ONE LOOK AT Panther’s face told me he’d retreated into heavy thoughts, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out what those could be. Self-doubt. Pain. Probably wondering if he still had his spot at NAFTA or if he’d fucked it.
God, I hadn’t wanted to come here and see the aftermath of what happened, but now I was glad Gucci had all but dragged me to the hospital. I thought seeing Panther lying in the hospital bed would send me spiraling into a dark place I wouldn’t come back from, but now that I was standing there looking at him, I realized it was the complete opposite.
Panther looked rough, no doubt about that, but seeing him awake meant he was alive, and that outcome was a million times better than what had happened to my brother. Of course, I didn’t want Panther to know how panicked I’d been, so before I entered the room, I’d shoved down my emotions, determined to keep things light like always. When it came to dealing with the tough stuff, it was either shut down or make a fucking joke. I’d already spent two days staring at the wall, so it was well past time to move on to phase two.
“So,” I said, leaning forward to brace my hands on the end rail of the bed. “When can we spring you? Or do you find the meatloaf surprise and Jell-O too appetizing to leave?”
That made Panther crack a smile. “I haven’t had the pleasure of meatloaf surprise just yet.”
“You will this afternoon,” said the nurse as she pushed a standing cart inside the room and stopped beside Panther’s bed. “If you can manage to keep it down, it looks like you’ll be able to go home tomorrow.”
“Hell yeah, did ya hear that?” Houdini said. “You’ll be up and flying again in no time.”
The nurse whipped her head around and pinned Houdini with a stern look. “You’d do well to make sure your friend doesn’t push himself too hard. His body needs time to heal.” She ran a thermometer across Panther’s forehead, and I found myself glancing at her computer screen to check his vital numbers. All within normal.
“Uh, maybe we should go,” Gucci said to Houdini. “Get a drink or something while your guy gets probed.”
“That would be a good idea,” the nurse said as she clicked away on her keyboard.
“Right…yeah, okay. I’ll be back.” Houdini gave Panther a look that said,Good luck with your bitch nurse, and as Gucci followed after him, he shot me a wink.
Alone again. Well, almost.
“So, um, you said he might be able to go home tomorrow?”
When Nurse Ratched looked my way, I offered up my most charming smile, and what do you know, she returned it.
“Looks that way. Your…friend”—she looked between us, and when neither of us corrected her, she smirked—“is doing really well considering what he’s been through.” As she went back to typing away on her computer, she asked, “Will you be the one taking care of him?”
My eyes flew to Panther, and just when he was about to open his mouth and likely tell herhell no, I did what I did best. I swooped in and took advantage of the hand just dealt to me.
“Yeah, that’s the plan. Our rooms are next door to one another back at the barracks, and I figured it’d be the smartest option.”
The nurse nodded and looked to Panther. “That sound about right to you?”
I eyed Panther, wondering if he’d try to contradict me. But when all he did was nod, I grinned. “See? We got this.”
“Hmm.” The nurse side-eyed me before turning her attention back to Panther. “This guy responsible? I don’t want to hear about any shenanigans once I set you free.”
If I wasn’t mistaken, I could’ve sworn I saw Panther’s lips twitch, because let’s be real, the last thing anyone would call me was responsible. But again, he nodded.
“Okay. Well, if you can keep this all down and you’re still doing well tomorrow, I’m close to positive the doctor will sign your discharge papers. But you’re going to need someone with you around the clock for the next seventy-two hours at least. We want to make sure you’re tolerating the meds okay, sleeping okay, functioning okay. Do you understand?”
Panther locked eyes with me, and I wondered if he was thinking what I was. Seventy-two hours of mandatory confinement with one another sounded pretty fucking good right about now, after the last two days left wondering.
“Yeah, I understand,” he finally said. “And I have no doubt Solo will take great delight in keeping me in line.”
I knew Panther meant that in a purely caretaker role, but my dick heard it in a whole other light.
“Very good. Then I’ll get the doctor up to date and we’ll work on getting you out of here.”
“Best news I’ve heard all day.”
“You,” she said, looking to me. “Make sure those other two don’t rile him up when they get back. He needs to rest.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She chuckled as she began to push her cart out of the room, and as she disappeared out the door, I heard, “How do you manage to charm even the most difficult of us?”
