“Okay. Okay, Bax.” Jason set his jaw, nodded.
Okay, open the fucking gate.
Chapter Nine
Rolling his shoulders, Bax hunted for the next turnoff, knowing that it was coming up soon and that he was tired enough to miss it. They had half an hour to Momma’s, and Jason was sleeping, wore out from being all scrambled like an egg by that monster bull.
The fact that Jason still couldn’t see had his gut feeling like one of them fancy knots he’d read about in high school. Something Greek, maybe. Hopefully once the damned fool settled in and rested a bit, the swelling would go down and everything would go back to right.
If anyone could make Jason take it easy, it would be Momma.
They started to pass a truck stop, and Bax made the decision to pull in almost too late, whipping them hard enough to wake Jason up. It wasn’t any easier this time than it had been any other time in the last sixteen fucking hours, either.
Jason flailed, looking around, trying so fucking hard to see. “Bax? Bax?”
“Right here, Mini. You’re in the car. I need a drink and a piss. You sit and wake up a minute, we’ll go in.” He justcouldn’t leave Jase in the car. Not now, not any time in the last three days.
“I… Okay. Okay. Where are we?” Jason looked like hammered shit, bruises popping up like fucking daisies. It was fucking weird, because Jason would stare at him sometimes.
They’d found them a city doctor who didn’t know dick about them or where they’d come from. That dude had explained that the whole sight thing was because of pressure or some shit, so Jason’s eyes would track, but it still freaked him out. “We’re not far from Momma’s. I just needed to stop and stretch.”
“Okay. You can go in. I’ll just sit here.” Jason pulled the brim of his hat down farther, hiding his face.
“Nope. I ain’t leaving you alone out here. Come on, Mini. Cowboy up.” He got out and went around to open Jason’s door.
It was getting harder for Jason to follow, that jaw set stubborn against moving, even as the son of a bitch slid from the truck. “I fucking hate this.”
“I know.” Hell, yes, he knew. He could see it in every line of that lean body. He took Jason’s hand and put it on his arm, just a little. Just to guide him. “Nice and easy.”
The door opened, a bunch of teenagers tumbling out, laughing and goofing off. Jason stopped short, shook his head. “Just let me go back to the truck. What if?—?”
“What if nothing. You ain’t no pussy. Now get your ass in gear and come on. I got to pee.” Tough love was better than nothing, right? He couldn’t let Jason lose what he was.
Jason ducked his head, growling low and following him. Those fingers were shaking, digging into his arm and Goddamn, it broke his heart.
He bit it back, though, because Jason wouldn’t want it. Not that kind of sympathy. Jason needed him to just know what to do. Even if he didn’t.
They hit the head, and he got Jason set up before doing his own thing. Then they washed up and went for drinks.
“You want a root beer?”
“Yeah, if they got Barqs. If not, I’ll take a Dr. Pepper.”
“Cool.” Picky bastard. He grabbed them both a drink and some of those weird maple peanuts Jason loved. He found himself some beef jerky, too. Jason didn’t say anything, kept his head down and stuck right there. Baxter could feel his fucking heart beating against one arm. Biting his lip, Bax took them to the register to pay, keeping his face under his hat. This was local enough to be dangerous.
“Y’all look like you been through a hell of a fight, guys.” The little gum-popping girl didn’t seem to recognize them, but Jason still stiffened.
“You should see the other guys,” Bax said, winking at her from under his hat brim and handing over a twenty. “Thanks, honey. Come on, buddy. Time to hit the road.”
Jason nodded. “’Night.”
The little gal beamed, nodded, and off they went. Christ.
Sighing his relief, Bax settled Jason in the truck again, eyeing the driver’s side with a baleful stare. His shoulder was gonna fall right off. His cell started going off and he didn’t even have to look to see it was Momma. Lord have mercy. The woman had radar.
“‘Lo?” He slid into the truck, turning to mouth “Momma” to Jason before he realized Mini wouldn’t see it.
“Where are y’all? How’s Jason? How’re you? I got y’all both appointments with Dr. Dewey in the morning tomorrow, and I got coffee brewing and beds made…”
