The doctor looks at Carter as if for backup, not finding it in Carter’s stony expression. Sighing, the doctor says, “He’s stable, for now. He should come around from the anesthesia in a few more minutes. We’ve set all of his bones, but he’ll need to come back in six weeks to have his cast removed. The covering for his eye can be removed in a few days. But we need to keep him here for observation for?—”
“Thanks, Doc, but we won’t need your services any longer,” Kai says, stepping from beside Carter to basically push the doctor out with his bulk.
Sputtering, the doctor says, “My services? I don’t…he needs to be under a doctor’s care.”
“He will be,” Carter mutters. “Just not here. Go away.”
Manuel grabs the man’s arm and drags him out of the room.
A few minutes later, one of the Whitlock family doctors arrives with a printed discharge summary in hand. He flips through it, tsks, and sets his face into a determined mask. “We can move him as soon as he wakes from anesthesia and I can adjust his pain meds for transport. Where will he be going?”
Carter says, “My house,” at the same time as I say, “His cabin.”
We both look at each other, the dick measuring contest finally beginning.
“Your house is too obvious,” I say. “Anyone looking for him would be able to find him.”
Carter grunts. “If someone tries, I’ll fucking murder them.”
“That’s all fine and fucking dandy, but I don’t want toeven put Declan in that situation. Not after what he’s been through. Do you?”
“I want what’s best for him!” Carter roars, standing from the bed. “If you had kept your eyes on him at the club, this never would have happened.”
“And if he trusted you more not to fucking talk down to him, he would have told you what was going on with the blackmail before it got to this point!”
Carter reels back as if I slapped him. I know there was probably a better time to drop that truth bomb, but if we’re placing blame, I want to put it where it belongs.
“Boys, boys,” a weak voice says and all eyes snap to Declan. He blinks his visible eye open slowly, a slight grin tilting up his lips. “No need to argue over me.”
I rush to his side, bodying Carter out of the way so I can grab his good hand. “Hey, handsome. How you feelin’?”
“Like I was tortured for a week. How the fuck do you think?”
I breathe a tired laugh, relieved that he’s awake and alert. “Just checking. Want to see how honest you’ll be with me.”
“Always with you, Nico. Always.” He closes his eye and lets out a long breath. “You were supposed to be my hero. I had to save myself waiting for you.”
Tears prick my eyes, but I push them back with all the effort I can muster. “Yeah, well, I figured you’d do that, anyway. Who am I to take away your moment?”
“As sweet as this is,” Carter says, more subdued than he was a moment ago, “we need to get you out of here, Deck. I want to take you home and?—”
Declan shakes his head, then winces. “Not to your house. My cabin. It’s…secluded…you remember?”
I look over my shoulder at Carter with anItold you soexpression, causing him to glance away with a clenched jaw.
Looking at the doctor, I say, “If we show you where thiscabin is, you better not breathe a fucking word to anyone. You understand?”
He nods. “Of course. I’ve worked with the Whitlocks for years. I’m a vault for this family. If it makes you feel better, you can blindfold me to and from the location to treat him. Though for the first week, I’ll want to stay there so I can be available in case there are complications. Is that agreeable?”
“I don’t have to tell you that if you fuck up, I’ll kill you?” I ask.
“He knows, Nico. Fuck, you’re a bully,” Declan says. Then he chuckles. “That’s actually pretty hot.”
Leaning forward, I kiss him gently, his slightly chapped lips pressing against mine. I hold back the sob caught in my throat at the feel of him.
I almost fucking lost him. Because of Austin and his bullshit, I almost missed out on loving him out loud. I almost lost the man that captured my heart.
“Love you,” I whisper against his lips.
