Play.
Game on.
Fucking sick son of a bitch.
“You’re one tough cookie,” Shawn says, a small smile curling his lips. “The guys tell me you threw half of the pans in the kitchen at the guy.”
“Kitchen?” I echo, confused. I didn’t even look that way when I ran inside. “I saw you hide in here with Ares.”
“I locked Ares here, sent you two a text, and came out.” She pats the dog on the head. “I don’t know what Kai thought was going to happen. He came unarmed. He had a cloth, which I assume was soaked in chloroform, and he tried to grab me when I got out of the bedroom, but I kicked his nuts and ran for the kitchen.”
God... he was going to take her. Use her to blackmail me and force me to hand over the game.
I press my lips to her temple, unsure which one of us needs it more. “How did you dislocate your shoulder?”
The officer next to Shawn chuckles at that. “She tried to stop him from running away and slipped in the living room, landing on the coffee table.”
I don’t know if I’m more pissed off or proud. The last time Kai was here, she locked herself in the bathroom, but today she faced the nutcase head-on. She shouldn’t have taken the risk. She got hurt, and despite the brave face, she’s barely holding tears at bay. I know how much a dislocated shoulder hurts, and I can’t believe how well she’s holding up.
Where the hell is the ambulance?
I kiss the side of her head. “You’re too brave for your own good, you know that?”
“I was scared until I saw who it was. Men like Kai act tough, but they’re weak. He was unprepared and stalling, saying how you destroyed his reputation and no one in the business wants to work with him. He kept going on and on that he’s broke and wanted to be your partner, but you shot him down and left him no choice but to act.”
“The ambulance is here.” Logan stops in the doorway with Nico close behind. “You good, Thalia?”
“Yeah, but I’ll be better when I get some painkillers.”
One of Shawn’s buddies directs the ambulance crew to the bedroom, and a moment later, a young woman enters. She tends to Thalia, forcing me to move out of the way. My jaw clenches painfully when the paramedics check her over. They’re helping, but as they do, they’re causing her pain, and I can’t fucking handle seeing her beautiful eyes tear up.
“We’ll need her statement.” Shawn steers me, Logan, and Nico out of the bedroom to show us the kitchen where his buddies are taking pictures, securing whatever evidence they find. “Kai’s being detained for questioning. I’ll make sure he goes down for this, Theo, but don’t hope for much. Two years is max, considering he didn’t steal anything. All we have is breaking in with the intent to cause harm, which isn’t much.”
“He’ll walk out next year for good behavior, right?” I hiss, taking in the mayhem in the kitchen, where the contents of the cabinets lay scattered all over the floor.
“Probably, but don’t worry about it ahead of time.” He pats my shoulder, a ghost of a smile on his lips. “One hell of a woman you’ve got there.”
Nico and Logan agree, smirking under their noses when Thalia argues, rather loudly, with the paramedics that she doesn’t need to be carried out on a stretcher. She wins the battle, and moments later, I hop into the back of the ambulance, holding her hand all the way to the hospital. She’s not so rigid now that she’s on painkillers, the pain bearable if not numbed completely.
“We need to talk,” she says, her voice small.
“Not now, baby. We’ll talk once you’re better.” I graze my thumb over her knuckles. “It’ll all be over soon, I promise.”
Not as soon as I hoped.
It takes almost three hours before Thalia’s finally wheeled into a recovery room. My left-hand bears half-moon, bloody marks of her nails. She broke the skin, squeezing my palm while the doctors realigned her shoulder. I’m sure some of my teeth cracked when I fought the urge to knock out the people who were helping. Pain meds dulled her a little, but when two doctors were setting her shoulder back in place, she cried and screamed, making my stomach flip.
Now, she’s in the hospital bed, dressed in a blue gown, covered in white sheets, and asleep thanks to the IVs surrounding her bed—pain meds and a mild sedative. She didn’t need it, but the attending worried she was in shock and refused to risk a meltdown once the adrenaline wore off.
He wants to keep her overnight as a precaution. I doubt he’d do so with any other patient, but she ismygirlfriend, and I’m a Hayes and the mayor’s son, so... special treatment.
I don’t fucking want her to stay overnight. I want her out of here and back home where she can wear her own clothes and watch Netflix with me all night on the couch. Back home, where I can have her wrapped in my arms, kissing her head over and over again. Where Ares can curl into a ball at her feet, keeping her warm.
I take my phone out of my pocket when it vibrates for the ninth time. Missed calls from most of the family wait on the screen, along with a few text messages.
Dad:Shawn told us what happened. How’s Thalia?
Mom:I’m on my way to the hospital. I stopped by your house to grab some clothes and toiletries for Thalia. Call me when you get this.