Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Pen
A shower and a few hours of sleep do nothing to assuage the guilt I feel about leaving Callum alone at the hospital.
Even though Fig promised to text me updates while he’s patrolling, and even though I find a few texts from Callum when I wake up that each let me know he’s fine, being away from Callum just doesn’t feel right.
I’m also feeling annoyed and unwanted because I still haven’t heard a word from Dom.
Against Tobias’s order to wait for him and the rest of the team to go back to the hospital together, I take one of the SUVs and leave by myself.
Visiting hours don’t start until seven, but I don’t give a shit.
It’s just after six in the morning when I file out of the elevator onto the third floor and stride down the hall toward Callum’s room.
I’m determined to land my eyes on the man and make sure he’s okay and safe.
Nothing on Fig, and it’s not that I don’t trust him to protect Callum, but Callum’s my responsibility to protect.
The nurse’s station is empty. I figure whoever’s working is making their rounds. The second I step inside Callum’s room, I freeze. In the bed, Callum is all bundled up in Dom’s arms. Both of them are sleeping like they don’t have a care in the world.
I take the moment to study the two men that occupy my every thought. Such a contrast. Dom is big and broody, with short, dark wavy hair and an olive skin tone hinting at his Italian heritage.
Callum, with his longish blond hair and California tanned complexion, reminds me of a surfer. The light sprinkle of freckles across the bridge of his nose elevates his attractiveness.
I chuckle seeing them both crammed into the bed. Callum’s shy an inch to my five-eleven, and Dom’s six-two.
Light to dark, they are my yin to my yang. I can finally breathe easier now that I know they’re together and I’m close to them.
“Are you going to just stand there all morning and stare at us?” Dom grumps, tilting his head enough to side-eye me. I don’t know what it is, but morning Dom’s sleep-gruff voice always gives me a shot of lust, and today is no different. My dick perks up.
“That all depends,” I whisper, walking over to the bed and smiling down at them.
“On what?” His narrowed eyes meet mine with such intensity that prickles of both unease and excitement ripple across my skin in response to his full attention.
Assuming that he at least read my texts, Dom knows I’m upset that he left me without a word.
The spark in Dom’s eyes shows that he is upset that I disobeyed his order to stay with Callum, even though I did it under duress.
I’ve no doubt there will be repercussions coming my way. And oh God, I hope so.
“Are you going to give me shit for leaving Callum?” I ask, remaining a few feet from the bed.
“Depends,” he says, evenly. “Did Tobias order you to go?” The depth of his tone conveys further warning, but I’m right. Dom being a dom is a salacious thing to be around.
“Yes, and I refused but it was no use,” I say truthfully.
Dom slowly sits up and a small smirk spreads across his face, making him look a lot younger than his forty years. “Did he twist your—”
The door swings open and a woman walks in, her face partially covered by a mask. Her eyes widen in surprise at seeing us. “I’m here to take Mr. Fitz’s vitals,” she says with hesitation.
She’s unfamiliar to me, but she is wearing the standard dark blue scrubs with the hospital logo on the shirt. Her red hair is in high bun with long ornamental chopsticks sticking out of the mass.
She looks out of place.
She hesitates for moment, assessing Dom and Callum, then me. But her stillness has me on instant alert.
“Where’s Lyric?” Dom asks, slowly getting up from the bed, his attention never leaving her face.
The nurse takes two steps, and then everything happens fast. She pulls a gun from behind her back. “Silencer,” I shout and move without thought.
Her aim is directed at the two men I care most about. Right as Dom covers Callum with his body, she whirls around and takes a shot at me. The sting doesn’t stop me from catapulting myself at her.
On impact, her hand releases the gun and it clatters to the floor. I wrestle her until she’s face down, then manage to get her forearms under my knees, and my hand clamped onto the back of her neck. For a small, thin woman, she has strength and nearly gets away from my hold.
