Shatter (Unbreakable Bonds Series Book 2)

by Jocelynn Drake

  “Free Jude and get him out of here!” Snow snarled, launching to his feet again to tackle Gratton before he could reach his gun.

  “Fuck!” Rowe shouted. This had turned into a cluster-fuck from the first second. This was what he got for letting the cop lead. All the same, he still scooted over to Jude and quickly cut his bindings while listening to Gratton and Snow exchange punches across the room. Low moans rose from Jude’s throat and he shifted along the floor, returning to consciousness.

  As soon as Jude was free, Rowe smacked him on the cheek, rousing him the rest of the way. His brow furrowed when his eyes finally focused on Rowe and went instantly wide. Yeah, not the guy he was expecting to see, but he’d have to do for now.

  “Get out,” Rowe barked. “I’ll get Snow.”

  The words were barely out of his mouth when Snow shouted in pain. Rowe twisted around to see Snow flying backward away from Gratton and landing heavily on the ground. His long body curled, his hand going to his ribs while his face twisted in pain.

  “Snow!” Jude yelled.

  Gratton picked up a gun—his or Hollis’s Rowe no longer knew—and pointed it at Snow. There were no thoughts any longer. No haunting memories of his dead wife or the wishes of his friends trying to keep him on the straight and narrow. The world around him slowed and sound ceased. On instincts alone, Rowe grabbed his gun, pointed it at Gratton, and squeezed off three quick rounds. Each bullet hit center mass, throwing Gratton backward, but not before he fired off two that ripped through the carpet not more than a few inches from Snow’s face.

  Rowe dropped to his knees, emotions slamming back into him, sucking the air out of his lungs. It was over. Oh, Christ it was finally fucking over. The man who had stolen Mel from him, who had nearly killed Ian, who’d tried to take Snow from him…he was dead at last. Blinking back tears, his vision blurred as he watched Jude scramble unsteadily across the floor to Snow, watching as the man kissed the doctor gently before starting to examine his body. Snow frowned at him, pushed his hands away, then winced when he tried to sit up. Jude held his chin, ducked, and looked into his face as he murmured something Rowe couldn’t hear.

  But he could definitely see the look of raw, aching love his friend gave the other man and shock hit him squarely in the chest. It was followed by a rush of real happiness for Snow, who caved and let the paramedic look him over. Snow did, however, throw Rowe a wry look over Jude’s head. Yeah, he was a doctor after all.

  Rowe walked to Gratton’s body on shaking legs as police sirens and Hollis’s groans filled the air. He tried to find even a hint of regret for taking a life and he couldn’t. Because of his Mel. The gaping hole in Rowe’s chest didn’t suddenly fill with the death of Gratton, but Rowe knew better than to expect that. His wife was gone and killing her murderer wouldn’t end the pain. But maybe now he could sleep, and he’d take that.

  Chapter 25

  Snow couldn’t take his eyes off Jude as another doctor—Simmons—looked him over. The paramedic sat on the other hospital bed, his chest bare, bruises already forming on his stomach, ribs and face. But Jude refused to look away from where Snow sat gingerly propped up on the other bed. They’d been given a private room instead of going through the examinations in the ER.

  All Snow’s friends had filed into the room moments after the ambulance arrived. Lucas stood beside the bed, his hand heavy on Snow’s shoulder. He hadn’t stopped touching him since he’d arrived, so Snow knew his friend just needed the reassurance that he was okay. Apparently, he did not look okay. Snow wanted to laugh at the role reversal since it was not that long ago that Lucas had been the injured party and Snow was the growling worrier, but he suspected Lucas wouldn’t exactly appreciate the humor in that moment.

  Ian hadn’t reacted any better and he still frowned from his wheelchair—his nurse and the bodyguard he no longer needed milling in the hall. Gratton was dead, but he supposed the blond giant wouldn’t leave until he was officially dismissed.

  Andrei sat in a chair next to Ian and Snow had to swallow a smile. The Romanian had taken to the young man as much as they all had.

  The only person missing was Rowe. As the one to pull the trigger, he was still with the police. Snow wasn’t worried about repercussions for Ward. It had been a clean kill in obvious defense of everyone, including a cop. He wondered if Hollis was being checked out somewhere in the hospital, too.

  “Looks like bruising and a pretty hard knock on the head. We’ll run a CT to make sure, but I’m sure you have a mild concussion. You’re better off than him.” The doctor nodded toward Snow where he sat, holding his side. “We’ll do an x-ray on your ribs, too, though.” Dr. Simmons leaned over and lightly prodded around the bruise on Jude’s bare chest.

  Irrationally, Snow didn’t want the man’s hands on him—wanted to be the one to make sure he was fine. He knew it was just an emotional response from the fight with Gratton. From seeing Jude with a gun to his head. Even now, the memory of that scene in his living room sent nausea swirling fast and hard in his gut. In that moment, he’d understood that he wanted it all with Jude. He didn’t want to wait for them to move in together. His clumsy admission of love earlier in the car had been heartfelt, but thinking the man had been about to die had scared the living shit out of Snow.

