“Not really the time, Liv,” she shut her friend down quickly.
With a look that said she’d spill the details later, Sophie continued on.
“After you and I...said our goodnights”—she slid her gaze to Jason’s, praying the others couldn’t see the blush crawling up her neck—“I went upstairs to get ready for bed.” A shiver raced down her spine as she absentmindedly shook her head. “I didn’t even know anyone was there, at first.”
“It’s okay, Sophie.” Riley’s tone was soft and comforting. “Just take your time.”
You’re fine. You can do this.
“I removed my earrings and my watch, and placed them in my jewelry armoire,” she went on. “Then I went into the closet to grab my pajamas, and...that’s when I saw him.”
She didn’t tell them that she probably would’ve noticed the intruder sooner had she not been distracted by the toe-curling kiss Jason had given her minutes before.
The memory had her eyes rising to meet his. Hidden beneath his short beard, a muscle in Jason’s strong jaw twitched.
Was he thinking of their kiss, too? She couldn’t tell.
Clearing his throat, Eric asked, “Then what?”
“Then...we fought.”
“Youfought?” Jason and Olivia spoke in unison, both looking back at her as if she’d lost her damn mind.
Going hand-to-hand with a burglar wasn’t exactly her ideal option, either. But she hadn’t really had much choice.
“He was coming out of the closet when I walked in,” she told them. “We bumped into each other and I screamed. When I saw the gun in his hand, I...I don’t know. I guess my fight or flight instincts kicked in, because the next thing I knew, I was going for the gun.”
Jason muttered a low curse under his breath as he rubbed a hand over his jaw.
“Is that when you were shot?” Olivia asked quietly.
Sophie shook her head. The man and I...we were fighting for control of the weapon. It went off once and the bullet went wide. The guy pushed me into the dresser. He started to run away, so I went after him.”
“You did what?” Jason shot her an angry scowl.
“I wasn’t thinking, okay?” She blinked away a sudden onslaught of tears. “My body just sort of reacted.”
“It’s okay, Sophie,” Eric stepped in. “Just tell us what happened next.”
“I think I may have screamed again, but I’m not a hundred percent sure. I just remember the sound of a second gunshot and then white-hot pain in my arm. The next thing I knew, I was waking up and Jason was there...and the guy who’d broken into my house was gone.”
Riley blew out a slow breath. “Lucky for you, Ryker showed up when he did.”
“Yeah.” Sophie looked over at him, his tight expression undecipherable. “I’m very lucky.”
The room went silent, and Olivia’s gaze bounced back and forth between Sophie and Jason. “I’m going to go see about getting you a private room for the night.”
“I’m not staying.” Sophie peeled her focus away from Jason to look at her friend.
Olivia’s eyes softened. “Soph, you lost consciousness.”
“The wound on my arm isn’t serious and the concussion is mild. I know what to look for as far as warning signs.”
“I figured you’d say that, but I still had to try.” With a sigh, the other woman walked over to the plastic chair in the corner. Grabbing a set of scrubs from the seat, she set them at the foot of the bed. “Your dress had blood on it,” Olivia explained. “I thought you might want to change into these. I’ll find Dr. Nichols and let him know he needs to get the discharge paperwork ready. I’m assuming you won’t be allowed to stay at your house. My shift doesn’t end for another hour, but you’re welcome to come home with me.”
Crap. With everything going on, Sophie hadn’t even thought about where she’d go after she left the hospital. Even if it wasn’t an active crime scene, her bedroom window had been smashed wide open by the jerk who’d broken into her home.
“She’s staying with me.”