Chapter 27
NICO
Machines whir and hiss around Declan as he rests peacefully on the bed. His face is swollen, black and blue everywhere. A few stitches peek from his blond hair, blood soaking the bandage.
His hand is in a cast, wrapped up tight after the doctors said they had to remove bone fragments, as well as operate on the tendon that he tore when he slid his hand through that fucking handcuff.
There was nothing they could do for the missing finger other than remove the bone shard and sew him up.
Six of his ribs are broken, as well as his orbital bone. His jaw was swollen and the surgeon thought that it was broken as well, but it was just dislocated.
He has one chipped front tooth and a missing molar. Fractured ankle and six missing fingernails. A dislocated elbow. Internal bleeding. Cuts and bruises cover most of his body.
They hurt him bad.
He was in surgery for fourteen hours and even after all they did for him, doctors said it was touch and go.
From what Kai told me after they wheeled Declan back to surgery, he killed two captors on his own. I’m not sure if there are more out there or if Austin was one of those two, but I will kill anyone that put their hands on him.
A doctor tries to enter Declan’s room, an iPad in his hands, but won’t be let in until Kai gives the orders.
After we realized the betrayal came from inside the Whitlocks, Kai said he’d put his own loyal men—like Manuel, who’s guarded The Fox Club for as long as I’ve been around—on Declan until Carter can vet all the Whitlock men.
Not that long ago, Carter would’ve objected to a St. Clair man guarding Declan.
Now, I think he’ll do whatever keeps his brother safe.
Manuel looks down at the doctor, cracking his knuckles menacingly. The doctor gulps but doesn’t break eye contact.
“Mr. Whitlock. I’d like to update you on your brother’s condition,” the doctor says, holding up the device.
“Let him through,” Carter says to Manuel in an exhausted tone. His face is drawn and haggard as he looks at Declan lying in the bed. Kai stands from his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as he silently supports Carter.
The doctor steps inside, first looking at the monitors, tapping his notes into the chart, then adjusting Declan’s IV drip.
Sighing, the doctor says, “He was in one hell of a scrap.”
When he was admitted, we only told the ER that he was in a fight, not that he was kidnapped and tortured.
“What are you waiting for?” I ask, pushing off the wall. “Update us on his condition.”
The doctor looks between me and Carter, then faces me fully. “And you are?”
“His partner. Now tell me what you need to tell us so we can get him out of here.”
“Well, that’s not the smartest move,” he says, mirroring my pose. “He needs to recover for at least—”
“Don’t give a fuck. Tell me what’s wrong with him.”
The doctor looks at Carter as if for backup, not finding it in Carter’s stony expression.
Sighing, the doctor says, “He’s stable, for now.
He should come around from the anesthesia in a few more minutes.
We’ve set all of his bones, but he’ll need to come back in six weeks to have his cast removed.
The covering for his eye can be removed in a few days.
But we need to keep him here for observation for—”
“Thanks, Doc, but we won’t need your services any longer,” Kai says, stepping from beside Carter to basically push the doctor out with his bulk.
Sputtering, the doctor says, “My services? I don’t…he needs to be under a doctor’s care.”
“He will be,” Carter mutters. “Just not here. Go away.”
Manuel grabs the man’s arm and drags him out of the room.
A few minutes later, one of the Whitlock family doctors arrives with a printed discharge summary in hand. He flips through it, tsks, and sets his face into a determined mask. “We can move him as soon as he wakes from anesthesia and I can adjust his pain meds for transport. Where will he be going?”
Carter says, “My house,” at the same time as I say, “His cabin.”
We both look at each other, the dick measuring contest finally beginning.
“Your house is too obvious,” I say. “Anyone looking for him would be able to find him.”
Carter grunts. “If someone tries, I’ll fucking murder them.”
“That’s all fine and fucking dandy, but I don’t want to even put Declan in that situation. Not after what he’s been through. Do you?”
“I want what’s best for him!” Carter roars, standing from the bed. “If you had kept your eyes on him at the club, this never would have happened.”
“And if he trusted you more not to fucking talk down to him, he would have told you what was going on with the blackmail before it got to this point!”
