“I said, I’m standing right here, dickhead. Stop trying to pick up your damn doctor.” She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring down at me, hurt radiating off her in waves. I tried not to grin again, but I couldn’t stop my facial muscles from lifting into one.
It only seemed to piss her off more.
“You know what, I think you’re doing much better.” Jos turned for the door. “I’ll see you later.”
“Jos!” I bellowed her name, my heart pounding at the thought of her leaving. She turned to face me, a mutinous look on her beautiful face. “I’m sorry. I’ll stop flirting. It didn’t mean anything, I swear. Just don’t go, okay?”
Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “No. I need something to eat and a cup of coffee. I’ll be back in an hour.”
I sat up, ready to throw my legs over the side of the bed and follow her. The world began to spin before I could put weight on my legs, and I dropped back down. The doctor urged me back against the mattress, and I went, feeling as weak as a newborn kitten.
Dr. Gregory patted me on the shoulder. “Take it easy, Mr. Reid. She needs a few minutes to herself every now and then to eat and take care of herself. Joslyn has rarely left your side the last few days.”
“Yeah,” I muttered, closing my eyes as I tried to picture Jos in my head.
Fuck, I need her beside me.
It was easier to breathe when she was with me. At least when she was, I didn’t have to worry about fucking Fontana. Over and over, that bastard had tried to break me, and the only time he got close enough to doing it was when he threatened Jos.
It was my own fault. I must have said her name during one of the times I was passed out, which had been often. It was a curse I’d had since I was a kid, talking in my sleep, and now it could possibly put the only woman I’d ever loved at risk.
Once Fontana had the one name that would really tear me apart, it took everything I had not to spill secrets. But those threats he made, telling me in detail how he would rape her, how he would make her scream his name and then plead for me as he ripped her in half, made me shake.
“Get her back in here,” I gritted out, sweat beading on my brow. “I need her back.”
The look on my face must have told the doctor some of what I was thinking, and she patted my arm again before stepping back. “Don’t worry about the girl. There is an army of your brothers out in the waiting room. The two that are in here during visiting hours, especially, will watch out for her.” She smiled kindly down at me. “They look a lot like you, so I’m assuming they are brothers or cousins.”
“Bash and Matt,” I muttered. “One of each, actually.”
“They will take care of your girl. Rest until she comes back, and then you can apologize again.”
Over the next few minutes, she examined me from top to bottom, spending the most time checking over my back. It did feel slightly better, but that didn’t mean much.
“You’re healing well, Mr. Reid,” Dr. Gregory assured me. “And as I was telling Joslyn earlier, I think we should get the ortho department in to start on your first surgery. Your arm might not ever be the same again, but they will do their best to get you as close as possible.”
“Will I be able to ride my motorcycle again?” That was the only thing I wanted to know. They could do as many surgeries as they wanted, as long as it meant they could fix me enough so I could ride again.
“Eventually, I’m sure,” she said with a small smile. “But it’s going to be a long recovery. Don’t try to rush anything.”
“Yeah. Okay. Now, go get Jos.” I needed her back in here so I could protect her.
Sighing at my one-track mind, Dr. Gregory snapped the chart closed and pocketed her pen. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Chapter 7
Jos
I finished my call to Quinn and leaned my head back against the wall outside the ICU ward’s double doors.
It had been five days since I’d last seen my son, but Quinn assured me he wasn’t missing me very much. Only at bedtime did he cry for me. I missed Reid so much, but Tanner had seemed to need me more than our son, so I’d stayed.
Seeing as how the first thing the asshole did as soon as he was coherent enough was to hit on his doctor made me second-guess my decision to stay with him for so long. Obviously, now that he was on the road to recovery, he didn’t need me around any longer.
I shouldn’t have been surprised, not with our past, but it still stung.
Ugh. I was such a stupid loser where Tanner Reid was concerned. I should have learned my lesson by now, but clearly, I was addicted to the pain he could inflict on me.
Gritting my teeth, I lifted the cup of coffee Matt had picked up at Starbucks for me and gulped down the rich brew loaded with sugary decadence.