  He’d insisted on waiting to get his x-rays so he could be here to make sure the other doctor did his job. Besides, he knew he had broken ribs. Every breath felt like knives through his muscles and lungs.

  Dark eyes met his and Snow smiled at Jude, who gave him the warmest look of love back, he forgot his chest pain for a moment and sucked in a deep breath. It was like being stabbed and a groan escaped before he could stop it.

  “That’s it,” Lucas announced. “I’m getting another doctor.” He strode from the room.

  Both Ian and Andrei laughed, and it took effort for Snow not to as well. He held off because he knew it would fucking hurt.

  “Where are my boys?”

  Startled at the new, feminine noise, Snow’s eyes widened as Anna Torres swept into the room in a small bundle of rainbow colors and made a beeline for Jude, shoving the doctor out of the way. She fussed over him, stroking her hand through his hair, hugging him gently.

  “I’m fine, Mana,” he murmured. “I promise.” He leaned over to kiss her. “Snow got hurt worse than I did.”

  She stared at her son until she finally nodded, then came to the other hospital bed to Snow.

  His eyes widened as she started fussing over him as well. She touched his bruised cheek gently, patted his head and even opened his shirt to look over his bruised ribs. Her pretty, dark skin paled and her eyes watered. “I want to hug you but I’m scared of hurting you.”

  He could only stare in shock at the way she looked at him. “You barely know me,” he said half under his breath.

  Her dark eyes, so like Jude’s, filled with warmth and she touched his face again. “My son loves you and he’s a good judge of character. So I know I will love you, too.”

  Snow didn’t know what to say to that. He looked over her head, saw Jude’s grinning face and tried to smile back but he was too shocked and too…touched. He held out his arm on his good side and Anna hurried around to that side of the bed to gently hug him. He caught Ian’s happy smile and huge, stunned eyes.

  He looked down at the small Greek woman gently hugging his side and smiled at her. “Anna? I’d like you to meet my friends—my family.”

  He introduced her to Ian and Andrei and when Lucas strode back into the room, still wearing his long dark coat over his jeans and another cashmere sweater, Jude’s mother actually blushed as she stared up at him. Lucas pushed the doctor he’d grabbed toward Snow and gave Jude’s tiny mother a smile.

  “Your friend is an asshole,” Dr. Kleinberg muttered as she carefully peeled Snow’s shirt off his arms.

  “Yeah,” Snow said fondly, his gaze going back to Jude.

  “I take it you’re dumping your no dating hospital staff rule?” she asked, glanci
ng over at Jude.

  “Definitely.”

  She lifted one dark eyebrow, then grinned. “Oh, the gossip around here is about to get so good.”

  He didn’t care. He knew exactly what he wanted and he was going to do everything he could to make sure he didn’t screw this up.

  After his x-rays confirmed two broken ribs and new painkillers were racing wonderfully through his system, Snow was wheeled back to the private room. Just outside the door, Rowe leaned up against the wall as if it was the only thing keeping him upright. The man looked worn down to the nub. A thick red beard covered his cheeks and his hair was wild and curling, long overdue for a cut. The sight of him made it hard for Snow to draw a breath.

  “How long you been lurking out here?” Snow asked after he told the nurse to leave him outside the room with Rowe.

  “Just got here.” He lifted his bright green eyes. They were clearer than they had been when Snow last saw him. The pain was still there, but Snow wondered if the pain would linger in Rowe’s eyes for years to come.

  “Rowe, I’m—”

  “Don’t,” he snapped, cutting Snow off. “Don’t fucking say it because it’s not your fault.” Rowe pushed away from the wall and took the two steps needed to close the distance between them. With a heavy hand on Snow’s shoulder, Rowe squatted down so he could easily look the doctor in the eye. “I’m sorry I ever said what I did. I didn’t mean it. Mel’s…Mel wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have saved her.”

  Snow didn’t even try to blink away the tears that instantly filled his eyes. “I would have done everything to save her. I loved Mel. Loved her so damn much. I…” Snow clenched his eyes shut, spilling tears down his cheeks as he drew in a ragged breath.

  Rowe’s strong hand slid up his shoulder to cup the back of his neck. He pulled Snow forward a tiny bit so that their foreheads pressed together. “I know. You loved her and I love you too. You are my brother, my family always.”

  “Always,” Snow repeated, taking an easier breath. He opened his eyes when Rowe pulled away. His friend still looked tired, but there was a peace to him, as if a little of the weight that had nearly buried him was lifted. “Are you better?”

  “No,” Rowe admitted. He stood, his knees creaking as he straightened. “But I’m home and I have family who will help me get better.”

  “Whatever it takes.”

  “Besides…” Rowe slowly drawled. A ghost of a smile played on his lips and Snow could see a hint of the man he loved sparkle in his eyes. “I heard this fucking insane rumor that you’re dating. I say that blow-up dolls and your hand don’t count, but Ian says you’re dating a living, breathing guy. Any chance I can meet this saint properly now?”

