Fractured Fear (The Devils of New York #1)

Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

SPENCER

I s my alarm going off? Did I change the sound by accident? Either way, it’s annoying as hell.

I reach to turn it off, but my arm is caught on something. What the fuck? Peeling my eyes open is a chore, but when I manage to crack them open, I’m met with harsh overhead lights that send a sharp ache through my skull. I hiss at the pain.

“Go back to sleep, Angel. I’ll still be here when you wake up.”

Why is Zane in my apartment? My mind is fuzzy, and sleep sounds good. It’s Sunday anyways so I might as well take advantage and sleep in.

When I wake later my eyes still feel heavy. The annoying as fuck lights are still glaring overhead and that incessant beeping is still going strong.

Why didn’t Zane turn off my alarm?

I groan and try to roll over but am stopped by a tug on my arm and everything clicks.

The bar. Running away from Zane and Rio. Being pulled into the street, getting away, collapsing on my couch after I called…Oh shit. Zane.

Slowly sitting up, I realize where I am. The overwhelming stench of antiseptic, the rhythmic beep of the heart monitor, the indistinct chatter of nurses outside my door.

I’m in the hospital.

Zane is asleep in what must be the most uncomfortable chair known to humankind. It’s short, much too short for his tall frame. He’s slumped down with his head resting on the back. How is it possible that he looks just as beautiful sleeping as he does awake? I normally wake up with a dry mouth and drool crusted on my cheek, but not Zane. Of course, not Zane. He’s captivating even while unconscious.

“You’re staring.”

Startled, I snap my attention to a man in the doorway. I didn’t even hear him come in. He’s standing there leaning against the doorframe with a coffee in each hand looking perfectly rumpled in his slightly wrinkled, heather-gray T-shirt and straight leg jeans. Did he sleep here too?

“Rio. Umm. I wasn’t staring. Merely wondering how he looks so peaceful in that chair.”

“It’s okay, Spencer. Your secret is safe with me.” His smug grin causes my face to heat.

Rio chuckles as the heart monitor beeps quicken. Oh my hell. That machine has got to go.

“I like knowing how we affect you,” he confesses.

“Well I don’t like you knowing, so maybe I can just unhook myself and we can get going.” I go to remove the heart monitor but an inked hand settles over mine, halting my progress.

“Don’t you dare, Mama. We’re staying here until the doc gives us the green light.”

“Please, Rio. I don’t want to be here.”

“Hey. Babygirl, look at me,” Rio’s hand lands gently on my cheek and guides my gaze to his. Searching my gaze, he finds whatever it is he’s looking for. “I’ll go find the doctor and see about putting a rush on your discharge, okay?”

“Okay,” I nod. “Thank you.”

He turns to grab the coffees from the chair where he must have set them down. He places one on the floor next to Zane and makes a swift exit.

The door slams shut, jolting Zane awake.

“Hey, sleepyhead. Got some good rest?”

Yawning, he reaches high, stretching his muscles. I can’t help but notice how his shirt rises displaying a strip of hair that disappears into his pants. “I should be saying that to you. You’ve been asleep for over twelve hours.”

“What?” How did I not notice the time? I reach for my phone on the side table, but the forest of wires makes the action impossible. “A little help, please?”

Taking a sip of the hospital coffee, he saunters over without a care in the world. Thank God. Relief floods my system at his relaxed state. If he’s calm, it must not be that bad.

“Checking to see if your boyfriend called?”

“You know I don’t have a boyfriend.” With a roll of my eyes, I grab my phone.

“Oh really?”

“Yes. You saw me with Rio last night and we…you know…yesterday. Not to mention no one wants to deal with my mess,” I say as I gesture to the entirety of my being.

If I were to have a boyfriend, it’d be you or Rio…or both.

Lost in that thought, I’m reminded of what they said last night about not making me choose. They couldn’t have meant that…right?

“Rio and I would have no problem being your boyfriends.” Zane doesn’t realize that when he says stuff like that, it’s like dropping a bomb in my lap. What the hell am I supposed to do with it? I’m not a bomb tech.

Wait.

Oh my God, I said that out loud, didn’t I?

How hard did I hit my head?

“Pretty hard. You have some scrapes and bruises, and you have a pretty big lump on your temple,” as I reach up to assess and feel the damage, Zane chimes, “You don’t want to do that.”

I stop mid reach and retort, “I need to know how bad it is.”

Zane’s light touch traces over the side of my face as if willing my injuries to heal. “It’s nothing that won’t heal.”

