Page 36 of Deadly North

“My head’s felt better, but I’m okay.” I’m working to keep the anger out of my voice. I’m pissed the fuck off at myself, for letting myself be ambushed like a goddamn prospect. Last thing I remember before being knocked out was some guy approaching me, saying he was from the neighborhood watch and asking me what I was doing sitting in Gigi’s yard. I got up to talk to the guy, and then some other fucker hit me from behind with something hard enough to knock me out.

My head hurts, sure. But the biggest thing wrong with me is knowing Gigi could be dead right now, and it would have been my fault. On the way to the clubhouse, I made her tell me what happened. She explained how whoever it was broke into the bus and she scared them off with her gun. I didn’t even know she had a damn gun.

I’ve been sleeping on the job, goddamnit. I could have lost her. The thought of it makes the blood turn to ice. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive myself.

Wishbone turns to Gigi now. “He’ll need to be watched for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours, to make sure none of his symptoms get worse. Lots of rest, lots of water, no strenuous activity.” He smirks at me. “That means everything you think it does.”

“Noted.”

“Tylenol for the pain is okay. No alcohol. If you see anything suspicious, any changes in him that concern you, get in touch with me right away.”

“I’ll do that,” Gigi says.

“Okay. Well, I’m gonna head back home. You’ve got my number.” Wishbone claps me softly on the shoulder and yawns, testament to the fact that it’s almost three in the morning. “You listen to your nurse, you hear? I know you’re not so good at following directions, but she’s in charge for the next couple of days.”

“Not so sure about that,” I mutter. Gigi gives me a sharp look. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, I’m kidding. Thanks, Bone.”

Wishbone nods at Gigi and walks off, leaving us alone in the room. At this hour, the clubhouse is pretty much deserted. “Do you think we should call Magnus?” Gigi asks, hugging her arms to her chest.

“Nah, anything we need to tell the prez can wait until morning. You’re safe, and we’re fine here. No need to wake anyone else up out of a sound sleep.”

“I never really got a chance to ask you about what happened,” she says, biting her lip. “Why were you there instead of Reed?”

It’s the first time either of us has acknowledged that technically, we’re fighting still. But she’s at least talking to me, which I figure is a good sign.

“We got back from the run, so I called him up and relieved him,” I explained. “He needed someone to take over for a shift, anyway. And I knew you were mad at me, so I just figured I’d take the watch when you were asleep.”

Gigi looks down. “I’m sorry you got hurt,” she says softly.

“Jesus, G, don’t be sorry about that. I was supposed to be protecting you, remember? It’s my fault that asshole ever got into your bus in the first place. Thank fuck you had that gun.”

I swallow around a large lump in my throat. I want to take her in my arms. I want a lot of things right now. But I know I don’t deserve any of them.

She sighs. “I probably blew a hole in the wall of my bus.”

“No biggie. Pretty sure we can patch that up for you.”

Gigi falls silent. Her lips start to tremble. “I was afraid you were dead when I saw you lying there on the ground,” she whispers. “I was so scared…”

“Hey, it’s okay.” I take a risk and reach my arms out to her. Gigi immediately comes to me and melts into them. “Sshhh,” I say as she starts to tremble. “We’re all right. We’re both just fine, baby. We’re fine.” Absently, I reach up and stroke her hair. She sinks into my chest, her arms going around my waist. For a while, we just stay like that. And then Gigi pulls away slightly and looks at me with a tremulous half-smile.

“I like the fact that Wishbone put me in charge,” she murmurs. “Too bad you’re too sick to participate in anystrenuous activity, though. That’s no fun at all.”

“Wishbone ain’t God,” I growl. “I’m up for some strenuous activity if you are.”

“I am, but I’m not about to let you do that. I plan to be a very responsible nurse to you, and make sure you’re completely well before… well,before.”

“Killjoy.” I suck in a deep breath, and then let it out. “Hey, listen. Are we gonna talk about why you were so mad at me earlier? Not that I want to, exactly, but I’d at least like to understand what I did that set you off so bad.”

That wipes the smile off her face. Damn.

“We should,” she admits. “But right now it’s so late. Let’s do it tomorrow.”

I nod, relieved. My head is still pounding like a sonofabitch. But hell, at least I get credit for being the one to bring the fight up and working toward a solution, right? Look at me, being all mature and shit.

“You wanna go back to your apartment?” I ask. “I can stay here in the main room. Sleep on one of the couches.”

“That doesn’t sound very comfortable,” she protests. “Especially since you’ve got a concussion. You should be getting a better night’s sleep than that.”

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