39. Chapter 39
Chapter 39
Colin opened his eyes to a consistent beeping sound, blinked slowly and took in his surroundings. It was a minute before he realized he was in a hospital. The blinds over the window were cracked open and he could see it was dark out…and there was a lump on the little bench next to his bed. He cleared his throat, looking around for water, when the lump moved.
Mari sat up, shoving a blanket off her, her eyes a little panicked. “Hey, you’re awake. I’ll get the doctor.” He shook his head and tried to talk but she shushed him. “Hold on, here’s some water.”
It definitely took longer than he liked, but he sipped slowly through the straw until he felt he could talk normally. “Hey, you’re okay? Where’s Sewall?”
“In custody, and I’m fine. You’re the one in the hospital bed.” Her voice cracked on the last word as she took his hand in hers. “Also, I lied and said I was your fiancée if anyone asks,” she whispered, glancing at the closed door. “Gino backed me up.”
His side burned like hell. “What happened? I remember the hangar, but what happened to me?”
“That asshole stabbed you,” she gritted out, fire in her dark eyes. “ He hit your spleen so they had to do an emergency splenectomy, but you’re going to be okay.”
From her tone he couldn’t tell if she was saying the words for herself or him. He tightened his grip on her hand, just wanting to touch her. When he’d seen that asshole holding a gun on her, he’d lost a decade of his life. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
She held up his hand to her mouth, kissed the top of it gently as her eyes filled with tears.
“Don’t cry,” he rasped out. He could take the pain of a knife wound, but not her tears.
“I’m not.” She kissed his hand again, but looked up when the door opened.
Gino was there, looking as exhausted as Mari, but his eyes lit up when he saw Colin. And to Colin’s disappointment, Mari stood.
“I’m going to get your doctor and let the others know you’re awake.”
Colin wanted to tell her to stop but Gino slid into her seat, his expression worried. “Jesus, man, we thought we’d lost you.”
“What did the doctor say?”
“That if you came through the surgery, you’d make it.” Gino looked away for a moment, his jaw tight. “I wish I’d just killed that son of a bitch in the hangar.” He seemed to shake himself, then looked back at Colin. “Your girl was something else though. She said the hospital was too far and she wasn’t waiting for the ambulance, so we loaded you up into that bastard’s plane and an ambulance met you and her at an airport only two miles from the hospital. It saved your life.”
He didn’t remember any of it. “Mari’s not in trouble?”
“Hell no. She had to answer questions—so did I. But the DEA ended up taking over everything…and you know what, it doesn’t matter,” he said when the door opened and Mari and a woman who was clearly his doctor st rode in, wearing a smile on her face.
Gino moved so Mari could sit, and Colin listened while his surgeon told him about the damage he’d sustained, how lucky he ultimately was (not the word he would have used), that he’d be in the hospital for another six days at least, and his recovery time was going to be six to eight weeks. She said a lot of other stuff, most of which he promptly forgot as he held on to Mari’s hand.
Nothing else mattered at this point. The threat to Mari was over, she was finally safe, and it sounded like he’d live to see another day. So he closed his eyes and laid his head back against the pillow. Everything else could wait until after he got some more sleep.
***
One week later
“You are quite literally the worst patient in the world.” Mari’s tone was tempered with patience, but just barely.
“I’m sorry,” he muttered. The recovery was way worse than anything they showed on TV or in movies.
She blinked at him as she helped him sit up. “What was that? Did you actually say ‘I’m sorry’?”
“Come on, you can’t mess with the injured man,” he muttered as he slowly got out of bed. He’d been discharged the day before and was now thankfully back in New Orleans in his own home. He hadn’t taken a pain pill yet today and was debating taking one at all. He hated feeling groggy, even if it did ease the hellish throbbing in his side.
“I know. And you’re not the worst patient. You’re incredible and…I love yo u.” She blurted the last part out, staring up at him in terror as if she’d admitted to acts of terrorism.
Relief hit him hard and fast, and he would have laughed at the look of horror on her face if he didn’t think the pain would make him black out. “Thank god, I love you too.” He’d wanted to tell her the moment he’d been lucid enough, but had been worried she’d feel guilty enough to say it back without meaning it.
“Really?” She sounded so unsure.
“Not a lot of people I’d get stabbed for,” he murmured, reaching out to cup her cheek.
“Liar. You’d have done that for anyone because you’re an incredible human.”
“You’re really good for my ego.” His gaze fell to her mouth, but he reined in the impulse to kiss her. Instead, he settled his hands on her hips. “And yes, I love you. Been in love with you for a while, Mari.”
“Me too,” she whispered even though it was just the two of them in his place.
His parents were currently out of the country but would be back next week to see him. And Mari hadn’t told her brother he was home yet, which he appreciated. He wanted to see his friends, but in a few days once he was hopefully no longer in agony.
“I know I thanked you already, but what you did was incredible.”
“You’re the incredible one.” She’d been solid even when that monster had been holding a gun on her. A man she’d worked with for years, someone she’d considered a friend. He was in a tiny cell now, and would die in one just like it.
“Pretty sure we could stand here complimenting each other all day,” she murmured, gently settling her hands on his chest but not getting any closer to him. “Let’s get you something to eat and then relax. ”
He hated that she was having to help him out and take care of him, but was simultaneously grateful. “I really want to kiss you now.” Even if there was no way he could bend down, not with the damage to his muscles.
In response, she stood on the side of the bed and leaned down to kiss him. He laughed lightly, winced at the pain, then leaned into her mouth.
He loved the taste of her, how absolutely fierce she was in everything she did. If it wasn’t for her quick thinking, he wasn’t sure he’d be here at all. “Soon,” he managed to rasp out, “we’re doing more than this.”
She grinned at him. “Is that really where your head is right now?”
“Always with you.” Always and forever.
She looked down at him with a hint of amusement, but he wasn’t joking. It was always going to be her.