Page 37 of Murder & Mayhem (Bloody Desires #9)

DOMINIC

I ’d never liked hospitals. I’d spent too much time there as a kid. Lying about how I’d gotten those bruises, about how my arm had broken. About Ari’s shattered jaw or Gideon’s limp. Always fucking lying. Funny how something I’d hated had become my identity as an adult.

Here I was, once again sitting in the waiting room and once again lying.

Luca had called the hospital ahead, and I had no idea what he’d told them, but they’d been ready for Jamie and Bailey and the other eight kids that had shown up about an hour later with Luca and two of his men, Maverick and Wes.

The hospital hadn’t asked any questions of us, thank fuck. At least, not right away.

They wouldn’t let Gid or me back there because we weren’t family, so we waited now in the same hard plastic chairs I’d grown to hate. Okay, they weren’t the same. I’d never actually been to this hospital, but the whole thing set me on edge enough to make the comparison.

With nothing to do but brood and worry, my mind drifted back to the ride here.

Jamie had drifted in and out of consciousness the entire way.

Bailey had sat next to him, with his brother’s head in his lap.

He’d insisted that he was fine, just a few bruises, but we’d forced him to get checked out too, which he hadn’t been happy about.

I wasn’t the only one who hated hospitals, I guessed.

Bailey’s biggest worry had been that the staff would call the cops on Jamie, since he technically wasn’t his legal guardian.

“I can’t go back to Joey,” he’d whispered, half indignant, half terrified. “I won’t.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that,” Gideon had let him know way too cheerfully. “Pieces of his body are at the bottom of the river. The rest are . . . elsewhere.”

I glared at my brother. “Fucking Christ, Gid. A little tact?”

But he’d shrugged unapologetically. “The kid deserves to know after the shit they went through.”

“He’s really dead?” Bailey had asked. He hadn’t sounded scared or angry, only hopeful. “You’re not bullshitting me?”

“We’re not bullshitting. Ask Jamie when he wakes up. He saw firsthand.”

Bailey’s fingers had curled in his brother’s hair. “Good.”

After that, we’d still had to convince Bailey that the cops weren’t going to drag Jamie away for kidnapping and try to throw him in foster care.

Ari had come to the rescue there with what he called a simple change in the system, and then suddenly Jamie had been Bailey’s legal guardian for the last six months.

After that, he’d finally stopped arguing, and now they were both back there getting looked at.

“It’ll be fine,” Gideon said as he took a seat next to me. He handed me a cup of coffee, which I took readily. I really needed to get some sleep. The adrenaline was wearing off.

I shrugged. I didn’t really believe that. Jamie had a concussion—I didn’t need a medical degree to see that—and though I hoped there would be no lasting damage, it wasn’t the physical I was worried about.

“Surprised the cops aren’t sniffing around already. Nine kids rescued from a trafficking ring? That’s gotta hit someone’s radar.”

“It did,” the man himself, Luca Castellano, said as he sat on the other side of me.

I had never met him in person before, since most of Ari’s work had been done virtually for him.

He was a tall and broad man in his mid-forties with strong Italian features.

Most people probably found him intimidating, but I was too exhausted to think anything.

“Luckily, I have a contact at the FBI. One who was investigating this branch of the ring after some shit went down with us last fall. It was why we took such an interest after Ari asked us for help. Our adopted son was taken by a different branch of the same ring, and we were working on dismantling it. Slash was one of the big players and one of the two major loose ends we hadn’t been able to stop yet.

Unfortunately, she’s in the wind, but the feds got enough evidence from the shipping yard and the guys we handed over to them that were willing to talk.

Our contact pulled some favors and agreed to leave you and your brothers out of this completely.

They’re going to have some questions for Bailey and Jamie, but they won’t pressure Jamie about why he didn’t call the cops right away or ask him about you guys.

They only need to see who they can identify and what information they can provide.

Oh, and Sloan O’Malley slipped police custody too.

” Luca shrugged. “Maybe he’ll end up chained in a basement somewhere. Serves him right.”

A basement I couldn’t wait to get down to so I could get my hands on that slimy fucker .

“And the guy Bailey thought he killed?” I whispered, to not bring attention to us.

“Dead. But we took care of it. Nothing will fall on him.”

I met the older man’s eyes. “Thank you.” I meant that sincerely.

They had gone way beyond what I’d expected when Ari had called them in.

And yeah, they had their own interest in it with their son being connected somehow, but they didn’t have to help us the way they had, and I wanted him to know I appreciated it.

Luca squeezed my shoulder and stood. “Well, I better call said agent and give him an update. I promised.” Before he left, he added, “The other kids will be okay by the way. They were all a little bruised, dehydrated, and one of the younger ones had a mild case of hypothermia, but they’re more or less unharmed.

The agents are working on finding the families of the ones who have them and contacting them, and getting emergency placement for the ones that don’t.

” I said my thanks again for the update, and then Luca walked away, leaving me alone with Gid again.

I hoped someone had told Bailey. I knew he was worried about the others.

“What are we doing about the present in the basement?” Gid asked, talking about O’Malley once Luca had left the wing.

“Jamie wants to give him to the Wraiths.”

“And you’re going to honor his wishes? I’m shocked.” I glared at the asshole.

“Shut up. I know I’ve been a fucking dick. I don’t want to be. I’m all messed up, man.”

Gideon’s expression softened. “I know. And no matter what you decide, I got your back. Even when you’re being a dick.”

I laughed and rested my head on his shoulder. I was so lucky to have him and Ari at my side.

“I love you, Gid. ”

“Love you too, Nicky.”

