Page 121 of Hot for the Jerk

I must have groaned loud enough to draw attention, because my brothers and the doctor were at my bedside.

“You look like shit,” Wyatt said.“Seriously, dude.Did you land even one punch?”

“Don’t … don’t make me laugh.”

“Thirsty?”Clint asked, picking up the cup of water on the table beside my bed and bringing the straw to my mouth.I sipped it greedily before holding the last big gulp on my tongue to soften it.

After swallowing, I took in my surroundings.I could tell that my face was bandaged up pretty effectively.Which meant—

“Did … you … did you shave—”

“They had to shave your beard for surgery,” Clint said, reading the horror in my eyes.“It’ll grow back.”

“Haven’t seen you without a beard in years,” Wyatt added.“Let’s embrace the change.Give us guys with scruff some time to shine, huh?”

Luckily, neither of my arms nor hands were broken.So I managed to flip him the bird with no problem.

“What’s broken?”I asked, facing the doctor again.

“Your patella was shattered.So you had to have a full knee replacement,” the doctor started.“Your nose was alsoverybroken, as was the bone around your left eye socket and your left cheekbone.We’ve put metal plates in your cheek to reconstruct the shattered bones.”

“Guy had mallets for fists,” I stated.“Just so we’re clear.I fought a fucking genetic abomination.”

My brothers both chuckled.

“Fortunately, there was no internal damage besides a ruptured spleen, which we had to remove.Otherwise, you sustained no internal injuries.I believe that with patience, physio, and rehab, you will make a full recovery.”

“Even his beard, doc?”Wyatt asked with a snicker.“What about his beard?Did you save the hair?Can we glue it onto his face until the real stuff grows back?”

The doctor merely snorted in amusement before taking his leave.

“That was some Jack Reacher style shit you did out there, little brother,” Clint said, a mix of pride and worry in his eyes.“I get why you did it, but don’t ever do it again.”

“Planned to do it again on Thursday,” I replied dryly.“Sorry.”

He rolled his eyes.

Movement to my right pulled my attention.

Raina and Marco were both awake, rubbing their knuckles into their eyes in the exact same way.

“Hey, Marco,” Clint said, “I saw a vending machine out there.You hungry?”

Marco climbed down out of his mom’s lap, but before joining my brothers, he ran up to me and wrapped his arms around my chest.“You’re the best, Jagger.I’m so glad you’re okay.Thank you for saving me.Thank you for kicking my uncle’s butt.Even if he also kicked yours.”

Brushing my hand over his soft hair, I nodded.“Would do it again in a heartbeat, bud.But I think your mom is the real hero.She took down your uncle, Ozais.”My gaze drifted to Raina who stood behind her kid with, a pensive, nervous look in her eyes.

“You want anything from the vending machine?”Marco asked.“When I broke my arm when I was six, Mom said I could haveanythingI wanted from the vending machine.I’m sure it’s the same for you.”

“Bring me back a something soft, hmm?I don’t think I should be chewing too much with all these broken bones in my face.”

He nodded.“I’ll see what I can do.”

Once they were gone, and it was just Raina and me, I held out my arm for her to join me.She seemed hesitant at first, but eventually perched her perfect little ass on the corner of the bed.I reached for her hand.

“It’s not over,” I said plainly.“I’m too in love with you for it to be over.So tell me why you freaked out at the house.”

Her chin trembled as tears welled up in her eyes.She crashed her face to my chest, unable to speak.Then she gasped and pulled back.“Oh god.I’m sorry.Did I hurt you?”

---