“Um, hello? I’ve known the guy my whole life. It’s so fucking obvious when he looks at you.”
Z shook his head. “I wouldn’t go that far.” He refused to get his hopes up. He had already been anticipating that conversation RT had promised after the assignment was completed, and yet here he was, inhaling the acrid smell of disinfectant and who knew what else while the man he loved was in surgery because he’d been shot.
Z dropped his head, staring down at the water bottle he held between his splayed thighs.
“I know the two of you have some shit to work out,” Trace said, his voice soft. “And you will. There’s no doubt in my mind that RT loves you. I’ve never seen him look at someone the way he looks at you. Not even that crazy fuck, Kevin.”
Z had to keep his hands from fisting and crushing the bottle at the mention of RT’s ex. He hated that bastard.
“Trexler family.”
Z launched to his feet at the deep voice that sounded within the waiting room. The doctor had returned, and Z wasn’t about to miss what he had to say, no matter how much he appreciated Trace’s need to reassure him.
“He did perfectly,” the doctor explained when everyone had closed in around him. “No issues, and I expect a full recovery. He’ll need some physical therapy once he’s healed.”
“Thank God it wasn’t his shooting arm,” Clay muttered, causing the doctor’s eyebrows to lift.
“Can we go in to see him?” RT’s mother asked.
“The nurse will be out in a few minutes to bring you back. He’ll be in recovery for a bit, but after that, he’ll be moved to a private room.”
“He won’t wanna stay,” Bryce told the doctor. “He’ll insist on goin’ home. Is that possible?”
The doctor considered that for a moment. “As long as he doesn’t have any issues with the anesthesia, he can go home. But not alone.”
“Thank you,” Bryce said gruffly, holding out his hand for the doctor to shake.
Everyone started talking to one another, but Z only heard a jumble of words as he peered around at the people he considered family.
Speaking of family…his eyes drifted over to his sister, who was… No. Fucking. Way.
There, smiling up at Max’s younger brother, Victor, was Jensyn. Surely she wasn’t thinkin’—
“Feel better now?” Trace asked, cutting off Z’s view of his sister when he stepped in front of him.
Nodding, he forgot all about his sister conversing with the mob, his thoughts returning to RT. Z breathed a little easier now that he knew RT was out of surgery, but still, he wouldn’t be able to get rid of the boulder sitting directly on his lungs until he saw RT for himself.
And he prayed that would be soon.
RYAN HATED THE GROGGY FEELING the pain meds left him with, but he was grateful that the fire in his arm was no longer there. Then again, he couldn’t move his arm thanks to the device they had him in. He’d been awakened by a kind woman with big blue eyes and a sweet smile and then left alone shortly thereafter when she’d promised to go get his family so they could see him.
He had managed to refrain from telling her to get Z for him. He figured his parents would want to see him first, but the only person he cared to see was Z.
“Hey, you’re lookin’ good.”
Ryan looked up to see his mother and father standing just beyond the curtained area he was in.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Bryce teased. “He looks like he’s been shot.”
“Thanks,” Ryan muttered, though he could hardly feel his lips. His eyes kept wanting to close, but he refused to give in to sleep until he could see Z. “Where’s Z?”
Ryan’s mother smiled. “He’s in the waiting room.”
“Can I see him?”
“Of course,” Emily said softly, moving closer. “Just forgive your ol’ mom for wanting to see you first.”
Ryan nodded, his head still fuzzy from the drugs they’d used to put him under. He briefly remembered the nurse telling him that the surgery to repair the shattered bone in his elbow had gone well and he’d be back to normal in no time. Ryan wasn’t sure that was the case, but for now, he was glad to know it was over.
Emily stepped up to his side, leaned over, and kissed him on the forehead after brushing his hair back.
“Please get Z,” he said roughly, not sure how much longer he could stay awake.
“Sure thing, honey,” Emily said. If she was hurt by his request, she didn’t show it. “We’ll be back to see you before you leave.”
“How long do I have to stay here?”
“The doctor said you can go home in a couple of hours.”
Well, that was good news. He’d thought for sure he’d have to argue with the doctor to let him go home.
“But someone has to stay with you tonight,” Emily explained. “We thought you could come stay with us.”
Ryan shook his head. He wanted to go home to his own bed, and he wanted Z there with him. Granted, if Z refused, then Ryan wouldn’t have much of a choice, but for now, he wasn’t going to explain that to his parents.
Staring up at them, Ryan willed them to go get Z.
“Okay, okay,” his mother said with a laugh. “We’ll go get Z.”
When they left the room, the same nurse from earlier stepped in, checking to make sure he was all right. When he nodded, she strode toward the machine by his bed, punched something in, then disappeared once again.
Ryan’s eyes grew heavy, sleep threatening to overtake him once more, but then…
“Z,” he whispered when Z appeared.
“Hey,” Z murmured back, stepping into the small area and closing the curtain behind him.
Ryan could’ve sworn he saw tears in Z’s eyes, but as Z moved closer, he thought maybe the drugs were causing him to hallucinate. Unable to take his eyes off him, he continued to stare into Z’s beautiful face, words escaping him as his chest filled with emotion. He prayed like hell he didn’t break down and cry. If the stupid pain meds made him gush like a fucking girl, he’d never forgive that damn anesthesiologist.
Z took Ryan’s good hand, squeezing it gently as he leaned closer. “How’re you feelin’?”
“Like I’ve been nailed back together,” he forced out, still unable to look away from Z. “I…” God, the words were right there, but his brain wasn’t functioning well enough for him to string the sentence together.
“It’s okay, Ry,” Z said softly. “You need to get some rest.”
“Will you take me home after?” he asked, his eyes growing heavier by the second.
“Is that what you want?” Z sounded surprised.
“Yes. Only you.”
“Then yes, I’ll take you home after.”
“And you’ll stay with me?”
“Of course.”
Ryan couldn’t open his eyes as sleep took over, but the last word he managed to utter was, “Forever?”
He didn’t get to hear Z’s answer.
THIRTY-SIX
AT RT’S REQUEST, Z MANAGED to get him home after he’d been released from the hospital. Having talked with Emily and Bryce, Z had partially expected RT’s parents to want him to come home with them, but they’d both smiled when Z said he would be happy to get RT settled and stay with him for the night.
Clearly they knew something was going on.
Although RT had appeared to be coherent during the drive, mumbling from time to time and offering his driving expertise from the passenger seat, Z had watched him drift off more than once. But now that they were inside, it appeared the patient had regained all of his faculties. Especially his verbal skills.
“We need to talk,” RT told him from his spot on the couch, where his gaze continued to trail Z around the small kitchen.