Unexpected (The Protectors 10)

Everett and Ronan were sitting in a couple of chairs at the far end of the table. Vincent went to them, but instead of sitting down, he knelt in front of Everett, put his hand on his arm and said, “Talk to me.”

“They… they aren’t sure if he’ll be able to walk again.”

Everett’s voice was low and strangled.

Vincent’s features went stricken for a moment before he pulled himself together and said, “He’s strong, Ev. Look at everything he’s been through. Gets that from his father.”

Everett dashed at his eyes and managed a shaky nod.

“What about his other injuries? The burns?” Vincent asked.

Ronan piped in when Everett couldn’t. “They’re mostly on his chest and arms. He’ll need skin grafts. It’s going to be a long recovery process.”

Vincent once again looked sick, but he steeled himself and said, “He’s going to make it, Everett. You’re going to get him home and take care of him.”

Everett shook his head. “He won’t let me see him, Vincent. He’s… he’s so angry.”

With that, Vincent’s jaw hardened and he got to his feet. He didn’t say anything as he strode from the room.

“Vincent, don’t!” Everett called, then he was jumping up.

“What room is he in?” Vincent snapped at me.

“Three-fifteen,” I said. Part of me knew I shouldn’t have given him the information, but the other part wanted to let this happen. I knew it was wrong, but I wanted Vincent to confront Reese about his treatment of his father.

It was just more proof I was in too deep.

Vincent stormed past me and hurried down the hall toward Reese’s room. I didn’t try to stop Everett, but I did fall into step next to him.

“Vincent!” Everett called just before we reached Reese’s room. I quickly took in the occupants to make sure there was no threat to Everett. There was no medical staff in the room. Just Vincent, Reese, and a third man I didn’t recognize. I automatically stepped in front of Everett.

The third man was a big guy. Nearly as tall as Vincent, but with an even broader chest and huge biceps that stretched the opening of his sleeves. I figured he was around forty years old or so. His hair was dark gray and even from across the room, I could see the sharpness of his piercing green eyes. He was near Reese’s bed and was in the process of putting a cup with a straw in it down on the table next to the bed. His eyes slid over me, then Everett.

“Get out. I told you I didn’t want to see you,” Reese said coldly from the bed. I’d been so focused on the gray-haired man that I hadn’t noticed Reese’s eyes latch onto his father… or that Everett had stepped around me at some point. I was just about to lay into the young man when Reese shifted his upper body and let out a pained moan. The gray-haired man carefully put his hand on Reese’s gauze-covered shoulder.

“Stay still,” he murmured.

“I’m… I’m sorry,” Everett whispered, his words stumbling over one another. He sounded so small and pitiful that my heart broke for him.

“Reese, I know you’re hurting,” Vincent began, but Everett cut him off.

“Vincent,” he warned.

“Vincent?” Reese repeated, his eyes narrowing a bit. Then his mouth pulled into an angry frown. “I know you. You’re his brother.”

I glanced at Vincent. I’d done enough homework on the man to know he did in fact have a brother – an older one named Pierce. Pierce had died years earlier during a brutal home invasion at Vincent’s house. But what the hell did that have to do with Reese?

Reese’s glittering eyes shifted to his father. “You fucking him now?”

Everett gasped and Vincent moved toward the bed. The gray-haired guy stepped into his path and quietly said, “Don’t.”

I didn’t hear what he said next to Vincent, but whatever it was, it had Vincent nodding and stepping back.

My mind was reeling from what Reese had said to his father, and even though I’d connected the pieces in my mind, I just couldn’t believe it. Had Everett really been involved with Vincent’s brother? Was he the man buried at Arlington?

“I’m sorry,” Vincent said, the words aimed at Reese. “Thank you for what you did for Brody. It took guts, and because of you, we caught the guy.”

Some of the anger seemed to deflate from Reese at Vincent’s words. He nodded, then said, “Please leave.” He turned to look out the window before adding, “All of you.”

The gray-haired man accompanied us from the room and closed the door behind him.

“Gage, this is Vincent St. James,” Ronan said as he introduced the gray-haired man to Vincent.

“Thanks for that,” Vincent murmured as nodded toward Reese’s room.

Gage nodded. “I’ve partnered with Reese a few times now, so I’m starting to figure out what makes him tick.”