Chapter 23

Mandy

My heart never pounded so much in my entire life as it did when I watched Savior’s big strong body crumple to the floor in a bloody heap. Having him passed out in my arms might have induced a heart attack, but I couldn’t move my hands, not with the way the blood spurted out. I didn’t know much about wounds, but in culinary school we’d all had our fair share of cuts so I knew the first key was to stop the bleeding.

One look at Drake and I wanted to scream, but his back was to me while he whispered into the phone. I wondered who he could possibly be talking to at a time like this, but I didn’t say anything. It wasn’t my place. I was just a future employee. Drake ended his call and pocketed his phone before turning to me with a frown. “We have a concierge doctor on staff, he’s meeting us in the penthouse suite.”

“Thanks, Drake. Sorry about all this, and I can pay for the suit.” My voice wobbled in relief. There was no way Savior would make it even if we got him to a car right now, not in Vegas traffic. The hospital was an easy twenty minutes away on a good night.

“You can pay for the suit?”

I understood his question even as I ignored his incredulous tone.

“A lifetime of dead family members will do that,” I told him, my gaze still on Savior, whose pulse had slowed enough that my own heart lurched into my stomach.

“Shit. Tough girl.”

I shrugged. I wasn’t tough. No, I was numb and hollow. Too much loss and not enough of anything else.

“Life demands it. Look Drake, I’m sorry about all this and I completely get it if you want to rescind the job offer.”

He frowned, his hazel eyes sparking gold against the mirrored walls of the elevator. “You kidding me? Your boyfriend saved my life. The job is still yours, if you’re not traumatized every time you come to work.” His hand shook as it scraped through his dark hair, which wasn’t as perfectly coifed as it had been earlier.

I nodded at his words, but I couldn’t focus on him when Savior was unconscious and bleeding. “Come on, Savior, wake up! Say something dirty or stupid or piss me off! Please!” I leaned over and touched my forehead to his, feeling something in my heart crack wide open at the sight of him lying there. Lifeless. I couldn’t lose him.

“I never would have pegged you to date a biker.” Drake’s words drifted down, disbelief coloring his words.

“I’m not. We’re not dating, not really.” Hell, I hadn’t seen Savior in at least a week and I’d been fully prepared to leave town without a goodbye.

“The man took a bullet for you and said he loved you, so maybe between physical therapy and playing nurse to him, you might want to figure your shit out.”

At my incredulous look, he shrugged. “I need you one hundred percent when you start, and a confectioner in love will make me plenty of money.”

I couldn’t help the bark of laughter that escaped. “Your concern is overwhelming.”

“Thanks. I’ll try to tamp it down.”

The doors finally slid open at the penthouse and I looked down at Savior again, limp and lifeless. “Vick! Wake up.” I tapped his cheek lightly, silently pleading with him to come to. There was no way Drake and I could carry him even a few feet.

“Savior,” I practically shouted. His lips curled at the corners first and then those big blue eyes fluttered open and I swear, my heart straight up sighed. “There you are,” I said on a whisper. “I need you to stand up so we can get you to the doctor.”

His face, already twisted in pain, turned hard. “No fucking hospital.”

I rolled my eyes. “Stubborn ass. My new boss has a fancy doctor on staff, so just get on your damn feet and lean on us so we can get you looked at.”

I handed Drake his jacket. He put it on, smoothing it down over his bare chest.

Savior blinked and nodded, grunting as Drake and I helped him to his feet. “Where the hell was your security, uhm …”

“Drake,” he filled in for him. “And I’ve got someone looking into just that now. Thanks for that.”

Savior grunted as we got him into the suite and onto the bed. The doctor, a bald man in a nice blue suit and crisp brown eyes, helped us get him on the bed. While the doctor looked him over, I pulled out my phone, trying to figure out who to call. Savior’s grasp tightened on my hand and I looked down at him with a smile.

“Take it easy, cowboy, I’m just telling everyone you’re all right.” His grip didn’t loosen and I stood there beside him. I could tell them later. Right now, I was just glad Savior was okay.

The doctor cut his long sleeve t-shirt off and examined the wound, drawing a wince from Savior. He turned to me. “Can you grab some towels? I need to flush this out.” Then he started preparing a bunch of medical stuff and I gave Savior’s hand one last squeeze before leaving the room.

All I could think about as I grabbed two handfuls of fluffy white towels from the bathroom was that Savior had taken a bullet for me. He’d come to watch out for me, maybe even to support me and I’d been an insensitive asshole for the past few weeks. He said he loved me and I wanted to believe him. I wasn’t sure I believed in love, didn’t even know if I could love after losing my brother, but my heart wanted to believe Savior loved me.

Which meant I was totally fucking screwed.

Because I loved him too. The way my heart stopped when he collapsed, the bone deep ache in my stomach from missing him, had been trying to tell me what I was determined to ignore. That despite my insistence, my better judgment and my hardened heart, I’d fallen in love with a biker. A soldier.

“I can feel you staring at me, Pixie. Get your sweet ass in here.”

I didn’t know how he knew I was there, watching him but I didn’t care. I needed to be near him.

And when I was, I couldn’t stop touching him, assuring myself that he was okay while the doctor arranged the towels underneath him. “I’m glad you’re all right.”

“Thanks to you, Pixie.”

The doctor cleared his throat. “It’s a through and through and I’ve cleaned and bandaged it up. I have some painkillers and antibiotics I can give you now, as well as prescriptions for later.”

He gave a few care instructions and left his card, before leaving us alone in the suite. Drake had already left, probably to fire his security team, if I had to make a guess. Probably grabbing a shirt before he chewed someone’s ass.

“I guess I’m going to have to take care of you.” The idea of that didn’t sound so bad.

“Yeah? Where you gonna do that, Pixie, your mysterious hotel room?”

My shoulders deflated at his words. He was right. I had a job and until that one started, a temporary job taking care of Savior. And no place to live.

“Don’t you worry about that, I can take care of you and look for a place to live.”

He shook his head, clasping our hands together. “No need. My place is big enough for two.”

“I’m not moving in with you,” I told him, smiling against his lips before sealing them together in a kiss that was both tender and thrilling. Sweet and hot. He winced and that was my cue to pull back, still smiling.

“I meant it, you know, Pixie. I do love you.”

Tears pooled in my eyes and I felt like one of those silly women who got all choked up at the barest hint of affection, but I could tell behind the pain and behind his own fear of saying such significant words, that he meant it. He really did love me. But it wasn’t something I could handle right now. I believed him, but tonight had been … a lot. I kissed him softly and pulled back. “Tell me again when you haven’t lost a few gallons of blood.”

“Don’t worry … I … will,” he said, smiling sleepily before he passed out.

I smiled and sat beside him, holding his hand and watching him sleep for hours. This, me and Savior, was something special. And scary as hell. But as I sat there, letting the slow rise and fall of his sleeping form soothe my frazzled nerves, I knew I wouldn’t run away from it again. Things might end badly, and they probably would if history was any indication, but I had a feeling it would be amazing in the meantime.

But first, I needed to clean all this blood off of me.