Page 30 of Tied Over

“I don’t have the cash for a last-minute plane ride to—”

“They have a private plane,” Ian said, waggling his eyebrows at me. “And fuck you, Jed. This is not some fuckin’ suggestion. You do what I tell you or I’ll send your ass to Jer in Judicial Support and you can stand in federal court all day. Would you prefer that?”

I would die doing that.

“Well?”

Fucking Ian.

His smile was big and evil. “Now enjoy your goddamn vacation.”

It would kill me when the bullets had not.

FIVE

I was discharged early the following morning with a pretty fancy-looking titanium brace with a million Velcro straps that ran from my left shoulder to my bicep and stopped at my elbow. I looked like some half-ass cyborg. I also had a very fashionable sling in two shades of blue. When Elliot, my nurse, explained that I could have a neon-yellow one instead, I looked at Bodhi, and he turned and spit out his coffee.

“You okay?” Elliot asked him.

“Great,” he rasped in response.

I got to spend maybe a half hour at home, in time to have Bodhi explain that he’d packed me the day before with everything I needed for the week away, and since he didn’t just grab my go bag that all marshals had at the ready, but instead spent time and thought, making sure I was covered for any surprise or soiree, making sure I had extra underwear, I couldn’t very well argue. He’d packed duffels for me a million times, and since I’d showered and changed at the hospital, there was no protest to make. We were on our way to Midway while I talked to my sister on the phone.

“You can hear that I’m not dead,” I groused at her.

“That’s charming,” she snapped. “I was terrified, you ass! I can’t lose you.”

Since I had her on speaker, I noted that Bodhi pressed his lips together tight in an effort to say nothing.

“Thank God for your partner.”

“Yeah,” I agreed.

“Is that sarcasm? Because he keeps excellent tabs on you. I’m very appreciative that you have him in your life.”

“He’s a saint, that one.”

At the next red light, Bodhi pinched my leg so hard, I almost screamed. I hated it when he did that, and he was so lucky I was on the phone with my sister or I would have punched him. Not that it would have been easy with him in the driver’s seat and my left arm out of commission. Plus, I’d have to turn fast and hit him, and that would not be easy since I wasn’t at full strength at the moment.

“He is!” she assured me. “And not only is he kind and thoughtful, but he’s very easy on the eyes, Jed.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

I moaned like I was dying, and Bodhi waggled his eyebrows at me.

“You will call me as soon as you get home from vacation, and if you need—”

“How did you know I was going on vacation?”

“Bodhi told me,” she said, sounding annoyed. “Now listen, if you need me, call and I’ll be there. I love you dearly, and so help you God if you do not show up here for Christmas!” she finished with a snarl.

“I’ll be there,” I said, chuckling.

“Everyone misses you,” she said, her voice trembling suddenly, deflating—I knew—with relief. I’d known her all her life, could read her like a book. Losing me was not something she could do. Her husband and kids were her touchstones now, but I was the original, and she would need me for the rest of her life. I was the same. “And I just… You know I can’t… Jed.” Her breath caught, and she stopped speaking.

“I know,” I soothed her, feeling like absolute crap. “I had a moment of heroism. I promise you it’s passed.”

She laughed softly, and I was betting it was through tears. “No. That’s not you. You have to save everyone you can. It’s how you were made.”