20. Blood Ties
Blood Ties
Ezekiel
I sit beside Seb’s bedside, watching him sleep. After waking up earlier, he proved the doctor right. He’ll make a full recovery, but the guilt weighs heavily on my mind. My reckless actions have also put Eve and Leo in harm’s way, and I can’t bear the thought of losing them.
As I gaze down at my bandaged arm, the throbbing pain is a constant reminder of how close I came to disaster. Both Seb and I could have lost our lives in the ambush. The cost of my vigilante activities is becoming too high. I’m putting the people I care about most at risk.
Eve’s face flashes in my mind, her green eyes filled with a mixture of fear and resolve.
She’s struggling to reconcile her role as a cop with the reality of my criminal activities.
My feelings for her have only grown stronger since our marriage.
The thought of her walking away, of her choosing to leave me, cuts me deeper than any knife ever could.
I reach into my pocket and pull out the Joker card that was in Seb’s pocket the night he was shot. He always carries one with him. My eyes focus on the blood stain, twisting it between my fingers as I try to make sense of the tangled web I’ve woven.
I never meant for any of this to happen. All I’ve ever wanted was to protect those I love, to shield them from the darkness consuming my life. But now, my need to safeguard Eve and Leo has put them directly in the line of fire.
There’s a soft knock at the door, and Eli pops his head in. “The doc is here to check on Seb.”
I nod.
“How’s our patient doing?” Dr. Martinez asks as he enters the room, his medical bag in hand.
“See for yourself.” I gesture to Seb, who stirs at the sound of our voices.
Seb’s eyes flutter open, focusing first on me, then on the doctor. “Hey,” he croaks, his voice gritty from sleep.
Dr. Martinez moves to check Seb’s vitals, his experienced hands gentle but efficient. “Blood pressure is good, temperature normal.” He carefully peels back the bandage on Seb’s shoulder, examining the wound site. “The incision is healing nicely. No signs of infection.”
“When can I get out of here?” Seb asks, attempting to push himself up with his good arm.
I press him back down with a firm hand. “Easy there, brother.”
“Actually,” Dr. Martinez says, replacing the bandage, “I think we can move you back to your penthouse in a couple of days. The wound is healing well, and as long as you follow my instructions for rest and rehabilitation, you’ll make a full recovery.”
Relief floods through me. It’s the first good news I’ve had in days. Seb catches my eye and gives me a weak smile.
“But,” Dr. Martinez adds, fixing Seb with a stern look, “you’ll need to take it easy. No strenuous activity for at least three weeks. And you’ll need someone to help you with daily tasks until your shoulder heals completely.”
“Is that so?” Seb’s voice drips with mock innocence. “Does that mean I get to have a sexy nurse?”
I can’t help but laugh, shaking my head at my little brother’s one-track mind. Even with a bullet wound, he’s still thinking about getting laid. “You’re unbelievable.”
“What? The doctor said I need help.” Seb waggles his eyebrows at Dr. Martinez, who’s trying and failing to maintain his professional demeanor. “Maybe Olivia would volunteer for the job.”
“Keep dreaming, baby brother.” The familiar rhythm of our banter eases some of the weight from my shoulders. “The only nurse you’re getting is Eli, and I promise he won’t look nearly as good in a uniform.”
Seb’s face contorts in horror. “Fuck that. I’d rather bleed out.”
“I heard that,” Eli calls from the hallway, making us all chuckle.
Dr. Martinez packs up his supplies, fighting a smile. “I’ll leave you two to sort out the nursing situation. Just remember—no strenuous activity.”
“Does that include—” Seb starts to ask, but I cut him off.
“Yes, it includes that too.”
Seb flops back against his pillows with an exaggerated groan. “This is worse than being shot.” His dramatic pout reminds me of when we were kids, and he’d get in trouble for his latest scheme. Some things never change.
For a moment, watching my brother’s theatrical suffering, I forget about the threats hanging over us. Right now, it’s just me and Seb, the same as it’s always been.
“You know,” Seb says, his voice still a little grainy from so much sleep, “you don’t have to hover. I’m not going anywhere.”
I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “Can’t a guy just want to spend time with his little brother?”
“Sure, but usually that involves less medical equipment and more whiskey.” He shifts, wincing. “Remember that time in New York when we stole Nicolo’s best bottle?”
A laugh escapes me. “You mean when you stole it, and I had to save your ass from his guards?”
“Details.” Seb waves his good hand. “Still the best damn whiskey I’ve ever tasted.”
