Page 72 of On The Run

I should probably be concerned by my thoughts, but I wasn’t. I hadn’t suddenly turned into a violent person who wanted the world to burn. I just learned how far I would go for the people I loved this last week and what I was willing to do and accept as justice for anyone who hurt what was mine. And I found I was very comfortable with these new developments.

It was only a few hours after I first took my vigil next to Aiden’s bedside that Kai came back in the room with the update. He was still in full tactical gear with dirt covering his face, and he looked exhausted. He smiled grimly at me before falling into the chair next to mine. “It’s done.”

I didn’t ask any questions because I was able to tell Kai wasn’t in the headspace to answer. I couldn’t even imagine the shit he must have seen over his career, and I wasn’t going to push him. I knew what I needed to know for now, and everything else would come once Aiden finally woke up.

Dad squeezed my shoulder and collapsed into the chair next to mine. Someone had stayed with me the entire time, never leaving me alone. Bronx, my parents, and Laura all rotated shifts. I appreciated it, even if their attention was a little stifling. “And how are you holding up?” he asked, his voice casual. It was his way of saying he wasn’t going to push me if I wanted to avoid the conversation now.

“As good as I can be, I guess. I can’t wait to get him back to Denver. I’m getting itchy out here.”

Dad grinned and popped up an eyebrow. “Too much open air?”

I snorted. We both knew I hadn’t left the walls of the hospital since Aiden was brought here. The farthest I’d gone was to the cafeteria and the small play area for kids when Gray came and visited yesterday. “I just want to get home.”

“It’ll happen sooner than you think.” I looked up to the door of Aiden’s room to see Kai and his business partner Martinez walking back in. They had been in and out of the hospital, making behind the scenes moves and dealing with the aftermath of Giovani’s actions. Martinez had flown in to help deal with the fallout and cleanup. “They’re ready to start easing him off on the drugs that are keeping him asleep. Dr. Lawrence believes that within a day or two, he may be ready to go. He’ll be weak for a while, but if he has help, he probably won’t need to be transferred.”

I narrowed my eyes at Kai. “Is she supposed to be telling you all that? You aren’t his next of kin.”

Kai shrugged. “We have an understanding. Plus, Manny gave them permission to tell me or you anything and to make decisions if they can’t reach him right away.”

“He said me, too?” I asked, taken aback. The man barely knew me, and his son and I weren’t even officially together. I understood giving Kai that power. He was in charge up here and knew how to handle situations like that. But me? The weight of what that truly meant was heavy on my shoulders, and I was deeply touched.

Kai nodded sharply but didn’t say anything else. He looked toward Aiden. “Everything is taken care of. Neither he nor Manny will have to worry about any questions from authorities or Giovani anymore.”

“Is he dead?” I jumped as my head swung toward Aiden. I didn’t realize he’d woken up. His voice was weak, but he was focused entirely on Kai. I didn’t think, just jumped to his bedside and reached for his hand. Aiden didn’t look at me, but he took it and squeezed. Feeling his hand in mine, the pressure of his touch, started to ease the darkness that was swirling in my heart until just now. Aiden’s eyes were filled with determination and fire. Whatever happened to him when he was gone, he hadn’t lost his fighting spirit.

Kai didn’t answer immediately so I filled in the silence. “I didn’t see that you woke up,tokki. Are you thirsty?”

Aiden broke his staredown with Kai and turned to me. The intensity instantly melted away. My breath escaped me in a woosh and everything around me disappeared. It didn’t matter that I was sitting in a hard plastic chair in a hospital room filled with people. The only person in the room with me was Aiden. We were in our own little bubble as I met his eyes, both of us speaking volumes without saying a word.

I wasn’t sure what was going to happen once Aiden woke up and was coherent enough to come to terms with everything that happened. He may have said he was tired of running before he was taken, but trauma affected people in different ways, and I didn’t even know half of what he’d been through the last few days. I was preparing myself for Aiden to tell me that he wanted space and ask me to leave. It would have broken my heart, but I would have done whatever was best for him.

One look and all those doubts were gone. He didn’t speak, but that was fine. I didn’t need the words. Those brown eyes were telling a story all on their own, and I knew, just knew, that this was the start of something real between us. Whatever relationship we would have managed prior to his attack wouldn’t hold a candle to the one we would be able to forge now. It wouldn’t be easy. We had miles and miles of obstacles ahead of us, but I was willing to navigate through them all with Aiden if he continued to look at me the way he was now.

We were in our own little world, just Aiden and me, and I personally would have stayed there forever, but a throat clearing popped the bubble and we were back to reality.

Aiden squeezed my hand and gave me one last meaningful look, one that spoke of promises of more, before turning toward Kai. He was hiding it well, but I was close enough to see that small flinch with the movement. He was already in pain.

“Is Giovani dead?” he asked again. Aiden’s tone was neutral, but I wondered how he would react to the news. His father deserved to die, but that didn’t mean anything to the human brain.

“Yes,” Kai answered matter-of-factly. Over our time working together, I grew to appreciate that about him. He was blunt. He was honest. He didn’t try to sugarcoat things or skate over facts. And honestly, it was fucking refreshing. With all the promises I was getting when Aiden was gone about him being ok and that he was going to be found, I had grown to count on Kai’s straightforwardness. “I handled it myself.”

My entire focus was on Aiden, though, when Kai told him the news. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but Aiden didn’t move, didn’t blink, had no physical reaction at all. I was about to check to make sure he hadn’t fallen asleep sitting up when he finally responded, “I want to see him.”

“Aiden—” But I didn’t get any other words out before he interrupted me.

“No. I’m sorry, but I need to do this. This won’t be over for me until I see with my own two eyes that the fucker is dead. I trust you, Kai, but I need this.”

I wanted to argue. Fuck, did I want to tell him no, stand up and throw a fucking fit. He didn’t need to see that. Aiden needed to heal, to move forward, not add more nightmares to the ones he was bound to have already. I had to physically bite the inside of my cheek to stop the words from spilling out of my mouth. My father, who I had forgotten was even in the room, gripped my thigh right above my knee. His nails were biting into my skin, grounding me, and I used them as a physical anchor. It was exactly what I needed to calm enough to see the full picture and really look at Aiden and listen to what he was saying.

Aiden was watching me, a challenge in his eyes. He knew I wanted to argue, and he was ready for it. But this wasn’t my decision. It was strictly Aiden’s. He had every right to want this. Fuck, I might be the same if the situation were reversed. We weren’t even dating yet, not in any official capacity anyway. I had no right at all to even express my opinion about this. So, I didn’t. I kept my mouth shut. But I had no intention at all of letting him go alone.

Kai stayed silent, watching Aiden and me, probably expecting an explosion. After a long minute, he agreed. “We can arrange that once the hospital gives you the all clear. I haven’t disposed of him yet, just in case. I thought you might need that.”

I shot daggers at Kai, but he continued to blatantly ignore me. Fucker. Next to him, Martinez had his arms folded across his chest and was wearing a smirk. To the world, he looked casual and at ease, but I saw the dangerous glint in his eyes. I knew he was aware of everything going on around him.

“Thank you,” Aiden replied quietly. It seemed he lost most of his fight once he got what he wanted. He turned toward me, his cheeks slightly flushed. “Can I get some water, please?”

“Of course,tokki.” I jumped up and went to the tray in the corner. He still had to be careful with his fluid intake, but the doctors advised small amounts of liquid would be ok. I knew they had so many questions they hadn’t been able to ask him yet that would help with the treatment, like how he got fluid in his lungs. I was dying to know too, but I wouldn’t push him.

---