can—”
“Lady. I’m past ready,” Drake sneered.
“Easy, man,” Mika tried to calm Drake by raising a hand to
his shoulder. “We can go back too, right?”
“That’s up to Drake.” I darted a quizzical gaze at the big
man.
“We’re family. We all go,” he replied. His words were short
and clipped.
While Drake was doing his best to keep it together, I knew
one look at Trevor and the big man’s battle would be lost.
“Follow me,” I instructed before turning to lead them into
the ER.
Explaining what little information I had about the beating,
I wanted to prepare them before they actually laid eyes on Trevor.
“He’s suffered several facial lacerations, and he’s in a lot
of pain,” I explained.
“Haven’t you given him something yet?” Drake barked as he
shot me a look of fury.
“We had to wait until all his tests came back.”
As Drake’s expression clouded over, Mika stepped in to try
and settle the big man. “Breathe, Moses. They’ll fix Trevor up good as new.
Just like they did me. Okay?”
Drake grunted, while fear and rage rolled off his large
frame. “He shouldn’t have to lay there suffering.”
“We’re making him as comfortable as we can,” I assured him.
“It’s standard procedure, man,” James explained.
Every time the man opened his mouth, excitement hummed
through my veins. My breasts felt heavy, and my nipples contracted, throbbing
in a maddening pulse.
“They can’t give him anything,” he continued. “Not until
they find out how bad his injuries are, otherwise it could kill him.”
“That’s right.” I nodded. James made me feel so out of
control that I focused my attention on Drake, where it was safe. “It won’t be
long until we can administer some pain meds. This way,” I directed, leading the
group through the double doors. “Trevor’s been asking for you.”
Peeking my inside his room, Trevor lay with his eyes closed,
looking pale and fragile. The numerous machines attached to his thin body gave
off an ominous and alarming impression. His golden hair, though clean looked matted
and tinged in blood, especially by the wound on his head. Bruises mottled his
face, amplifying the horror he’d endured.
Drake stepped in behind me and staggered to a halt. I
watched as tears filled his gray eyes. Heartbreak, pain, and rage stamped his
features as he stood trembling, silently staring at Trevor.
James and Mika each flanked Drake in a fortress of support.
Their eyes grew wide as they both stared at Trevor in disbelief. All three
looked shell-shocked as they struggled to hold back their tears. Drake’s face
twisted in a hopeless look of defeat as a palpable wave of grief rolled off
him.
While they tried to absorb Trevor’s inconceivable abuse,
grief welled inside me. I swallowed tightly, trying to focus on my job and not
my unraveling emotions.
Unconsciously Drake’s hands clenched into fists. He didn’t
flinch or take his eyes off Trevor when I brushed my fingers down his wide arm.
Drake simply clenched his jaw as his chest heaved in labored, quivering
breaths.
“Drake,” I whispered softly. “I share your anger, but Trevor
needs your love right now. It’s more powerful than any medicine we can give
him.”
He issued a slight nod as tears spilled past his lashes.
Wiping them away on the back of his hands, he walked to the side of Trevor’s
bed. Ignoring the blood stained pillow, matted hair, contusions, and
lacerations, Drake bent and placed a whisper of a kiss on his temple.
“I’m here, sweet boy,” Drake murmured as he eased his arms
around Trevor. “Daddy’s got you, now. Everything’s going to be okay.”
Opening his eyes at the sound of Drake’s voice, a low,
keening cry rippled from the back of Trevor’s throat. Tears slid down his face.
His ocean-blue eyes shimmered in ethereal and unconditional love as he stared
up at Drake.
“Daddy,”
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley