RHO

 

 

 Brandon, whose name I finally remembered, was on the bed in Dr. Finn’s room. Finn was sitting next to him, with a syringe that he plunged into the boy’s arm. Jace and Liam, both stood in one corner, looking on. Liam looked like he was about to throw up. They both saw me, and became alert.

“Why can’t you two answer your phone?”

Liam looked surprised and checked in his pocket. Jace turned to me. “There’s no signal,” he complained.

“I don’t allow phones in here,” Finn said, looking at me. “But you assholes don’t ever listen, so I had to install cell phone jammers.”

“What if there’s an emergency?” Jace asked, and the doctor wasn’t pleased. He ignored Jace, and continued talking to me. “Next time, bring them before they’re about to die, Rho. You know how hard it is to sew up those arms? I’m a doctor, not a miracle worker.”

He stood, allowing me to see Brandon. The kid looked pale. Like there was no blood inside him. His face was shiny and distressed, even in sleep. “What am I supposed to do with him?”

“I don’t give a shit,” Finn said. “As long as you take him home. I have a life. And a business to run.”

“We could leave him somewhere,” Jace said. “He’s not in danger of dying.”

“Maybe not from the attempt,” Liam chimed in. “Look at him. He’s a freaking ghost. What if we leave him somewhere and he dies from blood loss or infection? People die from exposure. What good would it do? Won’t all this be meaningless if we left him to die now, after saving him!”

Great. The one time Liam choose to be assertive, he had to fuck me up in the process. “Okay then, you take him home!” Jace was clearly having trouble understanding Liam’s turmoil.

“I can’t take him home,” Liam said. “I can’t look after him, I have work. Right, Boss?”

Pawning Brandon off to Liam was a dick move. I know. That’s why I did it. “Liam, take Brandon home. Until we figure things out, you’re free from all your obligations.”

Jace winked. “You heard the Boss, Liam.”

“And Jace,” I said. “Maybe stop thinking like a sociopath when you get time? This is a living, breathing person we’re talking about. Show a little respect.”

Jace looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Boss.”

“Are you able to handle this or do you want me to hold your hands?” I said. “Jace, you should help Liam, he’s doing us a favor. Let’s not forget.”

Suddenly, Liam looked a bit more confident. He wasn’t freaking out so much.

I knew there were things I needed to do. I paid the doctor, way more than I should have, and got in my car.

“Where to, Boss?”

I wanted to say that I had to go home. I wanted to forget this night, at least temporarily. But I couldn’t get that stupid kid out of my head.

I couldn’t believe he tried to kill himself.

But it wasn’t just that.

When I was in that room with Finn and everyone else, I had a vision. I wouldn’t even call it a vision exactly, just a flash, where for a moment instead of Brandon, I saw Adam.

I know it’s probably some subconscious worry. Marcus was talking about him the other day to Jace, asking if it was a good idea to bring Adam as his date in a formal setting. The question had risen when one our friend Grant was getting married. When I say friend, I mean business partner. When I say business partner, I mean fellow thug.

It stung when Jace told me, the secrecy and going behind my back was hurtful. I wished Marcus would stop doing that. But I’m not a fool. I knew people were talking about us, not just Marcus but everyone involved. My relationship with Adam was public and so was Marcus’s betrayal. Marcus doesn’t exactly care what people think of him.

To him, it’s probably nothing. To Adam as well, if you believe he was agreeing to be Marcus’s plus one to the wedding. I guess it shouldn’t have been such a shock. I knew what was going on even if I tried not to think about it.

Adam and I were over. 

I should get used to it. I couldn’t stop my heart from wanting him, but I could stop my body from doing stupid things like trying to find out where he was and how he was doing.

Not only was Adam perfectly capable of taking care of himself, he also had people who were taking care of him. No one can love him like you do. Just go check on him, to make sure. So, my brain was a work in progress. That’s not so bad, right?  

People get stuck on the people they love, it’s hardly a sin. It’s not even a crime.

But stalking a guy who doesn’t want you, is! I will only be there a minute. It won’t take long.

What if I saw him and did something stupid or uncalled for? What if I can’t stop myself from going after him? What if I end up making it worse?

“Boss?” I realized the poor guy was still waiting for me to make up my mind.

Don’t do it. You know you’re only going to get hurt. What could you possibly achieve doing this?

I turned to the driver. “Let’s head to Marcus’s place.”

Whatever happened now, I’ll face the consequences.

But I need to see him.