“Ronnie?” Nikko asked through parched lips. His first thoughts were of her. He hoped nothing else had gone wrong after he passed out.
“She’s okay, upstairs I think. She fainted and passed out after you were shot. A nasty concussion where she hit her head. So they are keeping her overnight. But they got a guard on her.”
“A guard. Why? I want to see her,” he winced again and tried to move.
“They still got to hear the tapes and get in touch with the Florida prosecutors. And, don’t move,” Andreas’s tone commanded, reminding him not to open up his stitches. “I’ll try to arrange it,” he promised as Nikko continued to struggle.
“Please,” Nikko looked up at him feeling suddenly tired and groggy.
Andreas saw his brother’s eyes fading. “Rest,” he told him softly brushing the hair out of his eyes. “I’ll make it happen.” But, Nikko hadn’t heard that. He had passed out once more.
***
Ronnie was in a room. A police man stood outside. She had been told by a nurse they would be keeping her overnight, and was relieved. She had to see Nikko, tell him she loved him before she was carted off to jail. She saw Gio pass by her room. He was talking to a man in a black suit. The detective maybe. She watched the door, hoping he would turn and she could catch his eye, maybe get some news about Nikko. It had been hours since he’d been wheeled into surgery.
Then she saw Blaze appear, and then both men tore out of her line of vision. Fear penetrated her soul. She got up quickly, and the IV the nurse fastened to her hand tore at her. “Fuck,” she winced at the pain, and stopped a moment to regain her composure. She turned her legs to the other side of the bed grabbing the IV pole as she stood more carefully this time.
“Not so fast, Miss Sears. Get right back into bed,” a voice bellowed from the door way. She turned to see the man who had been talking to Gio earlier.
“I have to see Nikko. And who are you?” she asked, refusing to sit at his command.
“I’m Detective Alexander. I have a few questions for you. So, let me repeat myself which is something I don’t like to do. Sit,” he commanded.
She didn’t move. She glared at him eyes narrowing. “I’ll sit,” she said, “And I’ll answer your questions, if you’ll answer mine first.” She needed to find out why the brothers had taken off like that. She needed some news about Nikko.
The detective glared at this little blonde hellion. Nikko sure had his hands full with this one, and he wasn’t just talking about the chicks breasts. Shit, and those were a handful. “What’s your question, Miss Sears?” he asked crossing his hands over his chest blocking her view of the hallway. It didn’t mean he would answer it, but he was curious.
“Where did Gio and Blaze go? They rushed away so quickly. Is Nikko okay?” she spit out in a rush.
“That’s two questions,” he looked at her with a wry, amused expression.
“So what!” she stomped. “Just tell me, where did they go and is Nikko okay?” She began to round the bed determined to find out for herself if this detective was going to be a dickhead. She’d get past him somehow even though his massive frame blocked the exit.
He wasn’t going to budge and she obviously couldn’t move him. Could she? She glanced at his feet in police issue shoes. She wished she wasn’t barefoot, and had her hiking boots on. She’d get him out of her way in a hurry. He noticed the direction of her eyes, and knew what she was thinking. Oh yes, Nikko would have fun with this one. “Okay little lady, back in bed and no funny business. Your boyfriend was out of surgery an hour ago, just woke up, and is headed to recovery. He’ll be in a room down the hall in about an hour. Now, get into bed.” He began to move toward her forcing her to back up or be pushed.
The tension she had been feeling for the last three hours began to slip away. He was in recovery. He was going to be in a room down the hall. Her heart began to beat.
Her shoulders slumped in relief, and she turned and headed back to her bed, being extra careful to hold her hospital gown shut. She didn’t want this beast of a man getting his thrills by feasting his eyes on her backside.
The cop had to chuckle at her feeble attempts to maneuver the bulky awkward IV pole while clutching her gown closed. “I’ll turn around.”
“Good!” she barked.
“Just for a second though,” he laughed. “So make it quick.”
Frigging idiot ass cop, Ronnie grumbled to herself. But she moved quickly and got into bed, pulling the covers over her legs discreetly as he turned back around.