“I mean exactly what I said,” Cold said simply. “In light of recent circumstances, your apartment is not safe. For the foreseeable future, you’ll be staying with me.” He tilted his head curiously. “Unless you have a problem with that?”
“Uh, no,” Jimmy squeaked, clearing his throat as he added, “No problem at all.”
“Hey, I got a big fuckin’ problem,” Maury suddenly interjected. “Jimmy got fuckin’ shot at while you was supposably watchin’ out for him, in case you already forgot.”
Cold’s pleasant expression faltered, and he wrinkled his nose slightly at Maury’s objection. “Mr. Martine, is it? I’ll let you know when your opinion is needed. In the meantime—”
“Listen here, big, tall, and ugly,” Maury growled, shaking a thick digit at him. “You might be the giant ol’ king shit of Strassen Springs, but Jimmy is like my own fuckin’ kid.”
Cold looked over Maury with equal parts fondness and annoyance, as if he was the beloved family pet that had become incontinent in his advancing years and had just had yet another accident.
“If anything happens to him, ain’t enough Juleses or Tamerlanes or whoever the fuck else to save you from the likes of me,” Maury went on, his stout frame shaking and sweating. “I’ll jam my crowbar so far up your ass, you’ll be able to open your mouth and pop nails outta walls, you hear me?”
“While that’s a very colorful picture of violence that you’re painting, I’m—”
“I ain’t done yet. If your goons do manage to knock me off before I get t’you? I’ll haunt your fuckin’ ass. Ain’t gonna be none of that cute and fuzzy Patrick Swayze singing shit about Henry’s wives neither.”
The corner of Cold’s mouth twitched, and Jimmy was honestly afraid for his friend.
“I will wave my stubby dick in your fuckin’ face for the rest of your days until you wanna blow your fuckin’ brains out. You open your eyes, all you’re gonna see is my wedding tackle waggin’ at you,” Maury promised him. “So you’d better take care of Jimmy. You better not let him get hurt again, you fuckin’ smug prick or else it’s gonna be all wrinkly fuckin’ scrotes for you forever.” He swallowed audibly, adding quietly, “Sir.”
Jimmy looked nervously over at Dario and Rowena who both looked as panicked as he did, before he glanced back quickly to Cold. He couldn’t read the gangster’s face, unsure of how exactly he was going to react to Maury’s outburst.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Cold said after a long pause, extending his hand toward Maury.
Maury was more relieved than anyone else, exhaling sharply as he shook Cold’s hand. He was instantly blustered by his apparent victory, smacking his lips together and laughing, “Yeah, you just remember. Crowbar. Ass. Wrinkly balls.”
“Don’t think I could forget if I tried,” Cold drawled, glancing back at Jimmy with a small smirk. “Mr. Poe, you have the most charming friends.”
Jimmy beamed sweetly, agreeing wholeheartedly. “Yeah, I sure do.”
Chapter Eighteen
Cold was able to persuade the hospital to release Jimmy into his care, although he made a point to remove the handcuffs himself instead of letting the policeman unlock them with the key.
Showing off doubtlessly, but Jimmy loved it.
Maury grumbled some more, gave Jimmy a farewell hug and glared at Cold. He narrowed his eyes, defiantly pointing at his crotch and saying, “Remember. Wrinkly balls for fuckin’ ever,” as his departing words.
Rowena opted to stay in the hospital with Dario since he needed a surgical consult for his shoulder, cheerfully bidding adieu to her brother and Jimmy.
Cold had one of the Gentlemen bring him a change of clothes for the ride home, a set of oversized sweats. They were warm and clean, and Jimmy was grateful to get out of the hospital garb. He dozed off in the gangster’s lap in the back of the limo en route. He was exhausted from the adventures of the day, happy to be in Cold’s embrace.
He was safe there.
Once they arrived back at his estate, Cold personally carried Jimmy upstairs. Jimmy held onto his neck, thankful for the new level of closeness he was being allowed, burying his face into Cold’s shoulder with a soft sigh. All of his troubles melted away in this man’s arms.
Cold got Jimmy into bed, checking the bandage with a gentle touch. “Does it hurt?”
“Burns mostly,” Jimmy answered. “It’s okay.”
“I’m proud of you,” Cold said with a sincere smile that made Jimmy’s insides turn to jelly. “You held your own with Duplin and watching you put him in his place like that was magnificent.”
“Thank you,” Jimmy said with a bashful smile.
“You will make a very good lawyer one day.”
“I don’t know about that, I’m a terrible liar,” Jimmy chuckled. “It wasn’t easy lying to Augustus. I told him I didn’t see anything, and that was... crap. Almost impossible to get out.”
