Page 50 of Captivated (Salvation #3)

Chapter Forty-Three

Zeeb could only see one drawback to sleeping with Nate: Waking up with the burning need to pee meant trying to extricate himself from a tangle of limbs, without disturbing Nate who lay sound asleep.

There was also his fractured collarbone to consider.

And doin’ all that when everything hurts. Christ on a cracker, it’s like an obstacle course.

It was almost dawn, judging by the light filtering through the curtains, and Zeeb couldn’t wait a moment longer. He eased himself from Nate’s embrace, did his best not to dip the mattress too much, and crept down the stairs to the bathroom in nothing but his shorts.

As he leaned against the wall, one palm flat to the tiles, it was all he could do not to let out a long, drawn-out moan of relief. Having a hard-on didn’t make it any easier, not that Zeeb was going to do a damn thing with it.

The anticipation of pain killed any promise of pleasure.

He debated going back to bed, but dismissed the idea. He’d been awake for a while. Instead, he put on a pot of coffee, then opened the front door as quietly as he could. He stepped out onto the front porch, breathing in the fresh, heavenly smells—until his ribs complained at the movement.

Dammit, enough with this shit.

He crept back up the stairs to retrieve his jeans and shirt. It was only when he tried to squirm into them that he realized getting dressed one-handed was a real chore.

Now I know why I need a nurse.

Thank God he didn’t need help to take a leak.

Then again…

Nope. Don’t go there.

Zeeb couldn’t wait for the coffee to finish brewing. He poured himself a cup, then returned to the porch to sit gingerly in one of the chairs. No sooner had he leaned back than he caught the sound of a horse approaching.

Bet I know who that is.

Sure enough, Rusty trotted up to the hitching post, Robert astride him.

Lord, he looks awful. He’d looked pretty bad when he’d visited Zeeb in the hospital, but this was worse.

Robert sat stiff in the saddle, the reins slack in his gloved hands, his posture erect but hollowed out, like scaffolding without the structure it once held.

His face was drawn and colorless in the morning light, the lines around his mouth etched deeper, sharper, as if they’d been carved with a blade.

His gray-streaked beard looked suddenly more silver than brown, and there was something brittle about the way he dismounted, as though grief had begun to calcify in his bones.

Zeeb didn’t call out. He didn’t need to. He watched as Robert tied off Rusty, not glancing up once. Robert paused at the creek, and Zeeb beckoned him across.

“I’ve got coffee on. Didn’t expect to see you.”

“Doc told me to go home, rest.”

Zeeb arched his eyebrows. “And did you?” He huffed. “Stupid question. Forget I asked.”

“I’d love a cup of coffee.”

Zeeb gestured to the chair beside his, and Robert stepped up onto the porch, his bootheels tapping on the wooden surface. He sat, not relaxed but appearing like a man who’d forgotten how to sit still, whose muscles only remembered pacing and bracing for news from a doctor or a nurse.

Zeeb stood. “Be back in a sec.” He went into the cabin and poured another cup. He glanced up at the bed. No sign of life yet from Nate.

Let him sleep.

Outside, he handed Robert the cup, then resumed his position, wincing a little.

“I guess I don’t need to ask how you’re doing.”

Zeeb chuckled. “Better than I was doin’ in that hospital, that’s for damn sure.” He pointed to the creek and the meadow beyond. “That’s better’n any medication.” He guided his wrist back into its supportive band, and suppressed a sigh of relief.

“I didn’t sleep,” Robert said, his voice ragged. “But I couldn’t sit in that house. So I saddled up Rusty.”

Zeeb nodded. “Same trail you and Toby always take?”

A flicker of pain, or maybe a memory crawled across Robert’s face. He looked Zeeb in the eye for the first time. “Yeah. Thought maybe… maybe I’d feel him there. Like he’d left something behind on the wind.”

Zeeb said nothing but reached out and clasped Robert’s shoulder. They sat in silence for a moment, both sipping their coffee, the bubbling waters of the creek and the call of birds greeting the morning the only sounds.

“They arrested the bastards,” Robert said at last, his eyes fixed on some middle distance between the trees and the sky. “All seven. Sheriff’s got ’em in custody.”

“Thank fuck for that,” Zeeb breathed. “What are they chargin’ ’em with?”

“Assault. Battery. Aggravated this-and-that.” He gave a short, bitter laugh. “But no hate crime, no sir. Because this state still thinks what they did to you and Toby was just regular violence.”

Zeeb clenched his jaw. “Nothing regular about what they did. Those bastards knew we were comin’.”

Robert blinked. “How do you know that?”

“Cuz they told us they’d been waiting for us to show.”

He made a low growl. “You don’t know the half of it.

Clancy switched off the cameras. And you know what those lowlifes claim?

That it was a misunderstanding. That you ‘n’ Toby started it.

” Robert snorted. “Except that doesn’t hold water.

Donna told the police everything she saw and heard.

I think Clancy was betting on her backing up his horseshit of a story because he’s her coworker. ”

Zeeb barked out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, right. She’s sweet on Walt. She wouldn’t do that.” He peered at Robert. “Have you eaten anything this morning? I can rustle up some eggs.” He smiled. “I can do eggs.”

Robert gave a pale imitation of a smile.

“Thanks, but I’ll go back to the house once I’ve finished this.

Matt’ll be there soon to make my breakfast. Not that I’m hungry.

” He stared into his coffee. “Then I’ll go back.

He doesn’t wake up much, but I don’t want him to open his eyes and think I left him. ”

“You didn’t. And he’ll know that.”

