Chapter 25

I couldn’t sleep.

I’d been so scared when Max had mentioned the bullet that had caused the accident. Derek had shot at Atticus. I breathed him in, not liking the antiseptic hospital smell clouding Atty’s normal scent. His chest slowly rose and fell as he went back to sleep. Tears sprang to my eyes as it hit home how close I’d come to losing him. Derek was a trained marksman. Had he meant to kill Atticus or was this a warning? Where was he hiding? My mind was spinning with all the possible scenarios and the near-total fear of what could happen next.

I must have zoned out or dozed off because the next thing I knew there was a nurse tsking as she came into the room.

“You shouldn’t be up there. Come on, off,” she said sternly, but she was smiling at me, so I didn’t think I was in too much trouble. I carefully shifted to stand and moved back so the nurse could do her check. It was dark outside, so I guessed it was still after hours.

“Sorry,” I said quickly as the nurse finished her checks. Rousing Atticus and flashing a light in his eyes made him groan, then wince, but they’d been by and done it a few times, so he knew it was coming.

“How’s the pain?” she asked him. She was a kind older lady with curly short white hair. With her brightly colored scrubs and bejeweled butterfly brooch, she reminded me of the fairy godmother from Cinderella mixed with a beloved grandma, or what I imagined a loving grandma to be. She even had thin reading glasses hanging from a beaded chain around her neck.

“I’ll live, mostly just tired,” Atty groaned.

“I’m sure you are. That was quite a knock to the head you’ve taken.” She smiled kindly at him. “You can go back to sleep now, but no boyfriends in the bed. Okay?” Turning, she raised a thin eyebrow at me.

“Yes, ma’am,” I responded quickly as I sat in the chair.

“It’s about to be shift change, so someone new will be by in an hour. Good luck and hopefully I won’t see you here again.” With a wave, she left.

Turning to Atticus, I smiled gently at him. He looked better than before, or at least, more alert. The bruise on his temple was turning a nasty purple-blue and his eyebrow was red and angry under the butterfly bandages. The swelling around his eye was still there and puffy, but it would all heal.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” I said, not for the first time. I’d uttered some form of those words a lot recently, and I’m sure I would again. I was just so thankful to whoever was up there watching over Atticus. “Go back to sleep. I’m not going anywhere.”

He smiled at me with tired eyes. “I’m glad you’re here.”

I laid my hand over his on the bed and rested my head next to our joined hands. I wanted to be as close as possible but didn’t want to break the rules again.

I must’ve fallen asleep because the next thing I knew, the early morning light was streaming into the room, and Theo was gently shaking my shoulder.

“Jeez.” I flinched as I straightened my neck and felt the pang from sleeping at a right angle for so long. Slowly stretching from side to side, I glanced up at Theo. “Is it visiting time already?” I whispered.

“Almost. I just have special access.” He smirked. “Here, I brought you some coffee.” He handed me a cup.

“Thank you.” I inhaled the scent of the delightful brew before taking a much needed sip.

Theo stared at Atticus. “How’s he doing?”

“The nurses came throughout the night. They said he’s doing fine.”

“Hmm.” He turned to me as he shook his head. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine. A bit scared but so thankful he’s okay.”

“Me too.”

We settled into silence as we waited for Atty to wake up. I took a moment to glance at Theo. While all the brothers looked related, Theo had deeper bronzed skin and nearly onyx hair with rich brown eyes. His hair was also curlier than his brothers’ and was shortly cropped at the sides and a little longer on top. I had to wonder what their dad had looked like because I didn’t see much of Kat in Theo.

Theo was shorter than all the brothers and not that much taller than me, but he was stacked with toned muscles I could see through the tight black T-shirt he had on. He must stay in shape for his work.

“I’m sorry this is how we had to meet, but I wanted to say I’m glad Atticus has finally found someone. Seb tells me he’s smitten with you,” Theo said.

My cheeks heated at his comment. “I’m stuck on him, too.”

“Good, good. He deserves to be happy.”

A doctor came in just then, pausing when he saw Theo. “Mr. Papadakis,” he said, somewhat coldly, before turning to me with a smile. “It looks like Atticus here had a good night. He should be able to go home later today.”

“That’s great news! Is there anything I need to know about his condition?”

