"What? Is it that bad?" he asked.
"Nothing a little alone time with you won't fix, I'm sure," Ari replied and Zach blinked several times. "He's fine, Zach. He'll be sore for a while, but the bullet went cleanly out. I stopped the bleeding and stitched him up. You boys just have to take it slow for the next few days." Zach continued to stare blankly at Ari.
For a minute I thought he was embarrassed that Ari was talking about us, or confused as to how he knew, but then he grabbed Ari’s hands and looked into his eyes.
"So he's going to be fine?"
"Yes, Zach. I'm fine. He was joking about me being critical," I said.
Ari nodded for good measure and Zach wasted no time. He put his arms around him and gave him a squeeze, thanking him for looking after me.
I wasn't going to lie. Seeing him hug another man made my chest a little tight. I couldn't help that I wanted him to be hugging me instead, could I?
"You don't have to thank me. I'm doing my job. Now will you let me look after those wounds?" Ari tried to touch his face, but Zach stepped back.
"They're just bruises. Nothing can be done about them."
He tried to step closer to me, but I glared at him.
"Let him examine you. You took a pretty good beating out there. Maybe you've broken something."
Zach rolled his eyes.
"I would know if I'd broken something, I'm pretty sure."
Ari shrugged.
"I don't know. Adrenaline can be tricky. Maybe you still can't feel it. Let me have a look, I promise I'll be gentle."
Zach pursed his lips and relented. As he let Ari do his thing, Warren sat down next to me.
"You okay?" he asked and I nodded. "Just got a call from Wyatt. He said they've taken care of everything and there should be nothing to worry about. Lombardi is gone like the wind."
I huffed.
"They made stops. Zach was seen with him. I don't want him getting into any trouble down the line."
Warren patted my knee and even that gentle touch hurt. "He said Slade took care of the digital footprint."
"I don't know. I don't buy that it's all done and dusted."
"You should have nothing to worry about as long as that man has no family or friends to report him missing."
I glared at Warren.
"You know Wyatt is good at what he does, right? I know he messed you up," Warren whispered, "but in this, you can trust him. If he says it's done, it's done."
I sighed.
"Nothing is done, Warren. Trust me. Lombardi was here on business and until that business is taken care of nothing is done. No one is safe."
Warren didn't say anything. I didn't even know if he knew about Salieri and what his brother had started. But right now, it didn't matter. All that mattered was Zach was here, back home with me. I might be a little worse for wear, but I was okay. As long as he was safe, I'd be just fine.
"It was really stupid, going after them alone."
"I couldn't hang around," I grumbled.
"I know. I know. I'm just repeating what Wyatt said. I don't know that I would have done any different if the man I loved was in danger."
