Thank you to everyone for reading, voting and commenting. Your emails and votes have meant a great deal to me over this almost 2 year period. I am truly grateful for the time you devoted to reading my work.
I have no editor or betas so I ask your forgiveness with my mistakes. All comments are welcome.
This is a copyrighted work of fiction by the author seeker71. All rights reserved
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Nicolao had Breezy repeat the short conversation three times as she drove to Peltier Hospital. She obeyed no laws of traffic and ignored him the last time he posed the question. She raced along the streets and pulled haphazardly into the parking lot.
Nic's long legs carried him through the halls of the hospital. He paid no attention to the looks he received or that Breezy was jogging to keep pace. At the emergency department desk he stuck his head in the glass opening, startling the clerk.
"Sir, fill this out and I'll get you back right away." She grabbed a pen and clipboard.
"No, I'm looking for a patient, David Collins."
"We can find him after you get that examined." She handed him the clipboard and pen.
Nic laid the papers down, "I'm fine!"
Her eyes flickered over him, a belligerent patient. "Sir, you're covered in blood. You certainly don't look fine."
Breezy nudged in the window. "Of course we'll get that taken care of. But the police called and told us to meet them here. It's a young man who should've arrived by ambulance a short time ago, a car accident."
"Yes, we've got him. I'll let the officers know you're here. You can help by giving me his medical history. And what is your relationship to the patient?"
Breezy picked up the clipboard. "--medical history and payment information, sure. Will you tell the officers Mr. Mylonas' secretary is here?"
The clerk turned to speak to her coworker.
Breezy saw Nic was about to say something more and tugged him away from the desk.
"I know you want to see David. But hang back a little alright?"
"Saint, he's here I don't have time for this. " Had the woman lost her mind?
Her eyes narrowed at his annoyance, "Time for what Evangelista? Think. Did you hear the question? What is your relationship to the patient?" Her voice was sharp, as she slowly repeated the question. "The moment you answer boyfriend access is cut off, you'll be burnt. This ain't warm and fuzzy. Its elephant man fucked up, but this has to be my play. You have to trust me. There's nothing I won't do for family, you're my family. Trust me."
Double doors opened. The clerk pointed, directing two officers to them.
Breezy turned again to face him. "Give me time to maneuver and don't say anything about Mylonas. He's the only lev we've got."
Officers Ennis and Smalls took Nicolao's statement. The look that passed between them was unmistakable when he and David's relationship was revealed. It occurred to him that they both regarded him with disdain and yet they were owned by Jeremy, paradigms of integrity. He had nothing left over from his despair to feed his anger and he retreated from the exchange. Breezy gave a bare-bones account of what happened and pushed for information about David. The officer said he was unconscious at the scene. When she asked they be taken to his room to see him Officer Ennis declined, David was in the hands of the trauma team. They let them know detectives would be contacting them and turned to leave.
"Officers wait. Where's Benjamin?"
"Sir, we only had your friend at the scene. An ATL will be issued. The detectives will be contacting you; they will be of more service than we can be."
His head and body ached. Ben was not in custody, only an order to attempt to locate. Smalls barely kept the contempt out of his voice as he said 'friend'. He had no way to make them do their job.
Nicolao stared at the door after the two men exited. Saint had said Jeremy was their lev, their only leverage. That notion was repulsive, but nothing compared to being denied contact with David. He was hurting and alone.
Leanne, the clerk had been standing next to their seats.
"Mr. Evangelista, come on back." She laid a hand on his shoulder and her voice dropped. "Mr. Collins is stable. We're taking good care of him. Now let's go get a look at your head."
Nic stood. The unexpected sliver of news from the kind young woman was overwhelming. The absence, the inky nothing of being away from one another could not be all that remained. Nic was certain neither one of them would survive it. Yet he was helpless, reduced to stolen snippets of information. The day had morphed into a twisted reality one in which he did not have dominion.
"Nicolao give me your cell." Breezy rose with him and was pinned by the intense gaze of her companion.
"Do what you have to Saint. I have to see him." He was entrusting her to return to him the marrow of his life.
The only response was her hand, waiting for his phone. He placed it in her upturned palm without question.
Breezy's dark brown eyes were fierce as she looked up at him. "Nicolao, I promise I've got this."
He followed Leanne behind the double doors.
Brecia exhaled and collected her thoughts. A lesson learned young came back to her, men were weakest when losing what they love, but they were never more dangerous. Winners exploit the weakness and redirect the danger. "Thanks mama," she quipped to the air then set to her tasks.
Nicolao forced himself to answer the questions of the medical staff. The young woman was friendly and efficient. He wondered if the trauma team had one person there who would spare a smile for Dee when he awoke. David hated hospitals. He grimaced at his thoughts.
"You're very lucky."
Nic focused on the speaker.
"The contusion's discoloration will fade in weeks and maybe you'll have a small scar. You're walking away from a showdown with a gun. That's a good thing."