“That’s because you drank it while running for your life.”
We share a look, and suddenly we’re both laughing. It feels good. For a second, we’re just two brothers sharing a memory, not men caught in a dangerous game of power and survival.
“Hey.” Seb’s voice grows serious. “About what happened at the warehouse—”
“Don’t.” The word comes out sharper than I intend.
“No, listen.” He meets my eyes. “You can’t blame yourself. I made my choice to be there, just like I’ve made every choice to stand by you since we were kids. That’s what brothers do.”
His words hit me hard. “I’m supposed to protect you, Seb. I’m your big brother.”
“And you have. More times than I can count.” His voice softens. “But sometimes you need to let others protect you.”
I lean back in my chair, studying my brother’s face.
Even pale and tired, he still manages to crack jokes and put me in my place.
I may take on the responsibility of taking care of everyone important to me, but he’s not wrong.
If Eve hadn’t stepped up and taken care of me that night, I probably would have sunk deeper into despair.
One slight change in timing, one bullet an inch to the left, and I might be planning a funeral instead of listening to Seb make inappropriate nurse jokes.
“You’re brooding again,” Seb says, interrupting my dark thoughts. “I can hear the gears grinding from here.”
“Just thinking.”
“Yeah? About what? Eve?” He waggles his eyebrows.
I shake my head, a smile tugging at my lips despite myself. “About how I’m going to keep your reckless ass alive long enough for you to actually grow up and act like an adult.”
“Hey, I’m an adult. I’m forty-five years old, man.”
I raise a brow in question. “Most immature forty-five-year-old I know.”
The levity fades from his face. “I’m going to be fine, brother. You heard the doc.”
“Yeah, just don’t go getting shot again. Okay?”
He smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “No promises. I’d do this again if I had to. For you.”
The fierce loyalty in his voice hits me hard. We’re all we’ve had since our parents died, and despite everything—the crimes, the violence, the constant danger—he’s never wavered. Never questioned. Just followed me into whatever fire I walked into.
I reach over and squeeze his good shoulder gently. This is my baby brother. The kid I taught to ride a bike, to throw a punch, to survive in a world that seemed determined to break us.
Looking at him now, I make a silent vow. No more reckless moves. No more unnecessary risks. Everything I do from now on needs to be calculated, precise. I have too much to lose—Seb, Eve, Leo. They deserve better than living in constant fear of what might happen next.
Seb’s laughter fills the room as the conversation shifts and he teases me about Eve. It feels good to see him acting more like himself, even if he’s still confined to bed rest.
“You’ve got it bad, brother.” He grins. “Never thought I’d see the day.”
“Never thought you’d see what day?” I growl, but there’s no real heat behind it.
“The day the mighty Ezekiel King falls in love.” Seb winces as he adjusts himself against the pillows. “And with a cop, no less.”
“I’m not in love.” The words taste like ash in my mouth.
“Sure you’re not.” He smirks, then grimaces, pressing a hand to his bandaged shoulder. “That’s why you’ve been moping around like someone kicked your puppy ever since she stormed out yesterday.”
I grab the glass of water from his nightstand and hand it to him. “She’s struggling with what happened. With all of this.”
“And you’re not helping by closing yourself off.” He takes a long drink. “You think I don’t notice how you avoid talking about your feelings? How you shut down every time she tries to get close?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Only because you make it complicated.” Seb hands the glass back to me. “You’re so afraid of losing her that you’re going to drive her away.”
I set the glass down harder than necessary. “You don’t understand.”
“I understand perfectly. You’re terrified because for the first time in your life, someone matters more than the job. More than the mission.”
“Zeke!” Eve’s panicked voice cuts through our conversation like a knife. My body tenses instantly, every protective instinct firing at once. The raw fear in her tone has me on my feet before I can even process the movement.
I burst into the hallway, my heart hammering against my ribs. Eve stands there, her face ghost-white, phone clutched in her hand. Her green eyes are wide with terror, and my stomach drops.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, closing the distance between us in three long strides. My hands find her shoulders, steadying her swaying form.
“Where’s Leo?” The words tumble from her lips, high-pitched and frantic. “He’s not—I can’t—”
Confusion jolts through me like an electric current. “He’s at school…” I process what she’s asking. A cold dread seeps into my bones as I add, “Or should be on his way home with you?”
Her breath hitches, tears welling in her eyes. The phone in her hand shakes harder, and I catch a glimpse of the screen—a message from an unknown number. The sight of it makes my blood run cold.