The steady rhythm of the heart monitor was the only sound breaking the soft hush of the hospital room. A muted glow from the bedside lamp painted the walls in gold and shadow, catching the pale shimmer of moonlight seeping through the blinds.
Catalina stirred slightly, her head still heavy, body weak but mending. When her eyes blinked open, the first thing she saw was Kerian sitting in the chair beside her bed — elbows on his knees, hands clasped, his dark hair tousled and his shirt wrinkled from hours of worry.
She smiled faintly. “You’ve been pacing again, haven’t you?”
Kerian looked up, startled, and exhaled with visible relief. “KittyCat…” The nickname came out in a low whisper — one that carried love, relief, and lingering guilt. He immediately stood, moving closer to her bedside. “You shouldn’t even be awake right now. You need to rest.”
“I’ve done nothing but rest,” she said softly, reaching for his hand. “If I lie here any longer, I might forget how to walk.”
Kerian huffed out a quiet laugh, his thumb brushing her knuckles. “You scared me, you know that?”
“I scared myself,” Catalina murmured, her voice trembling. “One minute, I remember you coming for me… then everything just went dark.”
Kerian’s jaw tightened, eyes glinting with regret. “You never should’ve been caught in the middle of this, KittyCat. I swore I’d keep you safe, and instead—”
“Stop.” Catalina’s tone was firm but gentle. “You didn’t do this to me, Kerian. You saved me. Again.”
He closed his eyes for a long moment, trying to breathe through the emotion that threatened to choke him. “I can’t lose you,” he said quietly. “Not after everything. Not after finding you.”
Catalina’s fingers brushed his cheek. “Then don’t,” she whispered. “Because I’m not going anywhere.”
Outside the room, the hallway lights flickered briefly as three figures made their way toward the far end of the corridor — Erica, Jonathan, and Catalina’s father, Jack. Their voices were low but urgent.
“Whoever ordered that attack was trained,” Jack said, his military instincts surfacing in the sharpness of his tone. “They knew where to hit and how to vanish fast. But they didn’t account for Kerian.”
Jonathan nodded, scanning through the security feed files he’d managed to access on his tablet. “Or his sister,” he added with a faint smirk. “You have your brother's reflexes, by the way.”
Erica gave a quiet hum in acknowledgment, her focus locked on the screen. “They weren’t just after Kerian. Catalina was the target too. Which means this wasn’t random — it’s connected to what he ran from years ago.”
Jack crossed his arms. “You think one of his old enemies survived?”
Jonathan glanced at him. “No. I think one of them never left.”
Their conversation faded as the door to Catalina’s room creaked open slightly — Maire stepping out, phone in hand. Her eyes were red from happy tears, and her voice was a blend of excitement and disbelief.
“Yes, sweetheart,” she said into the phone, smiling through it all. “A baby girl. You heard me right, Brian — you’re going to be an uncle again. Be sure to call and inform Claire about everything, while I go and tell Jantrece that she can stop screaming now before she scares the nurses!”
Her laughter echoed softly down the hall before she turned to wave to the group. “They’re over the moon,” she said, still beaming. “Said they’ll be here first thing in the morning.”
Back in the room, Kerian had finally sat back down, watching Catalina’s slow breathing as she drifted between wakefulness and sleep. Her hand rested on her stomach, almost protectively, as if she already knew she wasn’t just guarding herself anymore.
Kerian leaned forward, brushing a stray strand of hair from her forehead, his whisper barely audible. “You have no idea how much you mean to me, KittyCat. You and our little one… you’re my whole world now.”
The sound of approaching footsteps drew his attention, and Jonathan slipped into the room quietly. His expression was grave — the kind that said whatever he’d found wasn’t good. Erica and Jack followed behind him.
Kerian straightened immediately, instinct flickering behind his eyes. “What is it?”
Jonathan hesitated, glancing briefly at the sleeping Catalina before lowering his voice. “We found out who was behind the attack.”
Kerian’s heartbeat quickened. “Who?”
Jonathan exchanged a look with Erica and Jack. Erica shook her head once, firm. “Not here. Not yet. You need to focus on her recovery first.”
Kerian’s jaw tightened, his instincts screaming to demand more — but one glance at Catalina’s peaceful face was enough to silence the urge.
He nodded slowly. “Then we wait,” he said quietly. “But when the time comes…”
Jonathan’s eyes met his. “We finish this.”
Kerian turned back to Catalina, his hand still wrapped around hers, and whispered as much to himself as to them all —
“For her. For all of us.”
YOU ARE READING
Curves For The Agent Cowboy
Romance"I'll be right back.. I need to go and find out what's taking Nick so long. I'm thirsty!" With that being said she ignored the scared look on Catalina's face and walked away. Catalina watched her go and when she turned back around she was surprised...
