Page 15 of Wicked Healing

Luca expected her to just take the picture but she hesitated, her expression truly asking if he minded. He’d gotten so used to doctors and nurses asking rhetorical questions like that then doing whatever they’d planned on to begin with that he didn’t even know why they asked.

“I don’t mind,” Luca said eventually, and Erin snapped a couple of pictures as they played and reacquainted themselves.

It didn’t matter anyway. Wicked was what was important. Eventually the dog settled down into the grass, content to be with Luca. And it was the most relaxed Luca could remember being for years. His Boss was back.

At some point they settled back into the shade of a tree, the manicured grass soft beneath them. The silence was nice. Erin seemed to understand that they needed the quiet time to reconnect so she fiddled on her phone. Luca didn’t think he slept, but they must have dozed off a little because Erin eventually prodded his arm. “Luca. Trouble on the horizon.”

He jerked, stunned at how foggy his brain was. Wicked was perched over his hips, ears alert. It was obvious the dog had been guarding him, and Luca had finally slept better than he had since he’d been injured. Obviously his subconscious had recognized that his battle buddy would watch over him.

A low growl rumbled through the dog’s chest and Luca ordered him to stop. There could be no screw-ups with this visit. Wicked was proving that he could be here in the hospital, and Luca was supposed to support him— not fall asleep on the job.

His mother, who was supposed to be in Malibu, was plowing down the sidewalk toward them, her high heels snapping. She was flanked by two security guards and there was determination in her eyes. He could already hear in his mind what she was going to say. ‘You were supposed to be in your room, Luca. Why is this damn dog here?’

He needed to be on his feet when he faced her, not sitting on the ground in front of her like a child. How the fuck did he get up, though? The orderlies were always there when he got stuck, and he had nothing to brace against out here in the grass other than the tree. He hadn’t planned on going down. The cane wouldn’t be enough to support him, assuming he could even find the damn thing. It was nowhere in the grass close.

Erin quietly came to his rescue. She moved to stand on front of him, stance squared, and held her hands out. Luca hoped she could do this, otherwise it would be extremely humiliating. Clasping her forearms with his, he allowed her to lever him vertical, stumbling into her a little as he gained his footing. She stood solid, though, even planting her hands on his hips to steady him.

For a crazy moment, as he looked down into her eyes, he forgot about his mother storming down the sidewalk toward him. Erin’s head was chin level to him, and he wanted to pull her close.

Then she took a step back and gave him a speaking look, her amber eyes concerned. Surreptitiously she fitted the cane into his hand. “You solid?”

“Yes.”

Turning, with Wicked at his side in the down position, he faced his mother. He drew in as much air as he could into his aching lungs and plastered a sardonic smile on his face. “What a nice surprise, Mom. Didn’t know you were coming today.”

She stopped in front of him, pale hands wrapped around her expensive purse. “Why is that animal here, James Luca Carmichael? I made arrangements for him to be cared for somewhere else.”

Erin stepped toward his mother, smiling broadly. “Mrs. Carmichael, my name is Erin Knox. I’ve been the one fostering Wicked while your son was recovering.”

His mother stared at Erin’s outstretched hand like it was covered in dog shit and she made no move to take it. She clutched her purse even tighter and lifted her gaze to Erin. “Why on earth would you bring that animal here? It’s a danger to the public.”

Erin drew her hand back and planted them on her hips, pointedly looking down at Wicked before lifting her gaze back to his mother. “I think you’re a little misinformed.”

Leona motioned to the security guards. “When you weren’t in your room I had these gentlemen look at the security footage to find you. We saw the dog knock you down, Luca.”

His anger was building, and he didn’t want to say anything he would regret. “I’m not going to deny it. He was glad to see me. Just as glad as I was to see him. Why are you here, Mother?”

She crossed her arms over her chest and for the first time looked a little uncomfortable. Luca looked around, wondering where his calm-headed father was. Dad didn’t have any problem with Wicked, as far as Luca knew.

“I called in to check on you and the floor manager, Susan, said that you’d been out of your room for hours. When I asked where you’d gone she told me that you were reuniting with your K9. The same K9 that got you into this position. I had to come down.”

Luca scowled. Several things there needed to be addressed, but he would hit the most pertinent first. “Wicked didn’t lead me into danger. I walked into it myself, and he tried to stop me, but I didn’t listen quickly enough and we both paid for it.”

She shook her head stubbornly. “That’s not how I see it.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter how you see it,” he snapped. “You weren’t there in that hellhole with us. He’s my partner. Period. He’s saved my life more times than I can tell you.”

Luca hated speaking harshly to his mother, but for some reason she was being incredibly obstinate about the entire situation. As he looked at her, he could tell that his words had shocked her, but he was tired of her being so difficult. “You’d better get used to him, Mom, because he’s going to be with me. End of story.”

Her eyes filled with tears and he really felt like shit. He couldn’t even remember the last time they’d butted heads like this. “Where is Dad?”

She lifted her head proudly. “Golfing, with his buddies.”

“Dad doesn’t even know you drove through LA to get here? Did you call him at least?”

Looking uncomfortable, she shook her head. “I left him a note.”

Which he wouldn’t find for several hours. Luca stared, shocked at his mother’s actions. His parents were inseparable. They’d been married for as long as he could remember. It had taken them several years to get pregnant with him, and they’d never been able to have another child, so they’d only had each other to rely on for years. They’d worked together, both realtors at her father’s firm, and had retired at the same time about three years ago, selling the business to a partner.

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