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“Can I help you?” I heard someone off to my right say.
I glanced at the man I hadn’t noticed at first. I guessed him to be in his early forties or so, with a head of thick, gray hair. He was heavily built. In his hand, he had a cup of water with a straw sticking out of it. He put the pitcher in his other hand down and approached the bed.
“Vincent!” I heard Everett call, though his voice was low. A second later, he was pushing into the room.
Just like that, Reese’s eyes went from pain-filled and tired to sharp and pissed-off.
“Get out,” he said, his cold eyes on his father. “I told you I didn’t want to see you.”
The young man shifted in the bed and immediately stifled a cry of pain. The older man put his hand on Reese’s bandaged shoulder. “Stay still,” he said softly.
“I’m…I’m sorry,” Everett stammered, his voice shaky and uneven. Watching my best friend, one of the most confident, powerful men I’d ever met, transform into an insecure, uncertain man practically before my eyes reminded me why I’d come here.
“Reese, I know you’re hurting-”
“Vincent,” Everett said, but I ignored him.
“Vincent,” Reese repeated. His mouth pulled into a tight frown. “I know you,” he said. “You’re his brother.” His eyes shifted back to his father. “You fucking him now?”
Everett let out a little gasp, and I was striding forward before I even realized what I was doing.
“Don’t,” the man with the gray hair said as he stepped into my path. He was my size and probably had a few extra pounds of muscle on me, but I didn’t care. But it was the calmness in his voice that had me stopping my forward movement.
“He’s in pain,” he said softly. “And he’s scared to death,” he said so quietly that I was likely the only one who’d heard him.
I managed a nod because I knew he was right. My instinct to protect Everett had overridden my common sense. I stepped back and let my eyes settle on Reese. “I’m sorry,” I said. “Thank you for what you did for Brody. It took guts, and because of you, we caught the guy.”
Reese seemed caught off guard by my words. He hesitated for the briefest of moments and then gave me a slight nod. “Please leave,” he said after a moment, before turning his face towards the window again. “All of you.”
The gray-haired man followed us from the room and slid the door closed behind him.
“Gage, this is Vincent St. James,” Ronan said as he motioned to me. The gray-haired man, Gage, shook my hand.
“Thanks for that,” I said as I jerked my chin towards the room.
He nodded. “I’ve partnered with Reese a few times now, so I’m starting to figure out what makes him tick.”
“And this is Everett Shaw,” Ronan said to Gage.
Gage turned his attention to Everett. “Mr. President,” he said quietly as he extended his hand. “I’m sorry, I know how difficult this must be for you. But your son is one of the strongest men I know. He’ll beat this.”
Everett nodded and shook the man’s hand. I noticed that Gage didn’t release Everett’s hand until the older man looked up at him and their eyes connected for several long beats. Only then did he let go of Everett’s hand.
“Gage is going to take you to question the suspect,” Ronan said. “We’re holding him in a warehouse on the outskirts of the city,” he said in a low voice.
I nodded and then looked at Everett. “You going to be okay?”
It took a moment for Everett to respond. He looked dead on his feet. “Fine,” he mumbled.
“Ev, you need to go get some rest. Let Nash take you to a hotel,” I suggested as I glanced at the Secret Service agent whose watchful eyes shifted between our surroundings and Everett.
“Can’t,” Everett said tiredly. “My boy might need me.”
My heart broke for my friend, but before I could say anything, Gage said, “Mr. President, you won’t do Reese any good if you make yourself sick. He may not act like it, but he’s going to need you, sir. He’s going to need you to be strong for him when he can’t.”
Everett was quiet for a moment before he finally nodded. “Okay,” he murmured. “Maybe for a few minutes.”
Ronan nodded to Nash who immediately came up and put his hand at Everett’s elbow, as if to steady him. The agent’s gaze connected with Gage, and I swore I saw a flash of something between them.
Everett allowed Nash to lead him away, but he stopped long enough to say to Gage, “Thank you, Gage. Call me Everett.”
“You’re welcome…Everett,” the other man said with a nod.
Once Everett and Nash were out of sight, Gage turned to me, his expression hardening. “You ready to go?” he asked. “Been waiting all morning to get my hands on the fucker.”
