Chapter 1 - The Ring on the Cold Steel
The sterile hum of the cardiac monitors seemed to freeze as Kane Vance’s fingers trembled, presenting the silver wedding band. Rachel stood motionless, her scrubs suddenly feeling like lead against her skin. Four years ago, highway patrol had handed her a charred scrap of Daniel’s wallet and a death certificate after a fiery semi-truck collision. She had buried an empty casket. Now, this battered, heavily tattooed stranger in Bed 4 held Daniel’s unique ring—the one inscribed with their wedding date along the inner rim.
""Mommy, wake up,"" Ethan murmured from Kane's bare chest, yawning as his tiny hands gripped his worn teddy bear.
Rachel stepped toward the bed, ignoring the sharp clearing of a throat behind her. ""Where did you get that?"" she whispered, her voice fracturing. ""Who are you?""
Before Kane could exhale an answer, the tallest of the three suited men stepped past Dr. Harris. The man’s name tag read Special Agent Marcus Cole, Department of Justice. Marcus’s face remained stone-cold as his gloved fingers brushed the edge of his jacket, revealing a concealed sidearm.
""Step away from the patient, Nurse Brooks,"" Marcus commanded calmly. ""This man is a federal asset under critical quarantine protocol. You are trespassing on an active jurisdiction.""
""He has my husband's ring,"" Rachel said, not turning around, her gaze locked onto Kane's hollow, dark eyes.
May you like
Kane shifted slightly, wincing from cracked ribs, and caught her eye. ""Don't sign... the transfer order, Rachel,"" he rasped under his breath, barely audible over the hum of the IV pump. ""They aren't here to save me. They're here to erase what he left behind.""
Suddenly, the overhead hospital lights flickered once and plunged the entire floor into pitch-black darkness.
