Breaking News Read online

  Breaking News

  Prime Time Series #2

  Ella Frank

  Copyright © 2020 by Ella Frank

  www.ellafrank.com

  Edited by Arran McNicol

  Cover Design: By Hang Le

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Synopsis

  Also by Ella Frank

  Dedication

  1. Xander

  2. Sean

  3. Xander

  4. Sean

  5. Xander

  6. Sean

  7. Xander

  8. Sean

  9. Xander

  10. Sean

  11. Sean

  12. Xander

  13. Xander

  14. Sean

  15. Xander

  16. Sean

  17. Xander

  18. Sean

  19. Xander

  20. Xander

  21. Sean

  22. Xander

  23. Sean

  24. Xander

  25. Sean

  26. Xander

  27. Sean

  28. Xander

  29. Sean

  30. Xander

  31. Sean

  32. Xander

  33. Sean

  34. Xander

  35. Sean

  36. Xander

  37. Sean

  Thank You

  About the Author

  Synopsis

  USA TODAY bestselling author Ella Frank continues the story of Alexander Thorne and Sean Bailey in Breaking News

  XANDER

  Sean Bailey, the older brother of my lifelong best friend, has always been a surly, temperamental pain in my ass. But sometime during the last few weeks, I’ve gone and fallen head over heels for him.

  Gruff and charming, charismatic in his own way, I’ve found myself looking past my preconceptions and discovered a whole new side to Detective Dick—a side I could fall in love with.

  But life isn’t always easy—it can change course in the blink of an eye. Sometimes for the good and sometimes for the bad. I know this because last night I experienced both sides.

  I went to Sean for help in guarding my body; what I didn’t expect was for him to steal my heart.

  Also by Ella Frank

  The Exquisite Series

  Exquisite

  Entice

  Edible

  The Temptation Series

  Try

  Take

  Trust

  Tease

  Tate

  True

  Confessions Series

  Confessions: Robbie

  Confessions: Julien

  Confessions: Priest

  Confessions: The Princess, The Prick & The Priest

  Confessions: Henri

  Confessions: Bailey

  Prime Time Series

  Inside Affair

  Sunset Cove Series

  Finley

  Devil’s Kiss

  Masters Among Monsters Series

  Alasdair

  Isadora

  Thanos

  Standalones

  Blind Obsession

  Veiled Innocence

  PresLocke Series

  Co-Authored with Brooke Blaine

  ACED

  LOCKED

  WEDLOCKED

  Fallen Angel Series

  Co-Authored with Brooke Blaine

  HALO

  VIPER

  ANGEL

  An Affair In Paris

  Elite Series

  Co-Authored with Brooke Blaine

  Danger Zone

  Need For Speed

  Classified

  Co-Authored with Brooke Blaine

  Sex Addict

  Shiver

  Wrapped Up in You

  All I Want for Christmas…Is My Sister’s Boyfriend

  Dedication

  I don’t know how I missed you all these years, but I’m sure as hell not missing you now.

  ~ Sean

  1

  Xander

  “I KNOW THIS is difficult and you’ve been through a lot tonight, but if I could ask you a couple of questions about what you remember, that would be very helpful.”

  Blinking, I tried to focus on the man talking—Detective Nichols, I think he said his name was—but it was close to impossible to concentrate with the cacophony of sounds swirling around me in the ER waiting room.

  I had no idea how long I’d been standing out here—ten, twenty, thirty minutes? But it was long enough for me to realize that whatever was happening behind the double doors they’d wheeled Sean through earlier was nothing good.

  “Mr. Thorne?”

  My name was merely an echo inside my head as I started to pace, the repetitive action something I could focus on other than the tragedy that had brought me here in the first place.

  Back and forth.

  Back and forth.

  Back and—

  Cool fingers wrapping around mine made me stop, and when I looked into the familiar face staring at me, I stopped in my tracks. Bailey.

  Somewhere between the Fairmont Hotel and University Hospital I’d had the foresight to call him, and as I stared down at him now, I could barely recognize his features.

  His lips looked set in stone, perhaps to not let free the shout of sorrow he was no doubt feeling. His eyes were red-rimmed from crying, and when he squeezed his fingers around mine, I looked down to see the bloodstained cuff of my white dress shirt and couldn’t help but think of the last time Sean had done the same.

  “Xander?” Bailey’s voice was the only thing that seemed able to penetrate this trancelike state that had come over me since arriving. “Why don’t you sit down?”

  I looked to the vacant seat to Bailey’s right, but shook my head. I needed to move. I needed to keep active. When I stopped, memories flooded in. Memories I’d rather not think about, like all that blood…all of Sean’s blood.

  “Do you think he could do this a little later? He’s been through a lot tonight.”

