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“Duke, all hell broke loose in that fuckin’ house. I thought we could get that sonofabitch and be outta there. I went downstairs to check the perimeter. Next thing I know Dana and me are crouched behind the wall holding off shooters outside and every time I tried to get back upsta—” Quick’s voice hitched before he could continue. “I tried to get upstairs, Duke. I swear. Dana was yelling and cursing, then he was hit in the shoulder. We could hear them fighting you. Those goddamn bastards.” Quick pounded hard on the wall with the side of his fist. Cursing everyone in existence.
Moisture was building behind Duke’s closed eyelids and his heart was beating so hard he just knew that a nurse would come in any minute and call a cardiac arrest code. When Duke finally opened his eyes, Quick’s back was to him as he stood at the window, most likely looking at nothing.
“I’m gonna find that motherfucking bitch and I’m gonna kill her slowly. Aaron Williams better thank god his ass is already back in jail,” Quick ground out through clenched teeth.
Duke knew Quick was angry, he’d be too if the situation were reversed, but the emotion wasn’t helping anything. The woman that had apparently beat him along with his bounty was still on the run as far as they knew. Duke had killed her son. She held him in her arms as he bled out. She’d snapped and gone crazy on him. He didn’t want to think about any of that. He literally had weeks to live. “Quick, where’s Vaughan?” Duke finally said.
Quick’s eyes were red and moist when he turned around. He sat down gently in one of the two chairs in Duke’s room, clasping his hands in his lap. He didn’t look at him when he finally answered. “He’s gonna be up here real soon. I’m sure. He just asked for a little time. He’s um… he’s um….”
“Find him, please. Make sure he’s okay,” Duke pleaded, his voice emotion-filled. “It’s late, Quick. Get him to go home and rest, then he can come back tomorrow.”
Quick stood up, patted him gently on his thigh under the scratchy hospital blanket, and walked hesitantly to the door. “Duke. I know about Vaughan’s feelings for you. I have for a long time.” Quick’s head was down and his voice quivered but Duke understood every word, each one stabbing him in his chest. “I would’ve been damn proud to have you as a son-in-law, Duke. I uh… I just wanted you to know that.”
Duke turned his head as Quick walked out the door. He couldn’t respond. He could hardly breathe. Son-in-law. Jesus. Quick had known. His best friend would’ve been okay with him dating his son. Vaughan had obviously been very serious about his feelings for Duke if he told his father. So many would’ves and could’ves played in the back of his mind as he reflected on his life. Would they have been good together? Would he and Vaughan have gone the distance? Would Vaughan have loved him the way he’d always dreamed of being loved, cared for, and cherished? Duke reached for the button to push for his pain meds. He just wanted to sleep and not think. If this would’ve happened a couple months earlier, pre Vaughan, then he would’ve been okay with dying but now… now… he begged to live. Begged for a shot at love.
********
“I’m fine to do more, let’s continue,” Vaughan urged eagerly. He’d been in the lab for the better part of four hours. Dr. Chancy had left to go cover his rounds a while ago and Vaughan hadn’t heard from him since. Vaughan hadn’t filled out so much damn paperwork since he’d applied for law school. They wanted to know everything about him from his blood type to his cock size. Okay, that was a stretch but they probed into every aspect of his life. Good thing was he felt like he was passing with flying colors, like every other test in his life.
The blood type compatibility, tissue typing, antibody screening, urinalysis, and much more had already been collected to test. Now he was hassling the technicians on getting someone to do his X-rays that night.
“Sir. I understand you’re anxious, but there’s no way to do all the testing tonight. It’s just not possible, not to mention it’s after one in the morning.” The overworked lab technician sighed as Vaughan refused to accept no for an answer. She’d been the one dealing with him the most, and when her two associates had left for the evening, then it was all down to her.
“Hospitals don’t close. What if someone came into the ER right now and needed an X-ray? Are you saying they couldn’t get it?”
The lady pushed her stray brown curls behind her ear; the rest of her bun looking like it’d been cuter when she left home twelve hours ago. Her eyes were a pretty gray color, almost bluish. Vaughan turned on his charming smile, hoping it wasn’t falling short since he wasn’t only physically exhausted but mentally as well. The ladies usually fell for his boyish charm.
