Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
“Your fiancée hasn’t left your side.”
Please tell me Molly didn’t just say that.
Paula froze as she realized her cover as Jackson’s fiancée had been blown faster than she had hoped. She’d assumed Jackson would open his eyes, and she could explain her presence. They’d laugh about her deceit, or he’d punish her for lying—or maybe not.
Not able to look away from the battered man in the hospital bed, she waited as he turned his head with great effort, his expression pained.
Her eyes locked with his, and his visible confusion changed to pure delight.
She loved how his blue eyes reflected his mood, and she stared into them.
How could he be on his back in a hospital bed and still dominate the space around her? Was there a lack of oxygen here?
A movement caught her attention, and she tore her gaze away from his. Jackson had lifted his free hand from the bed and held it up to her, inviting her to join him. Paula felt the magnetism of Jackson’s dominance on her submissive nature and damn if it didn’t make her giddy.
She pushed away from the wall she’d propped herself up against as Molly and Dr. Carver had entered and hurried over to the bed.
Paula ignored both and took Jackson’s hand in hers and clung to it.
The medical professionals might know what Jackson’s body needed, but she knew what his heart and soul desired.
Jackson struggled to keep his hand up. He’d face Sauron if that would get him back his Melda.
His arm felt heavy, but the surge of relief that flooded his system when she took it was worth the effort.
To his bewilderment, Paula started to cry.
He couldn’t do much more than lie there as he held her hand and waited for her to calm down.
He lifted his eyes and looked over to where the women in scrubs were standing. “Pl-please give us a moment,” he croaked, then turned his attention back to Paula, not checking or caring what the other two women did.
“S-sorry,” Paula blubbered.
“For crying?” His voice sounded like he’d eaten gravel for breakfast.
Paula wiped away her tears with her palms. She was beautiful like this, open to him. She nodded and gave him a wobbly smile.
She looked over to Molly and the doctor. “Can he have something to drink?”
Dr. Carver nodded, and Molly pointed to the cup sitting on the table behind Paula. “He can have ice chips. If they stay down then he can have water.”
Molly said, “I’ll get you the ice.”
“Please,” Jackson said. “Could we raise the bed a little?”
Dr. Carver picked up the remote and adjusted the bed’s position. “How does that feel? Any dizziness?” Jackson shook his head, immediately regretting the movement when his head protested.
Molly returned with a Styrofoam cup and handed it to Paula. She spooned a few chips into his mouth, and the cold melting of the ice was a balm to his mouth and throat. After a few more chips, she put the cup back on the table.
Jackson nodded, which hurt much less than shaking his head had.
“Could I get something for the pain? My head and my leg are killing me,” Jackson asked the doctor.
“We already have you on some narcotics for your leg, and I’d rather not give you more until we’ve got a better handle on how serious your concussion is,” Dr. Carver said.
“I guess I’ll have to suffer.” One side of Jackson’s mouth tipped up as he pretended to grin.
“I’m afraid so. I suggest you get some rest, and the pain will improve.”
Paula asked, “How much does it hurt?”
He ignored her question and worried expression and asked, “What happened?”
“What happened is that you played hero thirty hours ago. Don’t you remember?”
This time, Jackson remembered not to move his head. “No.”
Paula sighed and started to tell Jackson the main events. He closed his eyes when he realized how close he’d been to death.
“How’s the boy?” he asked.
Before Paula could answer, a tall, lanky man in a white coat interrupted them. “Jackson Cagney, you crazy SOB, I knew it had to be you. You’re the only gangster I know who’s a cop.”
Jackson tried to focus more clearly as he racked his brain for the man’s name. “GT, is that you?”
Gregory Tobias Lewis grinned. “In the flesh, man. Who is this lovely lady?” His gaze slid to Paula. She looked like she had been there and back again in her rumpled clothes, red-rimmed eyes, and tear-streaked face. From his hungry gaze and predatory smile, it didn’t seem to bother the other man.
Paula’s eyebrow rose in obvious disdain. Jackson smirked. She’d sure earned her nickname in the PD!
“GT this is Detective Sergeant Paula Stone, my submis— er, fiancée.” Jackson hastened to make introductions. “Paula this is Dr. Gregory Tobias Lewis, GT to those who have known him a long time. Tobias to everyone else. We went to college together.”
Paula gave a professional smile and nodded once in greeting. “Good morning, are you the orthopedist?”
Tobias’s response was a thousand-megawatt smile that had Jackson gritting his teeth. He and GT had had the same taste in women in college, and by the looks of it, that hadn’t changed. GT narrowed his eyes as his gaze returned to Jackson. “She’s your sub? Are you in the lifestyle?”
What? In what universe had he woken up? First Paula had become his fiancée, and now his frenemy from college was into BDSM? “Are you?”
Tobias shrugged. “Had a collared sub for a while during med school. Been too busy since to have anyone serious.”
“Okay, guys, catch up later, will ya?” Paula sounded impatient, and as Jackson looked over to her, he caught the end of her eye roll.
“Watch it, Paula,” he admonished her.
Her mischievous smile, different from the one she’d given GT, went straight to his cock. At least that part of his body hadn’t been damaged, although it was seriously distracting right now.
“Yes, Sir, I’m sorry.” She wasn’t.
He’d bet his signed Middle Earth map on that.
“So, Tobias, are you the orthopedist or not?” Paula asked.
“Yes, Paula. Is it okay for me to call you Paula?”
Another regal nod from his Melda.
“I am, and I will be performing the surgery on your fiancé’s left femur.”
“The x-rays show a clean break, although there may be some muscle damage. We’ll do a CT scan later today, with surgery tomorrow.
We’re squeezing you into my schedule around 11:00 am.
Surgery will consist of putting a metal rod in the femur to hold the two pieces together while the bone heals.
You’ll need physical therapy, but we should have you up and ready to chase the bad guys in eight to twelve weeks. ”
It could be worse.
“Will he be under anesthesia, and is that safe with his concussion?” Paula asked.
“Yes, we’ll be using general anesthesia.
Otherwise, we’d need five guys to hold him down.
” He chuckled at his own joke before turning back to Jackson.
“You’ll be in the hospital for another two to three days after, and we’ll get the PT started right away.
We’ll have you out of bed as soon as you’re over the anesthesia.
“In case nobody told you, the little boy you saved was banged up some, but nothing that won’t heal up quickly at his age.”
Jackson closed his eyes and sighed with relief. “At least I broke my femur and God knows what else in a good cause.”
“Melinda Carver didn’t give you the rundown?” GT winked. “You came in with a concussion, a punctured lung from a broken rib, a broken nose, and a broken leg. You’re not the most damaged guy they brought in this month, but I think you’d make the top ten. We’ve had a couple of bad car wrecks lately.”
Sarcastic asshole.
Paula scowled. “Is this a joke to you?”
“Don’t mind him, Paula. Sarcasm is second nature to him; the guy just can’t help himself.” Jackson squeezed her hand, and she gave him that beautiful smile meant only for him. He needed to get that ring.