CHAPTER 32
LUCAS
Lucas was half asleep when he heard the door open. Thanks to the morphine pump connected to his IV, he’d been in and out of consciousness for weeks. He forced his eyes open to find Bella standing over him with a smirk.
“You are high as hell,” she teased.
“Lil’ bit,” Lucas admitted with a chuckle. “Hey, beautiful.”
She leaned over and kissed his lips, “Hey, bae,” she whispered against them.
When she stood, Lucas noted the faded bruises on her face and frowned. “How are you feeling?” he asked.
Bella smiled. “Me? How am I feeling? I’m fine. I was shot in the chest.”
“Yeah, but I’m on the mend,” he groaned, feeling a pain in his chest. He smiled at Bella and grabbed her hand. He lifted her palm to his lips and kissed it softly. “I’m sorry I had Nurse Ratched put you out last night.”
Bella frowned, but Lucas wasn’t really sorry.
As soon as she was able to move around without help, she would escape her room and sleep in the chair next to his bed.
Sleeping in a chair couldn’t have been good for her recovery.
So, Lucas had been forced to put his foot down by asking the nurses to evict Bella from his room at bedtime.
“You’re not sorry,” Bella quipped.
Lucas reached up and caressed her cheek.
He tucked a few stands of her straight, dark hair behind her ear.
Even with the faint proof of the beating she’d taken to save him, Bella was still so beautiful.
“Any word on who it is that wants us dead?” When Bella sighed, Lucas could see the disappointment in her eyes. “Nothing, huh?”
“All we know so far is the shooters that went after Donna and me were Asian and so was the man your momma killed in the hospital. Then, Niyah saw an Asian man dressed like a doctor right before her intern was killed.”
“If they were only after you and Donna, we could assume it had something to do with your jobs. So, where do I fit in the equation?”
Bella shook her head. “I have no Idea. Instead of sitting on my ass, I should have been investigating this shit.”
Lucas frowned. “Sitting on your ass, as in recovering from a brutal beating that almost left you braindead?”
“Well, I’ve called a family meeting. Victor and Taylor are still on the campaign trail, but everyone else will be here.”
Lucas grabbed the bedrail and threw his leg over the side of the bed. When he winced from the pain, Bella grabbed his leg and lifted it back on the bed. “What are you doing?”
“I’m gonna grab a shower. I would like to attend this family meeting.”
Bella chuckled and tucked his leg back under the blanket. “I can handle this meeting. You, Mr. Creed, will lay your ass down and get better.”
“Well, all right, Detective. Whatever you say,” Lucas acquiesced with a grin.
“I love you,” she whispered before trying to kiss his forehead, but Lucas raised his head and captured her lips. “I love you too, sweetheart.”