“Feel better now?”
Did he? Not really. One man was dead and another lay injured in a hospital bed. “No. But let’s get out of here.”
Sean helped him up. “By the way, Monique called me when she couldn’t get in touch with you after she heard what happened. When we get home, you should call her. She’s worried.”
“I will.”
They got into the Uber waiting for them, and he must’ve fallen asleep during the ride because the next thing he knew, the car had stopped in front of the building. Sean held the door open, and Tristan couldn’t help the yelp of pain when his shoulder was jolted.
“Ow, fuck.”
“Come on, let me help you.”
Sean wrapped an arm around his waist, and they slowly made their way up the three short steps that now seemed like scaling mountains. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead and dripped into his eyes, and his shoulder had stiffened on the car ride. The pain was excruciating, and he let out a whimper of pain when he settled on the couch. Sean ran to the bedroom and brought him a pillow for his head. The buzzer sounded, and Sean answered it.
“That’ll be your prescription.”
He hated feeling weak and incapable, but he couldn’t move without pain. Sean brought him the pain pill and a glass of water, and he swallowed it and gave a tired smile. “Thanks.”
Sean kissed his cheek. “When I got the text from Ray that there was a shooting in your bank, I almost lost it right there on Columbus Avenue. I’ve never been so scared.” His lip trembled. “I love you so much, and I thought you were dead and I’d never see you again. I almost went crazy.”
“Can’t get rid of me that easily.”
Sean lay next to him, careful not to jostle his arm, and snuggled by his side. “I never want to get rid of you. I’d even eat your rabbit food forever if it means keeping you safe with me.”
His fingers slid through Sean’s thick hair. “I can’t promise nothing will ever happen. I can only do my best to try and keep myself safe. And I love you too. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Lucky you. You’ll never have to find out. You’re stuck with me.”
The buzzer sounded, and Sean went to check the video monitor. “It’s Monique.” He glared at him. “Don’t you dare move.”
Laughing and wincing at the same time, he shifted to a more comfortable position. Sean opened the door, and Monique barreled in without saying hello and ran over to him.
“You’re okay. I saw on the news that someone was killed and another person was in critical condition, and I didn’t know if one of them was you, and I haven’t been able to stop crying. Thank God, thank God.” She sank to his side, weeping. “I was so worried.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t think to have someone call you. I got hit in the shoulder, but the bullet passed right through the muscle and didn’t hit any bone. One of my team was hurt, but they say he’s going to make it. But someone died. I couldn’t help it.” He ducked his head, but Monique touched his cheek, and he met her warm and loving eyes.
“Of course you couldn’t. I know you’d do anything to prevent that from happening. I’m relieved to hear that your team member will recover.” She brushed the tangled hair off his face. “You need a haircut.” Somewhere in the hubbub, he’d lost his hair tie.
“I’ll get right on that.” He gazed up at her. “Where’s Nadine?”
“When I realized it was your bank, I got my parents to come watch her. What happened?”
He relayed the story, leaving out the part where he wasn’t going to allow what happened to Terry to happen to his coworkers, but Monique knew him better.
“You were thinking about Terry, weren’t you? Tell me you didn’t deliberately put yourself in danger. Please, Tristan? You’re not still punishing yourself, are you?”
Tristan glanced at Sean, whose face was filled with so much love, that as much as Sean had said he couldn’t live without him, Tristan wouldn’t want to spend another day without Sean at his side.
“I’ll admit to it. I protected Larissa Owens because she has a young son. I left myself open because Sal Truman is married with children. But I do want to live. I’m not going to risk it all now. Not when I finally have everything I could ever want.”
He met Sean’s eyes, and they shared a smile.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“I love fall, don’t you?” Sean pointed to a pile of crunchy, flame-colored leaves at the curb. “I wish I could jump right in.” Maybe he should. He took a step.
Ever the pragmatist, Tristan grabbed his hand and tugged him. “Are you kidding? People walk their dogs here. There’s probably poop and pee and God knows what else.” He scrunched up his face. “You never know if a rat’s living in there.”