It was quiet for a while as Gideon and I both stayed busy on our phones.

Ari and Diego were working tirelessly on their end, handling things and making sure nothing traced back to us.

Gideon wouldn’t even let me take Jamie into the hospital because I’d been covered in blood.

I’d been pissed, but I’d finally seen reason.

He’d brought the brothers in, and I’d quickly changed into a spare set of clothes we always kept in the back and scrubbed myself as clean as I could manage with bottled water and baby wipes.

It wasn’t perfect, there was still blood on my hands, but I didn’t look like I was in a horror movie anymore.

And none of it was mine. It had been sheer luck that O’Malley had survived—because I’d snapped.

The doctor finally came out. “Sorry for the wait. Considering the circumstances, we wanted a chance to talk to both Mr. Sullivans to determine their safety before we allowed anyone in the room with them, and Jameson Sullivan was in and out of consciousness for a while and couldn’t form logical sentences. ”

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I stood up, Gid right behind me. My palms felt sweaty, and I wiped them against my pants. “Is he okay? Can we see him now?”

The doctor eyed me skeptically. “Are you Dominic?”

“Yeah.”

“Then yes, Jameson was asking for you. But I ask that only one person at a time goes into the room. Mr. Sullivan experienced a serious concussion and is still a little confused. We’re going to keep him overnight.”

Fuck. “But he’ll be okay?”

“Yes. We’ll monitor him, but I don’t believe there will be any lasting damage as long as he follows concussion protocol after he leaves. We’ll know more tomorrow. ”

Gideon’s arm brushed against mine in moral support. “Good. That’s good, right?”

“Considering his brother told us he was hit in the temple with the butt of a gun, yes, this is best-case scenario.”

I wished I’d smashed that fucker’s face in even more than I had.

“And Bailey?” Gid thought to ask.

“He’s thankfully okay, considering everything he’s gone through.

He has some bad bruising on his face that I’d like to monitor, but no concussion.

More bruising on his ribs, but none are broken.

He’s dehydrated, like the others who came in, and he’s currently on an IV.

We’re also keeping him overnight, but that’s mainly a precaution and because he wouldn’t leave his brother. ”

We spoke for another minute, and then the doctor led me to the room. “Keep your voice low, no overhead lights, and if he gets agitated, you have to leave,” the nurse who was checking Jamie’s vitals warned me as I walked in.

“Got it.”

They had put two beds in here and pushed them together, so Bailey and Jamie were close enough to touch. Which they were. Someone must’ve put the bar on the beds down, and they had their hands stretched out and joined.

It was the first time I allowed myself to feel relief.

I couldn’t believe how invested I had gotten, but if something seriously bad had happened to Bailey, I didn’t think Jamie would have survived that.

And while I was pretty sure I could live without Jamie, I would be irrevocably changed.

Gideon and Ari were right. I had a hero complex and I never would have forgiven myself if we hadn’t gotten there in time, even if logically I knew it wouldn’t have been my fault .

Jamie’s eyes opened as I walked in. He gave me a tight smile. “Hey.” His voice was shaky.

“Hey.” I shoved my hands in my pocket. “How are you feeling?”

Jamie shrugged and then winced. “Head hurts.”

I nodded, feeling so fucking awkward. I didn’t know where to even begin.

I had so much I wanted to say to Jamie, so much I needed to apologize for, but the words were like lead in my mouth.

The timing was all wrong anyway. Jamie could barely keep his eyes open, and Bailey was glaring daggers at me.

They both needed rest and time alone with each other.

They didn’t need me making it about myself, and if I tried to say any of the things I wanted to, then that was exactly what I’d be doing.

“I wanted to make sure you were okay. I couldn’t leave until I saw you for myself.”

Jamie’s lip trembled and it felt like he was going to say something, but then he turned his head away from me instead.

“Well, now you saw for yourself,” Bailey snapped, still fucking glaring at me. For a kid who had just gone through something terrible, he sure had a spine of steel. “So you can go. He needs rest in a stress-free environment. We both do.”

I rocked back, never feeling so unsure of myself. What had Jamie told him that had the kid so prickly? Or was he always that protective? The right thing was to leave, but it felt so final. Like this was the last time I’d even see him if I left. That couldn’t—I wouldn’t let that be the case.

“Can we talk tomorrow? Or the next day maybe?” Jamie finally asked, sounding exhausted. Guilt ate at me, yet again. He said that because I wouldn’t fucking walk away, when it was clear that was what they wanted.

“Y-yeah. Of course. Whenever you want, beautiful. ”

Jamie flinched again. “Okay, yeah. It’s time for you to leave,” Bailey announced, waving his hand at me in a shoo gesture.

“Thank you for saving me and all that. Jamie said it would’ve never happened without you, but whatever this weird ass tension is between y’all, it’s not helping him.

Jamie’s been taking care of me my whole life, and it’s time for me to return the favor some.

Go home. Get rest. You look like shit. Jamie will let you know when he wants to talk. If he wants to talk.”

Well, I thought that was the first time a fucking teenager had ever knocked me down several pegs before. But . . . he was right.

“Of course. Um, bye then. You have my number, Jamie. Or Gideon’s or Ari’s if you’d rather talk to them. If either of you need anything, don’t hesitate to call. Seriously.” Bailey shooed me again, and this time I rolled my eyes at him. “Okay, I’m leaving. Feel better. Both of you.”

I began walking out of the room.

“Thank you, Nicky.” I didn’t turn around, rapping my fist against the glass panel once in acknowledgement and then walking away, wondering if the one person who’d managed to break through my walls was lost to me forever.