Page 84 of Mason

“He can’t even fucking sit up in a chair. How do we get him there?”

“What if that was me?” she asked, her blue eyes full of turmoil. “Would you stay here, partially paralyzed or not?”

“I’m not paralyzed,” Mason muttered.

She ignored him. “Would you sit back while I was hurt, and you could get there?”

“No,” he bit out.

“Then how can you ask him to do what you wouldn’t?”

“Fuck.” Nik threw his hands up and stalked out of the room.

Mason understood they were all concerned about his health, about what moving him would do to his recovery. He was still suffering the effects of brain surgery. But he didn’t give two shits about himself. His only concern was Jo.

It took Nikoli a grand total of three hours to arrange to have him moved from this hospital to the one Jo was in. Then another hour for the ambulance to arrive to transport him, and by the time he was on his way, he was snarling at everyone, including his family.

He’d apologize later.

She was hurt.

That was all he could think about.

She might have been raped. That was a possibility that haunted his dreams. He hated the thought of the bastard touching her, but he’d push that down and help her through it. Whatever she needed, Mason was going to be there for her.

Because of the storm, the two-hour ride turned into a three-hour ride. Dimitri was the only one who he hadn’t pissed off and offered to ride with him. They didn’t speak. His being there was enough.

Conner was waiting for them when he arrived. They had her in ICU because of her temperature. They were warming her back up, and pneumonia seemed to be on their minds, according to what Conner texted earlier.

“I have to see her.”

“Easy,brat.” Conner gripped his hand. “She’s alive. She’s awake, and she’s waiting for you.”

He called a nurse over to get him a wheelchair.

“I can’t sit up.”

“I got you covered.” Conner didn’t elaborate, but when the orderly brought over the chair, they all ignored the intake nurse demanding to get him checked in and settled in a room. He’d do that later.

Jo came first.

Conner and the orderly helped him in the chair, and then Conner, bless his dark soul, reached into his duffel and pulled out some sturdy black nylon rope.

“What do you think you’re doing?” the nurse all but screamed as Conner started to tie him upright to the chair.

“Going to see my girl.”

Conner thanked the orderly and wheeled him to the elevator, portable IV stand in tow and the nurse right behind him. Dimitri stopped her from getting on the elevator with him, and he let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank you, Conner. Thank you for finding her when I couldn’t.”

“She’s my sister now,brat. We’re family. We take care of each other.”

“I don’t know how I can ever repay you…”

“Mason.” Conner squatted beside him. “Knowing she’s safe and alive and home is all the thanks I need. You get to hold her, to tell her you love her and that everything will get better. Don’t take that for granted, and that’ll be my bonus.”

“Will you tell me one day about whoever you lost?”