Page 34 of Her Paramedic (Men in Uniforms #3)

“B aby, your phone is ringing.”

Slate heard it. He’d heard it the first time it rang, too, but had ignored it. He figured someone might be calling to ask him if he could cover a shift. The last thing Slate wanted to do was take on a shift for someone on Sunday, but he owed Carie for taking shifts for him the last couple of times.

He reached over, eyes still closed, as he felt for his phone on the nightstand.

He pried one eye open to look at the screen and saw Ziggy, Killian’s little sister’s name, flash across his screen.

They weren’t related. Slate and Killian’s dads were brothers, but he didn’t treat her any differently than he would his cousin.

“What’s up, Zig?” he asked, answering the phone.

It was after three in the morning, which meant it was after five for her.

Sometimes, if she was out late when Killian was on assignment, she would call him until she got to her car or home if she were in an Uber.

Slate heard nothing at first and thought she might have dialed him unknowingly, but then he heard her sniffle on the other end. He sat up, Talia sliding off his chest.

“Zaliyah, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” He turned on the bedside lamp.

“Yes, but it’s Killian. He was working, and something happened, and now…now…he…” she trailed off into tears.

“Take a deep breath, Zig. Tell me where you are,” Slate requested as he got out of bed.

“I’m at the hospital,” she said after a minute. “Killian was working and got hurt. I don’t have much more information right now.”

“Are your parents there?”

“Yeah, they’re here.”

“Have you called anyone else?”

“I tried calling Journee, but she didn’t answer. I called Axel, and he said he would go by and tell her. I haven’t called anyone else yet.”

“Okay,” he responded, pulling a pair of pants out of his closet. He knew Talia was watching him the entire time. “Text me the hospital. I’ll call everyone else and be there in a few hours.”

“Okay,” she sniffled. “Thanks.” They ended the call, and Slate put his phone on the dresser.

“Baby, what’s going on? What happened?”

He turned to her as he pulled his pants on. “Killian was in an accident while working.”

“Is he okay?” she asked, moving to the end of the bed. “Does Journee know?”

“I don’t know if he is. Ziggy isn’t sure. Axel is going over to Journee’s to tell her. I need to pack, call the others, get a ticket, and—”

“Hey,” she stated, cutting him off as she moved to stand in front of him. “You get dressed, make your calls, and I’ll pack and look for flights.”

“Thank you, baby.” He kissed her before exiting the bedroom to make the calls.

After the calls, he went back into the bedroom to find his suitcase open on the floor with his clothes neatly folded in it, while Talia sat on the bed on his laptop.

“I left it open so you could add your toiletry bag. I found three flights, one leaving Colorado Springs in two hours and the other two out of Denver in three.”

If he flew from Colorado Springs, he’d have to catch a connecting flight in Denver, and the travel time driving to Denver would be the same as if he drove to Colorado Springs.

“Either of the Denver flights,” he responded.

“Do you want me to come with you?”

He did, but he also knew it would be selfish of him to pull her away from her obligations. Slate also didn’t know what condition Killian was in. Ziggy was tender-hearted, and his cousin could have had a couple of broken bones that his little sister thought meant the end of the world.

“It’s fine, baby. I’m sure I’ll get there, and it won’t be as bad as I’m thinking.”

“But if it isn’t, you’ll call me.”

She wasn’t asking him a question, but Slate answered anyway. “Of course.” He pulled a card from his wallet and handed it to her to pay for the flight.

He went into the bathroom, washed his face, brushed his teeth, and packed his toiletry bag. When he came out, Talia was closing the laptop. She handed it to him, and he packed it and his toiletries.

“Do you want me to drive you to the airport?”

He pulled her into his arms. “No, baby. Stay here.” He would have flown out with Ace, but the other man was out of town and would fly in first thing the following morning. She walked him to the door. “Try to go back to sleep,” he suggested.

“Text me when you land and when you know what’s going on.”

Slate kissed her. “I will,” he promised.

He got into his car and pulled out of the driveway.

S late had been wrong. It was worse than what he was thinking—a coma. That hadn’t even crossed his mind. He thought he’d get there and find his cousin sitting in bed, a few broken bones and bruises, ready to tell them what he could of what happened.

The words echoed in his ears even as Ziggy continued speaking, but Slate couldn’t make out a word.

He knew they’d all been in dangerous situations and hurt in some capacity or another, but not like this.

Their bodies and minds had never caused something like that.

From the injuries he could see, which looked like several wounds he’d treated from IUDs, his cousin was lucky to be alive.

He got a sense of déjà vu from the last time Killian was laid up in a hospital bed with seven broken bones and lacerations. This was worse than that.

He’d lied at the nurse’s station to gain access since they were only allowing immediate family. While he and Killian were related, a brother took precedence over a cousin.

“And why wasn’t there anyone there watching out for him? I should find them all and kick their asses. They’re supposed to have each other’s backs, and…and…”

Slate pulled Ziggy into a hug as he tuned back in to her rambles. “You’re being dramatic so you won’t cry again,” he stated. “It’s okay. You can cry.”

“Crying won’t help him,” Ziggy replied, voice small as she wrapped her arms around him.

