“You got it, doc.” I rolled down my sleeve and stood from the exam table where Beckett and Hayes had brought Laiken and me back for a full exam.
Laiken threw her arms around the man, and his eyes flared in surprise as he patted her back. “Hey, he’s going to be fine. I meant it when I said you did a good job.”
“Thank you.” She sniffed.
I gently tugged Laiken back into my hold. “I told you I was fine.”
“I know, but I needed to hear it from a doctor.” She wiped under her eyes. “I was so scared.”
The words were barely audible but still made my chest constrict painfully. If this Robert Aaron asshole ever showed his face, I was getting in at least one good punch.
Hayes knocked on the open exam room door. “Everything okay?”
“He’s not taking my arm,” I muttered.
Hayes chuckled. “That’s a good thing. Beckett tried to convince me I was losing a leg before.”
“It was one time. You never could take a joke.”
“You scarred me for life.”
A small laugh bubbled out of Laiken. “I always forget how much of a hard time you give each other.”
Hayes’ face heated, but he shrugged. “Brothers.”
Not all brothers. Some didn’t just give you a hard time. Some were so much worse than that.
He cleared his throat and looked at Laiken. “You might want to stop by the Grangers’ on your way home. Kay heard through the gossip mill about what happened. Gilly just texted and said she’s pretty upset.”
Laiken tugged her phone from her pocket. “My cell must’ve died last night, and there was no service up at the cabin. I’ll head over there now.”
“We’ll both go,” I said.
Beckett made a tsking noise. “You need to rest.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but Hayes held up a hand. “I’ll have one of my deputies drive Laiken. She won’t be alone.”
“I need to stop by The Gallery after I see Kay and pick up a few things,” Laiken said.
“Not a problem. We’ll drop you there, and then you can call when you’re ready to head to Boden’s.”
“I’m not dying,” I muttered.
Laiken whirled on me, her eyes blazing. “You wereshot. You need to take care of yourself and heal. I’m not going to lose you because you were being a pompous idiot and wouldn’t follow your doctor’s orders.”
Beckett let out a low whistle. “I’d listen to her, man.”
I moved in close to Laiken, taking her mouth in a slow kiss. Three little words hovered on the tip of my tongue. I wanted to let them free so damn bad, but knew now was far from the right time. “I’ll go rest if you promise to come home to me as soon as you’re done at the gallery.”
She melted into me. “I like the way that sounds.”
“What?”
“Coming home to you.”
“Me, too,” I whispered.
Laiken gave me one more peck and then followed Hayes out of the exam room. Beckett grinned at me. “You’ve got a good one there.”