“What’s going on?” I hissed at Noah, trying to keep my voice low so that I wouldn’t wake Bo again if he passed out.
Noah avoided my question, but instead gestured for me to help me him undress Bo. The jeans were bloodsoaked in spots, particularly on the thighs. Noah unsnapped the shirt that was thrown over Bo and pulled it out from under him. Each movement made Bo wince and moan. But Noah got Bo down to his boxer briefs, and I threw a blanket over him, not wanting to look at the desecration made of his body. His hand crept out from under the blankets. I looked at it but made no move to take it. Noah knelt down and grabbed the hand.
“I’m here, buddy. What do you need?” His tone was almost motherly, soothing.
“AM,” Bo groaned.
I came over and knelt down beside Noah. He removed his hand, and I laid my head on Bo’s outstretched palm. It was the one thing on his body that seemed to be unhurt. I pressed my cheek against it and turned my head to the side. “Shhh. I’ll be here when you wake up.” This promise seemed to settle him. He pulled his hand out from under my cheek and placed it on top of my hair, tangling his fingers in the threads of my messy bed hair.
Noah had dragged my chair up to the bed and pulled out his phone. He propped his feet up on the edge of the bed. He fiddled with his phone and then dropped it on his lap. I hadn’t even noticed that Finn had left.
“What’s going on?” I asked again, unmoving. Bo’s hand lay warm but firm above me. When I shifted, his hand tightened and he moaned in distress. “Shh,” I tried to soothe him, stuffing down my anger.
“Why haven’t you taken him to the hospital?”
Noah’s breath gusted out, like it was some big ordeal to tell me what the hell had happened to Bo.
“I can’t. Bo’s condition would place the whole fight ring under scrutiny. No one would allow him to fight again, and a lot of people would get into trouble. Besides, I had him checked out by someone I trust.”
“Maybe it would be a good thing if he doesn’t fight again,” I whispered furiously. I was trying to keep my voice down, but it was hard, given how much I ached to yell at Noah, throw some things around, and just generally shout out my unhappiness. This was insane.
“He’s been in worse conditions.”
“Where? In Afghanistan, where you were fighting insurgents and dodging bombs? I mean, really, Noah, why can’t you leave that behind?” I stood and started pacing.
“Itemize his injuries for me,” I demanded.
Noah dully starting listing them off. “Possible concussion. Multiple contusions on the face, over the eye and cheekbones. Nose surprisingly not broken but damaged. Possible rib fracture, definitely rib bruising. Then just more contusions on the thighs and legs.”
“Contusions? Speak English.”
“Bruising and swelling. Superficial injuries.”
“So the worst is the ribs?”
“Yeah, but without an X-ray, we won’t really know. The fact is, for rib injuries, it’s just a matter of staying stationary until you heal. Like a tailbone. Nothing you can do about it.”
“You know a lot about injuries.”
“Can’t fight and not know the consequences. Bo knew the consequences. He wanted those consequences and given that he would not stop bothering me to come here, I’m guessing you had something to do with that.”
“Me? Bo and I are—” I started to explain but I didn’t know what we were. Before tonight, I would have said we were dating and now, with a hole in my wall and one in my heart, I wasn’t sure what the hell was going on. I was worn out emotionally and couldn’t think straight.
“Whatever.” Noah was just as angry as I was, I realized. He was angry at Bo, but he didn’t want to be angry with his old friend, so he redirected it at me. I was angry with Noah for the same reasons, because it seemed wrong to direct my ire at Bo while he was lying prone and defenseless and looking like a battered rag doll. I wanted to soothe his wounded brow with a soft cloth and then beat him with it when he recovered.
“AM, why don’t you try to get some rest, perhaps in your roommate’s room?”
Bo grunted a “No” and his hand reached for me again.
“Okay,” Noah said, trying for a placating and patient tone. “No one’s trying to take her from you. I’m only looking out for her, like you’d want.” Noah turned his attention to me. “I need to wake Bo every two hours. Since he may or may not have a concussion.”
I shook my head. Bo had moved silently to make room for me on the bed. I hadn’t heard him make a sound even though I knew it must have been excruciating. I sighed and climbed into bed next to him, leaning against the headboard. Bo grunted his approval and laid a hard, hot hand on my thigh. My presence on the bed seemed to settle him, because his breath evened out.