Carter reels back as if I slapped him. I know there was probably a better time to drop that truth bomb, but if we’re placing blame, I want to put it where it belongs.
“Boys, boys,” a weak voice says and all eyes snap to Declan. He blinks his visible eye open slowly, a slight grin tilting up his lips. “No need to argue over me.”
I rush to his side, bodying Carter out of the way so I can grab his good hand. “Hey, handsome. How you feelin’?”
“Like I was tortured for a week. How the fuck do you think?”
I breathe a tired laugh, relieved that he’s awake and alert. “Just checking. Want to see how honest you’ll be with me.”
“Always with you, Nico. Always.” He closes his eye and lets out a long breath. “You were supposed to be my hero. I had to save myself waiting for you.”
Tears prick my eyes, but I push them back with all the effort I can muster. “Yeah, well, I figured you’d do that, anyway. Who am I to take away your moment?”
“As sweet as this is,” Carter says, more subdued than he was a moment ago, “we need to get you out of here, Deck. I want to take you home and—”
Declan shakes his head, then winces. “Not to your house. My cabin. It’s…secluded…you remember?”
I look over my shoulder at Carter with an I told you so expression, causing him to glance away with a clenched jaw.
Looking at the doctor, I say, “If we show you where this cabin is, you better not breathe a fucking word to anyone. You understand?”
He nods. “Of course. I’ve worked with the Whitlocks for years.
I’m a vault for this family. If it makes you feel better, you can blindfold me to and from the location to treat him.
Though for the first week, I’ll want to stay there so I can be available in case there are complications. Is that agreeable?”
“I don’t have to tell you that if you fuck up, I’ll kill you?” I ask.
“He knows, Nico. Fuck, you’re a bully,” Declan says. Then he chuckles. “That’s actually pretty hot.”
Leaning forward, I kiss him gently, his slightly chapped lips pressing against mine. I hold back the sob caught in my throat at the feel of him.
I almost fucking lost him. Because of Austin and his bullshit, I almost missed out on loving him out loud. I almost lost the man that captured my heart.
“Love you,” I whisper against his lips.
“Thought that was a dream.” He smiles sleepily. “Love you too.”
I give him one more kiss, then step out of the way for Carter and the doctor to do what they need to do to get him ready for transport.
Kai wraps his arm around my shoulder, more to keep me in place than to offer comfort.
I want to go to Declan, to be the one helping him sit up and get dressed.
I want it to be me he leans on instead of Carter, but he’s his brother.
I can have him to myself when Declan is at his cabin.
There, he’ll be mine to take care of and Carter will just have to deal.
When Kai had a concussion, Carter barely let me see him, and they didn’t even like each other yet.
I’m in love with Declan, so he’s my responsibility now.
Once he’s dressed, Carter helps Declan into a wheelchair.
The doctor tells a drowsy Declan, “I pushed meds before we removed your IV, so you shouldn’t be in any pain for the next few hours. When we get to your cabin, I’ll set you up with another IV with a morphine drip.”
“The good stuff,” Declan mutters.
Laughing, the doctor nods and pats him on the shoulder. “The good stuff. Let’s get you out of here so you can get settled.”
Carter goes to the desk to sign Declan out against medical advice as a crew of twenty men converge around me, Declan, and the doctor, escorting us to a vehicle waiting out front.
One of our guys, Dev, hops out of the driver’s seat and hands the keys to Manuel. I help Declan out of the wheelchair, taking on most of his weight as he shuffles to the backseat.
I get him settled inside, then slide in beside him, wrapping my arms as tightly around him as he can bear.
“I’m so sorry I let that happen to you,” I whisper into his hair. “It’s my—”
“Not right now,” he whispers. “Head too fuzzy.” He looks up at me with a twinkle in his visible eye. “Someone told me I have to think through my emotions, but pain is something different. When I’m better?”
“Okay, handsome.”
“I love you, Nico.” He breathes a laugh that mingles with a sob. “I never thought I’d say that. Never thought I’d get a chance to say it to you.”
“I’m here, Declan. And I’m not going anywhere.”