slits. “How did you know that?”
“Common sense, Diana.” When she continued to stare at him suspiciously, he shrugged. “You just started full-time, did you not? Does your job offer you benefits immediately?”
She grimaced. He was right. “We’re covered as of the first of the month.”
“You see? You can’t get her the care I can. Trust me, Diana. I will do my best for her.”
“But why? I can offer you nothing in return. You know I can’t repay you; I have no money.”
“I don’t want your money.”
Their gazes locked, but Diana held her tongue and waited for him to elaborate. Tense moments passed until his gaze slipped away from hers to travel her length. Unlike Peter’s scathing and contemptuous look, Devlan’s was warm and appreciative, and Diana felt the power of it all the way to her toes. He cleared his throat, but his voice grew deeper when he finally answered her unspoken question. “There are things other than money that you can offer.”
She could imagine what that meant.
Though her mind screamed that she was being foolish and reckless, her heart told her that nothing mattered more than her daughter. She would do anything for Hannah. Taking a deep breath, she met Devlan’s gaze steadily.
“What would I have to do?”
“I would expect that you return with Hannah to L.A. I can take care of you both there. Hannah will have the best medical care that money can buy. We can discuss repayment
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