“Didn’t we run this scene before? I get messed up, you play angel of mercy and give me water and bail my ass out.”
“That won’t be happening a second time.”
He finished drinking and crushed the cup in his fist, grimacing at the pain that traveled up his arm. “Yeah, well, I’m not asking to be bailed out. Worst they can do is fucking kill me, and then I won’t have to think about any of this anymore.”
Like how he’d discovered his brother was dead, and that Jazz had called his mother, probably to tell her all the ways he’d failed. That Jazz had let him propose without telling him. Then walking in to find his Jazz in Nick’s lap, her eyes so blue and desolate as she clung to the man that Gray could never quite stop being jealous of even when it made no fucking sense.
She wore his ring yet all he could see was Nick’s arms around her. Her head on his shoulder. Her hair caught in his fist…
“You’re really that much of a ball sac, hmm?”
He blinked up at Lila. “What?”
“You heard me. I won’t call you a pussy, because pussies are damn fucking strong. Right now you’re being the kind of nut I could twist into a knot between two fingers.”
“Are you seriously talking about my balls?”
“Not your balls per se. I’m comparing you to a nut sac in general. Weak, small and wrinkly.”
He shook his head. “Your bedside manner needs a lot of work.”
“Actually, I think my bedside manner is great. You’re lucky I’m even here. No one else is.”
The reality of that dried his mouth. He’d suspected it was true, but to hear it was another thing. “Yeah, so? What do I fucking care?”
“So you’ve broken up with Jazz then.”
Even the words made him grip the sheets in a sweaty fist. “I didn’t say that.”
“Then you’re still together?”
“I didn’t say that either.”
She sighed and pulled a chair up to the bed. “What happened?”
“What do you think? I fucked up, lost control and got my ass kicked—”
“Stop feeling sorry for yourself. It’s supposed to be my job to feel sorry for you.”
He didn’t expect to be able to smile. “Are you going to tell me how bad they are?” He glanced at the shoulder where the bulk of his pain was radiating from. Well, not the bulk, but a lot. “My injuries, I mean.”
“You’ll live,” she said shortly.
“Thanks.”
“You’re in rough shape but most of it is surface. You have a couple of cracked ribs and various contusions. The separated shoulder will probably require a sling and possible physical therapy. You won’t be playing up to Grayson Duffy beast level for a while, but you’ll get there again. The rest just requires sleep, a healthy diet and less contact with fists.”
“Planning on it.” Relief rushed through him. With his current level of soreness, he definitely hadn’t been sure what the prognosis for his shoulder would be.
Looked like he wasn’t permanently out of commission. Whether or not he’d have a band to return to…well, that was anyone’s guess.
“Back to Jasmine.”
“Sure. Why not? I’m already in hell.”
“You think she believes that you went to get high and tangled with the wrong people.”
“Doesn’t she?”
“It’s probably a good supposition, yes, because you didn’t tell her any differently.”
“Oh, and I suppose you believe something else?”
“Yes, I do. Through my magnificent powers of deduction after I saw that pretty ring on her finger, I decided I wasn’t going to go with the obvious answer and did some checking around. Imagine my surprise when I located a jeweler near your apartment who sold a ring just like the one Jazz is wearing a mere two days ago, for a princely sum that equals roughly half of what I’d transferred into your account.”
“What’s your point?”
“Oh, you are a prideful one. Normally I respect that. In this case, you’re being a jackass.”
He tried to cross his arms and paid the price in the form of a shoulder spasm that would’ve buckled his knees if he’d been able to stand. “Thanks for the support,” he rasped. “You can leave anytime now.”
She lifted one perfectly arched eyebrow. “I’m dismissed then?”
“Yeah. Just like you warned me I would be if I screwed up.” He gestured with his good arm. Even that movement pulled at his bad shoulder. “Take a look at me. Well and truly fucked. So consider this me resigning from—”
“I realize you had other things taking your attention three nights ago, but I wonder if you’ve given thought to who might’ve taken your spot at Trix?” she asked, smoothly interrupting him.