“But it’ll help you, and who knows? Maybe his big brother instincts will sense your distress and have him waking up.”

She said nothing, but he soon felt tears seep into his shirt.

He’d let her cry, and then he needed to call Talia and Carie.

He had called the latter to ask her to cover his shifts for the next few days before he boarded the plane, but he might have to extend it to the week.

She was a PRN who was only required to work one weekend to keep her spot, but she didn’t mind covering when needed. He’d owe her big time.

? ─ · ─ · ─ · ─ · ─ · ─ · ─ ?

T alia sat on the couch, sipping some tea.

She hadn’t been able to get back to sleep when Slate left, so she’d preoccupied herself by making the bed, doing his laundry, which only comprised two loads, and taking the trash out.

She had even wandered into his garage and looked at the car he was currently working on—not that she knew much about cars, and flashed back to the previous day when he’d given her exactly what she’d asked for on it.

After that, she settled on watching Lifetime movies.

Slate had texted her when he’d landed five minutes till ten. She’d made breakfast and eaten while waiting for him to call and let her know what was happening. Talia had called Journee, but she hadn’t been surprised that the other woman hadn’t answered.

Her phone rang, and she quickly muted the television before answering it.

“Hey, baby. How is he?”

Slate exhaled. “He’s in a coma.”

Talia’s stomach dropped. “Has anyone told you what happened?”

“Apart from the doctor telling us about his injuries, no. It’ll be a little while before we can speak to one of his team members.”

“How’s Journee?” Talia asked and then shook her head. That was a dumb question because she knew how she would be if she were in Journee’s position.

“She’s a trooper. She’s hanging in there.”

“And you? How are you?”

“We’ve all been hurt at some point, but never like this. I thought I was prepared for whatever I would find out, and I wasn’t,” Slate told her honestly.

“Tell me what you need,” she requested.

“I’m good, baby. At least, right now.”

“When and if that changes, call me. I don’t care what time it is.”

“I will. I promise.”

“And his parents? His sister? How are they?” Talia inquired.

“As well as expected,” Slate responded.

They spoke for a few more minutes before ending the call, and Talia decided to stick to her original plan and not leave until that evening. As odd as it sounded, being in his space made her feel like she was helping him somehow.

T alia walked through her front door later that evening.

She left her bag and purse in the entryway and took the takeout she’d picked up into the kitchen.

After plating her food and pouring a glass of wine, she went into her living room.

She pulled her phone from her back pocket and texted Slate before calling her sister.

“Hey, Tal,” Kaydence greeted after the second ring.

“Hey. Have you spoken to Journee?”

“No, but I talked to Axel, and he said she’s hanging in there. It’s worse than he thought it would be from when we got the call.”

“Yeah, Slate said the same thing. I tried calling her, and I texted her so she knows I’m here if she needs anything. I know she’s processing, and I don’t want to smother her, but I don’t want her to feel alone.”

Journee and Kaydence had been friends for a decade and a half, and she viewed the other woman and her siblings as sisters. Talia hated she was going through this.

“Same,” Kaydence responded. “I called and sent her a few messages. You know how Journee is. She’s used to taking care of everything, and she’ll internalize for a bit, but she’ll reach out when she’s ready.

Right now, the best thing we can do is give her space to process what’s happened.

I know I would be a mess if Axel were in that position. ”

Talia had thought the same thing. She could only imagine what Journee was going through, and while she often internalized things and tried to handle them herself, Talia knew she would reach out to them when she’d had time to process everything.

“You’re right. Besides, she isn’t alone. Killian’s parents and sister are there, Axel and Slate are, and Ace will be there too. I know they’re all dealing, but those three will look after her,” Talia stated.

“Yeah, they will.” She listened to Kaydence shift on the other end. “How was your weekend? I mean, before…” she trailed off.

“It was good.” She’d spent it with her boyfriend which she always enjoyed. “And yours?”

“Axel and I added some more houses to our list. I’m going to send them to Nova sometime next week.”

She and her sister spoke for a while longer, and when they hung up, Talia took her empty dishes into the kitchen to wash them. She returned to her living room to see that she had received another text from Slate. They’d messaged a few times while she’d been on the phone with Kaydence.

Slate: You packed my bracelet.

Talia: I thought it might be helpful.

She put it in his suitcase when she’d been packing for him.

Talia had a feeling he would tell her to stay, and she knew he wouldn’t call her at all hours, even if she told him to, that she didn’t mind because she wanted to be there for him.

She figured the bracelet would make it easier for him to reach out, and then she could call him to check in.

Slate: Thank you, baby.

Talia: You don’t need to thank me.

Talia glanced at the time. It was a quarter to nine, which meant it was almost eleven where he was.

Talia: I’ll be up for a while. Call me if you need to. I mean it. Keep me updated.

Slate: I will, gorgeous.

Talia placed her phone on the table after ensuring her ringer was on and turning it up.

She turned on the television and flipped through the channels to find something to watch.

Her first appointment tomorrow morning wasn’t until ten, and it was a simple wash and style.

Even if that hadn’t been the case, Talia didn’t mind staying up if he needed her.