Robert inclined his head toward the cabin. “Nate asleep?”

Zeeb nodded.

“So you have no objections to staying here while you recuperate?”

He bit his lip. “You knew I wouldn’t, didn’t you?”

Robert shrugged. “I had a hunch.” He gazed at Zeeb. “I saw Nate in your room at the hospital. He was a mess.” He tilted his head. “And I think what I saw went beyond him worrying about a friend.”

Zeeb drank a little. “Early days, Boss. Early days.”

“But heading in the right direction?” Robert’s hazel eyes locked on his.

He smiled. “Yeah. It’s all good.”

And after the previous night’s conversation, he had an inkling of which direction this fledgling relationship might take.

Which was kinda scary, because that was definitely virgin territory.

Ha. See what I did there?

Robert drank the last of his coffee, then stood. “Thanks for the coffee. And the talk.” He handed Zeeb the cup, then headed for the steppingstones across the creek.

“Robert.” The word came out louder than he’d intended.

He turned. “Did I forget something?”

Zeeb rose and went over to him. “About those fuckers… We need a lawyer. Someone who’ll present our case to make sure they get all that’s coming to them. A really good, shit-hot lawyer, who isn’t afraid to muddy the water.”

Robert nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.” He tipped his hat. “Now go wake Nate with some of that great coffee. And remember—take it easy. You need to heal.” And with that, he crossed the creek, untied Rusty, and mounted him.

There goes an amazing man.

Zeeb waited until he was no longer in sight before going back into the cabin.

“Do I smell coffee?” Nate’s face appeared above, his hair tousled.

Zeeb snorted. “Nothing gets past you, does it?”

“I thought I heard voices.” Nate grinned. “So unless you’ve started talking to yourself, we had an early visitor.”

“Get your butt down here and I’ll pour you some coffee. I’m getting a crick in my neck from looking up at you. And yeah, Robert came for a chat. I’ll tell you all about it.”

Nate smiled. “You sound better than yesterday.”

That’s what happens when I spend a night with you in my arms.

Zeeb returned his smile. “I feel better too. I’m also getting hungry. This nurse that’s supposed to be taking care of me had better feed me before I have a relapse.”

That earned him a chuckle. “Let me put some clothes on, and I’ll be right down.” He disappeared from view, and a moment later Zeeb heard him humming.

He had to smile.

“Don’t Worry, Be Happy” sounded like the perfect advice.

Robert’s chest tightened at the sight of the empty bed.

Where is he?

He scanned the hallway for someone to ask. Thankfully, a nurse emerged from ICU.

“Mr. Thorston? Toby’s been moved to the Surgical wing.”

Relief swamped him. “Where’s that?”

She smiled. “I’ll take you to him.”

He walked at her side along the hallway. “This is good news, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is. He’s stable. Now we work on getting him up and moving slowly.” When they reached the elevator, she glanced at him. “You understand it could take weeks for him to be back on his feet, don’t you?”

Robert nodded.

“What might hamper his recovery is the extent of his injuries. We’ll be doing all we can not to overload his chest.”

The doors slid open and they got onto the elevator.

Robert’s stomach clenched.

I want him home. Healthy and happy.

He just had to be patient.

The nurse stopped at a door. “He’s in here.”

He thanked her and pushed the door open.

Toby was the room’s sole occupant. He was sitting up in bed, a mask covering his nose and mouth, and Robert caught the faint hiss of oxygen.

His plastered arm was supported, and there were dressings on his chest. What skin Robert could see was a mass of bruises, and a thin tube emerged from under the sheet, leading to a plastic bag filled with pale yellow liquid, secured to the bed.

Robert winced. He won’t like having a catheter. He figured that was something to do with watching what he peed: the doctor had mentioned something about fluid retention. Then he realized Toby wasn’t breathing too deeply.

Toby’s gaze met his, and despite the mask, Robert saw his smile.

“Hey.” It was barely a whisper.

Robert walked over to him and took Toby’s hand in his. “Hey you.” He gazed at their surroundings. “This is a step in the right direction. We’ll have you back at the ranch and riding Lightning in no time,” he quipped.

Toby rolled his eyes. A faint frown creased his brow. “Zeeb?”

“I saw him this morning. He’s doing okay. Nate is looking after him.”

An air of exhaustion clung to Toby, and Robert didn’t want to add to it.

He reached into the bag he’d brought and removed Toby’s Kindle.

“I thought I might read to you.” He smiled.

“You get to choose the book. Although I’d recommend not choosing a thriller or a horror story.

You want something calmer.” He smirked. “I added Clifford the Big Red Dog and a few other classics. Perfect for relaxing.”

Another eye-roll.

Robert opened the Kindle to the library, and passed it to Toby. “If you make me read a romance, I will never forgive you.”

Toby smiled again. “Nothing wrong with romance,” he whispered. He peered at the screen, then stabbed at a cover with his finger.

Robert took the Kindle back. “That one, huh?” He blinked. “ The Hobbit ? Seriously?”

The skin around Toby’s eyes crinkled.

“I suppose I should be grateful you didn’t choose Lord of the Rings . You like this kind of book?” Robert shook his head. “Two years together, and I’m only discovering this now.”

And when he got Toby home where he belonged, Robert would make it his mission to learn more about his partner, lover, and Dom.

This was too close for comfort.

Then he chuckled. “You chose this one just so you get to hear me mangle all those elvish words, didn’t you?”

The light in Toby’s eyes was a glimmer of hope in what had become a very dark world.