“Hey, easy there, big guy.” Jen strapped an oxygen mask over Luka’s nose and mouth before he could argue. “Take slow, deep breaths for me, okay?”
Luka focused on her voice rather than the anxiety clawing under his skin, and his ragged breaths evened out and grew deeper.
“There we go,” Jen said, her tone soothing. “You’ll need to get checked out, and I know they’re going to want to run tests on you both, but it could have been a lot worse.”
Luka pushed the mask off, ignoring her frown. “This was bad enough.”
A look of sympathy crossed Jen’s face. “I know. The police will want to talk to you.”
“Good,” Luka said grimly. “I hope to God they find the bastards who did this to us.”
* * * *
The next few hours passed in an Emergency Department blur as Luka was poked, prodded and tested. Being away from Kyle chafed at him, and he finally sweet-talked a nurse into giving him an update, which indicated that Kyle was in much the same boat as Luka.
Eventually, Luka was wheeled into an observation room where he’d be monitored for signs of concussion. Luka closed his eyes. Despite the pain medication he’d been given, his head throbbed and his ribs ached. X-rays had shown they weren’t broken, but they still hurt like a bitch. He was bone-weary, but his brain whirled with thoughts of the attack, and not being able to see and reassure Kyle was driving him up the wall. Luka just wanted his own bed and Kyle sleeping beside him, and even if he got some peace for a few hours in the ED, he doubted he’d settle enough to truly rest.
He’d fallen into a half-doze when he heard a knock and a familiar voice.
“Luka? Are you okay, baby?” Lydia made a beeline for his bed. “I’ve been so worried. When the hospital called—”
“I’m okay, Mom.”
“Do you have a concussion?” She took his chin in her hand and tilted his head back and forth so she could examine his face.
“Minor. I got punched in the jaw, so my head got rattled a bit and I saw stars. But I never hit my head on the pavement or lost consciousness. I promise.”
“They’re keeping you overnight for observation, I hope.” Her lips thinned.
“Yes. I won’t argue about it.” In truth, he felt physically sore and exhausted in every possible way. He didn’t have the energy to argue about wanting to go home, much less the energy to make it happen.
Lydia went silent, and Luka looked down, aware his mom still grasped his wrist and that she was staring at the clock. “Are you taking my pulse right now?” he asked, amused.
“Hush. Let me concentrate.”
Luka dutifully remained silent until she sat back.
“Well, your pulse is fine.”
“I know that. I can see it on the monitor.” Luka gestured toward the machine beside the bed.
“Oh, they’re nowhere near as accurate as a well-trained nurse and you know it.”
True or not, Luka’s mother had said that enough times that he knew not to argue with her about it.
“I’m surprised Regina and Marcus and everyone else aren’t here, too,” Luka said with a sigh. He wanted to see his family, but he wanted to see Kyle more.
“I convinced them to stay home, but they’ll stop by your place when you get discharged, I’m sure.” Lydia gently patted his shoulder. “How’s Kyle?”
A lump rose in Luka’s throat. “All right, I think. His face is more beat up than mine. And it sounds like they want a head CT because he lost consciousness. It scared me shitless seeing him like that and with blood on his face, Mom. But he was awake and talking by the time EMS got there, and it sounds like he’s doing okay.”
He looked up at Lydia. “He tried to protect me, you know? Two of the guys who jumped us were all over me, but somehow Kyle got loose and went after them. He bought us enough time for someone else to arrive and scare them off.”
Lydia pressed her hand to her heart, her expression anguished. “I’m so grateful you’re both okay. And to Kyle for trying to protect you.”
A soft knock sounded on the door.
“Mr. Clarke?”
A man and a woman stood in the doorway, both neatly dressed and with an official air about them.
Detectives, Luka assumed. “That’s me.”
The woman stepped into the room and held up a badge. “I’m Detective Bowen and this is my partner, Detective Schwartz. We’re with the Hate Crime Task Force in the Special Victims Division. We’d like to talk to you about what happened tonight.”
Luka sat up with a grunt and winced when the dull ache in his side turned sharp. “Sure.”
