DAMIEN POV
I'd been awake for thirty-six hours straight.
Elena refused to leave Isabella's bedside. Someone had to stay alert, watch for threats. That someone was me.
The hospital had increased security after we explained the poisoning wasn't an accident. Two guards were posted outside the ICU. No one got in without ID verification. Visitor logs were checked and double-checked.
It wasn't enough.
I knew it wasn't enough because I knew Brighton's network. I'd seen firsthand how he operated the bribes, the infiltration, the ability to get to anyone anywhere. If he wanted Isabella dead, a couple of hospital security guards wouldn't stop him.
But Elena needed to believe her mother was safe. So I let her believe it while I stayed vigilant.
It was 2 AM on the third night when I finally gave in to exhaustion enough to leave the ICU waiting area.
