“Like family meals? I kinda miss those.”
“I’ll see what I can do about that. For now, I’m going to send someone in to help you get showered and dressed. That’ll hopefully help you, too.”
Cocking my head, I smile mischievously. “Clothes like yours?”
Javi snorts and shakes his head. “Not everyone can pull off this fashion statement. But I think I can find something a little more comfortable for you than a suit.”
It feels good to smile, and when Javi offers me his hand, I take it easily. For once, I feel true hope.And fuck if that isn’t the scariest feeling I’ve had in a long time…
Dr. Ranlen glares at Benjamin. “You earned yourself extended bedrest after your little stunt. Since, apparently,‘we want to prevent you from bleeding internally’didn’t get through to you the first time.”
Benjamin looks at her a little sheepishly. “I wasn’t thinking… All I knew was that I needed to get to Lio…”
I can’t help the soft growl that escapes me. Dr. Ranlen turns her ire on me, but I don’t care. What matters to me is Benjamin, and his stupid fucking need to die on me.
He takes my hand. “I won’t be that reckless again, I promise, Nocciola.”
“It’s hard to trust you when you keep fucking doing it,” I hiss.
He flinches, but nods his head in agreement. “I know, but I promise, I won’t leave you.”
Dr. Ranlen huffs. “Well, Lio is taking visitors now. When he’s ready, I’ll have him brought to you, since you can’t go to him.”
Some of the tension leaves Benjamin’s face. “Yes! Fuck, yes. Thank you.”
Her expression softens a little. “We weren’t keeping you two apart to be malicious. Lio, and Roman, for that matter, have been in delicate states. And with you being down…well, we couldn’t risk either of your health.”
Benjamin swallows. “I understand. I just… I need him. I need to see he’s okay, need to…apologize for not being what he needed me to be. I need to tell him I love him, and that I’ll be a better friend now, the one he always deserved.”
“He knows you love him, Topolino,” I reassure him. “He gave Hol and I quite the plea for your life when he told us what the two of you spoke about regarding my relationship with him.”
Benjamin has the decency to look ashamed of his past words and jealous tendencies. I don’t want to change the baby mouse, he wouldn’t be the man I kept if he suppressed himself, however, I can admit the jealousy is something we need to work on. Together. Not alone, never alone again.
Now I’ve glimpsed under the mask, and have seen beyond the censored truth Benjamin has always given, I can better help him. I am not Ignacio. I will not indulge him, or allow him to simmer in his out of place feelings. Nor will he be able to push me over. I’ll always give Benjamin what he needs, but on my terms—it’s time he remembered that.
Reaching for his face, fitting my fingers to the bruises already marring his skin, I ignore Dr. Ranlen’s noise of discontent.
“I think you’ve learned it’s best to talk to me first, hmm? I can’t help you if I don’t know there’s a problem, Topolino. I might see more than most, but I am not a mind reader. You’re not alone in this, ever.”
“I know, Ten… I’m trying.”
“That’s all I ask. We’re in this together; you, me, and the family we’re making.”
His breath hitches and tears fill his eyes, so I lean in and kiss him, not hesitating to make his lips bleed, reminding him who owns him.
“If you don’t need anything else…” Dr. Ranlen trails off.
I pull back. “He’s okay? Aside from the extra bedrest, no other damage?”
She sighs. “No, which is what we’ve told you every time you’ve asked since he tried to inadvertently kill himself—again.”
I ignore her tone, mainly because Doc will kill me if I give him any extra work right now.
“I promise, Nocciola, I’m fine. There’s pain, yeah, but that’s kinda what happens when you get stabbed in the kidney. I realize I need to be here for you and Lio, so…I’ll listen to the doctors this time.”
I have a hard time believing that, but my thoughts won’t earn me any points with either of them, so I swallow them back and nod. “Okay. But I swear to fuck, I will chain you to this bed if you do something I don’t like.”
Benjamin’s cheeks flush and his eyes widen a little. I grin at his reaction. The promise of danger…of being at my mercy, it’s as sweet as Hollis’s reactions always are whenever I threaten to kill him. Fuck, my loves are so twisted, and they feed a need in me I never thought could be sated.
