“Mr. James, it won’t take long.” The professional way she spoke didn’t ease the heightened tension in his body. He didn’t want to be touched, not by anyone.
“I can do it,” Viper offered, reaching out to take the wash towel from the nurse. “I’ll ring you when we’re done.”
Reaper saw the budding argument in her face. Then she gave the cloth to Viper at the ominous look he gave her back. “I’ll notify the doctor that he’s awake.”
Reaper settled back against the bed when she left. “You always could scare the shit out of everyone with that look.”
“It never scared you,” Viper said, dunking the cloth in the pale pink, oblong pan of water.
“Oh, it did. I just tried not to let you see it.”
His brother twisted the cloth, letting the excess water fall back down into the pan. When Viper took a step toward the bed, Reaper shook his head at him. “Is there a shower in the room?”
Viper tilted his head to the side. “You’re hooked up to an IV. I’m afraid you’re going to have to settle with my help.”
“Give me the washcloth. I can do it myself.” He moved his fingers to the buttons that were clearly marked on the bed to raise the head.
Viper gave him the cloth. “You want me to untie the gown for you?”
Reaching up, he fumbled behind his neck, untying it himself. Slowly reaching out, Viper unsnapped the closures on his arms, helping him remove the gown.
Reaper stiffened when Viper’s eyes went to his body. He didn’t miss the ragged emotion displayed on his face before Viper turned away to put the gown into a bin against the wall. When he turned back around, however, his expression was back under his control as he returned to the side of the bed to watch.
“I can do this,” Reaper muttered, becoming uncomfortable under Viper’s stare.
“I didn’t think you couldn’t.” Viper took a seat on the chair but didn’t move his eyes away from him.
Reaper put the cloth to his face, breathing the clean scent of soap. He wanted to groan at the pleasure.
“How are you feeling today?”
Dunking the cloth back into the water then wringing it out, he washed his face again. “Like shit. How are you doing today?” he tersely shot back, on edge at the haggard expression on his brother’s face. It wasn’t hard to interpret the torment in his eyes or the cause. Viper was blaming himself.
Viper’s lips curled up in a weary smile. “Been better.”
“How long have I been here?”
“You’ve been in and out of it for five days.”
Reaper pulled the cloth away from his face, noticing the differences in Viper. Age had been both kind and hard on him. He had always been a tough motherfucker, but time had hardened his features, removing any softness of youth. Unyielding strength showed in his uncompromising jaw, and even while tired power exuded from Viper, making Reaper feel like a pale shadow in comparison.
“I’ve been here for five days?”
“Almost six.”
“How long have you been here?” he asked as he washed his arms and chest.
“The whole time. Ton is here, too. He went to get us some coffee.”
Reaper rewet the cloth before he started washing his legs. “Did I dream you said you were married?”
“Her name is Winter. We have a daughter, Aisha.”
Slinging the cloth into the pan, he leaned back onto the bed, exhausted. “Does your wife know I was stupid enough to get myself kidnapped?”
Viper clenched his jaw at his words. “Nothing about what happened to you was your fault.”
Giving a curt laugh, Reaper shook his head at his brother. “Every bit of what I went through was all my fucking fault, and you know it.”
When he saw Viper was about to say something, Reaper grabbed the cloth again to wring it out, his sluggish muscles quivering at the motion. “You mind?”
Viper got to his feet, going to the window to look out it and giving his back to Reaper so that he could wash his dick without being forced to do so under Viper’s scrutiny.
“How long did it take Taylor to figure out I was missing?”
“I knew you were missing the next day. Lucky had decided to join you for the ride back to Ohio. When you didn’t show up at the gas station, he called Taylor. She said she was expecting you and would call him when you arrived at her place. When you weren’t there by six, we knew something was wrong. Lucky had decided not to continue on to Ohio without you and sent Will to check on you at Mrs. Langley’s house. All your things were gone, even your car and motorcycle. It was like you had disappeared from the earth.
“Crash looked into your accounts; he saw you paid for a meal the day before in Treepoint. He also told us the money to pay for the machinery that was to be purchased on Monday was missing. When Will checked into it, Vincent Bedford told him that you had closed the account the day before without any explanation.”