A Heart's Desire

Chapter 7

Thanks to RiosMorpheus  I have a beautiful new cover!!! So pretty... now without further ado lets get into the chapter!

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Shelby pulled off her latex gloves, tossing them in the trash can with a sigh. Eva bit her lip, arms crossed, as she fidgeted in the corner.

"So?" She asked, "What do you think?"

Shelby fixed Eva with a glare, shoving her shoulder-length blonde hair behind her ear. "I think you're crazy!" She exploded.

Kellan, still unconscious, stirred and Eva hushed her friend quickly. "Let's go in the other room so we can talk," she said in a low voice. Shelby followed her out into the living room.

She towered over Eva's short frame as she sat uneasily on the sofa. "Eva?" Asked Shelby, "Have you lost your mind? You could go to prison! Not just for the fact I'm giving you unauthorized drugs, but the fact you have a fugitive in your bed, for God's sakes!"

"I know, I know," Eva's voice was muffled as she buried her face in her hands.

The room was silent a moment before Shelby sat down. Gently she laid her hand on Eva's back and asked, "Are you sure he's innocent?"

Eva sat up. "Yes!" She said, "No. I don't know. But if what he said is true, they'd have killed him. I couldn't let that happen. Geez, Shell, he looked up at me and begged me not to turn him in. He was scared to die. I could see it in his eyes. And there was definitely something off with the dude that was looking for him. He was weird."

Shelby sighed, before reaching in her pocket and handing Eva an antibiotic. "Based on what you told me on the phone," she said quietly, "I made a guess. Now that I've seen him, I really think he should be in the hospital. But if he can't go, he needs to take one of these every twelve hours."

Eva took the the bottle of pills. "Thanks," she said, "I guess it goes without saying, don't tell anyone about this."

"I get it," said Shelby, "And I'll be coming to check on you tomorrow."

"No," Eva shook her head adamantly, "You don't need to get mixed up in this. Asking you here was a big risk. Thanks but don't come back."

Shelby's lips pursed as she gave a short nod and sighed, "What are you going to do with him once he's better?"

"Haven't really figured it out yet," she said with a shrug.

Shelby shook her head sadly. "You're in way over your head, sister," she said dolefully.

"That's your opinion," said Eva sharply, "I believe him. If I hadn't helped him he would be dead."

Shelby picked up her purse to leave and said, "Well, congratulations. If his colleagues are really trying to kill him, you might wind up dead too."

Eva flinched and Shelby said placatingly, "Look I'm sorry that was harsh."

Eva raised an eyebrow. "You think?" She asked sarcastically.

"It's reality," said Shelby, "Look I'm calling you tomorrow and if you don't answer I'm going to assume blondie in there has murdered you and I'm going to call the cops."

"I'll answer," Said Eva.

Shelby opened the door and said, "Give him one of pills already and when this is all over you owe me coffee."

Eva cracked a grin. "Sure," she said.

After Shelby had left, Eva peeled back in on Kellan before grabbing a glass of water and a straw from the kitchen.

She woke him gently, noticing how his eyes were glazed with pain. He was lucid enough to swallow the pill and drink some of the water.

He fell into a restless sleep after that and left Eva to wander the house uneasily. She was paranoid that his superior FBI agent was going to figure out she had lied to him and show up at her house.

Briefly, Eva thought of contacting her brother or father and asking for help. As quick as the thought came she dismissed it. They wouldn't be able to see past her wellbeing and would turn Kellan in.

Then he would be dead.

And that would be an utter shame. Eva set about fixing supper a few hours later; a light soup with crackers. She didn't think Kellan would welcome anything he had to chew vigorously.

When she popped her head in with the soup on a tray, he was awake, staring at the ceiling.

Softly, she entered the room, almost feeling shy. "Hi," she said, "Welcome back."

His head turned to look at her, beads of sweat collecting on his forehead. She grimaced at the sight, realizing he was still very feverish.

He closed his eyes and answered, "Hey."

As she set his tray of food down on the bedside table she said, "I don't know if you remember but if you don't, my friend was here. She got you some antibiotics."

She held up the pill bottle and shook it, eyes wide for emphasis. He nodded and asked, "You trust her?"

Eva nodded and then said with a sigh, "Didn't have much choice. Your bullet wound was getting infected. She's the only doctor I know that would do something like that for me."

Kellan stared at the petite woman as she briefed him on what happened while he was out. Gritting his teeth as he tried to move, he slowly pushed himself up to a sitting position, ignoring as she berated him for moving so soon.

"You're going to tear those stitches Shelby put in," she clicked her tongue.

She eased a pillow behind his back and felt his forehead with a cool hand. "You're still burning up," She murmured.

He grunted and said, "It'll pass."

"I'm sure you have a plethora of fun shot wound experience to draw from," she said dryly.

She chuckled at him as he glared at her. After she made sure he was propped up well enough that he wouldn't topple over into his soup, she set the tray in his lap and commanded, "Eat, you need your strength."

"So eager to get rid of me," he muttered.

Eva raised her eyebrows. "Oh no," she said sweetly, "Until this whole business is taken care of and you're declared innocent, I'm sticking to you like a flea on a dog's back."

.........

Kellan is not going to be happy with that response!! Welcome back Wildies!!! I know it's been a while since I updated but I've been focusing on my other two books mainly.

It was nice to write another chapter of Eva's story though!

Vote and comment and I'll see you in the next chapter!!

Sincerely,

Scarlett McLeod