  Henri. That was Henri speaking now, and when I turned back to face the detective, he was looking at me with sympathetic eyes.

  “Yeah, we can wait,” Detective Nichols said, and then turned his attention back to Henri. “I’m gonna stick around until I hear word on Sean’s condition, anyway. If he feels like talking, lemme know.”

  “Will do. I think he just needs to know that Dick—Sean—is okay before he can focus on anything else, you know?”

  “Yeah, I get it, trust me.”

  “Thanks, we’ll keep you updated.”

  The two of them shook hands, and as the detective left the waiting area, Henri came back over to Bailey and me.

  “Whenever you feel up to it, he really needs to talk to you.”

  I knew that, but I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel up to reliving what had happened tonight. I understood that the detective needed a statement, and probably had a whole slew of questions about the man who’d been killed. But I could barely manage to breathe right now, let alone answer questions.

  “Look,” Henri said. “It’s going to be a long night. How about we go and find a coffee or vending machine?”

  Bailey nodded and got to his feet, but when they turned to me, I shook my head.

  “I’m not leaving.”

  “I’m not asking you to. Just get some coffee or something to eat.” Henri wrapped an arm around Bailey’s shoulders, and I had to look away from the picture they made. It was too painful to look at when the person I wanted wrapping his arms around me was
in surgery.

  “It might do you some good to get away from here for a little bit. You haven’t sat down in nearly four hours.”

  So that was how long it’d been. Why hadn’t anyone come out to tell us how Sean was doing yet?

  “Maybe we could find a gift shop and get you a clean shirt or sweater?” Bailey suggested as he looked me over.

  I glanced down at my bloodstained shirt, then pulled my jacket shut and buttoned it. “I’m fine,” I said, not about to go anywhere.

  “Xander…” The sadness in Bailey’s voice made my eyes sting, and when I squeezed them shut, he wrapped his arms around me. I stiffened at the contact, not feeling worthy of such comfort. But that was Bailey’s way. His gentle and caring nature just exuded from him, and if I tried to fight it, I would just hurt a man I loved. “It’s okay to leave for a—”

  “I’m not leaving,” I said again by his ear.

  He pulled back and ran a hand down my cheek, his blue eyes boring into mine. “This isn’t your fault. You know that, right?”

  No, I didn’t know that. How could I? Sean had been at that award ceremony tonight because of me. He’d been fighting off that man because of me. And now he was lying in surgery, bleeding out, because of me.

  “Okay, if you don’t want to come with us, at least sit down. That way I won’t be worried about finding you passed out on the floor when we get back.”

  I swallowed back the automatic I’ll be fine and let Bailey guide me to the seats in the back of the waiting area.

  I collapsed down into the corner chair, settled in, and crossed my arms and legs. I could still see the doctors and nurses pushing in and out of the double doors. When I looked up to see Bailey watching me, I reached for his hand and said, “Go.”

  “Are you sure?”

  No. “Yes. I just… I just need time to process, that’s all.”

  Bailey wasn’t buying that for a second, judging from the furrow on his brow, but he said, “We won’t be long.”

  “Okay.”

  Bailey nodded, but before they left, Henri reached out and patted my arm. “Don’t forget, it’s Dick in there. If anyone’s stubborn enough to fight this and come out on the other side, it’s that pain in the ass.”

  I knew he meant to help, to lighten the mood, and a couple of weeks ago, he probably would’ve. But as the two of them walked out, all I could think of was the way Sean had been the last time I’d seen him, the last time I’d touched him, and my heart broke all over again.

  “MR. THORNE? MR. Thorne? I need you to come with me.”

  The firm voice and hand on my elbow helped guide me to my feet, as I watched the paramedics hover around Sean where I’d left him lying still and lifeless, bleeding out on the ballroom floor.

  This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t be real. But as I looked down at my hands, the red stain on them told me just how real it was. That was Sean’s blood on my hands, Sean’s blood on my shirt, and as that reality began to filter in through the shock, my entire body began to shake.

  “Mr. Thorne? Did you hear me? I need you to come with me.” The hand holding my arm tightened and began to pull me away from the chaos—away from Sean—but I wasn’t going anywhere. Not unless he picked me up and bodily carried me from the room.

  “Let me go.” My voice was faint, even to my own ears. But whoever this man was kept right on walking, until I shook my head and said, more forcefully, “Let me go.”

  The fingers gripping my arm loosened, and as I spun around to relocate Sean, the room began to spin, and I swayed on my feet.

  “Blinding…” Sean’s earlier words echoed in my mind as the golden place settings reflected the lights and made everything around me blur. “You stepped into view, and now there’s nothing but you. Blinding.”

