Chapter 46
FORTY-SIX
Nikko is sleeping, wrapped tightly around me, but my mind won’t calm down enough for me to rest, so I slip silently from his hold and replace my body with a pillow so as not to wake him. He wraps himself around it, and despite the situation, I can’t help but smile at how cute he is.
If you can call a six-foot, three-hundred-pound boxer cute, that is.
Taking my phone, I leave the apartment and jump up onto the railing, wincing when it pulls my shoulder. I forgot I’m injured, but I don’t want Nikko to overhear this. He’ll only worry.
I dial Yuki’s number, and he answers on the first ring, no doubt waiting for me. “Sir, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, just a flesh wound. I’m at Nikko’s.”
“I know. I’m on the street with your guards.” I lift my head to see headlights flash, and I smile in relief. “Give me one second.”
“No, if anyone is watching, we don’t want them to know you’re here.
The phone is fine,” I assure him. “I know who is behind all of this. We need to keep it extremely quiet until we can confirm it for sure. This won’t just affect us, but the entire city.
I want my father on lockdown, double the guards.
No one, and I mean no one, in or out. I want guards on Nikko, Julies, Chen, and Faiz,” I order, knowing he’s listening.
“For the next part, I’ll text you. I want it done as soon as possible.
Until we can confirm, we are going to act like nothing is wrong.
They’ll be watching, so we won’t give them anything to suspect. ”
“Sir, do we know them?” Yuki asks, no doubt sensing my mood.
Glancing back at Nikko’s door, I swallow. “Yeah, we know them. Yuki, I’m trusting you to keep my family safe.”
“Always, sir. Get some rest. I will arrange for a doctor to visit in the morning to check your wound.”
“Thank you.” I sigh as I clutch the phone, not quite ready to say goodbye yet.
“Sir, I’m sorry this is coming from in-house, but you have us who are loyal to you until the end, okay? Go get some rest.”
As usual, he knows what I need to hear, and I take my first deep breath since I heard the voice on the other end of that phone.
“Thanks, Yuki. See you soon.” When I hang up, I type out a text.
I don’t need to read his reply to know he’s shocked.
Putting my phone away, I head back inside, making sure the door is locked before I slip the pillow out of Nikko’s grip.
He groans and rolls to his back, his hand searching my empty side of the bed, so I slide back in and let him pull me into his embrace.
The safety I find in his arms allows me to finally slip into a restless sleep.
Sighing, I roll over, only for pain to stab through my arm and wake me up. Confused, I blink up at Nikko’s ceiling, seeing sunlight. I sit up, swing my legs off the edge of the bed, and check my phone, my eyes widening at the time.
It’s ten in the morning. I don’t think I’ve ever slept past eight, but ten?
Nikko appears in the doorway in a frilly apron and smiles softly as he crouches before me. “Hey, sleepyhead, how are you feeling?”
“Fine,” I say around a yawn.
“Good, the doctor is here to check your wound. Yuki must have sent him first thing this morning, since he was banging on my door at seven.” Nikko laughs, and my eyes widen, swinging to the door. “Don’t worry, he’s still here.”
“You should have woken me,” I rumble as I sit up straighter, “so he didn’t have to wait.”
“You pay him enough. He can wait all day for you,” Nikko replies as he helps me to my feet.
I can do it alone, but I don’t argue as he takes me to the bathroom.
Once there, he helps me wipe down my body and wash my hair and face before sitting me down then blow-drying and styling my hair for me.
He dresses me in boxers and a sleeveless jersey so the doctor can see my wound.
The entire time, he treats me like I’m something precious and breakable, pampering me at every step.
When he’s sure I’m okay, he lifts me into his arms and carries me into the living room. “I can walk,” I mumble.
“So? I can carry you,” Nikko retorts as he sits me down on the sofa and covers my legs with a blanket.
I blink at Doctor Gregory. I could have called him last night, considering Nikko is right, I pay him enough, but it wasn’t life-threatening.
“I’ll make breakfast. Greg, do you want another coffee? ”
“No, thank you, Nikko. You’re very kind.” He inclines his head, and Nikko points in my face.
“Behave.” He heads back to the kitchen, and I wince as I meet Gregory’s eyes. He’s grinning.
“I like him,” he remarks as he approaches, his kit already out. “Okay, let’s see what trouble you got into now.”
I sigh. “Not my fault.”
“No, it was the bullet’s. You just got in the way,” he teases.
He’s been treating me since I was a kid, and he’s friends with my father and also his main doctor.
I have no doubt my father will hear about this, but the doc is the best for a reason.
He’s also the one who tested me for STDs when I first found out about Faiz’s cheating, and he held me while I cried and waited for the results. He’s a good man.
He’s graying now but still handsome, and his face has more wrinkles than I remember. His thin black glasses complement his handsomeness. He’s also built, since he surfs a lot. He even tried to teach me once, but I wasn’t very good at it.
“You did a good job on this. I’m just going to clean it, seal it, and dress it. You know the drill. Keep it clean and dry, and come in for checkups,” he lectures.
“Yes, sir,” I tease, making him huff.
“Still a brat, I see,” he replies as I wince in pain.
“Always, I’d hate to disappoint,” I retort, focusing on talking rather than the pain in my shoulder. No matter how many times I get shot, it still hurts like a son of a bitch. It’s better than being stabbed, though. I’ll give it that.
“He takes care of you,” he murmurs as he dresses my wound, his gloves warming up from my skin. “He’s better for you than the other one.”
“You barely know him,” I hedge.
“I don’t need to. I saw the way he looked at you. Besides, that man was ready to put me on my ass if I so much as dared to wake you this morning. Only love makes you that crazy. You deserve someone like that.”
“Crazy?” I joke.
“Loyal,” he replies as he looks at me, his glasses sliding down his nose. “However, I do know how to discreetly get away with murder, Zia, if you ever need it.”
I laugh, and when I glance up, Nikko is smiling at me from the kitchen. “Not with him, not ever.”
“Good.” He stands. “Nikko, I’m telling you because he won’t listen.
Keep it clean and dry, and he needs a checkup every two days.
If there is any pain, redness, swelling, or fever, call me immediately.
He needs to rest that arm and drink and eat, and no freaky carnal activities that put it in a weird position. ”
“Got it.” Nikko pulls his phone out, no doubt writing it down, not the least bit shy about what they are discussing.
“I’ll see you in two days,” Gregory says. “Bye, Nikko, thanks for the coffee.”
“Bye.” Nikko waves and locks the door behind him before bringing me a plate and sitting at my side. “He said you need to eat. There’s a bit of everything here.” I go to grab it, but he picks up some fruit and holds it to my mouth.
Sighing, I take a bite and chew.
He insists on hand-feeding me every single bite, and I’ll admit, I kind of enjoy it. When he sucks his thumb after a mouthful, I stare into his eyes as he pulls it free. “No bedroom eyes. He said no freaky sex.”
“What about regular sex?” I wiggle my eyebrows.
“You’re injured,” he grumbles even as I swing my leg over him and straddle his lap.
“Then you can do all the work. Don’t you know orgasms are good for healing?” I feel him wavering, so I lightly trail my fingers down his chest and grip his hardening dick through his shorts. “I need you, baby.”
That’s all I have to say. I’m on my back in seconds, his mouth cutting off my laughter, and we forget all about my wound for a while.