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LOURDES

‘Styx’

Thank God I can’t feel my head or the pain yet because I just know it’s going to be throbbing like a bitch real soon. I’m trying but am unable to find a comfortable spot in this stupid hospital bed. One of the many reasons I hate staying in these places. My shoulder feels like I have road rash running up and down the entire shoulder blade. Also, I can feel the raspiness in my lungs. Damn it, I probably have a case of smoke inhalation. Great, that means at least a couple of days off from my rotation because our chief doesn’t ever play with that kind of stuff with his people.

Just when I find a spot I can tolerate and my eyes start getting heavy, it sounds like a parade of elephants are walking down the hallway, right before my door swings open with a thud. I heard the sound of skin slapping skin before a loud umph and a growly voice saying in a loud whisper, “What the fuck was that for, brother? Damn, been lifting again, haven’t you?”

Struggling, I open my eyes to see the crew with our chief and, oh God, also the one and only Jeremiah Zeon. Now, why in the hell is he here? Oh, that’s right, he’s the one who actually rescued me. I’m sure in his own head he’s a hero, but to me he’s vastly becoming a huge pain in my ass. My eyes drift to the couple last into the room. It’s Danny and Claire along with their twins, Lachlan and Roan. Well, actually, the boys are from Claire’s first husband who died serving our country. Danny is the only daddy those boys have ever known, though as a family they all try to keep the twins’ dad Shamus’s memory alive for the boys which I think is beyond awesome.

Before Danny or Claire can stop either boy, they kind of run-walk toward the hospital bed. Lachlan tries to jump up onto the bed but one of the guys grabs him, tickling the kid ’til he’s almost crying with laughter. Roan just leans down his head on the bed, watching me. Huh, what’s this all about, usually it’s Lachlan who’s on the quiet side.

“Tyx, you okay? Mommy said you had acident.”

Such a sweetie.

“Yeah, sweetie, got a few scrapes and some stitches, but I’m okay. How are you?”

“Tyx, really? How many, where did you get hurt?”

As Lachlan continues with one hundred questions, Roan finally makes his way to the other side of the bed, slapping his hand down on the covers.

“Tyx want pizza? We got a lot of it, right, Mommy?”

I glance at Claire, who has that soft smile on her face from watching her twins. When her eyes shift to me they lose a bit of that mom glow, but she gives me a soft smile.

“Yeah, Lourdes, let me know what you want and I’ll go get it. Also have some plain pasta and breadsticks if you prefer that to pizza, I wasn’t sure which you would want or how your stomach would feel.”

I’m thrilled Danny found and fought for Claire, as they fit together like two peas in a pod. When I feel eyes on me, I glance around until my eyes lock on Jeremiah. No, I like to call him Miah—it fits him better—not as stuffy as his complete name. Though, right now he’s Jeremiah who’s trying to bully me, not the Miah who gave me multiple orgasms over that weekend. Drilling me with those steel-gray eyes from across the room, everything goes still and quiet in my head as memory after memory floods my mind. Both of us naked and sweaty, managing to in just one weekend fuck in just about every room of his mansion. Damn, that was one of the best weekends of my life. Why did I ever ghost him? Can’t remember with those knowing gray eyes watching my every move. I hear a throat clear and blink before I glance around. All of my crew have shit-eating grins on their faces, while Jeremiah puts his head down to hide his cocky-ass smile. Jerk I think, right before the twins start to crawl up on either side of the bed. I hear Danny tell them to be careful because I am hurt, but just to have them close gives me a second or two of their unconditional love, along with their kid enthusiasm.

Well, that is until a knock on the door and two detectives try to make their way into my room. Jeremiah turns and literally pushes them out, then walks out with them, while Lil Man and Paco follow behind him. That’s interesting, but the boys are both talking to me so I turn to give them my attention. Claire asks what I want to eat and I tell her, if it’s not too much trouble, the pasta and breadsticks. She turns to leave when Danny pulls her close, whispering in her ear. The smile that takes over her face almost makes me jealous, though those two deserve their happiness. It was earned through blood, sweat, and many tears, along with a very close scare with death.

Chief comes up to me, patting my good shoulder, telling me to rest and take as long as I need. He already informed me I was not to show my face in the firehouse for at least four days. Great, just what I don’t need, time to think. I’m baffled with why someone would try to not only knock me out but then try to kill me. Don’t have any enemies that I know about, since my lack of relationships leaves me pretty much on my own, besides my fire family.

