Two deaths and one person hovering on the edge.
Lives destroyed and all of it had been caused by a teen texting and driving. One who came out with only a broken arm and a few bruises, but would have to live with deaths on his conscience for the rest of his life.
He flashed back to the way Lucas had looked when they’d brought him in. Bleeding, bruised, and unconscious. Just the memory sent fear to pound in his chest. He laid a hand over it as if to stop the muscle from propelling through his ribcage. There were only a few people in Snow’s life he loved and of them all, Lucas held the most precious spot in his world. He had for nearly as long as Snow could remember. He wasn’t sure he could live through losing him.
Wasn’t sure he’d even want to.
The urge to hunt down a stranger he could lose himself in hit Snow hard, then quickly faded. He was too tired to even pretend he wasn’t teetering on the monster side of things. When he got like this, his control was for shit.
He cradled his cup of coffee, realizing he’d let it go cold, then set it down. He leaned his head against the wall and groaned when a set of familiar broad shoulders in beat up leather appeared in front of him. He shut his eyes. “Go away, cop.”
The leather creaked next to him as the detective sat. “The ER is crazier than usual. Good place to hide. It’s quiet here.”
“It was.” Snow didn’t open his eyes. A mix of scents hit him. Leather, smoke and fresh coffee. The last made him open his eyes. He lifted an eyebrow at the cop. “You’re not here for me. You came for the coffee.”
“Everyone knows the sleep lab makes the best.” The cop’s tired chuckle was followed by a cough. “Gotta love the irony.”
“Damn. I was hoping that secret didn’t get out.”
Hollis handed him one of the cups he was carrying. “You looked like you could use more.”
Snow tilted his head in thanks and narrowed his gaze on the cop. The dirty blond scruff on his head stood out in every direction like he’d been running his hands through it all night and there was a stark, pinched look to his lips. His nose showed signs of too many swipes with cheap tissues. “Bad day?”
“That obvious, huh? Got to crawl around in the remains of a burned house. And here I thought I was ready for the runway.”
Snow smirked. He didn’t want to like the guy.
“Your friend remember anything more yet?” Hollis coughed again.
That cough sounded nice and wet, so it didn’t go along with the smoke odor coming from his clothes. It wasn’t from a fire irritant. “You’d have to ask him. Last time I saw him he wasn’t talking.”
“I plan to see him later today. I didn’t actually come here to grill you—just get coffee.”
“Spend a lot of time in this hospital, do you?”
“Unfortunately. I’m usually called in here first on most of my cases.” He sniffed, pulled out one of those small packs of tissues they sold next to cash registers in drug stores. The cop didn’t even flinch when he pinched it over his nostrils.
Snow winced, knowing that had to feel like sandpaper. “Why don’t you give yourself a day or two to kick that cold before bothering Vallois?”
“I never get colds.”
“Then you should see someone about that drug problem.”
The cop snorted.
A soft, rumbling laugh sounded as two paramedics walked through the waiting area. As it did every time the man walked into his sight, Snow’s gaze latched onto the one on the right. His black uniform fit his sleek, muscled form in a way that should be illegal. His equally dark eyes landed on Snow, locked with his. They watched each other until the man disappeared around the corner.
It took everything Snow had to keep his breathing even and not give away his body’s fiery response to the paramedic who’d been eyeing him from the moment he started the job two weeks ago.
“I haven’t seen him here before, so he must be new.” Banner leaned forward as if trying to look around the corner. “Damn. You know, with the way he just looked at you, you could take him home right now.”
“Not interested.”
Hollis gave Snow a disbelieving look. Snow gave in and rubbed his thumb and finger in the corner of his eyes. “Is there anything you else, because I’m leaving?”
“Yeah.” Banner handed him a card. “Here’s my number. Could you let me know if any more victims come in with the same wounds?”
Snow frowned. “The bruising on his ribs? Or are you talking about the huge bruises on his legs?”
“Legs. Those same marks came up on another rich guy who got rolled. It’s not the usual work over from the local gangs.”