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“And that’s why he let down your hair,” Matteo added. There was a faint smile of what looked like appreciation on his face. “It’s like a golden mane.”
A bit self-consciously, I reached up and twirled a finger around a tendril. Then I glanced up at Cesare. I couldn’t quite process the flood of emotions inside me. Fear was right up top. But my increased pulse rate was less from that and more from the way he’d kissed me. Had it all been an act? I mean, sure, I was glad he’d protected my identity in case whoever that was had seen through our act, but… well… he’d seemed like he’d really gotten into it, too.
I sure had, though I didn’t know what it said about me that I could enjoy a kiss with a gun trapped between our bodies.
Cesare’s eyes met mine, and I couldn’t break away from the intensity of his gaze until I felt a hand on my arm. “My chest hurts,” Leon said, which was probably the understatement of the year.
His statement reminded me of my duties. “I can get you something for the pain,” I said. “And I’ll see if Dr. Baines can come check—” A new thought hit, one that would’ve occurred to me before now if I’d been less flustered. “Do I need to call security?”
“No,” all three men said at once. Then Matteo continued. “That would put you—and them—in danger again.”
I gulped but nodded. “We’ll take care of it,” Cesare assured me. He reached out, giving Leon’s leg a quick pat. “We’ll get out of your hair now.” He paused glancing over at Matteo. “Your golden mane, as my poetic friend here said. You won’t see us, but we’ll be watching. So don’t worry, you’ll be safe.”
In spite of everything, I almost laughed. Worry? About which thing? Men with guns. More men with guns. A patient in pain. A passionate kiss with a complete stranger. And those were just the beginning of the list.
Cesare joined Matteo at the door before turning back to me. “Thanks for taking such good care of Leonardo, Piper. My number’s on his emergency contact form. I hope you don’t need it, but, if you need any help, go ahead and call me.”
His gaze turned to Leonardo, and his eyes softened. It was the look an older brother might give, and that made me miss Colby all the more. It was a shame that it took gun violence to make me remember how great he had been.
Both men left the room, leaving me frazzled in their wake. I still couldn’t quite process what had happened, so I stared at the door where a moment ago, two handsome but scary men had stood.
Then fingers brushed against my bare arm and I nearly jumped.
“So, about that pain medicine,” Leonardo began.
Right. A patient needed help. It was time to return to doing my job, no matter how crazy this night had been.
3
LEONARDO
“Face it,you’re going to miss me,” I said to the gorgeous blonde in the blue scrubs. It was hard to sound cocky when she towered over the wheelchair they’d insisted I wait in, but I did my best. Getting a chest full of buckshot sucked, but seeing Piper for two days had almost made it worth it.
Almost.
She hadn’t given me the sponge bath I’d asked for, but outside of that, no one could fault her care. She was smart, attentive, funny, and built like a fucking goddess. From the way she’d leaned over me when giving me medicine or straightening my pillows and blankets, I’d gotten a pretty good idea of what kind of body was hidden under those scrubs, and it was hot enough to make a grown man weak at the knees.
Guess it was a good thing I was in a fucking wheelchair.
I almost wanted to get shot again to spend more time with her. And I didn’t think it was just my imagination that she’d spent a lot of time with me. I’d asked her about it once. She was an ER nurse, and after those first few hours, I’d been in a room up on the third floor. So why had she kept showing up?
I had a few theories, including one that made my cock harden. Not that I was in any shape to show a woman like her a good time.
“Of course I’ll miss you,” she said, her voice deep and throaty for a pretty woman. She seemed almost engineered to make a man’s thoughts go in the gutter, but there was more to her than that. She was a genuinely good person, and I didn’t meet many like her. Not in the circles I hung out in, anyway.
She sat down on a bench outside the entrance to the hospital, and it was nice not to have to look up at her. It was even nicer when she crossed one leg over the other, allowing the blue material to stretch over her thighs.
I wondered if they were as creamy and smooth as the skin that showed above the V-neck of her scrubs?
“Is your friend picking you up?” she asked, and I didn’t have to wonder who she meant. She’d asked a few times about Cesare though he hadn’t been by since that first night they brought me in. I didn’t begrudge Piper for wondering about him. The kiss they’d shared had been scorching enough to make me squirm on the bed—even though I’d barely been conscious. I could only imagine how hot it was for them. It had been necessary, to prevent more bloodshed, but still hot as hell. No wonder she wanted to know if Cesare would be making an appearance.
But I didn’t bother answering because a dark SUV pulled up and stopped in front of us. Piper’s gaze immediately swung to it, but I couldn’t tell if she was disappointed when Matteo stepped out of the driver’s side.
He sauntered over, and Piper rose when he neared. She was fairly tall for a woman, but she looked short next to his six-foot two frame.
“Did this guy give you any trouble?” Matteo asked in an easy, casual voice. Which was clearly for Piper’s benefit, because in general, he wasn’t a very causal kind of guy.
“Nothing I couldn’t handle.”