“Let’s start with your full name,” Detective Schwartz said.
“Luka Clarke. I’m a lieutenant with the FDNY.” He gestured to his mother. “My mother, Lydia Padilla.”
“Nice to meet you, ma’am. You’re welcome to stay, if you like.”
Lydia glanced at Luka. “Unless you want me to, Luka, I’ll grab some tea in the cafeteria.”
“No, you go,” Luka said, relieved. Better his mother not stay. She was a strong woman, but he didn’t want her hearing the gory details.
Lydia kissed his forehead. “I’ll be back.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
After she’d left, Luka focused on the detectives. “What do you need from me? You should know my brother-in-law is on the job, too. Wade Owens. He’s with the 28th precinct.”
The detectives exchanged a glance and Bowen made a note on her pad. “Thank you for your candor, Lieutenant. As far as tonight, just tell us what happened. Start at the beginning and go slowly.”
“My boyfriend and I had just left the Widow Jane Distillery,” Luka said, his voice catching as he began to recount the night’s events. It was draining, trying to remember details, and he struggled to describe the attackers. Luka told the detectives what he remembered but knew it wasn’t much.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this,” he said when he’d finished. “Sure, I’ve dealt with racism before, but this? On top of the gay bashing?” He swallowed hard. “Never dealt with that level of hate before. We were in Brooklyn, for fuck’s sake. And we’re both big guys. I can’t believe they came after us. It doesn’t make any sense.”
Detective Schwartz nodded, his expression sympathetic. “We’ve seen a bit of an uptick in cases of this type lately.”
“What are the odds of catching these guys?” Luka asked.
“There were a few witnesses,” Detective Bowen said. “And we’re checking the surveillance cameras in the area.”
“How likely is it you’ll find them?” Luka asked.
Schwartz frowned. “We’ll do what we can.”
“I know that,” Luka said. Despite the historic rivalry between the NYPD and the FDNY, he knew the detectives had his back. Hell, he’d get preferential treatment because he was a firefighter and had a brother-in-law on the force. That idea bothered Luka sometimes, but right now, he wouldn’t argue.
“I also know you guys are overworked,” he continued. “You’ve got a ton of cases and this sort of thing is hard to prove, right?”
“It can be difficult to prove, yes. We can’t promise that we’ll find and arrest these guys. Or that they’ll be prosecuted if we do find them. But don’t give up hope yet.” Schwartz looked him in the eye. “I promise you we’ll do everything in our power.”
“Thank you,” Luka said. After a few more questions, they gave him their business cards and left, just in time for Lydia to come back.
“You look ready to drop,” she said.
“I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck,” Luka admitted. “Not sure I can sleep though.”
“Is there anything I can get you?” she asked.
“No, I don’t think—”
“Hey,” a familiar voice said from the doorway. Luka looked up to see Kyle in a wheelchair in the doorway. One of the transport people stood behind him, but Luka focused on the bandage on Kyle’s face. It covered a good portion of Kyle’s lower right jaw.
“Kyle!” Luka threw back the blanket and struggled out of the bed.
Lydia tutted. “Luka, you really—” She subsided when he threw her a look. “Let me help you at least,” she said.
The transport guy pushed Kyle’s wheelchair into the room, and Lydia guided Luka over.
“I’ve been so worried about you.” Luka bent down and pressed his forehead against Kyle’s.
“Hey, I’m okay,” Kyle said hoarsely. His fingers trembled when he reached up to touch Luka’s face.
“It’s just seeing you unconscious like that…and the blood…I thought I’d lost you,” Luka admitted with a shudder. “I don’t know what I’d do if that happened.”
“I promise you’re not going to lose me,” Kyle assured him. “I’m banged up, needed a few sutures, but I’m fine. You’re okay?”
“I’m fine. Hated being helpless to protect you.”
“Me, too.” Kyle’s voice sounded thick and his words somewhat slurred, probably from the anesthetic he’d been given for the sutures. He was so pale, his normally fair complexion was almost gray, and there was a far-off kind of expression in his dark eyes. “Made them stop on the way back from radiology so I could see for myself you were okay.”
