“Do we need to call in a specialist?” I ask wearily.
“I don’t think so; at least, not now. We’ll let Jayden do an assessment in a few days and discuss it then, but I can repair the tendons.”
Watching Sarah and Vonny work in tandem as they take care of Lio would be beautiful on a normal day. They dance around each other as if they’ve been doing it for years. Sarah may not be in the operating theater very often anymore, and Vonny is still training to be a surgeon, but they both have skills and patience that I do not.
If only the circumstances weren't what they are, then I could appreciate it more…
I’m getting sick and tired of having these people under suicide watch.
Sarah stitches Lio’s wrists back together, and as soon as the last suture is in place, she steps back and lets out a heavy breath. My friend is too professional to have a breakdown now, but the tension is in every line of her face.
I wish I didn’t have to ask this of her, but Vonny was worried he wouldn’t be able to do it without help, and while I could have stepped in, I think this is what Sarah needed. Making sure her friend didn’t die has helped calm her nerves. Getting the call from Leandro…
Fuck.
“Let’s get him cleaned up,” Sarah says.
“Soren and Kail can do that.”
She gives the nurses a considering look, but doesn’t say anything, her lips pressed into a flat line. I get it, it grates, but I understand; it was one of mine that was supposed to be on duty to prevent something like this from happening…
“I’ll give them an update.” I look at Sarah to see if she will take the hint and come with me, but her focus is on gently washing Lio’s wounds so they can be dressed.
Soren meets my eye and, like the perfect Daddy he is, reads my needs in a single glance. He mutters something to Kail, who nods, a devastated look on his face—Rose is his best friend after all—before joining me at the sink in the corner of the room.
We toss our gloves and wash our hands, and Daddy places his hand on my lower back for a moment while I take a deep, centering breath.
Leaving Sarah, Kail, and Vonny to finish up, Soren and I go to give one of the hardest updates of my career.
The hallway outside the surgical room is packed. Nearly everyone is waiting for news on their Boss and friend. Hollis and Tennant are the ones that capture my attention though. Ten has the“burn the world down and fuck the consequences”lookin his eyes that I’m very familiar with. I can already feel the migraine of having to clean up after his mess.
Hollis, on the other hand, looks like his world just ended. His dark brown eyes are bloodshot, and his hair is messier than usual, as if he’s been tugging on it. This situation is exactly what he doesn’t need. We’re still trialing his meds, seeing what works for him and what doesn’t. Almost losing his lover…especially this way…it could have dire consequences on his already fragile psyche.
Fuck, I need a drink. And a vacation.
“He’s alive,” I tell them, my voice rough with stress and lack of sleep. “He didn’t sever his tendons completely, but until the swelling goes down and we can run some tests, we won’t know the severity of his injuries. We might have to call in a specialist if it’s not something Jayden and Nico can fix with just PT. Right now, we’re going to keep him sedated, let his arms heal for a few days, and give him a break from having to make any decisions.”
I swallow and brace myself, glad I have my Daddy at my side for what I have to say next.
“No visitors for a few days?—”
“Fuck that,” Hollis says. He takes a few steps toward me, and Daddy places his hand on my arm, ready to move me out of the way should Hollis get any closer. “You cannot keep me from him.”
“I have to worry about what’s best for my patient,” I shoot back. “And right now, he needs time and space to heal. I understand you’re worried, but what you want and what he needs are two very different things.
“He’s being placed on suicide watch. Dr. Ranlen and I will work on getting him the care he needs: meds, therapy, whatever it takes. That is our priority. I’m not saying you can’t see him at all, but for right now, we need the space to care for him.”
“He needs to know he’s not alone,” Tennant says.
“And he will. You’ll be able to tell him that, but not now. Seeing him right now…” I pause to take a fortifying breath. “What Lio needs is for his Daddy and Owner to be the men who love him, and who are strong for him. Use this time to pull yourselves together. It’s hard, and devastating, but what he needs is to be reminded he has support, people who love him and care for him. You can’t do that if you don’t take care of yourselves. Besides, Lio isn’t the only one who needs you; Roman does as well.”
I’m concerned we’ll have to puthimon suicide watch as well. I’ve never ran so fast in my life…but when I was told Roman was freaking out after waking up without Lio…I had no choice but to sedate him again.
Fucking hell.We might need to recruit two therapists for this mess. Lest this fucked-up family break one of them.
“Just give us a day or two. Let him rest, give yourselves time to process what happened, and then we’ll do limited visits, okay?”
Neither look happy, but they know better than to argue with me in this situation. I will not sacrifice Lio’s health for their own comfort and ease of mind. If they can’t trust me and my staff to do our jobs, there’s a bigger problem than all of them trying to fucking die on me.