“Don’t fucking move,” I hiss and tighten my hand on the back of her neck, pushing her face into the floor.
“Get off me, asshole. You’re hurting me,” she screeches.
I ignore her, and ask Callum and Dom without looking at them, “Are you two okay?”
“We’re good. But you… You’re shot.”
“It’s only a graze,” I say, as the shooter tries to wiggle out of my hold again. I put my full weight into my hold. “Stay fucking still.”
Dom climbs off Callum then snatches the gun from the floor and tucks it behind his back as he walks over to me.
“What the hell?” Fig shouts, storming into the room. He then sees me on the ground with the woman. “God-motherfucking-damn-it!”
“She tried to kill Dom and Callum,” I growl.
He rushes to my side, snags her left arm from under my knee, and twists it behind her back. “I got her.”
With Fig restraining her, I get up and together we pull the woman onto her feet. Even with both of us holding her, she still tries to kick her way free.
“Stop moving. You’re going to hurt yourself,” Fig sighs like he’s bored.
Dom approaches her, his eyes emanating rage. “Who are you?”
“Fuck you,” she spits, trying to get out of our hold. “Fuck you all.”
“I suggest you stop fighting, because you’re going nowhere,” I growl and tighten my hold on her arm.
“Fuck off,” she screams this time. “I have rights.”
“What the heck is going on?” A female nurse rushes in, her eyes wide with shock.
“Call the police. We just apprehended a shooter who tried to kill me and Mr. Fitz,” Dom barks out.
The nurse looks at me, sees the bloody patch on my shirt and then races out of the room.
“Are you going to be okay?” Dom asks me, as he stares at the red spot on my shirt.
“Yeah,” I say, waving off the ache in my arm. “I said it’s only a graze.”
“Let me go, you fucking bastards,” she screeches and thrashes against us, putting all her weight into the action before the bitch tries kicking at us again.
Dom moves to me. “I got her.” He takes ahold of her arm just above my hands and nods at me to let go; Fig remains firm with his grip and I step back, assessing my arm.
Security shows up right then, but it’s a little late. The cops arrive five minutes later, and immediately handcuff the would-be assassin. They cart her away just as Faller and Longe enter the room, along with Tobias and Danny rushing in behind them.
“I told you both to wait outside,” Longe grates out, pointing to the doorway.
“Like hell I am,” Danny sneers as he hurries to Callum’s side and takes his friend’s hand. “What the heck, Callum? Are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m fine. It’s Pen who’s shot.” Callum admits, worry creasing the corners of his eyes as they meet mine.
“Go get that checked,” Tobias orders as he points to my arm, then he turns to Dom for answers.
“It’s only a flesh wound. I’m fine,” I insist, as Raef, Bobby, Connor and John enter. Christ, we’re packed in here like sardines.
“Pen,” Dom snaps, glaring at me before returning his attention to our lead.
“Jesus—fine.” I give in, even though I don’t want to leave the room.
“I’ll get the gist from Pen,” John says as Connor leans up and smacks a quick kiss on the bodyguard’s mouth.
Instant jealousy surges through me at their open affection for each other. I want that—desperately want it with Callum and Dom. But I know we can’t—not until we three talk… if that ever happens.
A doctor approaches me, the man frowning deeply as his eyes zero in on my arm. “I’m Dr. Kim, the attending physician. Jana, is there a room free so I can get a better look at the wound?”
“Room three, Dr. Kim,” the nurse says as she opens the door adjacent to where we are standing and then leaves.
John and I follow the doctor in and a moment later, the same nurse returns with a small tray. She sets it onto the movable table. “Have a seat, Mr…”
“Pen,” I say and sit on the hospital bed.
It doesn’t take Dr. Kim long to stitch me up. While he does, I fill John in on what happened. Three stitches later, the doctor’s done, and we head back to Callum’s room, where the Warrior Black security team is huddled in the hallway in front of the door. Neither detective is around.
