Page 141 of Relapse

“If you have any other questions, Deputy Chief,” I spat out. “You can come back when I have my lawyer.”

“Ah,” Jace said, eyeing Damian from top to bottom as he rounded the corner. “Cops. Already. Can’t even give my son enough time to recover before you’re pouncing on him like animals? Don’t you have your brother to tend to?”

Damian glared at Jace and said nothing. On his way out, he slammed the door.

The nurse handing me my medications jumped.

“Son,” Jace said, too warmly, as he made his way to my beside. “I’m so glad to see you awake. Did he bother you?”

I shook my head as I swallowed the medicine. The nurse told me to open my mouth and I did, lifting my tongue like they do in jail to show that I actually took what was prescribed to me.

“What did you talk about?”

I took my time, trying not to react to his question right away. I sipped my water more, thanked the nurse, and waited until she left the room to consider my next move.

Jace was waiting. His eyes hadn’t moved from my face.

“He asked about the attack, of course. If I knew who did that to Noah.”

Jace chuckled. “Yes, we both knew he would. I want to know what you said in response.”

“I told him that I didn’t remember anything.”

“Well, now.” Jace sat down in front of me with deliberate care, and I watched his face shift into something almost sympathetic, which was infinitely worse than his anger. “That’s a lie we both know you can’t maintain. You didn’t just end up like this, there was a process.”

That comment hit a nerve.

“I know about the fucking process,” I snarled. “I took every beating they threw at me. I didn’t run from it, no matter how bad it was. Clearly,” I coughed, feeling the burn in my throat. “Clearly, by the looks of me, you wanted me dead.”

Jace shrugged, checking his phone as though this were the most mundane conversation he’d ever had. “Death is easier, but no, as I told you. I can’t afford to lose you—my investment.”

“Well, that’s news to me and the surgeon who had to save my fucking kidney, isn’t it?”

As always, Jace was immune to any sort of insults. Or emotion. He laughed again. “You’re alive aren’t you? Granted, Vance and Dante went a bit overboard. Ray was just having fun.”

I scoffed. “That’s what you call this?” I ushered to my wrapped up arm and hand.

Jace ignored my question. “And yet, somehow, that Hansen found his way back to you. And Dante’s crew was nearly caught because of that.”

I stiffened. I didn’t want him to know that I was nervous hearing him bring up Noah again.

“He doesn’t know who they are. And I didn’t have any communication with him.”

Across from me, Jace’s fingers drummed on the table.

“You mean to tell me that he happened upon you by accident?”

I tried my best to hold his gaze. “Yes.”

He chuckled. “Silas, you know I am not that stupid.”

“Why would I bring him into the middle of that? I was fully prepared to die.” I stopped, resting my head back against the plastic-like pillows and constantly vibrating bed frame. “I almost wished I had.”

Jace rolled his eyes and stood. “Boohoo. I don’t have time for your theatrics. We have bigger issues.”

My mind was drawing a blank. “Bigger issues? What are you talking about?”

Jace reached down to grab the remote from my beside. He turned the channel on the TV and there I was.