Page 75 of Wicked Games
“No, Lucky.”
“He’s right, Carmen.”
I whipped around at the familiar voice in the doorway. “Hiram?”
“No!” Banks shouted from the door. “You’re dead. I killed you.”
Hiram lifted his arm and shot Banks between the eyes. “No, I killedyou.”
Carmen let out a sob of relief. I carefully removed the gun from her hand, stuffed it in the waistband of my jeans, and pulled her into my arms. “It’s over now,” I told her. “He can’t hurt anyone else.” I looked over her head and saw that Hiram was watching us.
“Good to see you again, Lucien.”
“Are you real? Am I dreaming this?”
Carmen stepped out of my embrace and looked up at me. “Please don’t be mad at me. I was able to intercept Banks’s plans and warn Hiram. There was no one on the boat when it exploded.”
“You let me think he was dead? Why? To ensure I’d help you?” I stepped back from her.
“It was my decision, Lucien,” Hiram said. “If you want to be mad at anyone, be mad at me. She wanted to tell you from the start.” I looked at Carmen for confirmation, and she nodded. “You don’t have the right to be mad at anyone anyway. Right now, we have a mess to clean up. Later, we’ll discuss why you didn’t tell me about Banks blackmailing you when it first happened.”
“Clean up?” I asked, looking around the room. Stavros was still out cold, and Carmen had another man tied up someplace in the house.
“You two get out of here. Lucky needs medical attention. I’ll fulfill the rest of the mission.”
I suspected Hiram’s definition of clean up meant leaving no witnesses behind, but I wasn’t in the position to argue with him. Shock and adrenaline were quickly wearing off, and my injuries were catching up to me. “Not feeling too good,” I admitted to Carmen.
“You don’t look too good either. Ryder is going to kill me when he hears about your injuries,” Carmen said.
“Yep,” I agreed. “You’ll have to give him your dogs to make up for it.”
“He can get his own dogs,” Carmen said. “I’m parked too far away for you to walk, but Harry is close by. He’ll come pick us up.”
“Good. Can we stop for fish-n-chips?”
“Maybe later, Lucky.”
Carmen wrapped her arm around my waist and guided me to the door. What little I could see through one eye started to spin. We stopped when we reached Hiram; he opened his arms and hugged me gently.
“I’m mad as hell at you, but we can talk about it later,” he whispered in my ear.
“Mad at me?” I asked, soaking in his warmth. “I’m mad at you too. You let me think you were dead. Both of you did. I never got to tell you I was sorry.” My words sounded sluggish like I had too much to drink.
Hiram chuckled. “Fine, we can both do some apologizing. Get checked out first.”
“Bring fish-n-chips with you.” My head felt funny, the room started to spin, and their voices sounded far off. I must’ve sustained more brain damage than I’d realized.
Hiram tightened his hold on me briefly then released me. Then, seeing me swaying, he said, “I’ll help you get him down to the car.”
Somewhere between the study and the front door, I gave in to the encroaching darkness.
LEARNINGHIRAM WAS STILL ALIVEfrom Carmen was one thing, but seeing him sleeping in the chair by Lucien’s hospital bed while holding his hand was something else. I’d foolishly googled him in my weaker moments after Lucien left for London and had regretted it immediately. Hiram Chandio was one of the most beautiful men I’d ever seen, and he also happened to be Lucien’s first love. Lucien had said it was merely infatuation and lust, and they would’ve drifted apart. During a different conversation, Lucien had said Hiram’s unwillingness to live in the open was the reason he knew they wouldn’t make it. Here sat Hiram beside the man I loved, looking like he belonged there.
I didn’t want Hiram dead; I just didn’t want him sitting in the chair I thought should be reserved for me, holding the hand of the man who was supposed to be mine. I’d boarded the first available flight after Carmen told me about Lucien’s injuries, but that didn’t put me in London until almost eighteen hours after he arrived at the hospital. I looked away from the two men’s joined hands and got my first look at Lucien. His beautiful face was marred with bruises and distorted by swelling. Both eyes had been blackened, but one was so swollen it would be impossible for him to open it. His lips were puffy and had busted open in at least three places. I wanted to go to him, but shock and uncertainty about my role in his life kept me frozen at the foot of his bed, but my stunned gasp was loud enough to startle Hiram awake. His eyes widened when he saw me and guilt washed over his handsome face. He started to rise and untwine his fingers from Lucien’s, but the love of my life moaned and gripped Hiram’s hand tighter.
“Stay,” Lucien pleaded with Hiram.
The desperation in his voice brought instant tears to my eyes. I started backing out of the room because it was obvious Lucien had made his choice: Hiram. I’d just turned to leave when I heard Lucien whisper my name.