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Icome to, my face wet with tears as I sob into Nic’s chest. The smooth caresses he runs down my spine doing nothing to quell the heartache brought on by the visions of his past. I hold him tightly, unable to find the words to explain the onslaught of emotions both of us are inflicted with.
So I don’t bother. I just hold him back, running my hands over his arms, his neck, his face. I embrace him like my life depends on it. I want to tell him that I understand. I get it. But I think he already knows.
“My father was the leader of one of five cartels that maintained a tenuous peace between each other. As long as each stuck to their own trades, the others would leave you alone. My father pissed off the wrong guy, humiliated him somehow. Though it had nothing to do with business, he made it personal and kidnapped mytía. It started a battle that lasted a few years. A small one, with little attacks here or there, but nothing to bring attention from the other three cartel seats. The entire time, she was held captive by that monster. When I was eight, I killed him. That’s the man you saw. That’s when all out war broke out. My dad had his men rescue mytíaand sent her somewhere safe while they were still struggling to get their footing, but when they did…” Nic stops talking for a moment, his vibrations pinging with pain and regret. “She’s never been the same. I talk to her every day, she’s the only family I have left, but her mind has been broken. I keep her hidden, safe, taken care of where no one can ever find her. I don’t know if they’re still bothering to look for us, but I don’t take any chances. After struggling on my own in the streets, I moved to America when I was sixteen and never looked back. I’ve been alone for a very long time.”
“Oh, Nic.” I sob, squeezing him tighter. “You’re not alone anymore. You have a family right here.”
“I know,mi vida. And you have no idea how grateful I am for it.” He presses a kiss to the top of my head. “Maybe now you can see why I’m so overprotective, why I can’t stand the thought of you being in danger. It’s because you’re the first thing I’ve loved since my mother died. She would have loved you too. She always wanted a daughter, and the two of you would have been trouble together.”
I grin into his chest, wiping at my tears with his shirt.
“Did you just tell me you love me?” I tease, poking at his chest. “The dickhead has a heart! Who knew?”
“Why you little!” Being careful not to brush against my wound, he forces me to my back and tickles the life out of me.
We laugh together, and when we’re done, I press a gentle kiss to his jaw as he hovers above me. “I love you too, asshole.”
He groans and presses a gentle kiss to my lips, but before we can deepen it, there’s a commotion in the hall and he’s jumping in front of the bed. Great. What now?
The door clicks open and I feel Kai’s aura press into the room. “It’s Alan.”
His announcement is followed by the sound of shouting and I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Just let him in. He won’t leave.”
Kai turns and says something quietly and Ezra enters the room, quickly followed by Alan.
“Have you guys lost your minds? What is the meaning of this?!” He jumps right into it without even asking how I am, his aura a chaotic cloud of indistinguishable emotions.
“Tell us how you really feel.” I respond dryly as I idly pick at the itchy hospital blanket.
“You guys want to tell me what the fuck landed her in the hospital this time?”
“Why can’t you just read the police report? Pretty sure the guys were very thorough when giving it to the responding officers.”
“I’d rather hear it from the source.”
“Okay, fine.” I cross my arms over my chest, knowing he’s not going to leave without his answers. I’d rather just get this over with so I can check out and go home to Gizmo and Snitch. “We were meeting with my dad’s best friend at a diner. Shortly after he left, a woman kicked Snitch and I went all mama bear. When we were about to leave, we realized that the stalker would probably consider the bitch a target, so we stayed and tailed her. She was leaving a bar when the stalker tried to take her. There were shots fired, I pushed Nic out of the way of one, got a war wound to remember it by and here we are.”
“You mean to tell me you guys didn’t bother to call for back-up if you thought she was in trouble? You decided it would be a great idea to go after him alone? And instead of actually catching him, you got shot instead. Am I getting all that?”
“Yup.” I pop the P, leaning back and crossing my legs at the ankle.
“How did he get away?”
I don’t really know how to answer this one, seeing as I was passed out on the pavement, so I just shrug and wait for one of the guys to answer. Thankfully, Ezra does.
“He got away in the chaos. He left the woman behind.”
Well, short and sweet. I guess that’s all he needs to know.
“You’re fired.”
“Excuse me?!”
“I won’t have detectives in my employ that I can’t trust to follow my orders. You’re all fired, effective immediately. You can find a time to turn in your badges and firearms.” With that, he turns on his heel and leaves the room.
Only silence is what remains after his exit.
I don’t think any of us knows what the fuck to make of what just happened.