“I’m glad you did.” Careful to avoid the bandages, Luka pressed a brief kiss to Kyle’s lips and settled back on his haunches, ignoring his own discomfort as he took Kyle’s hand. “Did you talk to the detectives?”
“No. You?”
“They just finished up here. They’re probably waiting for you now.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Kyle didn’t let go of Luka’s hand though, and Luka didn’t argue. He ached all over but didn’t want to look away from Kyle. Seeing and touching him reassured Luka that Kyle would be all right despite the bandages.
“Mr. McKee, we need to get you back,” someone said, their tone brisk. “You need monitoring, and Mr. Clarke should be in bed.”
Luka glanced up at the nurse who’d appeared in the doorway and saw his mother behind her. Lydia must have stepped out to give them some privacy, but Luka had been so focused on Kyle he hadn’t even noticed. Luka got to his feet and leaned down to kiss Kyle again.
Kyle gripped the back of Luka’s neck. “I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you, too,” Luka said.
He straightened, grateful when his mother stepped forward and took his elbow, and the nurse wheeled Kyle out.
“I talked to the head nurse on duty,” Lydia said quietly as she guided Luka back to the bed. “She’ll try to get you and Kyle into the same room. If everything goes well, you’ll both be released tomorrow, but that way you won’t have to be apart tonight.”
“Thank you.” Luka didn’t have the words to express the gratitude he felt toward his mother right then.
“I heard what you said about Kyle protecting you, baby.” Lydia squeezed Luka’s hand. “I saw the way you looked at each other, too. Kyle’s not running despite what happened tonight, and that’s what I want for you, baby. I was wrong about him, and I’m sorry.”
Chapter Fifteen
“You don’t belong here, cocksucker.”
“Fuck. You’re queer and you go for the dark meat, too? God, you’re disgusting.”
“Does that moolie fuck you hard?”
“Kyle? Kyle, answer me!”
Kyle woke with a start, Luka’s shout echoing in his ears. A harsh grunt tore out of him, and he flailed at the memory of fists flashing toward his face. Fuck, he hurt.
“Hey, Kyle—take it easy,” a low voice said, soothing and warm in a way that made his throat constrict.
Kyle tensed anyway despite the pain in his torso and head. And his face, fuck. Kyle felt like he’d been slapped with a hammer. He blinked and stopped struggling as Lydia Padilla came into focus, however, and forced himself to stop moving. She’d perched herself in the guest chair by his hospital bed, and Kyle still hadn’t decided if he’d fully woken when she put a hand on his shoulder.
“All that jerking around could tear your sutures. No one wants that,” Lydia said. “Just settle down and take some deep breaths.”
“Luka’s okay?” Kyle’s words came out mashed and mumbling over the numbness in his lower lip and the bandages covering his chin and part of his right jaw. Lydia didn’t answer right away, and he swallowed, then clasped his hands together in his lap to keep them from shaking. “Miz Padilla? Is Luka okay?”
Lydia squeezed Kyle’s shoulder. She looked both incredibly tired and ready to do battle. “Luka is fine. I left him sleeping and came to check on you but found you asleep too. I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Oh.” Kyle kept right on talking over her frown. “I’m good. You don’t need to stay, ma’am. Luka’ll worry if he wakes up alone.”
“He’ll be fine,” Lydia replied. “Wade drove over as soon as he finished his shift at the precinct, and he’s with Luka now. So how about you stop worrying about everyone else for a minute and worry about yourself instead?”
Kyle bit back a grumble. He didn’t want to focus on himself just then, but he was too wrung out for arguing. Especially since Lydia appeared ready to force him into chilling out.
He concentrated on the deep breaths she’d prescribed. They made his bruised ribs and abdominal muscles ache but also eased the tension knotting his stomach. Oddly, he found he didn’t mind being the focus of Lydia’s attention just then. If she’d come in to bitch him out for getting Luka into a jam, she was being nice about it. Of course, Kyle had a concussion and that might have something to do with her attitude. He still felt muzzy, but things had gotten better in the last couple of hours. The world had been jumbled inside of his head earlier, and he’d puked several times when he’d tried to move.
