Yanking him upright, Bax wrapped wiry arms around him, keeping him still. “I can’t, Mini. I… You got to have tests and shit. Please. Please, just calm the fuck down and tell me what’s wrong!”
“I cain’t see. I cain’t see nothing.” He grabbed a hold of Bax, fingers fisting in the man’s shirt. “I cain’t see, Andy.”
Bax went absolutely still, his breath even hitching to a halt. “What? They said you didn’t hurt your eyes at all.”
“It’s nothing but dark. Not nothing. You gotta get me out of here, Bax.” He couldn’t be here.
“Okay.” One hand slid up and down his back, stroking, warming him where the chills had come up. “Okay. I’ll get you out. But you have to agree to see a private doctor.”
“You take me home. You take me home, Goddamn it.”
The door opened, footsteps sounding. “Mr. Scott, you’re awake. How’re you feeling?”
“He’s just fine, Doc. But he has to pee. Can we give him a minute in the head?” Bax sounded so reasonable. So fucking calm. But the grip on his arm was anything but.
“Are you sure you’re up to walking around? You’ve got some serious swelling in the back of your brain, son. That can mess with your perception for a few days, give you blind spots. It shouldn’t last.”
Oh. Oh, thank God. Thank God. “I’ll be careful. I’m good. I know where I am and shit. I just gotta do my business.”
It shouldn’t last.
Okay.
Okay, cool.
“I’ll give him a hand, Doc. He’s the stubbornest cuss on earth.” Bax stood him up, all careful like, hand under his arm. Then Bax took him to the bathroom, helping him figure out where stuff was. “You gotta be cool, Mini,” Bax whispered. “Or they won’t let you go home.”
“Yeah. Yeah, okay. You heard him. It shouldn’t last.” He got his face wet, hands shaking—he could feel them.
“Exactly. I told you; you’re all swole. But if you let him know you’re all hinky, he’ll keep you here.”
Yeah. Yeah, okay—he’d faked it before.
“You…you do good in the round?” Hell, he didn’t remember if the event was over, nothing after driving to the arena.
“I did. I got eighty-nine and some. Went to the short go yesterday on it. Didn’t ride for shit.”
The soft, wry laughter had him grinning despite himself.
“Everybody else move on? You called Momma?”
“I did. She wanted to come, but I told her to make shit right at home for you. AJ went on, but he said we could go to his ranch if we needed.”
“I just want to go home. I— Wait. Where was Bax going next? How the hell was he supposed to…?
Fuck. Fuck. Shit.
“I got a bye for the next event. We’ll figure it from there.” Hell, the man always could read his mind.
“Yeah? I’m sorry, Bax. I just… I can’t figure this yet.” He wanted to just scream.
“No. No, it’s cool, Jase.” Those hands turned him, pushing him and pulling, helping him do his business. Which he still could do. Jesus.
“Okay.” He got himself together, grinding his teeth, staying right there with Bax. “What next? Did the doctor go?”
“No. He’s gonna wanna talk to you.” Those lips pressed almost to his ear. “I’ll walk you through it.”
Bax was solid as a rock. Always right there.
