Dynasty

by Jen Davis et al.

  How could she want to touch him when he just showed her the kind of thing he was capable of? He murdered a man with his bare hands, and he did it right in front of her eyes. Yet here she was, seeking comfort in his embrace.

  He allowed himself a moment to soak in her touch before he stepped back. Holding her by the shoulders, he scanned her from head to toe. A bruise was forming on her left cheek. Cuts and scratches peppered her arms. She was filthy, but he could find no signs of any substantial injury.

  Still, he needed to keep her close. “I’ll ride with Olivia and the cop.”

  Jude shook his head emphatically. “No way. You ride in the rig, sir. The lady will be okay with us.”

  “Jonathan, please. I’ll be fine. Let them take care of you.”

  Her plea did what the EMT’s demand couldn’t. He could deny her nothing.

  Shooting the cop a dark look, he warned the man. “She’d better be okay.” He hadn’t come this far to lose her now.

  It was his first time riding in an ambulance. The siren blared in his ears. He was mesmerized, though, watching the paramedics work.

  Will struggled to breathe. The EMT said something about a pneumo-hemothorax. The monitors went crazy. He tried to stay out of the way.

  The woman did something to help. He couldn’t really see what with her back to him, but the frantic beeping of the heart monitor returned to a normal rhythm. When she leaned to the side, he could see she held a big needle in Will’s chest.

  He shuddered. Liv would be devastated if Will didn’t make it.

  “Are you all right, sir?” the petite brunette asked. It took a moment to realize the paramedic was talking to him.

  “Yeah.” He gripped the bandage wrapped around his arm. “I’m just worried about my friend.”

  “I think he’s going to be okay. Rest. You’ve lost a lot of blood.”

  He closed his eyes, intending for it to be only a moment, but the second he relaxed, he passed out.

  ***

  Liv

  “We need another gurney.” The paramedic was already calling for help the moment the ambulance doors opened. Liv stood only a few feet away thanks to Officer Jude’s ability to keep up with the rig.

  A swarm of doctors stood at the back of the ambulance and whisked Will’s gurney away the moment the wheels hit the ground. She stood on her tip-toes, trying to see Jonathan. She couldn’t so much as catch a glimpse until the doctors unloaded his limp body in front of her. It took three men to lift him.

  “What’s happening?” She chased behind them.

  The EMT she’d seen examine Jonathan’s arm grasped her hand. “He lost consciousness. Probably from blood loss. Are you family?”

  She nodded, her neck still craning to follow Brick and the doctors, but they were now out of sight. “Will is my brother.”

  “The blond man with the chest wound?”

  She nodded miserably.

  “And the big guy?” the woman prompted.

  “He’s—he’s my everything.” Tears poured from her eyes. “I need to be with him. Please.”

  “Do you have anyone you can call?” The paramedic guided her to a chair in the waiting room.

  “My sister,” she whispered. “But I don’t have my phone.”

  “We’ll get her here,” the woman assured her. “And I’ll wait with you until she arrives.”

  Once she sat down, and the adrenaline began to fade, her surroundings sank in. The green walls, the cacophony of crying, whispers, and the hums and beeps of various machines. The smell: antiseptic and mop water.

  Hospital.

  Her stomach threatened to rebel with the barrage of sensory information, every sound and scent reminding her of the poison the doctors pumped in her veins to keep her alive. Reminding her of the warrior woman who inspired her to live, even as she lost her own fight for survival.

  Minutes clicked slowly into an hour.

  The paramedic, Lara, kept her word and stayed at her side until Iz ran frantically into the room. “Any word?” Izzy’s eyes moved wildly. “Will. Do you know anything?”

  She shook her head. “I’m still waiting.”

  The wait was interminable. Police detectives filtered in and out, asking questions. She filled out paperwork, though she had precious little information she could give about Jonathan. She vowed to herself she would learn everything about him after this, from his middle name to his blood type. Every fucking thing.

