Chapter 28
Hunter
The second I stepped into the hospital suite, Serenity was all I could see. She sat in a plush, upholstered chair, her shins tucked beneath her and auburn hair spilling over the arm on which her head rested.
I took an instinctive step toward her, light on the balls of my feet, but when I followed her eyeline to my bedbound twin, I crashed back to earth and exhaled through gritted teeth.
With the rough shape his legs were in, I was actually glad he was getting the best treatment.
But that wasn’t going to stop me breaking balls.
Maybe a little less harshly for tonight.
“Bryce, you didn’t have to put him up in the goddamn Ritz of hospital rooms. A closet would’ve been enough. ”
Bryce, whose eyes looked sleepy, was lying down on a second bed across from Dagger’s. He shrugged. “It’s only money.”
I flashed a teasing smile. “I’ve heard a few rich people say that.”
“Guy literally gives me his blood, then begrudges me a little luxury,” Dagger scoffed. “Thanks for that. Hope you’ve still got plenty left. Don’t go fainting for my sake. And thanks, Bryce, sincerely. Not just for this, but… you know.”
“You’d have done the same for me, I’m sure.”
“I would. Not sure where I’d get the blue fire from though.”
Serenity’s nose crinkled as she scooted her chair a little closer to Bryce’s pillow-stacked bed. “Blue fire?”
Bryce’s head turned toward her voice, and when he opened his eyes to find her so close, I saw his nails flash orange on the sheets.
Yet, deep as he stared into her hazel, he only shrugged. “It was nothing, really. Just some New Nebraska madness. It never ends.”
Super rich, super handsome, modest, always the adult in the room, sometimes I wanted to hate him for being so perfect. I couldn’t, of course.
My brother was another matter… Earlier on, one of the doctors, a wolf shifter with thickly muscled shoulders and the usual know-it-all attitude, had suggested a transfusion of fresh jaguar blood, especially twin to twin, would help quicken Dagger’s healing.
I’d agreed, wondering if he’d have done the same in return.
“You ever pull any shit again like you did earlier tonight, and I’ll take back every drop. Plus interest.” I let my disapproval of him show on my face.
Dagger clutched his chest, feigning hurt and an English accent. “You wound me, bruv.”
I poked my finger between the closed blinds, their tinfoil tinkle revealing the city in the early hours, sprinkled in neon and streetlights.
It almost looked pretty. “I’d say you’ve taken care of that part pretty well yourself.
” I scanned the streets, still mindful I’d let those vamp fuckers escape.
Fancy suite or not, there was still that cloying hospital disinfectant edge to the air. Shoes squeaked up and down the polished corridor outside.
I wanted to get Serenity home and cuddled up in a soft, warm bed with me, but she’d insisted on staying the night in the suite to keep Dagger company and make sure he was okay. That was what doctors and nurses were for, but I couldn’t argue with my mate’s caring gaze.
She was currently sitting between the two beds, plucking clementines from the enormous fruit bowl on the central nightstand and eagerly peeling them for Dagger. Much to his grumbling. And my concealed jealousy.
“Fruit? Ah man. Can’t I get a T-bone? With some Cajun fries on the side. Actually, a couple of cold beers with that would be like medicine right about n—”
“Uh-uh,” she said, handing him three peeled portions and a half liter bottle of chilled water.
“The doctor said no mixing alcohol with your pills. The fruit’s good for you, and you won’t find a steak and fries at four in the morning anyway.
Come on, have these, and plenty of water. You can get a steak tomorrow.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He took the offerings sulkily and began chugging and chewing.
My brother never let anyone boss him around. Where ultra-violent gangs and axe-swinging psychos had failed, Serenity was excelling. It should have been hilarious, but it niggled at the part of me that still didn’t want my life intersecting with his. At all.
“Actually, I think they would send one up now if I called,” Bryce mumbled, his eyes half-closed.
She peeked round, her smile soft but tone firm. “You’re so kind as always, Bryce, but”—she plucked a banana and began peeling it—“bad boys don’t get steak dinner rewards. Especially when they’ve not apologized to certain people…”
Dagger took the banana and sighed, his stare rooted to its pale-yellow flesh as he mumbled awkwardly for the benefit of me and Bryce, “You’re right. Sorry for all this. It was… unprofessional of me.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Bryce said sleepily, pulling the spotless cotton sheet higher. “Just do better.”
