Chapter 62 Mateo
MATEO
Thanks to the miracle that was strong painkillers, I was now mobile again. A full twenty-four hours awake with hospital monitoring and I convinced the Doc to let me go with César and his men out west. Her only caveat was, Zerkos could only come if she did.
Watching Ronan wake up from a medically induced coma was like seeing a bear get its head stuck in a trap. Emory wanted to sedate him again because his wild trashing in the room was enough to make her think he’d open all his stitches.
“Zerkos, if you can’t settle down, I will put you back to sleep and you will stay back,” she threatened.
“Stay back?” His nostrils flared, and I could see his brain begin to piece together the memories of the party before the attack. “Celia. Shit. Fuck!”
He swung his legs as if he was just going to magically jump out of the bed and be healed but immediately yelled out in pain.
“Fuck.” he roared.
“Yup, that’s what two bullets in your gut feels like big guy.
Settle down or you will fucking die Ronan.
Do you understand?” Emory chastised. “I’m letting you go.
I’m not letting you be stupid about it. This entire thing is already idiotic to begin with.
” Her emotions began to rise, and her voice squeaked.
“None of you have even talked about the possibility that they’re already dead. ”
The room went quiet, and regret covered her face.
“I’m sorry… I just mean, it’s been ten days. What are the odds you aren’t sending yourselves off to die?” The redheaded doctor couldn’t keep it together any longer and her tears started to fall.
“I’m grateful for the tears doll, but we both know none of us are worth your sadness,” Ronan told her, and I watched her eyes dart over to César. “But if you ever fucking say some shit like that again, I’ll put you under myself, okay Doc?”
César growled under his breath.
“She’s not fucking dead. Her tracker is still active, still showing her location,” I said.
“Has she moved?” César asked.
“That doesn’t mean fucking shit. We’re doing this Lobo.” I used his road name as a way to trigger his ego.
“I’ve got sixteen chapters of Diablos Locos ready to ride west. Get yourself together Zerkos.” He nodded at him before tilting his chin at the doctor. “A word, Doc?”
The two of them left the room, the silence between Zerkos and I said far too many of the things we couldn’t voice out loud. What if she was dead? What if they both were? What if we’d lost everything we had, and every chance of happiness was out the door now?
We stared at each other as if we could read our thoughts but neither of us had the answers we were looking for. I could hear César’s voice booming in the hall just outside Ronan’s room.
“It’s too fucking dangerous Emory. I got my own doctor. I’m not letting you risk yourself.”
“He’s a medical student, they deserve better than that. What if someone gets seriously hurt? I’m a grown woman, papi. I make my decisions.”
Emory pushed back into the room, the door slamming against the wall before bouncing back closed.
“Give yourself a few hours to get moving again, then we can head out. It’s at least four days driving with the stops we’ll have to make to keep you comfortable,” she said before walking back out again and giving César a cold set of side eyes.
“Taylor has rounded up our uninjured who are willing to come too,” I caught Ronan up.
“This isn’t Black Crow business. They shouldn’t be risking their lives like this.” He shook his head.
“They made it Black Crow business when they broke into our home and shot our people during a celebration, brother. Our men have a right to retribution.”
“You’re right,” he said, stunning the shit out of me.
“What the fuck was that?” I said with a laugh.
“I’m learning I can be wrong too. It’s not too late to change.” He tried and failed to move, so I helped him into a sitting position.
“Well shit, remind me that your reset button is just two bullets to the gut then.”
He elbowed me in the side, forcing a pained grunt out of both our mouths from the excess motion.
“Let’s go get our girl then, Kane,” he rasped out with a smirk.