Emma nodded. “And I, her. I’m not sure how she’d do without me.”
“’Tis not for you to fix, Emma. Aubrey has her own angels lookin’ out for her.”
“Does she?” She shot a hopeful look at him. “Of course she does. But it’s good to hear you say that.” She sat on the ledge of the window with the halo of the outdoor streetlamps behind her. “It’s funny how a day can change everything. One quick accident and all I thought was true, all I believed is different now. Here I am, with you, and everything is upside down.”
“Not everything,” he said with a half smile. “You’re upright again. I sent Aubrey to a room to get some rest. Jacob went to your home to get her some things.”
“But when he gets there, he’ll see…”
Connor nodded. “Better him than Aubrey. Best not to have her run smack into that alone. Not until we uncover who was behind it.”
She looked surprised. “We?”
He shrugged, staring out into the dark night. “I canna see ye doin’ it alone.”
Impulsively, she curled her fingers around his arm. “You’ll help me, then?”
Her touch sent an inexplicable, unwelcome shudder of want through him. “I will,” he said. “For as long as I can.”
She swallowed thickly. “Thank you, Connor.”
The look of gratitude in her eyes was almost more than he could bear. “’Tis my job.”
She knew as well as he how those words were meant to land. “Of course.” She dropped her hand and turned toward the window. “Why else would you help me?”
Now he’d stepped in it. He couldn’t seem to help himself when it came to her.
“’Tis wrong o’ me to hold Violet against you, I know,” he said, standing close to her, searching the darkness for what she was seeing.
“Just so you know, I have no idea who this Violet person is or how she hurt you, but I assure you I had nothing to do with her.”
Connor scratched his head, then shoved his hair out of his eyes. “That’s not exactly true. Because, Emma…you are, in fact, Violet.”
Chapter Five
Emma turned toConnor, dumbstruck. “What in the world are you talking about?”
“You are Violet and Violet is you.”
She snorted. “Maybe I’m not the only one with a head injury here.”
“You’ve no memory of that life. But your soul is hers. Here on Earth, once again, looking…nearly the same.”
A frown tugged at her brow. “Are you saying…I’ve lived before?”
“What it is goes by many names,” he allowed. “But ’tis a choice the soul makes.”
“And I chose to return.” She gestured to her body. “As this?”
“And I”—he spread his arms wide—“am this.”
She was about to question him further, when Jacob came running down the hallway, a look of panic on his face.
She and Connor exchanged looks, knowing he’d seen the house. Emma followed him. Connor did, too.
At the ICU, Jacob skidded to a stop at Emma’s glass door. Sweat stained the front of his shirt as if he’d been running. “Where is Aubrey?” Jacob asked no one in particular. “Where’s my girlfriend?” He turned to the nurse sitting at the nurses’ station. “Have you seen Aubrey? I need to find her.”
“It’s okay,” the nurse they knew as Riley told him, coming around the desk to calm him down. “Aubrey is resting. She’s fine.”