“Pfft! No chance of that.” Smirking, I walked across the shiny cream floor and picked a banana of my own, scarfing it in three mouthfuls. I wasn’t a fan, really, but after the shift to cat form and then giving the blood transfusion, I needed the potassium.
And I needed to be at full strength to protect my mate. Conrad or Armand finding her again was a real possibility.
I raided the full-sized fridge for a water bottle, offering one to Bryce and Serenity, who refused and accepted respectively.
The plastic crinkled in my palm as I pressed it against my temple, rubbing the condensation around and enjoying the refreshing cold.
There had been more than enough heat for tonight.
A different doctor opened the door and strode in.
This time it was a tall, mature female Fae wearing a teal cardigan, and a hospital ID on a lanyard around her neck.
Doctors were in such a shortage in our new state, I’d read doctors’ salaries were triple here compared to the usual Fae hotspots like England.
Not that you’d have known from her sour-looking expression.
She slipped Dagger’s chart off the bottom of the bed and while flicking through the notes said, “Detective Pierce, you’re very lucky indeed. ”
“Yeah, I feel it,” he replied, glumly munching on his banana.
Looking up, she speared him with a sharp smile.
“I should think so. Another few minutes of such intense pressure and heat against your bones and we’d have been talking prosthetics.
” She put the chart back, cracking a warmer grin for Bryce.
“As things stand, considering shifter healing capacity, you should be walking normally again within around a week. Maybe ten days. You owe Mr. Harding your legs though.”
“I don’t want them,” Bryce quipped, who’d sat up a little to hear the doctor speak.
The fire story, because it involved mega celebrity Bryce—in his birthday suit too—was already all over internet sites. The newspapers would be adding all kinds of bullshit to the facts, come morning.
“When do you think I can get discharged, doc?”
“We’ll keep you in for monitoring tonight, just to err on the side of caution, but most likely tomorrow afternoon. Do you have someone at home who can assist you? Preparing food, changing clothes, bathing, and so on?”
Dagger shook his head. “Don’t you worry.” He held up his bicep and flexed. “This jaguar is solid titanium. I’m not having anyone helping with—”
“I can take care of that,” Serenity said.
Dagger swallowed hard and croaked out, “Actually, doc, I think you’re right. Maybe I do need some help with stuff like that.”
That little shit. I knew his game. I cleared my throat. Loudly.
Serenity leveled me with a scolding frown before clasping Dagger’s tattooed hand. “You threw me clear of that collapsing house. I’d never have survived. It’s the least I can do. And Hunter is family. You should come stay with us, until you’re better.”
This time my jaguar cleared my throat for me. The jealous growl bounced off the suite’s white walls, causing everyone to stop and stare.
“Would you like a throat lozenge, Mr. Pierce?” the doctor bantered.
I breathed deeply through my nose, reminding myself how Socrates or Marcus Aurelius would have carried themselves in this situation. With dignity, humility, and compassion.
But if Dagger thought he was getting a sponge bath from my mate, he was in for a reality check.
The doctor left and Serenity yawned, slumping back in her chair. “I’m so exhausted. I could really use a nap.”
She’d been through hell. I wanted her to get a peaceful sleep, and it wasn’t going to happen if I argued with her about where Dagger should stay.
And it wasn’t going to happen in that armchair either, no matter how luxuriant the upholstery.
Bryce, who was lying with a Serenity-sized space in his bed, looked at her with a yearning so intense that, if it had been anyone else, I would have roared loud enough to shatter the windows.
But even my jaguar liked Bryce, and that speckled smartass didn’t like anyone.
Plus, Bryce had saved my dumb gumshoe of a twin from early and eternal retirement.
Prick or not, I knew deep down that Dagger did a lot of good keeping the streets of this messed-up city from ripping themselves to shreds. And he had a talent for saving innocents. Of course, he developed that too late for our parents.
I ground my teeth, torn between walloping his slappable face and wondering why I found it so easy to hate when I saw the same one in the mirror.
Serenity was nodding off. I winked at Bryce. He returned it with a discreet nod.
I took her dainty hand in mine and led her over to Bryce’s bed, kissed her goodnight and tucked her into a spoon with my billionaire best friend. He was a hero and a gentleman, and the look of bliss he showed when her skin touched his warmed my heart.
Dagger, ignorant of Serenity’s unique ability to touch Bryce, bolted upright. “What the fuck! You’re going to have them both in agony!” Then, seeing them quickly begin to drift off in a state of—well, serenity—he jerked his head back, flabbergasted. “What in hot fuck?”