“Did Longe and Faller get anything out of the shooter before the cops carted her out of here?” Dom asks Tobias.
“No.” Tobias frowns. “She’s claiming she’s innocent. You shouldn’t have touched that gun.”
“Well, excuse me. Guess I wasn’t thinking when I saw her walk in, pull out a Beretta tapped with a silencer, and aim the fucking thing at us,” Dom seethed. “Does Dante know?”
“Yep. And they are fueled to blow. Dante can’t believe that this hospital’s security is so shitty. They have a call scheduled with the record company and the hospital administration, but I’m sure we will hear from the band manager soon enough.”
“Who was the target?” Fig asks, but the glint in his dark green eyes says he knows.
“Callum was the target,” Dom says, rubbing the back of his neck. “Thank God for Pen reacting as quick as he did or…”
“Pen took the hit instead,” Tobias says, looking at me. “All good?”
“Yeah.”
“Stitches?” Dom looks at the bandage peeking out from under my bloody sleeve, his eyes filled with… Worry?
“Three.” I say, but I’m taken aback by his show of emotion.
“Good.”
“Keep it clean and dry, Mr. Gallagher,” the doctor says as he moves through us on his way into Callum’s room. I nod in acknowledgement.
A few minutes go by before Danny comes out and says, “Callum wants out.”
We head inside the room, where Callum is arguing with Dr. Kim.
“I don’t feel safe here. I want to leave,” Callum insists.
“Fair to say, you’re not going anywhere,” the doctor blusters. “Now gentlemen, we only allow two people at a time. I need to have some of you leave the room—"
“I’m not leaving,” Danny insists, folding his arms across his chest.
“Neither are we,” Connor, Raef and Bobby say in unison.
“We are their security, Dr. Kim. We aren’t leaving, especially now,” Tobias states firmly.
“I’m sorry, I—” Dr. Kim starts, but Dante strides in and cuts him off.
“I’m sorry, doctor, since your hospital didn’t take proper precautions on my client’s safety, I must insist you sign Mr. Fitz out of hospital, so we can take him to a proper facility that will secure his protection.
If you don’t, then I must insist you get the hospital administrator here—who I have already talked to, because I’m about to call the band’s lawyer and then you will have a whole other set of issues on your hands.
” Dante didn’t even bat an eye or take a breath as they put the doctor in his place.
Dr. Kim glares at Dante, then glances around the room at the security team, each one of whom is bulkier and at least six inches taller than he is. The doctor harrumphs and gives in. “Fine. Give me five minutes to put the paperwork in order, with instructions.” He then storms out of the room.
“Geez, fine seems to be the word of the day,” Danny chimes in.
Bobby pulls the ever-present sucker from his mouth and adds, “No kidding,” before turning to Callum. “Seriously, dude, how are you feeling?”
“Aside from Dom smothering me while some crazed woman tried to kill us, I’m good.” Callum glances at me. “How’s your shoulder?”
“Don’t worry. I’m stitched up and good,” I admit with a smile, trying to ease the worry from Callum’s frowny face. My feet automatically move until I reach the bedside and touch his cheek. “Do you need help into your clothes?”
Silence.
That’s when I wince, drop my hand and slowly look around me. Every pair of eyes are on us. Some faces show surprise, some wear huge smiles. Some are smiling huge. But one is frowning. Yeah, Dom is definitely not happy with me.
“Really?” Danny snickers, then his eyes darts to Connor and his right hand shoots out toward the drummer. “Pay up, asshole.”
“Fuck me,” Connor whines and shoves his hand into his pocket and pulls out a fifty dollar bill.
“What am I missing?” I ask, my attention landing on Dom, who’s still scowling at me.
“You two…” Raef’s words hang in the air like a sharp sword.
I open my mouth to explain there’s nothing between us, but no words come out.
Then Callum blurts, “No. We aren’t together, Raef. Stop making shit up.”
And those words hurt more than the pain from the gunshot.