Chapter Twenty
"Will you feed me banana pudding?" Bryce said, and waggled his eyebrows at Tanya.
She sighed. It had been three full days since Bryce had been released from the hospital, and she was certain that one of those hits to the head had set his libido on overdrive. The crazy man couldn't seem to keep his hands off her for more than five seconds, and with two broken ribs and a gunshot to the leg, she wasn't about to give him what he wanted.
"You got shot in the leg not the arm," she said, and rolled her eyes. "Feed yourself your own damn pudding."
Bryce huffed and shoveled banana pudding into his mouth.
"Don't you go treating my boy badly in there," her mother called from the kitchen.
Tanya grumbled under her breath a few choice words about both her mother and her boyfriend.
Ever since she had heard about how Bryce saved Reece, her mother hadn't stopped cooking for him. If Tanya didn't keep an eye on her, she was sure the older woman might try to steal him from her.
"Mama, he’s fine," Tanya said. "Stop cooking."
Her mother stepped into the room to scowl at her before going and patting Bryce on the cheek.
"But you like when I cook for you, don't you, Bryce?"
Bryce glanced between her and her mother.
Tanya raised a brow. "Pick wisely, bub.”
The front door to her tiny apartment opened, and she wasn't at all surprised to see her brother and Ryan step into the place.
"Come on in," she called out. The two men stepped in and closed the door behind them. "Might as well. It’s already like a fucking circus in here," she mumbled under her breath.
Tanya glanced over to where Bryce sat on the bed. A small smile played on his lips as he patted the chair next to him.
Over the last few days, she'd noticed how he sought her out in a room, keeping her near him at all times. She knew what had happened worried him, but he couldn't keep her safe all the time.
Still she went over to sit next to him. Despite all the doting her mother was doing, she couldn’t help but feel the same way.
He had saved her brother. That made him a hero in her book.
Bryce laced his fingers with hers as the men stepped into the room.
"Well, you look less like shit today," Reece said, and laughed.
Her mother hit him hard in the stomach with the back of her hand.
"You be good to your savior," she said. "You owe this man your life."
Tanya snorted loudly as her brother sheepishly ran a hand through his hair.
"I know, Ma," he said. "I know how lucky I am."
Her mother puffed up, likely trying to stop herself from crying once again. She'd found her doing it several times now and knew the whole ordeal had made the older woman more emotional than normal.
"I'll just get you some lunch," Tanya’s mother said to the men.
Ryan shook his head. "Really I'm—"
"Don't bother," Reece said as his mother stepped out of the room. "She wouldn't listen to you anyway."
"Any news on Blitz?"
No one was surprised Bryce asked the question. It was the same question he'd asked every day since he'd opened his eyes in the hospital.
Her brother shook his head. "He still in town," Ryan said. "There's lots of talk, but no one seems to have a clue where he’s hiding out.”
Bryce nodded.
Tanya knew it wasn't what he wanted to hear, but she was glad. He was in no shape to go running out the door after some thug, and there was no way in hell she was going to allow after what happened the last time.
Her thoughts also briefly drifted to Kelly. She’d helped with Bryce and Reece’s rescue, calmly and more comfortable with a gun than Tanya would have ever expected. Her friend was definitely hiding something, and once everything calmed down, maybe she’d be able to found out what, but for now Tanya was just grateful she’d helped.
"And Dalton?" Bryce said.
Reece sighed. They knew that shooting his partner hadn't been the easiest thing, but she couldn't help but be grateful for his death.
"All over the papers now," he said. "They are opening investigations into anyone who had ties with him. Your old chief has decided to stay on for a few more years until they get this all hammered out."
Bryce nodded again. He didn't talk much about his days on the force, but she did know that he had respect for his old boss, and they all hoped that maybe he would be able to turn things around.
“Is Reed still pissed?” Bryce said.
Reece chuckled. “Well, let’s just say he’s not happy we didn’t keep him fully in the loop on this one, but since none of us died, he’s not bitching too much about the results. Even though there were no guns in the end, exposing Dalton helped screw over Blitz anyway. And anything we can do to keep Los Malos in check is a good thing.”
Tanya’s mother came bustling in with two heaping plates of food. Bryce yawned widely, and she scowled at the men in the room.
"You all sit in the living room and let my Bryce sleep," she said sternly, as if they had been keeping him awake.
She shooed them out the door and turned to stare expectantly at Tanya. She started to stand but stopped when Bryce grasped her hand firmly.
"Stay," he said softly. "I feel better when you're near."
Her mother smiled warmly at the two of them and nodded as she closed the door behind her.
Bryce scooted over on the bed a little to make room for her to lay down next to him. His arm came out to cradle her against his body on the opposite side of his wounded leg and injured rib.
"You know I can't stay next to you forever," she whispered after a few moments in his arms.
Bryce stiffened against her. He moved so he could look down at where she lay against his shoulder.
"Is it the job?" he asked. "I'll leave it. I can't let you walk away. I’ll do whatever I need to."
Tanya frowned. "What about the job?"
After a moment, it dawned on her what he was thinking. She sat up on her elbows and peppered him with kisses.
"I just meant that you can't always keep me right next to you to keep me safe.”
Bryce frowned at her words. "I can try," he said. “Especially if you’re going to do reckless things like go into a gunfight unprepared.”
Tanya gave a small laugh. “Not so sure you’re one to talk, buddy.”
Bryce huffed and pouted. She couldn’t help but smile at him.
"And I love you for that,” she said warmly.
Bryce turned and stared at her. Her heart hammered in her throat as she watched him. Everything she felt was all laid out in front of him.
His hand reached behind her head and pulled her in for a soft kiss before slipping his tongue into her mouth for a much deeper embrace.
When she pulled away, he was staring so intently she wondered if she had said the wrong thing.
"I love you," he said softly as he stared at her. "I've loved you from the moment I met you. And I might be older, but everything about this feels right. We are right. I am right when I’m with you."
Tanya beamed from ear to ear, happy to have her love returned.
She smiled and settled back against his shoulder. Carefully she placed her arm on his chest. They lay there like that for some time, just listening to one another breathe in the same space.
"But you know," Bryce said as he glanced down at her. "I think other parts of me might need reassurance of your love."
“Oh, for the love of—" Tanya rolled her head back to stare at him and then rolled her eyes. "Is that so?"
His hopeful look was almost too much for her to just turn away. She laughed.
"I think we might be able to work something out."
Bryce grinned at her. “You really are an amazing woman.”
This time it was her turn to grin. “Oh, you have no idea.”