  Snow grinned, wiping away the last of the tears streaking his cheeks. “Any chance you’re going to play nice?”

  Rowe snorted. “Never.”

  “Then make yourself useful and push me in. I’ve been injured.”

  Rowe shook his head, but he walked around the wheelchair. Rowe started to push him forward, but Snow suddenly held his hand, calling him to a stop as he remembered something critical.

  “Before you got to my place, Gratton told me something.”

  “What?”

  Snow took as deep a breath as he dared with his injured lungs and closed his eyes against the memory. “Jagger called him back. Hired him to kill you, me, and Lucas. He planned to take Ian.”

  Rowe grunted softly. “Gratton’s dead.”

  “But Jagger’s not done.”

  “No. Not if he wants us dead.”

  “Why? Our paths haven’t crossed in years.”

  “No idea,” Rowe said, starting to push Snow the rest of the way into the room. “We’ll tell Lucas and make a new plan. And when you’re healed, you’re going back into training with me and Lucas. You never should have got your ass handed to you.” To Snow’s surprise, Rowe pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “Plus, you gotta be able to protect your boy,” he added. He barely had time to consider Rowe’s words before Rowe opened the door and they were surrounded by their family.

  Jude, dressed now, came to his wheelchair. Snow introduced them and was only a little saddened by Rowe’s stoic greeting. He missed the old, teasing ridiculous Rowe, but it was still too damn early. Of course, that thought was shoved aside when Jude’s mother discovered that Rowe was the one who saved both Snow and her son. Anna became a flurry of action, hugging Rowe and thanking him until he caught Rowe looking to Lucas for help.

  Jude leaned over to kiss Snow. With the pain a distant throb under the layers of Vicodin, he inhaled the familiar scent of Jude deep into his lungs and kissed back more than he normally would have at his place of work. Jude pressed harder and the kiss lingered…and lingered. “You taste so good,” Snow murmured against his mouth. Apparently not quietly enough as low chuckles came from different areas of the room. He didn’t care. When Jude pulled back, Snow smiled up at him. “Want to help me find a new place to live?”

  Jude nodded. Then he laughed and pointed to where his mother flitted between Ian and the wounded Rowe. He leaned back close again so he could whisper. “She has decided that all your motherless friends are being adopted. Thought I’d warn you.”

  “Andrei isn’t motherless. Trust me. You think your mom’s a trip? Wait until you meet the Hadeons.” He reached with his right arm and tugged Jude in for another slow kiss. “I never want to see you in danger like that again,” he whispered, hoping it was a whisper and not a Vicodin-induced illusion.

  “You’ll have to stay pretty close then,” Jude whispered back, his lips soft against Snow’s.

  “Then I hope whatever place you help me find is one you’ll want, too.”

  Jude stiffened, pulled back and stared for several, long moments. Then he shook his head, the sparkle in his eyes making them inky and way too appealing. “That was the plan. I just hadn’t expected you to admit to it yet.”

  Snow, heart pounding in a volatile mix of fear, excitement and anticipation, gave him a huge, wide grin.

  Jude groaned. “No fair. No fair with the smile and the broken ribs when I won’t be able to do anything until you heal. It’s irresistible. Stop. Stop it right now.”

  Snow only grinned wider as Jude gave in and leaned back down to kiss him. Laughter filled the room around them and again, Snow didn’t care as he reached up to tangle his fingers in Jude’s thick, unruly hair and hold the man as close as he could for as long as he could.

  Coming in Fall 2016

  Torch

  Book 3 of the Unbreakable Bonds series

  About the Authors

  Jocelynn Drake is the author of the New York Times bestselling Dark Days series and the Asylum Tales. When she’s not working on a new novel or arguing with her characters, she can be found shouting at the TV while playing video games, lost in a warm embrace of a good book, or just concocting ways to torment her fellow D&D gamers. (She’s an evil DM.) Jocelynn loves Bruce Wayne, Ezio Auditore, travel, tattoos, explosions, fast cars, and Anthony Bourdain (but only when he’s feeling really cranky). For more information about Jocelynn’s world, check out www.JocelynnDrake.com.

  Rinda Elliott is an author who loves unusual stories and credits growing up in a family of curious life-lovers who moved all over the country. Books and movies full of fantasy, science fiction, and romance kept them amused, especially in some of the stranger places. For years, she tried to separate her darker side with her humorous and romantic one. She published short fiction, but things really started happening when she gave in and mixed it up. When not lost in fiction, she loves making wine, collecting music, gaming, and spending time with her husband and two children.

  She is the author of the Beri O’Dell urban fantasy series, the YA Sister of Fate Trilogy, and the paranormal romance Brothers Bernaux Trilogy. She also writes erotic fiction as Dani Worth. She can be found at RindaElliott.com. She’s represented by Miriam Kriss at the Irene Goodman Agency.

  />   Jocelynn Drake, Shatter (Unbreakable Bonds Series Book 2)