Thomas frowned. “For me?”
“For him, you and the politician. Said he was going to teach me a lesson, and that if he went too far, if he killed me, he’d get away with it.”
“He wouldn’t –”
“He would, Thomas. He would’ve ended up killing me, I know it, and he would’ve said it was an accident, that we had an agreement, but things got out of hand, and he would’ve backed it up with all the emails I sent him. He would’ve got away with it because I’m just an escort.”
“You’re notjustanything. I would’ve hunted him down.” He squeezed Scott’s knee. “I wouldn’t have let him get away with it.”
“But –”
“He’s dead, Scott. John took care of him.”
Scott swallowed. “What if he got away?”
“He didn’t –”
“The poison could’ve worn off. He might’ve taken the passageway –”
“I have a camera in that room,” Thomas whispered. “I promise you he didn’t get away.”
Scott didn’t ask for the details. Thomas didn’t share them, but the twitch of his lips, the gleam of his blue eye, said he was thinking fondly about the footage.
“Why won’t you lie down on the bed?” Thomas asked.
“Huh?”
“Your head is killing you; you need to rest, but you won’t lie down. I swear I won’t go anywhere; I’ll watch over you while you sleep. Nothing will happen to you.”
“It’s not that, it’s…”
“What?”
Scott stroked a hand over his scalp. “It doesn’t feel very nice.”
“It hurts?”
Scott shook his head. “It’s cold. Itchy. Ridiculous, I know, but…” He touched the remaining clump of hair behind his left ear.
Thomas put both his hands on Scott’s head, soothing the skin. They were warm, and Scott smiled. “That feels nicer.”
“If I get in the bed with you, will you put your head on my chest?”
“Your bare chest?”
“My bare chest,” Thomas confirmed.
Scott nodded.
“Good.” He laced his fingers through Scott’s. “You need to rest.”
“There’s not much chance of that out there.” Scott gestured to the door and the corridor beyond.
“No,” Thomas admitted. “That’s why we’re going to get you discharged so I can take you home.”
“Home…”
“Home,” Thomas repeated, pulling Scott to his feet.
