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“I’m staying with him.”

Mark did me the courtesy of not snorting audibly. “We’ll see what Jimmy has to say about that.”

“If he’s awake, I’ll be glad to hear him say anything.”

The nurse held open the door for us, and I thanked her. “He’ll be groggy for a bit, then probably sleep the rest of tonight. Don’t tire him out too much,” she admonished.

I nodded and approached the bed. Jimmy was usually a force to be reckoned with. Today, he looked more like a loopy little boy than an authority figure. “Melena,” he mumbled. “You came.”

“Of course, I did. You stayed with me through my hospital visits, why wouldn’t I do the same for you?”

He smiled back, and his eyes crossed. His loopy grin warned me not to take anything he said too seriously. Andi and Mark stepped up to the bed beside me.

“What have I told you about getting hurt?” his sister asked.

“That it’s not allowed,” he slurred.

“Damn right. Knock that shit off.” She moved in to give him a hug. He winced and she apologized. “Shit, I’m sorry. I forgot about the ribs.”

He grunted, and Andi’s eyes narrowed. “We’re not supposed to annoy you, so I’ll hold the lecture for next time. But it’s coming. Buckle up. It’s going to be long.”

Jimmy’s eyelids fluttered. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Now, get some rest. I’ll be back to check on you in the morning,” she said with a final squeeze to his hand.

Jimmy focused on Mark as he stepped forward. “Mark. Hey. How’s it going?”

“Better than you, buddy. Get plenty of rest and heal quick, okay? You know I can’t stand Smith without you on shift as buffer.”

Mark turned to me. “I’m going to give you a few minutes together, but then you’re going home.” I opened my mouth to argue, but he beat me to the punch. “You and I both know Jimmy wouldn’t want you sleeping here when you’re still healing. That chair is not going to cut it tonight. No arguments.”

I glanced around the room. He was right. The plastic molded chair looked like a torture device from a prior century. Short of climbing into bed with Jimmy, I didn’t have many options. His big frame took up all the available space on the mattress. The only place for me to sleep was on top of him. Under other conditions, it might appeal, but not with broken ribs and a concussion. Andi gave me a small nod before saying goodnight. Mark followed her out the door. I was surprised hospital security didn’t have to tackle and drag her out, but maybe seeing Jimmy had calmed her nerves. The Amazon who fought me earlier had been replaced with a hunched shadow. I wasn’t the only one who’d lived a few lifetimes in the waiting room.

I turned back to Jimmy. He’d been staring at me; or trying to. His eyes kept crossing, and I wondered what he was seeing. His lids fluttered, the drugs dragging him into sleep.

I took a deep breath and forced the words through my tight throat. “Jimmy, you scared me.”

He focused on me briefly. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to.”

My throat ached like I’d been sucking on a sourhead candy, and it took me a few moments to respond. “No, I don’t suppose you did. What happened?”

He shrugged, then winced. “Collision on the way to a call.”

“How does something like that happen? Weren’t you being careful?” I tried to keep the censure out of my voice, to stay calm. Seeing him awake was a huge relief, but I couldn’t shake the fears of the last few hours. In all the dangers he faced, I never seriously considered the rush to jobs as one of them, but I should have.

His brown eyes were soulful as he watched my face. “We’re always careful driving to calls. Other drivers, not so much,” he grimaced.

My mind raced with the possibilities. “You say that like it’s not the first time.”

“It’s my first time.” My shoulders relaxed. “But it’s been known to happen.”

I closed my eyes briefly. Did I want to know more? I did not. I needed to maintain the illusion of his safety. He was here. It was all that mattered.

I shook my head. “With those injuries, instead of calls, the only thing you’ll be catching for a while is naps.”

He grinned. “I like naps. Especially if you’ll take them with me.” He wiggled his brows at me, and I shook my head. I was impressed with his level of coordination, given the medications coursing through his system.

“You big talker, you. You realize this puts any naptime for the two of us back, right? At this rate, we’re going to be old and gray before we get any ‘naps’ together.”