Shiver (Unbreakable Bonds 1)

Lucas lowered his head and cursed under his breath, unable to meet the other man’s gaze. When he did finally look, his friend’s expression made him peer closer. Anyone looking at the man would see the anger, but it would take a close friend to see the fear. “Hey,” he said softly. “I’m okay. Come see for yourself.”

Snow didn’t move closer. His nostrils flared, his lips tightened, and Lucas half expected real ice bolts to shoot from those eyes any second. Lucas lifted an eyebrow.

“What were you thinking?” Snow’s voice, low and threatening, sounded gritty like he’d swallowed glass. “Or were you even thinking at all? Has the hot bodyguard forced all your blood too far south?”

“You think he’s hot?”

“That’s what you hear?” Snow shut his eyes and a small shudder ran through him as if he were straining to hold back an explosion. “Not the point here, Vallois.” He spoke through clenched teeth as his eyes snapped back open. “I don’t give a shit if you’re boning the bodyguard. I care that you got attacked—again. You know, fucking know, that they specifically targeted you and you go to the one place that instigated the attack? And with a concussion?”

When put like that, it did seem stupid. “Snow, I honestly didn’t expect such a blatant attack. Not there. It doesn’t make any sense.”

“The criminals are dumb shits. And so is your bodyguard!”

“No.” The quietly spoken word came with a rush of anger that tightened Lucas’s chest. “Don’t talk about him like that. He tried to talk me out of it.” He flexed his hand, wincing at the stretch of not-healed scrapes and busted knuckles from the fight. “The criminals were dumb shits. Or not worried about being caught.”

Snow came closer and leaned down until Lucas could see the tiny dark flecks in his eyes. “Which makes them reckless and deadly.”

His friend had a point. The men who’d beaten him had been cocky, skilled, and carried a careless arrogance—almost like they knew they wouldn’t get caught. Or knew they’d get free if they were. Even their hoodies had been the bare minimum effort of disguise.

“I noticed you didn’t deny boning the bodyguard,” Snow said, gaze sharp.

“I’m actually not.”

“You want to.”

With Snow, Lucas could be honest. Always. “Of course I want to. Anyone would want to. Did you really look at the man?”

Snow sighed and walked to the sink where he wet paper towels. He came back and started swiping the soot and dirt from Lucas’s chest and shoulders. “Best to wait until he isn’t working for you.”

“He’s not working for me—he works for Rowe.”

Lucas let Snow take care of him, knowing it made the doctor feel better. Truth to tell, the attention worked for him, too. He needed his friend as much as Snow needed him. Hell, he should probably tell him that more often.

A loud clatter in the hall outside the room caught their attention. It was followed by a familiar sound and Lucas cocked his head to the side, listened.

“Hear that cough? I think we’re about to see the detective again.” Lucas groaned when he reached for his shirt.

“What are you doing? You can’t get dressed. We need to run a scan over that new bruise on your back.”

Lucas scoffed. “You and I both know I can have my clothes on for that.”

“Maybe I was enjoying the make-shift sponge bath.”

“Perv.”

Snow grinned and surprised him with a quick hug. “Always.”

“How did you know there is a bruise on my back? You haven’t seen that side of me.”

Snow tossed the blackened paper towels onto the tray by the bed. “The attending ordered the scan.”

Lucas rolled his eyes. “Half a dozen hospitals in this city and they keep bringing me to this one.”

“How about you just stay out of them altogether?”

The loud sniff by the door made them both look. Banner leaned on the door jamb, his face flushed, his nose so red, Lucas winced in sympathy. “You two argue like you’re married.” He pointed from Snow to Lucas, his head cocked slightly to the side. “So, you together? Because I could have sworn I saw sparks between you and the dark statue at your place.”

Lucas didn’t bother to answer the question. “Damn. You look worse than I do. You should be in bed, Detective.”

“We haven’t even had a date yet. I like to be wooed, receive a good meal before I go ass up.” Banner grinned and while that sexy smile probably got him what he wanted usually—in another healthy galaxy—right now, he just looked pathetic. Lucas kind of felt sorry for him. Kind of.

Snow snorted.

The cop screamed top so Lucas doubted he ever gave that up. He sighed as the aches and pains from the explosion started making themselves heard now that Snow appeared calmer. “Why are you here?”

“Heard you went to Price Hill. I can see I need to reevaluate my gift of first impressions because you didn’t seem like a complete dumb ass to me then.”