“Do that. It’s only Jane I’d have trouble with. She was holding it together, but she was hurting. I can’t take that.” He added mockingly, “I’m glad you came out of Kilgoray without losing any vital organs. But then what’s a knife wound to a guy like you?”

“Fairly painful. Good night, Rodland.”

He cut the connection.

She was hurting. I can’t take that.

Well, neither could Caleb. But he knew that he was going to have to very soon.

*  *  *

Four hours later Jane knocked on his door. When he opened it, she asked, “May I come in? I’ve ordered you dinner. They told me you haven’t had anything to eat since that helicopter dropped you off.”

“I’ve been busy.” He stood aside to let her enter. “I had to talk to Palik several times. I assure you that I’ve not been wasting away.”

“You look much better.” She moistened her lips. “I’m glad, it frightened me. Though that EMT MacDuff sent to check you out told him the wound was minor.” Her gaze went to his shoulder. “Minor doesn’t necessarily mean pain-free. If you’d prefer not to talk to me until tomorrow that will be fine, but you did lose blood and you need to eat something.”

“Jane.” He smiled faintly as he shook his head. “I don’t have to remind you that probably no one knows better than I do about how the blood flow through the body can affect the organs. Don’t try to tutor me.”

“Okay, I won’t. I’ve had enough.” She slammed the door behind her. “But knowledge doesn’t mean that you won’t be careless. You’re not perfect, and you certainly haven’t demonstrated lately that you take proper care of yourself.”

Caleb gave a low whistle. “That’s better. You were being so polite and concerned that I was afraid I was going to have to be worried about you.”

“I’ll watch it,” she said curtly. “I’ve been a little upset lately. And I don’t really care what you prefer. Since you’re clearly in tolerable shape, we need to talk now. This can’t go on. A good man was killed today. You could have died, too. Later, I fully intend to go into the way you treated me and didn’t consult me. I even know why you did it. But it sucked. It hurt. What went before was beautiful and I’ll treasure it. That’s why I’m trying to ignore that you manipulated me and didn’t give me a choice. That’s why I have to give us a chance to go on to what’s important.”

“I tried to tell you,” he said quietly. “I can’t even promise it won’t happen again. I have to keep both of you safe.”