Page 81 of Shield

“Mostly to remind you that you are still healing and to take it slow.”

I roll my eyes and pull the bandage off, tossing it to the side.

“What happened to Franco?” The last thing I remember isthe stairwell, and Franco holding Valentina hostage. I don’t remember Vin or Tommy showing up or how I got here.

“Your girl here shot him in the upper chest near his shoulder—the second time, anyway. Before that, she shot him in the arm,” says Vin, clapping Siena on the back a little too hard. I frown at him pointedly until he rolls his eyes and removes hand from her back.

Then I shift my gaze to her. She looks pale. I can’t tell if it’s because of me or Vin reminding her what she did to Franco. Memories of throwing the watch at Franco come flooding back. I didn’t want Siena to find out that way, but she wouldn’t let me pull my gun on him and she needed to be okay with me shooting him. I never would have guessed that she would choose to shoot him herself, but I shouldn’t be surprised. My girl is becoming more of a badass every day.

Tommy interjects. “She saved your life. She’s a good shot, but he survived. We brought him back here, and Doc fixed him up.”

“He’s waiting for you in one of the chain-and-drain rooms,” says Vin.

That’s Vin’s name for the rooms where we extract information from people, the rooms with chains on the walls and drains in the floor.

Fatigue presses in, and I shake my head trying to ward it off. I need to be clear and present for Siena. I know she’s going to have some choice words for me. “The fuck did you give me, Doc?”

“Just some sedatives to keep you under so you would heal. It will wear off soon.”

I turn back to Vin. “I saw Valentina, but… is she dead?”

Vin snorts. “Hell no. Fucking cockroach. Concussion,shot through the shoulder, stitched up, and sent home.”

Tommy moves closer. “You lost a lot of blood and you passed out. I think you were in and out even before you fully lost consciousness. Vin threw Franco in the truck. I got Valentina out, then came back to help Siena get you into the car.”

Vin and Tommy exchange a look, silently arguing about something. I guess Vin wins, because he’s the one to speak.

“Aurelio showed up. But his men escorted him out. I don’t think he caught a bullet.”

“Heard from him since?” I ask, rubbing a hand over my beard. It’s trimmed like usual. Siena must have done that for me while I was unconscious. I squeeze her hand.

Tommy shakes his head. “No. But we know where he is. The war is on.”

“There’s been a lot of rumors flying around, but we’ve got some work to do to be ready for when he strikes,” says Vin.

“Or ready to strike first,” grits Tommy.

“Now’s not the time for that,” Siena murmurs, running her cool hand over my cheek and shooting Vin and Tommy a dirty look. “You need to rest, my love.”

My love. She keeps calling me ‘my love.’ It’s the closest she’s come to telling me she loves me—sober, anyway—and I fucking love it. I turn my head to kiss her palm.

But I have no intention of resting.

“God damn it,” I grumble, shifting to sit up. “I have too much to handle to be lying in bed.”

Franco, for starters. That bitch needs to be dealt with sooner than later.

“See what I mean?” Vin says to Tommy, as I swing my legs over the side of the bed and start to stand. Siena grabs mearound the waist, steadying me.

“Hold on,” says Dr. Rossi, removing the sticky pads from my chest that held the lines in place.

Vin smirks. “I told Tommy you wouldn’t stay in bed unless you were knocked out.”

I twist slowly to the left and right, testing out my injury. I’m a little sore, but there is no pain at all. If I had to guess, I’d say that’s why Dr. Rossi kept me under for so long, to force me to heal. “I’m fine. The problem is these fucking meds.”

Dr. Rossi nods. “They’ll wear off over the next hour or so. You don’t need them anymore. You’re almost healed up, though there will likely be some scarring.”

Siena beams at the doctor’s words. Fuck, she’s so beautiful. She’s wearing leggings that hug her thick thighs, a tank top and fitted hoodie molded to her curves, her hair in a messy bun. I want everyone out so I can pull her onto my cock, come inside her, then fall asleep with my head buried in her chest.

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