“Oh.” Wack?
He blinked a few times and then squinted as he stared at her. “Chrissy, your eyes are red.”
“I didn’t get much sleep last night.” She dropped her gaze and then brought it up when he chuckled.
“Ohhh yeah,” Saks said, grinning again. “I remember that.”
“How can you even talk to me?” she burst out. “If you hadn’t gotten involved with me none of this would have happened.”
“Hell, Chrissy. This isn’t a thing. Just a shoulder wound.”
“Those men could have killed you.”
“Well, they tried and didn’t, so score one for me.” He grinned at her again and she thoroughly lost it.
“How can you even joke?” Chrissy was beside herself. This reminded her of the nights when her father’s associates would turn up bloody and her father would call the local doctor he had in his pocket. And the men would laugh at how the other guy got it worse, and drink themselves stupid as the doctor stitched their wounds. Chrissy realized now that other guy would be a Rocco, part of Saks’ family. She was horrified.
“Hey, Chrissy. Don’t cry.” He tried to sit and fell back against the bed. “It’s okay. I’ve had worse.”
“Worse? Worse?” How could she get involved with such a man? Someone who considered a bullet wound no biggie? This was bad. She’d never wanted this life. Worked hard to avoid it. Now, in Saks’ unconcerned eyes, it stared her in the face. What it meant to be the woman of an organized crime member. Waiting for the man to come home. Wondering if he died that night when he wasn’t back when he said he’d return.
“I’m glad you’re okay, Saks,” she said between the tears. “But I have to go.”
“Oh,” said Saks. Disappointment showed in his eyes. “Sure. Come see me tomorrow. I won’t be so loopy. I promise.”
“’Bye, Saks.” She walked out of the room and, gathering speed, out of the hospital as tears spilled over her cheeks and blurred her vision.
She couldn’t see Anthony Parks, aka Saks, again. Ever.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Chrissy left and suddenly he was all alone. She wasn’t coming back. He knew it in his gut.
The beeping of the monitors went haywire as he struggled to sit up, to try and call her back, to just talk to him.
He couldn’t stop her. Hell, he couldn’t get out of the bed. And, man, was he stoned.
Life fucking sucked.
The nurse came in and tsked as she reset the machine. “Mr. Parks, if you need help you should use the call button.”
Saks settled back into his pillows and fisted his hands at his sides. The nurse was only being nice, and he should thank her, but right now he was too consumed by his anger that Chrissy had left, again.
The morphine machine whirled and pumped again, sending a dose straight to his heart. He should tell the nurse to take the damn thing away. It was just messing with his head. But his hands unclenched as he slipped into a half-sleep. He was aware of what going on but he just didn’t care about responding to it.
Look, Saks, old boy. She doesn’t want you. You should move on.
But it was shitty time to take off when a slug of metal’s carved out your shoulder. Maybe wait till I’m outa the hospital. Or maybe not leave at all.
Better you know now. All this girl does is rabbit when things get tough.
Saks snorted in frustration. Arguing with himself was the most useless exercise ever.
“Hey, buddy, you awake?”
Saks didn’t open his eyes, but nodded. Luke had come in during his mental argument and was now standing beside his bed. “Yeah,” he said through parched lips. “I could use a glass of water.”
“Let me see what the nurse says.”