Page 117 of Hidden By His Side

Chapter 35

The doctors gave Summer something to help her sleep. Ramiro hadn’t been sure sedation was the best idea, but Summer agreed without hesitation, exhaustion etched on her face.

She normally held all of her emotions deep inside. Spewing them at him drained her in a way he’d never seen.

Hearing the truth hadn’t been easy. The images his mind created to torment him were worse than anything she could say. Ramiro failed to protect her, and he hated himself for that.

Yelling at him exhausted her, but there’d been a calmness after, one he hoped would lead to healing.

This was only the first day out of many to come. When she woke up, she’d likely try to push him away again. If he thought it would help her, he’d leave. He’d do anything for her. But he’d seen her fear, and he’d seen it shift back to anger when he said he’d stay.

The nurse checked the baby’s heartbeat again, the thrumming as strong as ever. Summer’s blood pressure had spiked, causing concern among the medical staff. The monitors beeped more steadily again, and Summer slept, even if it was a drug-induced sleep.

“The baby is still doing fine,” the nurse said, her voice low even though there was no worry about waking the patient.

“How long will she sleep?” he asked.

“Until morning.” She began putting away the equipment, wiping off Summer’s stomach and covering her with the sheet until she looked almost peaceful.

“Are you certain?” he asked.

“I promise,” the nurse said, patting his arm before continuing out the door.

When Ramiro left the room, Naz leaned against the wall near the stairs. His perch kept him between them and the elevators. It wasn’t likely that any cartel members would target them in the hospital, but Ramiro didn’t want to take any chances. He’d already failed once.

He must still look as drained as he felt. Creases pinched Naz’s forehead and his arms crossed over his chest.

“Sorry to take you away from Meg,” Ramiro said. The kid hadn’t left her side since they’d been attacked months ago.

Naz shook his head.

“I won’t be long,” Ramiro promised.

To his surprise, Naz’s lips parted. “Hurts.”

Ramiro’s chest tightened. He felt the same way when he was away from Summer. “Sorry. I’ll return soon.”

Naz shook his head. “Hurts… when she hurts.” His hand came up, and he squeezed Ramiro’s shoulder in the way Ramiro had often done to him. “Go.” He nodded down the hall toward Summer’s room. “Safe.”

It was the most he’d heard Naz speak, and the words carved him up inside. Ramiro nodded at Naz and pressed the button for the elevator, relieved to disappear inside.

He’d been shot and beaten, and none of it compared to how he felt knowing Summer had been hurt. He needed to return some of that pain.

Ramiro told Seb he could leave, but Seb leaned against the wall, taking out a blunt and staring at the bleeding and tied up dead man.

That’s what Ovidio was. He was dead; Ramiro just hadn’t finished killing him yet.

“Think I’ll enjoy the show,” Seb said, blowing smoke into the air.

Ramiro wasn’t sure how Seb was related to Ovidio, but he didn’t care about any of that.

Ovidio’s breathing rattled in his shattered nose. His face was still a mashed-in mess. His ear was missing, and his arm was covered with blood where it’d been chained to the ground.

“Please…” The word was only air, barely penetrating Ramiro’s mind.

Guzman should know better than to beg. He’d started them on this path. Ramiro was just going to end it and enjoy doing it.

He gripped those bloody cheeks, pulling the man’s face off the ground until his eyes opened into slits.

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