  It was one o’clock in the morning before one of the doctors came out with news. “Are you the family of Jonathan Barlow?”

  She jumped to her feet. “Yes.”

  “He’s stable. We’ve moved him into a semi-private room if you want to see him.”

  “And Will? William Turner?”

  The doctor shook his head. “I’m sorry. He’s not my patient, but I’ll see what I can find out.” He led them to Jonathan’s room.

  Her chest hurt to see him so vulnerable. Had she looked this fragile when she was a patient here?

  A thin hospital gown covered his thick torso. The doctors had taped an IV to his hand. “Is he going to be okay?”

  The doctor smiled. “Yes. He just needed blood and some fluids to help fight the dehydration. We cleaned and stitched his wound. Now, the best thing for him is rest.” The man turned for the door, then glanced back. “I’ll go check on your—”

  “Brother,” Iz whispered.

  She pulled a chair up to the bed and wrapped her fingers around Jonathan’s free hand. Feeling the warmth and vitality of his skin soothed her instantly. She rested her head on his chest, feeling even more comfort from the steady beat of his heart. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the rhythm. In moments, the exhaustion of the day hit hard, and she drifted to sleep.

  She startled awake at the sound of voices.

  “—really very lucky he got here so quickly. We’ve repaired the damage to his lung, and he’s recovering in the ICU.”

  “Can I see him?” Izzy spoke before Liv could even finish processing the doctor’s words.

  “Only one visitor at a time.”

  Izzy glanced over, and she nodded tiredly. It’s not as though she could be in two places at once anyway.

  She watched her sister disappear out of the door and jumped in her seat when Jonathan squeezed her hand.

  “I’m sorry.” His voice was raspy, but it was the sweetest sound she’d ever heard. Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she pulled his hand to her lips for a kiss.

  “Sorry?”

  “You went through so much because of me. And then—then you really had to see who I am. What I am. Not in some video on your phone, but right there in your face. I killed the crazy fucker with my bare hands right in front of you, and I would do it again. I’m not sorry I did it, but that’s the whole point. You deserve better than a fucking thug like me.”

  “I would have killed him myself if I could have. You saved me. Don’t you dare judge yourself for not regretting it.” Her voice shook. She rubbed the back of his hand over her cheek. “I was so scared leaving you in the bar. I didn’t think you’d be able to get away.”

  “I would die before I’d turn my back on you. Never doubt it. I am a lot of things, but above and beyond all of them, I am the man who loves you more than life itself.”

  “What about Sucre?” she whispered. “Won’t he come after us?”

  He shook his head, his features grim. “He’s dead. They’re all dead. I killed them.” He sat up, his eyes blazing. “They will never hurt you again.”

  “But your grandmother…” She could never live with herself if she paid for her freedom with an old woman’s life.

  Jonathan rubbed at his eyes and rested against the pillows. “She passed last week. The doctor only told me this morning. I was on my way to tell you when I found out you’d been taken.”

  “I’m so sorry,” she murmured.

  “Don’t be. She died of natural causes, and she was ready to go. I did my duty by her, but now I’m free. For the fi
rst time in my life, I can do what I want. Be what I want. And all I want is you.” He paused. “If you’ll have me.”

  “If I—? Oh baby, wild horses couldn’t drag me away.”

  Chapter 30

  Brick

  Brick only spent one night at the hospital, but it was enough to make him glad he’d ponied up the money for healthcare coverage this year. It really did pay to have insurance. He was surely the only guy on Sucre’s crew with a PPO. Of course, there was no crew left anymore.

  Olivia hadn’t left his side the entire time he was there, and she desperately needed some real sleep. They shared a car to her place, while her sister stayed with Will. Olivia had peeked in on her brother before they left, but he was still heavily medicated and unconscious. She’d return later to give Izzy a break. In the meantime, he’d make sure she got some rest herself.

  They stumbled into her shower, and he barely got a chance to enjoy the warm press of her skin before they got out again. The baser part of him wanted to make love to her now, to prove to himself she was whole and his, but her wan face and the circles under her eyes convinced him to take the high road.