  “Mr. Thorne?” There was that voice again. “Are you okay?”

  Was I okay? I’d just seen a man shot and killed in front of me, and was now watching my bodyguard—my…Sean—bleed out on the ground. So, no, I was not okay. I wasn’t sure I ever would be again.

  As I took a step forward, my knees gave out from under me.

  “Shit.” An arm wrapped around my waist, and then I heard, “Look, my name is Nichols. Detective Nichols. I was here tonight with you and Sean.”

  Nichols? Yes, that sounded familiar.

  “Let me help you,” he said, offering up a grim smile.

  But I didn’t need help. Sean needed help. I heard someone count, “One, two, three,” and turned back to see the paramedics shifting Sean onto a stretcher.

  “I want to go with him,” I said, my voice barely audible. “I want to go wherever they’re taking him.”

  Nichols gave a clipped nod as the paramedics wheeled the stretcher by us. “Okay, then let’s go. They’ll have something in the rig for you to clean up with.”

  I looked down at my hands again and immediately tried wiping them on my pants, but it was no use. Sean’s blood was now well and truly staining my hands, just as I had feared, and nothing in that rig was going to wash it away.

  “Hey, Martinez?” Nichols called out as we pushed through the lobby doors. “You got room in there for one more? Pretty sure this one should be checked out too. He was the other person involved tonight.”

  Martinez looked me over as my body once again pitched to the side.

  “Got it. One sec,” she said, as she quickly helped her partner get the stretcher up into the ambulance. Then she came over to me, taking over from Nichols as my crutch. “Let’s get you inside and checked out, Mr. Thorne.”

  I wasn’t shocked that she recognized me, but I didn’t have it in me to acknowledge it. She guided me into the ambulance, and my eyes immediately locked on to Sean.

  He was hooked up to several machines monitoring God knows what, and the pallor of his skin told me just how much blood he’d lost. He had an oxygen mask in place, the shirt of his tux was cut open, and the blood soaking through the gauze packed into his side made my stomach revolt. A chill raced up my spine despite the suffocating heat of the night, as I stared down at his motionless body and tried to make sense of all of this.

  But that was impossible. There was no making sense of the brutally jarring image I was looking at. No connecting the loudmouth boy I’d grown up with, and the gruff but charming man I’d spent the last two weeks discovering, to this bleak picture he now made. It was soul destroying.

  I blinked as tears rolled down my face, trying to focus on him. But Sean was a mere shadow now, a familiar picture fading right before my very eyes, so I reached out and took his hand just in case he disappeared altogether.

  “You stay with me. You hear me,” I told him as the ambulance barreled along, the sirens wailing as it sped through the downtown traffic.

  I had no idea how long it took us to get to the hospital, or even which one we were at, but when the sirens ceased and the doors flew open, I let go of Sean’s hand and watched Martinez and her partner pull the stretcher free of the rig.

  When she looked back to me, I waved her off. I could climb out of the ambulance myself if it meant getting Sean into the hospital quicker.

  “What’ve we got?” one of the doctors barked.

  “Sean Bailey, thirty-eight-year-old male, stab wound to the upper left side, severe blood loss.”

  “Right. Tell surgery to prep OR three. Let’s go, everyone.”

  As they began rolling Sean off down the hall toward a set of double doors, Martinez fell back and took my arm.

  “Mr. Thorne,” she said, as I went to move by her. “Alexander.” At the use of my first name, I stopped and looked at her. “You have to wait here now. You can’t go back there.”

  As they pushed through the doors and Sean disappeared behind them, my heart sank. “No, I have to go with him. I—”

  “You need to let them do their job. Come with me. We’ll make sure you’re okay and find you somewhere to wait.”

  I turned back to see the doors were now shut and there was no movement on either sid
e. He was gone. Sean was gone. And I had no idea if I’d ever see him again.

  “MR. THORNE? EXCUSE me, Mr. Thorne?”

  A gentle hand and voice had my brain reengaging, and when I remembered where I was—the waiting room—my eyes snapped open.

  “I’m sorry,” the surgeon said, giving me a half-smile. “I didn’t mean to startle you, but I know you came in earlier with Mr. Bailey. I have an update for you.”

  I sat up ramrod straight and looked around the waiting room for Bailey and Henri. They weren’t there—shit. I knew they’d given my name to the nurses’ station as family, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear whatever she was about to tell me alone.

  “He lost a lot of blood. The knife nicked his spleen, but he’s a strong one. He’s going to be okay.”

  As I tried to comprehend everything she was telling me, the room began to spin, and I clutched at my head.

  “Careful there.”

  I swallowed and nodded. “I’m sorry, I’m just… I’m relieved, that’s all.”

  “I understand. You’ve had a hell of a night.”