No one disrespected him like that and got away with it.
And he wasn’t about to let Gennaro be the first.
Chapter 38
Stone woke the next morningat nine a.m., with Tamlyn lying next to him. Contrary to what they’d said on the ride to the hospital, neither of them had been up for anything other than falling asleep when they’d arrived at Stone’s place.
Stone reached for his phone on his nightstand and immediately regretted doing so. His shoulder, along with the rest of his body, was stiff and sore from the previous evening’s crash.
As carefully as he could, he slid off the bed and padded into the bathroom, every muscle in his body aching.
While a hot shower loosened him up and dulled much of the pain, it did nothing to rid him of the bruise that ran diagonally across his torso. At least it would be hidden beneath a shirt, unlike the bruise on his jaw that had finally started to fade.
Tamlyn opened her eyes when he reentered the bedroom. The smile she started to give him quickly turned into a wince.
“Why don’t you look like you’re in as much pain as I am?” she asked.
“The miraculous healing effects of a hot shower.”
“That sounds lovely. Can you start one for me, then carry me in?”
“I’d be happy to start one for you, but I fear if I tried to carry you, we’d both end up on the floor.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I’m going to need you to explain exactly what you mean by that.”
“While I may look like I’m not in as much pain as you, my strength is still far from one hundred percent.”
“Skillfully answered.”
“Truthfully answered,” he corrected her. “How about I get your shower started?”
“I would greatly appreciate it.”
Stone did so. When he returned, Tamlyn was on the phone.
“Thanks, Mike. I appreciate it. See you then.” She hung up.
“Is everything all right?” he asked.
“I didn’t realize it was so late. Thankfully, Dino told Viv what happened, and she’d already alerted Mike. I need to get a move on it, though. Busy day.”
She climbed off the bed and hurried past him into the bathroom, moving better than he had when he’d first woken.
He was dressed by the time she came back, wrapped in a towel.
“Breakfast before you leave?” he asked.
“Not sure I have time to eat, but coffee would be great.”
He walked over to the phone to call down to Helene, but then remembered he’d told her not to come in until Fred was out of the hospital and well enough to be left alone.
“I’ll be in the kitchen,” he said. “Come down when you’re ready.”
Despite Tamlyn’s time concerns, Stone whipped up a pairof Denver omelets and had them plated and coffee poured by the time she arrived. Bob greeted her at the door, his tail wagging.
“Good morning, Bob,” Tamlyn said as she scratched him behind the ears.
“Careful,” Stone said. “He’ll never want you to stop.”
