Gray clenched his teeth but leaned his head on Shadow’s chest, seeking comfort in his warmth. He had very little time, but if he planned things right and maximized his chances, maybe he could succeed.
Then, he could be with Shadow until they died.
“Fine. I will bring you the Pigeon Heart.”
Magpie got up with a little smile when Makar came over to hand him a box containing the jewels which could have the power to save Shadow’s life. If Gray was strong enough, would he try to take them here and now?
Magpie opened the box, and a small smile appeared on his handsome face. “You can come with me to New York, I have someone who will help you recover faster.”
“Like… a shaman?” Gray asked, scowling when the door behind Magpie opened, and a middle-aged man entered with a large leather bag that surely contained all the drugs Gray needed right now.
“Something like that. I’ll be waiting in my car. Pleasure doing business with you, Makar. Tick-tock, Gray. Tick-tock.” With that unpleasant comment, Magpie left Gray in the hands of a doctor who would either save him or kill him.
*
Mr. Magpie’s limo was the definition of excess. But while Gray usually found all the trimmings silly, with the newly patched-up wound and mildly high on painkillers, he appreciated the softness of the long sofa and the on-board espresso machine.
Shadow was all over him, helping with any minute need, and always there, caring and gentle. Once Gray was settled, with his Kings of Hell vest safely on his back and his bike secured in a truck that followed the limousine, Shadow kneeled on the floor next to him, holding his hand.
To get more than vague hope that maybe the club would agree to authorizing Gray to take one gem from a stash meant for Magpie, kept Gray clinging to sanity despite blood loss. He would recover fast, and he would get the Pigeon Heart.
But healing took time, and they couldn’t wait. His mind raced, weighing all of the options, but he always got stuck when it came to their current plans. The owner of the Pigeon Heart would be away from his home in two weeks, and that was when they’d planned the heist. Was Gray supposed to just sit on his ass for that long and count away the days of Shadow’s life? If that original plan didn’t work out, they would have lost precious time.
Gray drank some lemon-infused water through a straw and glanced all the way to the broad sofa at the end of the velvet-covered interior. Magpie must have been exhausted, as he was quietly snoring with a sleeping mask on his face, wrapped in a blanket that screamed Louis Vuitton.
Gray rolled his head over the pillow and looked into Shadow’s face, suddenly reminded of something that hurt way more than his wound. “Is your life really so bad?”
Shadow squeezed his hand. “Not anymore. But being human takes a lot of getting used to.”
Gray smiled at him and briefly shut his eyes when Shadow petted his forehead. It was so strange to have someone coo over him like this. The last time anyone had done such a thing was when Gray was a kid and was still allowed moments of absolute weakness.
“We need to change our plans.”
“How so? You can’t go anywhere right now. It’s what the doctor said.” Shadow kissed Gray’s cheek, and it felt so freeing to not have to fight his affection anymore.
“Yes, but Magpie has this person who can help me heal. Besides, I’m going to develop an anxiety disorder if I can’t get that ruby for you fast.”
Shadow smiled, so painfully handsome Gray could’ve started bleeding all over again because of his heartbeat speeding up.
“I will be there every step of the way. I don’t want to part from you. But… if that’s what ends up happening despite us trying to do everything in our power, that’s okay too. You will be okay.”
Gray’s eyes stung, and within seconds he had to shut them so that Shadow didn’t see how much this affected him. Shadow likely wouldn’t care, but Gray was still embarrassed that his eyes were capable of producing tears.
“Don’t. How do you know if I would be okay. I would not be okay. I lost my brother, and it still feels like a chunk of my heart is gone. If you abandon me too, I’ll fucking die.”
Shadow squeezed Gray’s hand and kissed his temple. “You won’t. You’re strong. But you don’t have to think about it, because I will stay. We will get the ruby.”
Gray took a deep breath and pulled Shadow into a hug, clutching at him until the long hair fell around them, creating a silky curtain that calmed Gray somewhat, enclosing him in a space where the heat and scent of Shadow’s body was everything.