A Devilish Christmas (The Marchesi Family)

“As long as we can move on this quickly.”

“I understand you need a doctor before you can move on anything,” Giorgio said.

“I’m fine.”

Joe shook his head. “Fuck no, you’re not. You’re bleeding again.”

I glanced down at my side. “Only a little. I’ve been in plenty of fights when I was worse off than this.”

Joe just sighed.

“Fine. Get a second car for Dr. Maness and send her on.”

“Already done.”

“Without even asking me?”

Giorgio laughed. “I wasn’t going to wake a sleeping princess.”

“Fuck off.”

“It gave us options. Oren and I will find a place to lie low, then check in again.”

“All right, but I have final say on everything.”

Joe cleared his throat. “Devil, you can’t—”

“I’ll let you boys sort this out among yourselves. Talk to you soon.” Giorgio ended the call.

Dr. Maness showed up a few minutes later. Joe insisted on holding my hand through her entire examination, and I let him think I was allowing it because he wanted to be close to me. The truth was, I needed the support. I knew the wound wasn’t bad, but I hated getting stitches, and I hated the nagging sensation in my gut that things weren’t going to go well with Donaldson. I clenched my teeth as she pulled the last stitch through.

“All done. You should rest as much as you can, drink plenty of water, eat well, and stay off your feet.”

“For how long?”

“A couple of days at least.”

“I don’t have a couple of days.”

She rolled her eyes. “If you want to heal quickly, you need to rest. Any strenuous activity will tear the stitches and put you at serious risk of infection.”

“Then give me some preventive antibiotics.”

“I am, and I expect you to take them until they’re finished.”

I huffed. “I know the rules.”

She raised her brows. “Do you?”

“I know how to take medications, and I know what I can handle.”

“I’ll make sure he takes care of himself,” Joe said.

I glared at him, but he was no more afraid of me than the doctor was.

She sighed and looked at Joe. “Call me if his stitches tear. Oren can take care of him if he needs immediate attention. Call right away if he starts to run a fever or the wound turns redder or starts oozing pus. A little bleeding or clear fluid is okay but nothing else.”

“I’m here and perfectly capable of having a conversation.”

Dr. Maness skewered me with her glare. “At your best you barely listen, and I know you’re planning some shit now.”

“We have to—”

She held up her hand. “You know my policy. I don’t want details. What you should do is stay in bed sleeping and resting. No sexual intercourse.”

I loved how Joe’s face turned red. Those moments when he seemed innocent always made me smile.

“No sex? No other activity? Who do you think I am?”

“Someone who needs to stay in good shape. No sex for at least a week.”

“That’s not reasonable.”

“Devil.” Joe scowled at me.

The doctor waved off my comment. “I’m used to him. To all of them. Try to keep him quiet at least for tonight.”

“I will,” Joe assured her.

She packed up her supplies. “I’m staying the night in Rutland. Call me if you need anything.”

I reached out my hand and squeezed hers. “Thank you. We’re lucky to have someone as skilled as you willing to tend to us.”

She smiled. “You’re welcome. The antibiotics are on the coffee table. Go ahead and take one now.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“If only I got that good a response to all my orders.”

“But then we’d be model patients, and that must not be what you want, or you wouldn’t work with people like us.”

“Make him rest,” she said, looking at Joe. My husband nodded and followed her out. I was certain she was armed and could defend herself, but I felt better with Joe having her back.

After Joe made sure I took the antibiotic, he insisted on feeding me. I was just finishing a huge sandwich when I got a video call request from Giorgio.

We propped up my phone so we could both see, and I introduced Joe to Oren who was just as big and lumberjack-like as I remembered.

“Thanks for coming up here,” Joe said.

“I was looking for a reason to leave town,” Giorgio said. “Lane has a gallery showing next week. He’s racing to finish the final piece and grumpy as fuck.” Lane was Giorgio’s boyfriend and his boss’s son. Announcing their relationship had been a lot of fun.

Oren grinned. “Good luck with that, and I’m happy to help. I rarely get the opportunity to track someone in the snow, and more importantly, this bastard needs to be put down.”

“He does,” I agreed. “And he’s made this personal.”

Joe nodded. “Since he’s come after me specifically, I should be the one to approach him.”

Devil slapped his hand on my thigh. “Stop right there.”

“This discussion should be interesting,” Giorgio said.