  They tumbled into her bed without a stitch on, but they both fell asleep in minutes.

  He woke up with Olivia’s back to his chest, her breast in his hand, and her round ass cozied up next to his cock. His very hard cock. The last time he’d woken up this way, he couldn’t have her. This time, it was a different story.

  Without jostling his girl, he leaned back to the nightstand and grabbed one of her condoms. After sliding it on, he returned to his position at her back. His hand crept back to her breast.

  He trapped her nipple between his middle and index fingers, plucking it gently. Moaning, she arched her back, thrusting her ass against his dick. His hand traveled leisurely down her flat stomach, over her mound to her bare, sweet pussy. She was slick, wet, and ready to take him.

  Without prompting, Olivia lifted her leg, sliding it up, over his thigh, clearing the way for him to push himself inside. He’d meant to go slow, to glide his thickness over the sweet valley between her thighs, but his cock drove home on the first thrust.

  A groan escaped his throat. Making love to this woman was like nothing he’d ever felt before. It was more than his dick, more than his body; his soul connected with hers. His heart beat for her. If anyone had ever described sex to him that way before, he would have never believed it.

  It seemed love made all the difference.

  His fingers rubbed at her clit as his cock filled her up. “You feel so good, baby. I’m not gonna last.”

  She turned her head, giving him her profile. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “We have all the time in the world.”

  Her words lit a match to the lust ready to ignite in his veins. Still, he was determined to get her there with him. He rubbed harder, faster, his fingers flying over the center of her pleasure. It wasn’t until she cried out, he allowed himself to come with her, her contracting walls heightening his pleasure.

  He kept her in his arms when they finished. “I wish I could always wake up this way.”

  “You can,” she sighed sleepily. “All you have to do is ask.”

  Though Olivia fell back asleep, her words kept him awake far longer.

  ***

  Liv

  Will looked so young and fragile lying in his hospital bed, hooked up to IVs and machines. A four-year age difference had seemed so much when Liv was growing up, and when both their parents died, he was the protector and provider all rolled into one.

  She could have lost him last night.

  Izzy sat vigil in the chair next to his bed. The doctors had moved him to a private room while Liv was home sleeping the day away. She’d bet all the money in her bank account Iz hadn’t slept a wink.

  “You need to go home and get some dinner and sleep,” she said gently, resting her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “It’s already six o’clock.”

  “What if he wakes up?” Izzy rubbed her eyes. “What if he doesn’t? What if he needs me and I’m not here?”

  As much as she loved both her siblings, there was a special bond between the two of them she didn’t always understand. It had been even stronger since Will had gotten out of jail. She didn’t begrudge them; she knew there was enough love in their family to go around.

  “I’ll be here, Iz. I know you want to stay, but you’re no good to him this way.” Deep circles ringed beneath Izzy’s eyes, and her hands trembled. “Grab a few hours of shut-eye. Take a shower. Come back in the morning. I promise I’ll call you if anything happens during the night.”

  With one last mournful look at their brother, Izzy stood and trudged out of the room, leaving Liv alone to watch over him.

  The wait lasted only a few hours. Around nine, Will’s hand twitched. A few minutes later, his eyelids crept open. It took a little while for him to process his surroundings, but once he did, he tugged on the tube taped to his mouth.

  “Will, no. The tube’s helping you breathe.”

  His eyes bulged, and he thrashed on the bed, making gagging sounds. She hit the button for the nurse, then laid across her brother’s arms and torso, to keep him from hurting himself.

  The nurse joined her quickly and pushed what Liv imagined was a sedative into his IV. His thrashing stopped. “It’s a normal reaction to waking up with a tube,” the nurse assured her. “We’ve been lowering the ventilator support in the past few hours. We’ll be ready to take it out first thing in the morning.”

