GIANNI ARRIVED at the hospital just a few minutes after Xavvy, according to their call. Mason was standing just beyond the check-in at the ER, so Gianni went to him. “Alison? Bonner? Chris?”
“All being checked out. I got a clean bill despite the duct tape.”
“Doc. Mason. Please, man.”
“Alison has some bumps and bruises. Chris has a fairly serious head injury. Bonner has a minimum of broken ribs, maybe a few broken vertebrae.”
“Broken—” Jesus. And Chris. Christ. “What else can you tell me?”
“Your foreman is the toughest motherfucker I’ve seen in a long time. I approve.”
“I do too.” He itched to go see Bonner. And Alison and Chris. “Xavvy?”
“He kept everyone alive, huh?”
“Did he go back?”
“Yeah, to ident people to law enforcement.”
“Okay. I’ll make sure Colt keeps eyes on him.” Fuck-a-doodle-goddamn-do.
“His cover is gone. We burned down the bar, man.” Mason chuckled. “Xavvy says there will be enough arrests to get to the heart of the cartel.”
“Good. I want them to go down, from top to bottom. Brutally.”
“I know, man.” Mason clapped him on the shoulder. “We got this. I’ll clear you to see all of them, okay?”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate it. I’ll start with Alison.”
“Good. I imagine Chris will be on his way to surgery in short order.”
Bile rose in his throat, making it all the way to the back of his mouth. “Fuck. I’ve known him since we were kids.”
“He’s the sheriff. They took him before Xavier knew what was happening.”
So not the bikers. The enforcers. “You mean they would have taken him no matter what.”
“Yes. You know your job. Guilt isn’t part of it.” Mason didn’t sound like he cared all that much.
“Right.” Gianni thought he could really like Mason.
“So. Let me get you in.” Mason took his arm. “Got your ID?”
“I do.” His cover would be blown too.
“Who first? Still Alison?”
“Yeah. She’ll want to be cleared and get back to work.” He knew his partner too well.
“Fair enough. Follow me.” Mason led him through a set of hallways and into a bay.
“Tell them to clear me, Cesare!” Those were Alison’s first words to him when he walked into her room.
“Gee, good to see you alive and kicking, Als.”
“Ditto. How did I know you were fine?”
“Fine?” He leaned in so she could see his new bruises.
“At least this time you didn’t take one in the vest.” She looked him over. “You have to stop getting hit in the face.”
“It was my head last time. How do you not have a mark on you?”
Her mouth went flat. “You can’t see the bruises.”
“You’ve been checked out? X-rays?” They loved to hate on each other, but he would kill anyone that hurt her.
“I have. They want me to have some other kind of scan, but those fuckers really treated me and Mason like glass. I’m fine.”
“Good. How about Chris and Bonner?”
She shook her head. “Xavier got them to stay untied because the bikers thought they were dead. Chris is hurt, Gianni. Bonner was up and moving, but he’s in a rough way. He got us free, though. He’s a hell of a kid.”
“Chris is heading for surgery, lady.”
“Bonner?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I’m gonna see him next.”
“Get me out of here so I can get back to work, and you can take hospital duty.” She shook her head when he opened his mouth. “You look like hammered shit.”
“I feel like hammered shit, so we’re even.”
“You’re the one who needs to be checked out, Caesar. Trade me.”
“I’ll get you out once Mason has a look at you too.”
“Deal. Send him in and go see your sweet baboo.” She waved him off, making shooing motions with her hands.
He kissed Alison’s cheek on the way out. She made gagging noises, which made him chuckle. No guffawing. It hurt too much. He pushed through the door, running right into Mason. The man was like that clown in the old post office commercial. “Check her out, Doc. Where’s Bonner?”
“Five E.”
“Got it.” He headed to Bonner’s room, ready to show his badge, but there were no uniforms there yet. There should be.
He knocked lightly before ducking into the space. “Bonner? You in here, caro?”
Bonner was on his belly, back a swollen bruise. Jesus. “I’m here. Tell them to let me go.”
