Page 43 of Burned By Love

That wouldn’t happen anytime soon, which meant that West had time to talk to Taylor.His captain had texted to tell him he and the others were in the waiting room so that was where West went after kissing the top of Jonathan’s head.A few of the nurses and doctors he walked past on his way there nodded at him, probably recognizing him from one of the many times he or another member of his team had spent time here.They worked fewer fires than one would expect, but most of their calls were medical, so they’d gotten to know a lot of people at the hospital.

West was still wearing his uniform, but the others had gone back to the station to shower and change.As soon as he stepped into the room, Austin raised West’s bag that he’d grabbed from his locker.

“If I didn’t already have a boyfriend, I’d kiss you,” West said as he grabbed the bag.

“At least give Jonathan time to heal up so he can kick your ass if you try.”

“As if I want to kiss you.”

Both West and Austin shuddered.They’d never gone down that road, and they weren’t planning to.West had Jonathan, but even if he didn’t, he’d never looked at Austin that way.

“How’s your boy?”Jeremy asked.

“He’ll be fine.He inhaled some smoke, but it’s not nearly as bad as it was after the grocery store fire.Sal banged him up a little, and he’ll bruise, but he’ll be fine.”It was still bad enough for West to want to find the guy and kill him, but he wasn’t leaving Jonathan alone long enough to do that.Sal didn’t matter, anyway.

“Sal didn’t hurt him?”Austin asked.

“He threatened him and burned his store down, but Jonathan will be fine, and that’s what matters the most.”

Austin squeezed West’s shoulder.“It is.You tell Jonathan that we’ll help with the cleanup, all right?We’ll have to wait before we can go inside the shop, but as soon as we can, he won’t have to worry about a thing.”

West looked at the members of his team.They were more like a family than coworkers, and he loved that.He’d left his family behind years ago and hadn’t talked to them since then, but he didn’t need to.He didn’t need his biological family.He had everything he could ever want right here.

West sent his friends on their way since there was no reason for them to wait with him.Jonathan would hopefully be released from the hospital soon, and West would take him straight home so he could shower and get comfortable.Austin was the last to leave.He was worried that Sal would get free and find Jonathan and West.He wanted to protect them, which was sweet but unnecessary.Taylor had confirmed that Sal had been placed under arrest and was handcuffed to his hospital bed.

Austin was headed home, but West was going back to Jonathan’s room.The nurses had to be done with him by now, right?

“It seems like your friends care a lot about you,” someone said as West moved to leave the waiting room after Austin.

He turned to look at the man who’d spoken.He’d been sitting in a chair by the window the entire time West had been talking to his team.West had noticed him when he’d come in, but he hadn’t given the man a second thought.He did now that the man got to his feet.

“We’re family,” he said, wondering what this man wanted.

He stopped in front of West and watched him for a moment.It was enough for West to feel itchy and like he should leave.

The man offered West his hand.“I’m Kent.”

“West,” West said without shaking the man’s hand.Who was he?What the fuck was happening?

“I’m the leader of the local dragon shifter clan,” Kent said in a soft voice that would ensure that no one could hear them.

The waiting room was empty except for them, but there was still a chance someone might come in.Kent couldn’t do anything to West, which was a relief because West knew who Kent was now.He wasn’t surprised that he hadn’t been able to smell it over the disinfectant.“You’re Sal’s father.”

Kent nodded and dropped his hand.“I am.”

“Are you here to threaten me?”

“I’m not.I’d like to talk to Jonathan.”

* * * *

JONATHAN LOOKED UPwhen he heard the door open.If it was another nurse checking in on him, he might have to scream.He’d reassured all of them that he was fine just five minutes ago, for fuck’s sake.He realized that this was their job, but he wanted to be left alone until the doctor said he could go home.

The only exception to that would be West, and Jonathan smiled when he saw him come into the room.That smile vanished when he realized that West wasn’t smiling back.His expression was grim, which meant that something had happened.

“What’s wrong?”Jonathan could only think that it was one of his friends.Had something happened to Christy?She’d been at the shop, but she stayed out, and West had told Jonathan that she was fine.

“There’s someone here who wants to talk to you,” West said.

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