  Despite her promise, she didn’t bother her sister with an update, though she did call Jonathan, and they talked for a while. He was home in her bed, taking it easy. He still had his own healing left to do.

  Part of her wished she could be there with him, but her family needed her now. The only reason Will was even in this condition was because of her. The least she could do was be here for him, no matter what kind of dread this hospital dragged up.

  She watched TV and played on her phone before dozing off around midnight. She woke at dawn to the sound of her brother snapping his fingers. He appeared irritated and impatient, but at least he wasn’t losing his shit.

  “I’m awake,” she mumbled, searching for the call button. “Let me call the nurse.”

  She stepped out as the medical team removed her brother’s tube. His hacking cough echoed down the hall. Izzy should’ve had a fair amount of sleep overnight, so she texted her to return.

  She considered taking a seat in the waiting room, but her feet passed the row of chairs and continued toward the elevator. Up to the sixth floor. To oncology.

  The space was achingly familiar and worlds apart at the same time. Her cancer treatment felt like a lifetime ago, but if she closed her eyes, she could imagine Carol standing next to her. Laughing with her. Crying with her.

  “Tell me it didn’t come back.”

  Liv didn’t need to open her eyes to recognize Donna’s gravelly voice. The fifty-something nurse had been here with her through it all.

  “No. The doc says I’m in complete remission. I’m only here as a visitor.” She turned to stare into the woman’s warm brown eyes. “Being here takes me back.”

  Donna tsk’d. “There’s no going back, sweetheart. Only forward.”

  She rubbed at her chest, trying to soothe the growing ache. “Carol used to say the same thing.”

  “Where do you think she heard it in the first place?”

  A smile tugged at her cheeks, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. “I miss her,” she whispered.

  Donna nodded and grasped Liv’s shaking hand in her dark, steady one. “Of course, you do. But you know she wouldn’t want you to keep mourning. She’d want you to—”

  “Live. I know.”

  The nurse led her to a cluster of chairs and waited while Liv worked out what she wanted to say.

  “Ever since I lost her, I keep thinking of her advice. For a long time, I tried to live the way she would’ve wanted me to, but I was missing the point, h
uh?”

  Donna held her gaze.

  “I’m not supposed to live how she wanted me to. I’m just supposed to—live.”

  “You were like family to her. You were there when she needed someone in her life the most.” Donna’s smile was encouragement, sympathy, and a little bit of pride. “She told me once there’s all kinds of ways to love. When it’s right, the more you give, the more it fills you up. She loved you like that. You filled her up.”

  “She did the same for me.”

  “Then part of her is still here.” Donna tapped Liv’s chest. “Thanks to you, she lives on.”

  The ride back down the elevator passed in a bit of a fog, but by the time she returned to the third floor, she felt a clarity she didn’t even know she’d been missing. She was about to sit with a cup of vending machine coffee when the nurse waved her in.

  Will still appeared miserable, but without the tube, at least he looked like he was going to recover. He wore an oxygen mask, but it comforted her to know every breath he took was his own.

  She returned to her seat beside him. “How can I ever thank you?”

  Her brother lifted the mask. “I didn’t save you.” His voice sounded like sandpaper, and he winced, putting the mask back in place.

  What the hell difference did it make? “You almost died for me. It all happened so fast. Maybe if you hadn’t been there, the bullet would have been meant for me. It was when he was focused on you, I got away.”

  He breathed heavily but didn’t try to talk. She could tell he didn’t agree.

  “There was nothing else you could have done. Nothing else anyone could have done.” She squeezed his shoulder. “You were there when I needed you most. I’ll never forget that. Neither should you.”

  Iz slipped in the room and offered her a sympathetic look. Her sister understood Will as well as she did. He would never see himself as the hero he was. He’d always feel like he should have done more.

  It was her brother’s way. He tried to slay dragons, protect the people he loved. He blamed himself for things he couldn’t control, and if his sisters needed it, he wouldn’t hesitate to drop himself in a hole so deep, he’d never see the sun.