“I’m guessing you will decline to follow their advice.” Rowe carefully enunciated each word.
“Yes.”
Rowe stood at the end of Lucas’s bed and leaned forward, planting his fists into the mattress. “One thing: is this about ego?”
Lucas paused, one corner of his mouth quirking. Rowe knew him so damned well. “No, not completely,” he admitted. He wasn’t going to lie to Rowe or himself. Lucas was not one to cave to pressure when he wanted something. “This is also about that neighborhood getting a second chance.”
“And you making a profit,” Snow mumbled under his breath.
“Fuck you! You know this project isn’t about the money.” Lucas’s fatigue fled in a rush of anger.
Rowe straightened and crossed his arms over his chest. “All right. I’m in.”
“What?” Lucas demanded, trying to sit up straight, but his ribs protested the movement, keeping him lying back on his pillows.
“You’re going to need help. Lots of it. I’ve got eyes and ears on the street.” Arrogance threaded Rowe’s words—and his smile. “I can help get to the bottom of this.”
Lucas shook his head at the ex-Army Ranger, suppressing a shudder. Rowe wasn’t the type to worry too much about whether something was entirely legal or even wise when it came to protecting his friends. Hell, even when it came to relieving boredom. The man liked to color outside the lines far too often. Luckily he was good at what he did and knew how to cover his tracks, but that didn’t mean Lucas slept easy at night. “For now, we’re cautious. Some extra security. We loop in the local cops. By the book, Rowe. This isn’t one of your Ranger black ops missions. Contain and control legally.”
The stocky man took a half step backward and looked like a child who’d had his favorite toy stolen. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” Lucas sighed, closing his eyes. Damn he was tired. He didn’t have the energy to rein Rowe’s violent impulses in. If he wasn’t careful, Rowe would mow down half the city block to take down these assholes.
“Fine. At least you’ve got Andrei now. When they release you tonight, we’ll show you the new security measures. And when you can move, you’re coming back in to train with me three times a week. You’ve gotten sloppy and lazy.”
Lucas’s eyes snapped open. Most of Rowe’s comments slid right by him as his brain locked on one key bit of information. “What? What are you talking about? Andrei who?”
Rowe grinned evilly and even Snow was looking far too pleased. The dark-haired man who’d followed Rowe into the room stepped out of the shadows. How could Lucas have forgotten dark and sexy?
“Andrei Hadeon, your new bodyguard,” Rowe announced with a little wave of his hand toward the stranger.
“No,” Lucas said vehemently. “Fuck no!”
“Lucas—” Rowe started but Lucas wouldn’t let him speak.
“Absolutely not!”
“Yes. You got lucky. They come after you again, they’ll kill you!” Rowe’s voice climbed to a near yell. “He stays with you. He’s with you when you eat. He’s there when you sleep and shit.”
“And when I’m fucking?” Lucas sneered.
“He’s standing at the door with a box of condoms and a bottle of lube!” Rowe shouted back, not missing a beat.
“Fuck you, Rowe—”
“Enough!” Snow said, his icy voice silencing everything but the rapid beeping of the monitors attached to Lucas. “Rowe, out!”
The shorter man looked like he was going to argue but he huffed and stomped out of the room. Snow turned his attention to the silent bodyguard. “Wait outside.” Andrei nodded and obediently followed Rowe out.
Snow watched the monitor, while holding Lucas’s wrist. “Deep breath.”
Lucas did as commanded, closing his eyes. He focused on Snow’s larger hand wrapped around his wrist, the steady reassuring presence of his friend eased the pain in his head and the pounding of his heart. He didn’t want to think about the panic that had surged through him at the idea of Andrei shadowing his every step.
“He’s right and you know it,” Snow said, his voice barely over a whisper when he spoke. “Yes, it’s an inconvenience but you’ll deal with it.”
Lucas looked up at the doctor, stretching his fingers to brush against Snow’s. He briefly closed his eyes, knowing his friends were right, but still not liking it. “The price I pay for refusing to back down, I guess.”
Snow’s lips twisted. “At least he’s pretty to look at.”
“Thanks,” Lucas muttered. “Try not to look so amused about all this.”
“Sleep. I’ll see about getting you released in a few hours.”
His eyelids fluttered shut as if following Snow’s command. Ian, Rowe, and Snow had left him exhausted. Lucas slipped away, drifting back into sleep, holding his friend’s hand.Chapter 3Lucas was sick of the piped-in, freezing hospital air and really sick of Rowe’s bitching. His hands closed into painful fists to keep from throttling Rowe, who wouldn’t stop muttering about Lucas not having any normal people clothes. Still, he helped Lucas pull on a pair of designer jeans and the soft cashmere V-neck sweater he’d brought from the penthouse before settling his left arm back into a sling to help take pressure off his bruised shoulder. But the clothes didn’t offer the relief Lucas had hoped for. He still felt dirty and grimy, and he longed for a shower hot enough to remove a couple layers of skin.