Drake can hurt me, too. And he will get away with it because he wears a badge that protects their brotherhood.
I shiver at the thought. It’s just one date, then it’ll be over.
Chapter five
“It’stoodeeptofind.”
Grunting, I yank my arm from Paddy’s grip. “Well, call Vito then.”
“You let the bastard go on a cruise.”
“Fucking shite.” I stand, wrapping my arm with my white undershirt. Quickly, the blood spoils into the fabric, staining it crimson red. My Irish accent is always thicker when I’m in pain.
“I hate to say it, but we need to take you to the hospital, Cal.” Paddy stands from the folding chair, walking towards me and stuffs his hands in his pockets, knowing I’m about to lose my shit on him.
Paddy is the reason I have a bullet in my fucking arm. The fucker gets into more bloody trouble than I can keep track of. I rather enjoy the quiet when he is away on business.
Tonight, he’s dragged me into a bloodbath for some bullshit drug deal. I normally leave the drug dealing business to Paddy and Declan. Being the oldest in the family means I can delegate the shit I want no part in. Declan’s down with the flu, so Paddy bribed me with a rare, high-end bottle of Irish whiskey worth fifty thousand bucks. I’m sure in a few days we will be hearing on the news about some rich asshole’s vacation home being broken into, but I don’t give a fuck. It’s mine now.
The drug deal went south. They pulled guns on us, and now I’ve got a hole in my bicep. And Paddy wants to go to the hospital. Gunshot wounds get reported to the police. I have plenty of cops on my payroll, but it’s a pain to clear up, and I don’t want the headache.
“Do you remember Michael Griffin?” Paddy asks.
I already know where he’s headed with this. Haley. The girl Michael Griffin called Savi. She’s been on my mind every damn morning for the last six days. Hazel-eyed, honey brunette beauty that wants nothing to do with me.
It makes sense because she seems so sweet and innocent and here I am. A man who kills for a living, covered in tattoos. Sheshouldfear me.
I heave a sigh. “Yes, Patrick. The same one that was at your party last week.”
“That’s the one.” Paddy’s hand cups the back of his neck. “Anyway, he and I were close with a field surgeon. She just moved here a few months back. If she’s at the hospital, I can probably get her to treat you under the radar.”
This is a stupid idea, but I nod anyway because my arm is on fire. It definitely isn’t because I want to see Haley. “Let’s go.”
Luckily, the bullet is only a .22 caliber, so the pain isn’t excruciating. I’ve had worse pain, and I’m more irritated that the moron who shot me used such a low-caliber round. I’d find him and torture him for it, but Paddy put a .45 in his skull before I could even process what happened.
“She’ll have antibiotics. And painkillers,” Patty says, trying to reassure me as we walk to the garage.
“Just get the fucking car. You better hope she doesn’t report this. If she does, the cops’ paychecks are coming out of your bank account, mate.”
“I’ll deal with it, Cal. I promise.”
He fucking better. It’s his fault we’re in this bullshit, anyway. I make a mental note to call a family meeting and vote to move away from selling heroin. It may make us a lot of money, but it isn’t worth the headache. People get addicted, needing a fix. They’re too unpredictable.
When we get to the hospital, I follow Paddy through the back entrance of the emergency room. He smiles at a few nurses who blush and let him through. He must do this often because when he flashes his smile at a young nurse with blonde hair, she practically hands him her panties right there. “Hey, Paddy.” Her face is flush, and she giggles as he smiles.
“Hello, love. I was wondering if you knew if Dr. Savino was working this evening?” Paddy rests his hand on her arm, and she bites her lip.
“She is. If you check in, I can see about getting your file assigned to her. She mostly handles severe emergencies though.”
“Thanks, love. Where is the restroom?”
Chuckling, I shake my head as she gives him directions, then she fucks off the opposite way. Paddy has black Irish in him, and it’s always made women and men putty in his hands. His dark hair and icy blue eyes, along with his sweet smile, have a way of making others feel welcomed. Paddy’s got a talent for making a person trust him, and he learned to use that to his advantage when he was just a lad. Throughout the years, he’s mastered it and now is a real fucking flirt.
We round a corner and head through doors labeled STAFF ONLY. “Where are you taking me?”
We reach a doctor’s lounge, Paddy turning to face me. “Let me do the talking, Cal. Savi can be like a rabid dog towards strangers.”
My nose crinkles at the thought. “What does that even mean, Paddy?”