It takes some time but when Jeremiah comes back in, he looks flustered. He looks around to see most everyone still there. He shrugs and also makes his way to me. Standing at the foot of the bed, he gently touches my feet, squeezing my toes.

“Hey, Lourdes, the cops are going to want to talk to you sometime soon. Gave them my address, told them that’s where they can find you for the time being.”

I’m half listening to him, well, until he tells me I’m staying with him. WHAT? Is he fucking insane besides being plain old nuts? We are in a room filled with gossiping bastards from my firehouse. These men are professionals at spreading any kind of news they can get their hands on. Got to shut this down now.

“Um, Jeremiah, there’s no need for that. Thank you again for what you did, but I’m good. I appreciate your help, but I’m sure you have more important things to do than waste your time with all of this bullshit.”

I see it immediately. His eyes narrow and he pushes his shoulders back, standing straight as a rod. I hear chuckling but ignore it, as the look in his eyes draw me in.

“Lourdes, I don’t think I stuttered but just in case, let me repeat myself. This is not an option, when you are released tomorrow, you will be coming to my home to recuperate. I have plenty of room and have already shared the address with your friends here. No one has any answers yet to why a man was hanging in that office or why a stranger attacked you. Well, unless you did, in fact, know that person. Did you?”

I hear the growl come out of my mouth right before my words spill out, forgetting who is in the room.

“What the hell does that mean? I don’t associate with assholes, Jeremiah. Are you sure it wasn’t a deal gone wrong, and I got the shitty end of it?”

Before it hits me, I hear two Mickey Mouse voices screaming, “Oh, Tyx, bad word. You need to put money in the wear jar, right, Mommy?”

“You have to put in four coinz for the wear wordz.”

Claire shushed the twins then pulls them down, giving me a squeeze on my leg.

“We’ll get out of your hair for a bit. I’ll grab you some food. Take care and let me know if you need anything. The boys and I will visit you at, um, Jeremiah’s house.”

She turns and walks out before I can even respond. Great, just what I need, everyone thinking I’m spending time at his mansion. Then Jeremiah leans down, whispering in my ear.

“Either you stay willingly or I inform all of your friends how we know each other biblically, so they don’t need to worry about us in the same house. And from the way you’re acting, I’m guessing you don’t want them to know that particular detail, right?”

I feel my face getting red and my hands are clenching into fists. All the while Jeremiah is leaning over me waiting, like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Damn bastard.

“Well, Lourdes, are we in agreement that you’ll be staying with me while you’re recovering?”

I grit my teeth and give him a nod, which brings a huge smile to his face. He then turns and loudly announces I will, indeed, be staying with him, so I can recover in peace and quiet. I watch as one by one every man I work with drops their mouth open and stares at me. Yeah, guess it’s a bit odd because they all know I’m not only a very private person and don’t usually have outside acquaintances or friends. Thank God I don’t have to explain it right now, as a nurse comes in to tell them they have no more than thirty minutes before they need to leave. As she turns to leave, Claire walks back in with a container filled with pasta and a plate with a couple of steaming breadsticks on it. The boys are following her, one with a bottle of water, the other with a bag with a fork, knife, and napkin inside. My stomach growls at the sight and Claire smiles at me.

As she starts to put it on the bedside table, each guy comes to give me a hug or kiss on the cheek, telling me to call if I need anything. Before the first man makes it to the door, Jeremiah asks them to take his phone number so they can get a hold of him with any questions or concerns. What shocks me is they all do it without argument. Miracles do happen, I think to myself. A table appears in front of me. I grab the fork and twirl some spaghetti with red sauce onto it. Licking my lips in anticipation, I hear Jeremiah growl and I smile. My eyes find his and those gray eyes are on fire watching me. That look has me shifting my legs slightly to try to relieve the pressure between them because, damn, now is definitely not the time or place. Taking me in, the asshole gives me that know-it-all smile of his filled with pure cockiness. So I do all I can, I stick my tongue out and lick off some of the sauce while his eyes dilate. Then I concentrate on eating some food while I hear him shifting around. Good for him, I think to myself as I softly moan from the many tastes of the food. Excellent choice, I think as I dig in, not looking at anyone but feeling the intense stare of just one man from across the room.