He runs his hands through his hair and sighs. “I’m sorry. My friend is hurt and bleeding, and it hasn’t been long since we nearly lost her.”
“What happened?” the cop taking notes asks without thought.
Toot doesn’t take offense. “You hear about the incident with the grenade?”
The cop’s eyes widen, and so do the cop’s next to him as they both take in Delphi with a new light. “That’s her?”
“Yeah,” I answer roughly. “The explosion is what caused her epilepsy. I almost didn’t get to her in time then, and for a moment, I thought I was too late now, too.”
“That was my woman, I think I’d chain her to the goddamned bed.” The cop sighs, putting his notebook away.
“Trust me, I’ve considered it.”
“We’ll need to get her statement and talk to Theo. I’ll also need to call CPS.”
“I’ll get him brought to the hospital and call his case worker. She can meet us there.”
When he looks at me oddly, I shrug. “We were his foster parents. Hopefully, they’ll place him back in our care. He doesn’t deserve to have to deal with this shit again.”
“On that, we can agree,” the other cop says.
“I’ll call Greer and Havoc and meet you at the hospital. I take it you’re going with Delphi?” Toot asks.
“Yeah. I’ll follow the ambulance on my bike.” I look at the cop. “When can I get my gun back?”
“As soon as it’s eliminated from our inquiries.”
I nod. Figured as much. “Am I free to go?”
“For now. But don’t leave town. I need you to make an official statement.”
“That’s my woman on that gurney, officer. Trust me when I say I’m not going anywhere.”
The surgery to remove the bullet took less time than I thought it would, and thankfully, it didn’t hit anything vital. It would leave yet another scar, though, which pissed me off more than it seemed to Delphi, who was taking everything in stride.
The cops came and took Theo’s statement with Greer by his side. When they started to push, she told them in no uncertain terms to back off. He was traumatized enough. Toot watched her like a hawk, but they didn’t speak to each other the whole time, which was fucking bizarre. I kept my mouth shut. It was none of my business.
After they were done with Theo, Greer informed us she was placing him back with us as an emergency placement, but she’d be filing the paperwork to make things more permanent. Theo had eventually fallen asleep on the bed beside Delphi, and we let them both rest until the cops were due to come back to take Delphi’s statement.
We woke them with assurances about Theo’s placement before Greer and Toot bundled him up and took him home, leaving me and Delphi to wait for the police to arrive.
“You want me to get Legs to bring anything for you?”
“I’ll be fine. They’re letting me go in the morning. Just bring me a change of clothes and some clean underwear.”
I frown at her. “I’m staying here with you.”
She reaches up to cup my face, but winces when she lifts her arm. “You need to go home. I’m going to be knocked out on a cocktail of drugs, but Theo has just had his whole world turned upside down again. He needs you. If you’re worried about me, put a prospect on my door.”
I grit my teeth, ready to argue, but I recognize the stubborn mindset in her eyes. She won’t bend when it comes to Theo.
“Goddamn it, Delphi.” I press my forehead to hers and take a moment, feeling her breath against my lips and the warmth of her skin against mine.
“I love you,” she whispers, her breath mingling with mine.
“I love you too. So fucking much.”
A knock at the door has us breaking apart. A detective, judging from the suit with the badge clipped to his belt, along with an officer, enters.