The pace of my heart monitor shoots off like a bullet.

With a groan, I cover my face. “Please just leave and let me die of embarrassment in peace.”

“Never. You’re not allowed to die on me, Angel.”

His words pull at my heart strings, and his face radiates sincerity. If I died, would he feel like I abandoned him? Not that I blame him. When Abuela died, I felt truly alone for the first time in my life.

Abuela couldn’t magic the cancer away, but I know if she could, she would have in a heartbeat. She left me. She passed on and went wherever we go when we die. Whether it be Heaven, Hell, or just an abyss of nothing, she left.

I should be nothing to Zane. My existence shouldn’t matter. I should be able to be plucked out of his life, and there should be no trace of a Spencer-shaped hole. He and Rio should go on as normal. He and Rio should go on as normal.

“Whatever you’re thinking right now, Spencer. Stop it.”

“How do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Know exactly what I’m thinking or feeling in the moment.”

“It’s easy. Your eyes say it all.”

Zane kisses the top of my head, and I feel it radiate throughout my body. I didn’t know a simple kiss could be so sweet, and my heart fills at the action.

A familiar buzz calls my attention to the flood of texts from everyone asking what happened. Alma sounds like she’s cooking for an army with all the meals she’s promising to drop off, Iris is ready to hunt down my attacker, and Hayes is losing his mind.

Before I can ask, Zane answers my question with a sympathetic grin. “I called Hayes.”

“What? Why?” My heart rate starts up again.

“I didn’t know how long you’d be in the hospital. I figured you would want him to know so he didn’t freak out when you were a no show at work on Monday.”

My head leans back against the pillows and my shoulders droop ever so slightly. Dealing with everyone is going to be such a bitch.

Zane’s demeanor shifts from calm to serious. “Spencer, I need to ask you some questions.”

My head nod is all he needs to continue.

“Do you remember what happened?”

“Yes.” My answer is barely audible.

“Do you think you could tell me about it?”

“…Why?”

“I’ve been assigned to your case.”

“Oh,” the news settles in. “Wouldn’t that be a conflict of interest?”

“That’s not something you need to worry about.”

“I don’t want you to get in trouble, Zane.”

“I won’t. Now about last night…”

“I’m not so sure I’m ready to answer those questions.”

“Okay. We can do this another time, Angel,” Zane leans forward and places another gentle kiss on the crown of my head. “Crime scene techs came by. There was no viable evidence at the scene, but you had DNA under your fingernails, so they took samples. We’ll run it through CODIS and get a hit soon. Don’t worry. We’ll catch this guy.”

No, they won’t.

When Rio re-enters the room, he has a dowdy, gray-haired woman with glasses in tow.

“Spencer Gray. I’m Dr. Cody. It’s good to see you awake,” her welcoming smile puts me at ease. “How are you feeling?”

“Pretty good,” I lie. “Can I go home?”

“Your tests came back. Everything looks good,” she explains as she flips through my boring beige file. “No serious brain injuries. You do have a small concussion though. I’d like to keep you here another night to observe you. Make sure nothing else comes up.”

Nope. Not gonna happen.

“I’m good. I’d like to leave. I promise I’ll rest at home.” My composed tone must be what begins to sway her.

“Do you have anyone who can stay with you tonight?”

Defeat crushes my chest. Do I have someone? No. I couldn’t ask that favor of anyone I know. Sneaking out of the hospital might be my only option.

“Yes, she does. I’ll be with her,” Zane speaks up.

“Me too,” Rio adds.

My head snaps back and forth between the two of them. Is this a joke?

“And you are?”

“We’re her boyfriends,” Zane answers plainly, giving his million dollar smile.

Unphased, Dr. Cody continues, “There are a few things you’ll need to look out for.” Her voice fades as I sneak a glance at Rio. A ghost of a smile rests on his lips.

I’m still trying to formulate whether or not they said that to get a reaction out of her. That must be it. I’m not girlfriend material, not even close to relationship ready.

The next thing I know the t’s are crossed, the i’s are dotted, and I’m in the back seat of Zane’s cramped car headed home.

There’s no way they’re actually staying. No fucking way. My apartment isn’t small, but the walls cannot contain the big dick energy that is Zane and Rio. Their mere presence will blow the place sky high.

I have to think of a way to get rid of them, but that’s assuming they intend on staying, which I’m not sure they plan on doing, so it’s okay. There’s no need to get myself worked up because it’s not happening.

Not. Fucking. Happening.

At this moment, I’m grateful that I’m no longer connected to anything monitoring my heart rate.