“We were never here,” I state, although I know it really doesn’t need to be said. I have to keep telling myself Jeremy isn’t new to situations like this, sadly. He knows how to accommodate guests of the underground and also has the authorities on his good side, willing to ignore certain distress calls.
“Just an ordinary night,” he says as he stands up. “Go take care of her.”
I give the man a nod as I lift Valentina up and rush out the back door, trying to not let my thoughts go to the worst-case possibility. But fear is attacking, and panic is knocking at my door.
The drive to the hotel is so quick that I don’t even have time to process that I have a bleeding woman in my lap. I don’t have time to call Z, or Dex, or anyone. I don’t have time to do anything but pray Valentina pulls through this. She’s losing so much blood. So much fucking blood!
“I swear to god, Valentina,” I say to her. “You better fight. You better not die on me. I’ll hunt you down in the otherworld and pull you back to me if I have to. You better fucking fight.”
When we arrive at the hotel, Rowan and Z are outside to greet me. They usher us to a delivery entrance so we don’t have to bring a bleeding body through the lobby drawing attention none of us want. Not one of us say a single word until we reach my room.
“What happened?” Z finally asks as I rush Valentina to the bed. He then looks at Rowan. “Grab some towels from the bathroom.”
“She took a bullet meant for me,” I say, although the words seemed muddled in my ringing ears. My voice almost sounds foreign to me as little black spots are forming in my vision.
Z rips the material away from Valentina’s wound, and for the first time, I’m truly seeing how bad it looks. The bullet tore her delicate flesh, and it looks like a hole to Hell. I just now notice that Z has a medical bag with him so he can work the magic he’s notoriously known for.
But regardless of me knowing that Z can handle a bullet wound and is far from a novice, I still say, “She needs a hospital. A surgical team.”
Z lifts Valentina’s shoulder off the bed just enough to look at her back. He shakes his head. “The bullet went straight through.” He looks up at me and locks eyes. “That’s good. Really good.”
Good? There is nothing good about this.
“This is just a clean, stitch, and recover situation. She’ll have a gnarly scar to remind her of what happens when she listens to you and not me.”
I ignore his dig because he’s fucking right. I should have never risked her life like this. I should have just tolerated her whining and pouting. I should have ignored her demands. I should have fucking known better! And I should have not let down my guard and seen the assassin walk into the restaurant. I let the distraction of a romantic evening get in the way of keeping Valentina safe. And if she doesn’t come out of this, I’ll never forgive myself.
I need to make wise choices. Better choices.
I begin pacing back and forth, considering all options. Hospitals ask questions. Authorities will show up. I have no idea if Valentina has any warrants and would want the scrutiny. But am I being irresponsible for not rushing her to the hospital?
“Maybe we should still take her to the hospital,” I repeat as Rowan stands by Z’s side, handing him tools of his hidden trade. “She lost a lot of blood.”
“I’m getting it under control now,” Z says as he is preparing to stitch it up. I notice that both he and Rowan are cool and collected.
I’m far from either.
I stop my pacing to add, “What if pieces of the bullet are still inside her?”
“They aren’t,” Z says as he begins the first stitch.
“How do you know?”
His eyes dart to mine. “Because I know. This isn’t the first bullet wound I’ve taken care of. You know this.”
Yes, but this is Valentina Key. This isn’t just some criminal that is trying to avoid a prison cell. This isn’t a thug. This isn’t someone like me or… This is a woman who deserves the absolute best. She deserves so much more than this. She deserves to be—
Rowan walks over to where I’m having a near panic attack and places her hand on my arm. “Z knows what he’s doing. Trust him.”
I take a deep breath to try to calm the raging anxiety. “I do.” I inhale deeply again. “I do.”
And I’m not lying. There is no way in hell I’d trust anyone else with Valentina. The fact of the matter is if we were in a hospital and some stranger doctor was touching her, I’d be going through the roof with worry and damn near demanding to see his credentials. And the hospital wouldn’t allow me in the room with her anyway. And the fact I’m not family means I’d have no say in her care. So, the reality is she’s in the best hands right now, and the best situation.