Ugh.
Lydia stood. She picked up a plastic cup and spoon from the bedside table and held them out. “No water yet, I’m afraid, but you’re allowed some ice chips. Can you manage?”
Kyle eyed the cup and only then noticed the fine tremor in her hand. Despite Lydia’s ultra-calm demeanor, she had to be freaked out, Kyle realized. No wonder, considering what her son had been through.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said. Lydia handed everything over and Kyle got a couple of chips down. He sighed at how goddamned good they tasted after all the other crap that had been in his mouth since he’d left the distillery and he only dropped a couple. Between Lydia and himself, they got him cleaned up.
“The attending came by while you were sleeping,” Lydia said. She’d seated herself again, her gaze sharp and watchful. “The results from your CT scan should be back soon. If everything’s clean, the nurses have agreed to move you into Luka’s room until you’re both released.”
A giddy flutter went through Kyle. Knowing Luka was safe helped, but being able to see him would be so much better. Kyle would take sharing one of the observation rooms regardless of his state of consciousness.
“Thank you for doing that.”
“You’re welcome. Short of sedating you both, I figure it’s the only way any of us will be able to relax for longer than ten minutes at a time.” Lydia’s expression softened at Kyle’s soft chuff of laughter, but her brow creased as she stared at the lower part of his face.
Kyle couldn’t blame her. The glimpse he’d caught of himself in the mirror of the men’s room after his trip to radiology had turned his stomach. He was a mess—swollen, bruised and bloodstained.
“Are you in a lot of pain?” she asked.
Everything hurt—even his toes for fuck’s sake—so Kyle decided to be honest. “Some. Might be the worst headache I’ve ever had. One of the guys had a lot of rings on. He hit hard. The chin isn’t so bad though. They pumped it full of anesthetic after they stopped the bleeding. Or, that’s what the doc said anyway. It’s kind of a blur right now.”
He raised his fingers to the bandages on his face and touched them very gently. “Twelve sutures, a few on the inside. The wound missed the nerves, so no paralysis they think. I’m not
really a beard guy, but it’ll be nice to take a break from shaving.” If Kyle’s voice hadn’t wavered on the last word, he might have sounded like he meant it.
Lydia pressed her lips together in a hard line. “Kyle—”
“I’m so sorry about what happened, ma’am,” he said in a rush. “The last thing I’d ever want is for Luka to get dragged into a mess like this.”
“Oh, Kyle—I’m sorry, too.” Tears sheened her eyes. “I’ll never understand what makes people do such terrible things to one another. But it’s not your fault Luka was hurt tonight. Neither of you is to blame.” She blew a breath out her nose when Kyle said nothing. “You don’t blame Luka for what happened tonight, do you?”
“No, ma’am.” Rocks filled Kyle’s throat. “I’d never blame him.”
“Of course not. This isn’t the first time someone’s gone after him because of his race, and it won’t be the last.”
“They came after us because we were together though. Because we’re queer, and because I’m white and Luka’s—”
“Because of who you are.” Lydia covered Kyle’s hand with hers. “I know. That’s what makes it so painful, isn’t it? You and Luka were just being yourselves and living your best lives, as Ruby would say. For some reason, there are people in this world who won’t accept that.”
Guilt made Kyle’s eyes burn. “I should have been more careful. I—I know better than to be so open like that in a strange neighborhood.”
“Don’t you do that.” Somehow, Lydia’s scolding was the gentlest Kyle had ever received. “What happened today could have happened anywhere. It does happen anywhere. Knowing your neighborhood is important, but those men…they would have made trouble for you in Chelsea or the East Village. They’d have come after you if you and Luka had played straight. I think you know that deep down.” She rubbed Kyle’s shoulder with her hand. “They were bent on hate and violence, no matter what you and Luka did or didn’t do.”
“I do know. I just wish I’d been faster.” Kyle shook his head and groaned at the way the ache behind his eyes ricocheted and sharpened.
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