Page 122 of Gunner

Ben’s mouth hung open. He stopped fighting me long enough for me to gently raise his gown. The scar was on his left side, agauze covering the area, so I couldn’t see how long it was, but it was definitely not a Band-Aid size.

“How many stitches?” I asked.

“It’s none of your business.”

“Don’t tell me what’s my business, Ben. Just answer the question.”

“Thirteen.”

I committed the number to memory and slowly lowered his gown. “Why didn’t you call me? And don’t tell me there was no reason. An asshole stabs you, you tell me the instant your life’s not in danger.”

“I’m a cop. I can take care of myself.”

“You may be a cop, but you’re also mine, and any threat to you, I take as a threat to me. That bastard is going to wish he’d never been born.”

“You can’t touch him.”

At least I had a little consolation that he didn’t argue about my ownership tag.

“Why the hell not?”

“We need him for questioning.”

“To find out who sent him to kill Fox.”

A flash of surprise crossed his features. “You…know?”

“Yes, but although you’ve been keeping things from me too, I’ll let it go.”

“Well, isn’t that generous of you?”

“You’re hurt, Ben. Can you give the sarcasm a rest?”

“How did you know I was here anyway?”

“I called the police station. Found out through them you were recuperating. Jamie helped to fill in the blanks.”

“Does he know?”

“About us?”

“There is no us. About you and Mason.”

“He knows about our past and that we cared for each other. He doesn’t know we continued to see each other up to the moment he died.”

Ben raised his eyes to the ceiling. “You can go now.”

“I’m not leaving you, Ben.”

“Why? What are you trying to prove?”

“That I’m not him.”

I could tell that was what he thought. That both Mason and I had screwed him over.

“You’re wasting your time,” he said.

A knock sounded on the door, and a handsome looking doctor with a serious expression walked in. “Ben, how are we feeling?”

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