The doctor, who’d introduced himself as Dr. Farbor yesterday, ran through postconcussion care and what I needed to look out for. Theo was practically vibrating beside me, resolutely not looking at the doctor.

The doctor gently roused Atticus and checked him over. He was methodical and professional.

“Everything looks good,” he said to a now awake Atticus. “I’ve gone over postconcussive care with your partner, and Theo here knows all about it, so you shouldn’t have any problems. I’ll have a nurse come by with your discharge papers soon.” And with a derisive look at Theo, he left the room.

“That was rude. What was that?” I asked Theo.

Theo sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s nothing, just a stupid pissing contest.” Shaking his head, he turned to Atticus. “How you feeling, bro? You look far less hazy than you did yesterday.”

“I feel better. Still tired and sore. We’ve all had a concussion before or at least been around one, so you know how it goes. I’ll be fine.”

Theo visited a bit longer before he left to call Kat and fill her in, leaving me alone with Atticus once more.

I leaned over him and gently kissed his lips. “I’m glad you’re feeling better. It’ll be good to get you home.”

“Home. Hmm, I like the sound of that.” He smiled up at me. “I like that you think of my house as home.”

“Your house isn’t my home, Atticus, you are. You’re my home.” My cheeks heated as I cursed myself for being so corny. “You make me feel safe and settled, and that’s something I’ve never had before.”

Atticus reached up and tapped my chin to get me to look at him. “That means the world to me. I love you, Bodhi.” He took my hand and kissed my palm.

Theo walked back in. “Mama wants to stop by your house this afternoon. She says it’s to drop off food, but I think we both know she just wants to check on you.”

“That’s fine,” Atticus said, fighting a yawn. “I’m not surprised.”

There was a knock at the door, and we all turned to look. I froze in place when a man with blond hair and a Sheriff’s uniform appeared. I relaxed when I noticed Max behind him, but it still triggered my fight-or-flight response. Shaking off my fear, I greeted Max and waited for them both to enter.

“Hey, Theo, I heard you were back in town. Not the best welcome home from Atticus, here.” Max clapped Theo on the shoulder and pulled him into a hug. “It’s good to see you, son.”

“No, not a welcome I ever want to experience again.” Theo looked a little green as he glanced at Atticus as if to make sure he was okay and conscious.

Moving to Atticus’s bedside, Max looked Atticus over, fatherly affection shining in his eyes. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay. Sore and tired but on the mend.”

“You feeling up to answering a few questions? Sam here, is running point on your case.”

Sam moved forward then, looking proud. He seemed to be young, maybe new to the Sheriff’s department. He was stocky but had a baby face and kind blue eyes.

“Sure, go ahead, but I’m not sure how much I remember.”

Theo held up a hand. “Atticus did lose consciousness at the scene and seems to have concussion-induced amnesia. It should come back to him, but it might not.” Theo turned to shoot Atticus a serious look. “And don’t you push it. You’ll end up making your symptoms worse.”

“I won’t. I don’t need to make this headache any worse, trust me.” He closed his eyes as if bracing himself through pain.

Sam came over to stand next to Max. He pulled out his small notepad and pen from his pants pocket and started taking Atticus’s statement.

“What do you remember from yesterday?”

Atticus opened his eyes. “I remember the courthouse, then returning to town. You dropped us at Jolt.”

Max nodded. “Yes, that’s right. I’ve given Sam the basic background of the case. Do you remember what happened next?”

Reaching up to rub his forehead while being careful not to touch his eyebrow, Atticus nodded. “I went to the garage. Seb was there. I had to do something... a test drive. Shit! It was Sidney’s Ford F-150. I drove it out to Mitch’s farm to test everything before his big trip.” Atticus grimaced in pain and sympathy for Sidney. “Has anyone told him about his truck? He’s going to be crushed.”

Max let out a little chuckle. “Don’t you worry about Sidney. He’s been told. He was more worried about you. He’s a good kid, and we’ll get it all worked out.”

Sam cleared his throat.

“Sorry.” Max turned to Sam, looking bashful. “I’ll step back. Continue.” He waved his hand for Sam to take over. Max seemed to be testing him, seeing if he could take charge and lead the questioning, but was having a little trouble letting go at the same time.

