Chapter 72

Branna

––––––––

Even though he is injured and limping a bit as we walk down the aisle, Cooper has his arm wrapped protectively around my shoulders. He pushes his overeager new fans back and glares at the rest. The ‘don’t mess with me’ look on his face, still covered in both his own sweat and blood, and that of the Maneater, suffices for all but the boldest of the fans. Vlad is already waiting at the exit of the warehouse and, as I never saw him arrive at the fight, I am a little surprised to see him there. But it makes sense that he would be, as Cooper’s best friend.

“Well done, son,” Vlad says, giving Cooper a quick man-to-man hug.

“Thanks,” Cooper says. “And thanks again for everything you have done for me—for us.”

“Don’t even mention it,” Vlad says, waving it off. “But I hope you aren’t about to tell me you’re planning on going home.” He gives Cooper a skeptical look.

“Well, actually...” Cooper begins.

“We’re going to the hospital,” I say.

“But I’m fine,” Cooper protests.

“Listen to your woman,” Vlad says, nodding. “You just took on the fucking Maneater and I know it wasn’t just my imagination that saw him rattle your head around a bit. I am not a betting man, but I would put a month’s wages on the fact that you have a concussion.”

Cooper opens his mouth like he is about to protest again, but winces and puts a hand to his head instead. “Fine,” he concedes, through gritted teeth. “Let’s go. But no ambulance.”

“Deal,” I agree, popping up on my tip-toes to give him a kiss on his cheek.

“I’m pretty sure Branna can take it from here,” Vlad says with a smile at me. “So I’m going to go get Bettina and we will see you two at the hospital.”

“Sounds good,” I agree.

“Which hospital will you be going to?” Vlad asks.

“Massachusetts General Hospital, right?” I say, after briefly considering which one was probably closest.

“Yeah,” Cooper says. He winces when he nods his head and I hold on to his elbow a little tighter. For once, I am the one providing the physical support for him. After all he has done for me, I am more than happy to be able to return the favor, even just in this smallest of ways. Cooper leans on me, and a feeling of loving and being loved spreads through my chest like the spreading glow of a candle’s flame.

“See you soon,” Vlad says, as we part ways just outside the exit of the warehouse. Vlad heads to the parking lot to get in his car while we head to the street corner, where I flag down a cab.

“Massachusetts General Hospital, please,” I say, as we climb into the cab. “And as quickly as possible.”

We are at the hospital in a flash and, once the receptionist notices who Cooper is and gets the obligatory autograph on a piece of hospital stationery, Cooper is immediately given a room and assigned a doctor. A nurse brings us to a private treatment room and runs the concussion tests, then leaves us alone while she goes to take a look at the test results.

As soon as the door closes, Cooper pushes himself up onto his elbows on the bed. “I think you owe me something.”

I slide a hand into the neck of my shirt, pulling the folded-up note out of the left cup of my bra. “Your victory kiss,” I say, with a smile. “There is nothing I would rather do.” So I kiss him—sweet and slow and deep, like a love that suddenly has years and years and years to unfold. We don’t have to cram our passion into an intense few moments. We can delight in it for the rest of our lives. In that moment, the sterile smells and anxious sounds of the hospital fall away and I feel what it is to be unencumbered and happy.

There is a knock at the door and I assume that it is the nurse, respecting our privacy by knocking before entering, so I walk over to let her in. Instead, I see my dad there.

“Hello, Branna,” he says, as somberly as ever.

“Dad,” I say. I don’t know what to say to him. I am angry at him for putting Cooper and me through all of that and making Cooper risk his life. But I know better than to attack a mob boss unnecessarily and he isn’t worth the risk to me. Since I can’t figure out what I should say, I just leave it at that and step aside, letting him into the room.

He walks over to the chair by the doctors’ cabinets, a good two or three yards away from Cooper, and takes a seat. He puts his flatcap down on the cabinet, surely breaking a hundred hospital rules at once about sterility and whatnot, then leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees and interlacing his fingers.

“I came here to congratulate you,” he says, in his usual even, neutral tone. “You won. I don’t like it, but I’m a man of my word.” He nods and that’s it. He’s done.

“Thank you,” says Cooper. I nod, but he is sure as hell not getting a thanks from me.

I stare coldly at Kyran, not giving anything away. Why is he still here? Cooper saved his own life, but now, because of my dad, he is bound to the mafia, too.

“I made you an honorary O’Sullivan syndicate member today, because you earned it,” Kyran says to Cooper, as though reading my thoughts off of my face. “But you disrespected me by taking my daughter when I had promised her to the Bratva. I don’t take disrespect and I don’t want you brought into this mafia life as my constant embarrassment. And so I make you an honorary member in title, but excuse you from all duties associated with full membership.”

“Thank you, sir,” Cooper says.

I just nod and Kyran nods back. I do not know what the future will bring, but I know that I am excited to find out, with Cooper by my side.