“I don’t think so, honey. This looks bad.” He moved the chair up so Bonner could see him before he sat down. This was his fault. Bonner was broken, and it was his fault.
“You’re okay. I thought… when I saw that guy.”
“Me too. I really thought he had me. I got him, but he put me down for almost an hour. Then I couldn’t find you. Or anyone.” The panic when his whole team, but for Colt, was missing…. Jesus, he’d aged ten years.
“Is Bri safe? Are the cowboys okay?”
“Bri’s fine. Mr. Franklin had to have some stitches, and he’s in for observation tonight. Hank is already back at work. They underestimated Luis, so Micah, Jerilyn, and Bri have moved to Jeri’s condo in Dallas for a few days. I promised Bri calls.”
“Thank God. You’re whole? You look bruised as hell.”
“Caro, have you looked in the mirror?”
“Nope. Not a chance.” Bonner grimaced. “Besides, I try not to look at my backside.”
“Uh-huh. Well, I look at it a lot, and that gown doesn’t leave much to the imagination.” He winked, which made Bonner smile. “I’ll be okay.”
“Will I?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t talked to the doc yet. Mason assures me you can feel your toes. Is he right?”
“Yeah. I can wiggle, but I’d rather not.” Bonner’s tone was dry as dust.
“Well, there you go. They think broken ribs, maybe cracked vertebrae.”
“Ah. Had that. That’s okay.”
Gianni had to grin. Such a cowboy. “Well, I know how it feels to have broken ribs. Blah.” He looked at Bonner critically. “They shot you point blank with rubber bullets. Really, I think you did great.”
“Yeah, I did fab, saving you. Don’t make me laugh.”
“Hey.” Reaching out, he had to touch Bonner’s cheek, where a huge scrape marched angrily across the skin. “You warned me, you freed Alison and Mason, and you fought your way out. You’re a fucking stud.” And he hadn’t babbled so much since the last time his parents had shown up unexpectedly.
“I want to come home with you.” Bonner pushed into the touch.
“I want that too. We just need to see what the docs say. If you have someone from the rodeo side of things you trust to treat you, I can bring them in.”
“If I need surgery, yeah. Dr. Cox. Please.”
“You got it.” Gianni pulled out his phone to make a note. He would find this Dr. Cox and get his ass to Mount Pleasant.
“Thanks. Can you stay a minute?” Bonner was barely awake, the pain pills obviously working. “Just for a minute.”
“I can stay as long as you need me.” He had a phone cord in his pocket, and Colt would send someone with whatever else he needed. He also wanted to be in the hospital when Chris got out of surgery. They’d put a couple of stitches in Greg and then sent him on his way.
Bonner sighed softly. “Never getting kidnapped in my undershorts again. Ever.”
“No. No, I imagine it sucked. I got kidnapped fully clothed, and it was awful.” He touched Bonner’s arm. “I’m right here if you want to sleep some. The doc will come back when he comes back, not a moment sooner.” Gianni had been in more than one ER.
“Yeah. Doctors are like that. They got no respect for a guy’s timeline.” Bonner’s words were starting to slur.
“Not one bit. I mean, think of the prime snuggle time we’ve missed. I almost had you convinced to come sleep with me.” Grinning, he rubbed his fingers back and forth, just tiny contacts.
“Uh-huh. Except I’m a loser and a half.”
“Nope. You’re a cowboy, caro. I’m half-blood there, so I know the breed. You’re a good one the whole way.” He exaggerated his Texas so it came out good’un.
“Lost your Eye-talian, boss.”
“Mmm. I can do both. Sleep, caro. Just rest. You’re safe now, and so is everyone else.” And if they didn’t stay that way, Gianni would start kicking asses so hard their owners would wish they were dead.
“Yeah. Sleep.” Bloodshot blue eyes stared into him like lasers, before they slowly closed, only opening up a few times to assure that he was still there.
Then Bonner’s breathing evened out, and boom, he was asleep. Gianni texted Mason to let him know about Bonner, then sat back in his chair. Maybe he could sneak in a catnap too.