“It’s okay, Max. I know these guys are like family to you. Feel free to jump in any time. I just didn’t want to get sidetracked, since I’m sure Atticus would like to rest.” Turning back to Atticus, Sam asked, “Atticus, can you think back? Did you notice anything out of the ordinary when you were leaving town? Any people nearby? Any unfamiliar vehicles?”

Atticus squeezed his eyes shut. “I feel like there was something. There was something on the side of the road. It was abandoned... a black....”

“A black vehicle?” Sam asked.

“Yes. I remember slowing down to check if there was someone there or if they needed help. It was on the other side of the road. There was no one in it or nearby. I was going to stop on my way home to investigate further.”

Nausea swamped my stomach. “Do you remember what type of vehicle it was? Was it a matte black Jeep, perhaps?”

“Yes! That’s it. I thought it was odd and not a vehicle anyone in town owns, that I know of.” He looked at me, mouth set in a grim line. “Why?”

“Derek had a matte black Jeep Wrangler,” I said, falling into the seat by Atticus’s bedside. “So, it was him,” I whispered. I hadn’t wanted to believe it. He was here. He tried to kill Atticus. That bastard!

“You didn’t mention this car before, Bodhi,” Max said.

“I didn’t think of it. He prefers to drive one of the Sheriff’s vehicles every chance he gets, but he owns a Jeep. He only used it on weekends for his hunting trips. He had modifications done to it. It has side power step bars, special cameras in the wheels, and large tricolor LED lights on the hood for when he goes hunting. Does that help?”

Sam was scribbling notes down furiously. “Yes, that helps. Do you happen to know the license plate?”

“No, sorry. He only took me out in it once.”

“Well, it’s still good information. Thank you.” Turning back to Atticus, Sam tapped his notepad. “So, you passed the Jeep. Then what happened?”

“I continued on to Mitch’s farm. I did my tests. The truck handled perfectly, and then I headed back to town.” Atticus trailed off at the end, as if thinking of anything else he might have seen or done.

“When you left Mitch’s, did you see anything?”

“No, nothing. I messaged Mitch and Bodhi, then left.”

“Do you remember what happened next?” Sam gestured for Atticus to continue.

“I left Mitch’s and was back on the road, heading to town. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I remembered my phone buzzing, then a loud crack. It sounded like a tree branch breaking but louder, then nothing.” He rubbed his forehead again. “I can’t remember anything after that.”

“You heard a loud crack?” Sam asked before looking at Max meaningfully. “That could’ve been the bullet.” Turning back to Atticus, he frowned. “You didn’t see anyone nearby? Notice anything in the rearview mirror?”

“No, nothing. Sorry.” Atticus looked exhausted. He closed his eyes with a wince.

I moved from my seat and rubbed his arm, taking his hand in mine. “What happens next?” I asked. “Are we safe to go home?”

I was worried because if Derek knew about Atticus, he must’ve been watching us for a while. Did he know where he lived? Would he try again?

Sam looked at Max questioningly. They seemed to be having a silent conversation between themselves, and Max nodded.

Sam cleared his throat. “Honestly, it would be safer to stay somewhere else for the time being. It sounds like Derek has been around town for a while, but the fact that he’s gone completely unnoticed is worrisome. People in this town love to gossip about new visitors and any strangers they see, yet no one has mentioned anyone like him around. He’s also not staying anywhere local. We’ve checked the motel and Airbnbs, and there is no one fitting his description. Do you guys have an alternative place you could stay?”

“We could probably crash with one of my brothers,” Atticus ground out, eyes still closed. He was clearly in pain again and needed rest.

“I don’t want to put anyone else in danger,” I added worriedly.

“You could stay in my guest house,” Max said. “The girls and Geena are away visiting her mother for another week.”

Atticus opened his eyes. “Are you sure?”

“Of course.” Max looked at Atticus with such love. “You’re family, and I want to help keep you safe.”

“If you’re sure.” Atticus looked at Max with a soft smile. “Thanks, theíos arkoúda.”

Max barked out a laugh. “I haven’t heard that name in ages. Not since your Pa was alive.” Turning to me, he added, “Atticus just called me Uncle Bear in Greek. He and his brothers called me that when they were little. I think Seb started it. He didn’t speak much, and when he finally did, he called me Bear. I have no idea why. Orion, their Pa, added uncle and it stuck.”

