“Have they been arrested?”
“Yes. The police have the three fuckweasels who did this to Jamie in custody. Big surprise. The one who sat there with the camera egging the other two on was the asshat kid from the assembly the other day.”
Blayne’s jaw dipped open as he rocked his head from side to side. “We knew the kid was a dick. I can’t believe he’d do this. But I can’t believe anyone with any kind of conscience could do this to another human being. What kind of fucking monster do you have to be?”
“What happens now?” Ethan asked.
“Now, I sue the shit out of everyone who let this happen—the school district, the school, the principal and the kids’ parents. Trust me… When I’m done with these monsters, Jamie won’t need to work a day in his life.”
Kira’s purse suddenly buzzed, so she reached in and grabbed her phone. “Look at that,” she said sarcastically, “It’s the school district’s attorney. I’ll be right back.” Ethan heard her answer the phone as she left the waiting room.
“Damn, she’s fucking scary,” Ethan said. “If I ever need a talented attorney, I’m hiring her.”
“She’s pretty damn good at what she does. From what one of her partners told me once at a Christmas party, most of the lawyers in the region would rather settle than face her in court. The few times she has taken something to trial, the initial settlement offers were chump change compared to what the juries awarded her clients.”
“Remind me not to get on her bad side,” Ethan said.
“Don’t hurt the people she loves, and you’ll be fine.”
“Well, I have no intention of hurting anyone,” Ethan said, “let alone anyone she loves,” he added.
Ethan watched as Blayne’s face softened for the first time since they’d gotten to the hospital. Ethan had been acutely aware of the tension running through Blayne’s body, which was one reason he’d held Blayne on the way back to the waiting room.He looks so vulnerable right now. I want to wrap my arms around him and tell him it’s going to be okay. But I also know it won’t be. I feel so fucking useless.
The two sat in their chairs, their thighs touching. Ethan tried not to notice the contact, but it was hard to ignore. Blayne seemed to effortlessly let his body move toward Ethan without a care in the world. Ethan was always so worried about public displays of affection and what they could do to his career. In this moment, he enjoyed sitting in the waiting room with Ethan. Life seemed so simple here. His phone buzzed in his pocket.
Blayne looked at him. “Do you need to get that?”
“Nope. There is no one I need to talk to right now and no other place I’d rather be.” They sat in silence for a couple of minutes. Ethan finally blurted out, “Blayne, there’s something I gotta tell you—”
“Guys, Jamie is back in the intensive care unit. He’s awake,” Kira said, poking her head in. “I ran into Arnold in the hall and told him I’d tell you.” Kira didn’t wait to see if Ethan and Blayne followed.
As they scurried after her, Blayne said, “You were about to say something before we got cut off.”
“It can wait,” Ethan said as they followed Kira out of the door, hurrying to catch up. Blayne was right behind him.
Ethan and Blayne saw Kira halfway down the hall and jogged after as she led them through the hospital maze. Clearly, Kira knew where she was going. When they got to the ICU, a nurse stopped them.
“Can I help you?”
“We’re here to see Jamie Reich,” Kira said.
“I’m sorry, but visiting hours are over. You’ll need to come back in the morning.”
“Nurse Emerson,” Dr. Giest-Mueler said, poking his head around the corner, “it’s okay. They’re the kid’s family. He just woke up. They promise they won’t stay long.”
Blayne, Ethan and Kira all nodded in agreement. The nurse soured her face, but she let them by without saying another word.
Kira knocked on the door before going into the room. “Come in,” Madeline said from inside. Kira slowly opened the door, stepped inside. Then Blayne and Ethan followed.
Jamie was a little groggy, but he gave a kind of half-smile as he saw Kira and Blayne. Then his entire expression changed as he practically squealed, “Ethan Bond!”
Chapter Fourteen
Blayne
Blayne looked from Ethan to Jamie and back to Ethan with a look of absolute confusion. Ethan smiled, walked in and said, “Hey, kid, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Ethan.”
A look of surprise and joy flooded Jamie’s face and dumbfounded everyone else in the room.
