Page 4 of Outside The Wire

“I told them they were taking up good space for my brand new Funyuns candy, and I kicked them out.”

“You’re such an asshole,” Lock muttered.

Fox stood suddenly, shoving his chair back. “Hey, that one girl kicked me in the shin. She was a nasty piece of work.”

My neck throbbed from surgery and the little machine started beeping faster. I needed to stop getting so worked up over stupid shit Fox said. But it was hard when they were constantly in my room. It had been like this for two fucking days. Just this morning, it was announced that I had passed after my heart gave out after surgery. It wouldn’t be long before they would move me.

God willing.

I knew I couldn’t take too much more of this.

“Would you calm the fuck down?” Lock hissed. “The last fucking thing we need is for doctors and nurses to come rushing in here because you made all the fucking alarms go off.”

I raised my hand slightly. “I would really appreciate not losing any more blood. It kind of sucked the first time. Pretty sure my old man took most of it with him to his grave. Not that he deserved it.”

“It’s okay, brother,” Fox said, massaging my shoulder. “I gotcha covered. I donated for you. I was a good match. I just opened my vein and told them to take as much as they needed,” he grinned. “The way I see it, we’re like blood brothers now. What runs through my veins now runs through yours.”

The way he stared at me really fucking creeped me out, and when I swung my gaze to meet Lock’s, he looked just as terrified as I was. “Well…that’s…” What the hell was I supposed to say to that? “I’m…”

“Honored,” Red said, standing up in the corner, finally waking up from his ten-hour nap. “He’s fucking honored to be given such a precious gift.” And then he fucking winked at me.

“Exactly,” I gritted out. “I’m honored.”

Fox beamed in such a way that I actually thought he might burst into tears. “Well, you know… I love ya, man. We’re family, you and I. I just…” He ducked his head, pressing his forefinger and thumb to either side of the bridge of his nose. “Sorry, I just need a minute,” he said, dashing from the room.

Red smirked as he walked over to my side of the bed. “Well, that should not only keep him occupied for a while, but also put on a good show for everyone outside.”

“Can we just get to the part where we move me out of here and get me home?” I grumbled. I fucking hated hospitals, especially ones where there were no cute nurses fawning over me. And they definitely weren’t here because everyone thought I was dead.

“We’ve already hired a private nurse for you at the compound,” Lock started.

“Female?” I asked hopefully.

“Male.”

My hope deflated. “Do you have to take all the joy out of my life? Seriously, is there anything else you want to pile onto the shitstorm that is my life right now?”

“Um…” He frowned as he looked through his plans, which happened to be color-coded and filed by date and time. “Nope, I think that’s it for now.”

“Perfect.”

“Uh…except for the fact that you’re gonna need the catheter for at least another day,” he winced. “Doctor’s orders.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Lock?”

“I’m just the messenger.”

“Someone give me a gun.”

“Not sure that’s good for the muscles in your neck after just severing such a major?—”

I twisted my neck a little too harshly, regretting it instantly. “Are you really fucking arguing with me?” I asked Dash.

“What? Oh, that wasn’t me. That was Eli. Yeah, he—” Dash started looking around the room, up at the ceiling as his brows drew together. “Did you hear that? Yeah, I think he’s in the ceiling. Maybe crawling in the vents.”

“Anyway,” Lock said, getting us back on track. “We’ll move you in a half hour. The ride shouldn’t take us too long and FNG will be in the back with you, monitoring you the whole time.”

“I thought he was driving.”

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