They both looked at each other, smiling at the shared memory.

“I wish I could’ve met him. He sounds like a great man.”

“He was,” Atticus and Max said in unison.

“The best,” Theo added, looking sad.

Sam cleared his throat. “Well, I think I’m done with my questions. I’ll leave you to it and go write up a report.”

“Thanks for all your work here, Sam. You’ve done a great job. Can you send me through your report when you’re done? Thanks.”

“No problem. See you.” With a wave, he left.

“You don’t need to go with him?” I asked Max.

“No, we came separately. I thought you might need a ride home and thought it was safer if I drove you both.” Max grasped Atticus’s shoulder reassuringly.

Atticus gripped Max’s hand.

“Thanks, Max. Are you sure it’s okay that we stay with you?” I looked into his warm brown eyes.

“I’m sure.”

Atticus’s doctor came back in then, and Theo stiffened in his seat.

“You’re good to go. Sally here—” He gestured over his shoulder at the petite blond nurse who followed him in. “—has all your paperwork and a script for painkillers. If your symptoms get worse or you notice anything out of the ordinary, come right back in. Head injuries are no joke.” With a stiff nod, he left as quickly as he’d entered.

Sally came over and handed me the paperwork with a kind smile. “Here’s the discharge paperwork, script, and concussion care instructions.”

Theo relaxed as soon as the doctor left. He sent Sally a smile, rising to give her a hug. “How are you? How was maternity leave? How’s baby Dylan doing?”

“Wonderful,” she said with a faraway smile. “He’s amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better baby. You’ll have to come over soon and visit.”

“That’d be great, just let me know when.”

Turning back to us, Sally checked over Atticus’s bandages. “I’ll need to bring you a wheelchair so you can leave. Hospital policy I’m afraid. Do you have any clothes to change into? Your jeans are still mostly fine.” She pulled a basket out from beside the bed that I hadn’t noticed was there. “Your shirt was cut off and you were covered in blood. I can grab a scrub shirt from the nurse’s station if you’d like.”

“No, it’s okay. Mama brought me a change of clothes.”

“I’ll just grab a bag for you to put those jeans in. Be right back.” She placed the basket at the foot of the bed and left the room.

“We’ll step out,” Theo added as he and Max headed for the door.

I assisted Atticus to slowly sit up with the help of the electronic bed.

Sally popped back in with a reusable plastic bag. “Here you are. I’ll leave you to get dressed and give Theo the wheelchair. Take care of yourself.” She nodded in farewell and left again.

I carefully helped Atticus dress. He was obviously in pain, moving slowly and stiffly.

“When can you have another pain pill? You’re clearly hurting.” I leaned down and kissed his cheek as I helped pull his jeans up his legs before he stood to finish the job.

“I’m not sure. Soon, I think. I can tell it’s wearing off.” Grimacing, he shifted to allow me to help him with his shoes.

Once he was fully dressed, he sat back on the bed while I went to let Theo and Max know we were ready to go.

“You look more human now,” Theo said as he entered with the wheelchair. “Since I know you’re staying with Max now, I’ll let Mama know and try and encourage her to bring food by tomorrow so you can at least rest tonight. I’m not making any promises, though. You know what she’s like when one of us is injured, even if we’re adults.”

“I know all too well.” Atticus moaned as he shifted into the wheelchair with Theo’s help.

We left the hospital very quickly after that.

I gave Theo the script, and he said he would get it filled and bring it by Max’s right away. Max helped me settle Atticus into the front seat of his Ford Expedition SSV, and I quickly returned the wheelchair, then hopped in the back.

Max insisted we stop by Atticus’s to grab the essentials before going to his house, so he headed that way. Once we arrived, Max made us stay in the SUV while he checked over the house. When he assured me the coast was clear, I hurried inside as quickly as my walking boot would allow and awkwardly grabbed some clothes and toiletries for Atticus, as well as all my belongings. Thanks to Atticus I had more possessions now than when I’d arrived. Throwing everything into a large suitcase I found in the closet, I did one final check to make sure I had enough for a few days, then headed for the door.

I couldn’t help but pause in the living room, taking in the still beautiful tent. Smiling to myself, I quickly ducked into the tent and grabbed the lube bottle, just in case, adding that to the front pocket of the suitcase.