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Ghost huffed. “Any advice would be appreciated.”
I glared at TJ. “Don’t you dare. I’m not Rhys, and—”
“I know,” they both said.
Ghost took my hand. “Neither of us has had any trouble telling you apart, remember?”
A nurse finally called Ghost back, and I insisted on going with him. TJ stayed in the waiting area, but he told me he’d come back if he heard a commotion.
While I was waiting for Ghost to return from x-ray, TJ slid back the curtain. I glared at him. “I’ve been on my best behavior.”
He nodded. “You have, but I just talked to Grant, and you need this intel too.”
“What’s wrong?”
“The men from the warehouse are looking for Ghost. It’s unclear if higher-ups in the organization know what went down or not, but he fucked up their arms deal, and they aren’t going to let it go.”
“Shit. I don’t know if Teddy told them about Ghost’s connection to the ranch, but they may be able to figure it out anyway.”
“We have to assume they will. Grant’s already increasing security.”
After far too much time waiting, the doctor came in with the diagnosis—a bad sprain and likely torn ligaments but no break. He gave Ghost a brace and told him to keep his foot elevated as much as possible but to move it around frequently to keep the tissue flexible.
When we were back in the truck, Ghost tossed his discharge papers into the footwell. “You do realize we just spent hours and hundreds—if not thousands—of dollars to be told my foot needs rest, ice, compression, and elevation.”
TJ laughed. “And you didn’t even get to impress the doctor with the real story of how you injured it.”
“Right?”
I snarled. “That’s enough. I’m happy to pay the bill, and you have nothing to do but rest and get better, so you can sleep all day tomorrow.”
“But you can’t, can you?” Ghost asked.
“I could, but I like taking care of the ranch. I’ll sleep eventually.” Like when you’re better, and I fully believe you’re staying.
35
GHOST
I hated hospitals, but I didn’t really resent Rogue insisting on getting me checked out. It was better to know if there was a break, and more importantly, it would help Rogue to stop worrying.
His brothers might think Rogue was the most carefree of the three of them, but they were wrong. He worried all the time about his family, and he was way too willing to sacrifice himself.
While I hated admitting it, I was thankful for what he’d done for me. The chance Tiny’s gunshot would have been fatal to me was high. Rogue had thrown off his aim and saved my life, but I wanted him to know that he didn’t always have to be the one to take the bullet, physically or metaphorically.
My stomach growled as we turned out of the hospital, and I realized I was starving. When Rogue had tried to push me to eat earlier, I was still too out of it, but water, the IV fluids I’d received in the ER, and the sleep I’d gotten while I waited, healed me enough to make me ravenous. “Could we stop for some food?”
“You’re hungry?” Rogue asked, sounding thrilled.
“I think I could eat enough for at least three people.”
“Perfect,” TJ said. “Let’s get tacos.”
“Ghost is the injured one. He gets to choose.”
TJ snorted. “Don’t baby him. He survived jumping out a window, he can survive on whatever we feed him.”
Rogue glared at him. “Do you act like this with Rhys?”
“Yes.”
“Wow.”
“I make up for it.”
“Please don’t say anything else.” Rogue shuddered as he turned to me. “What do you want?”
“A burger and fries. The greasier the better.” I glanced back at TJ. “Sorry.”
He winked. “Burgers are good too.”
By the time we reached the ranch, I’d eaten every bit of my food, even the fries that had escaped into the bottom of the bag. It had started to rain, and Rogue had been too focused on driving to eat more than a few fries, so he carried his bag inside.
When we entered the kitchen, Jacob, Grant, and Rhys were there.
“You didn’t need to wait up,” I said.
“We wanted to,” Grant said.
Jacob scowled at the bag in Rogue’s hand. “I would have made you something. You could have called, and I would’ve had it ready.”
Rogue shook his head. “This was a night that called for grease.”
“It’s my fault,” I said.
Jacob smiled. “I get it, but there’s always plenty to eat here.”
“I’m not sure I would have lasted that long.”
“That’s a good sign,” Grant said.
“We’ve got a room ready for you down here so you don’t have to handle the stairs. I know you’re exhausted, so I can show—”
Rogue cut Jacob off. “I’ll take care of him.”
Jacob gave him a pointed look. What was that about?
I’d been ready to insist I could find the room myself, but I wasn’t about to tell Rogue not to come with me. The barbaric part of me wanted to demand he never leave my sight again, not that I had any right to ask that after I’d left him in the hospital barely awake after surgery.
