Page 64 of There Once was a Dancer
He smiled and nodded. “Of course, brother.” He walked up to the bed and bent close, gathering me up in a gentle hug.Before pulling away, he planted a big, sloppy kiss on my bearded cheek which made me laugh as I shoved him away.
“Get the fuck outta here, Brit,” I said with a chuckle.
He straightened and saluted before pivoting on one heel and walking out the door. He winked from the other side of the glass, turning and walking away on two good legs.
Chapter Sixteen
REX
“Come on, Rex. You need to try, old bean. The doctor won’t sign your discharge papers until you learn how to use it,” Alain said.
I hated his fucking British accent sometimes.
I also pretty much hated him since he was the one who spent the most time bugging the shit out of me these days, even though all my teammates made a nuisance out of themselves. I took my frustration with my situation out on all of them on a daily basis even though I knew they were only trying to be encouraging and offer any help they could. Although, it didn’t stop me from trying to push them away. I was a total shithead, and embarrassed by my behavior but couldn’t seem to get past my anger. One of these days, I knew I’d push them too far, but for now, they hung in there.
“I don’t get why the fuckin’ VA couldn’t just give me an electric wheelchair. And why’d they move me to the damned VA to begin with?” I was sitting up after Alain had helped me move closer to the edge of the bed so I could try to use the wheelchair once again. I looked at the ancient thing, certain they’d dug it out of the basement where all their broken-down equipment was kept.
“I’d think that should be jolly well evident, my brother,” Alain drawled in a rather bored voice. “Your FBI medical benefits required that Cedars-Sinai transfer you to the VA as soon as it was safe to move you.”
I frowned at him. “So, tell me again why I’m bein’ forced to use a wheelchair from the Stone Age,” I growled.
“You know, that won’t work with me, old chap.” He wasn’t looking at me, instead, holding up his hand and examining a damned near perfect manicure.
“What won’t work with you?”
He cut a glance toward me and sniffed delicately. “You can have an atrocious attitude. It’s absolutely no skin off my nose, Rex.” He smiled so sweetly, all I wanted to do was punch him in his perfect, aristocratic nose. “I’m quite certain it’s why the captain assigned me to be your somewhat constant companion, old boy.” He poked a thumb into his own chest.
“Like a boil on my ass.”
“Has anyone ever told you what an utterly charming ray of sunshine you are?”
I rolled my eyes. “And you’re with me because while I’m on leave, the team needs to be even more shorthanded than they normally are, right?”
“You’re well aware that everyone is in the process of identifying the individual cartel members who attended that party at the Hernandez house, Rex. Besides, I think you should be grateful that we’re trying to put those rather unpleasant people away, especially considering the circumstances and what happened that day. Our team can’t do anything until we’re sure we have all of them in our sights. Lincoln Snow’s team is on the identification, and Candy is champing at the bit. He wants the team to move as soon as possible, but since nothing can be done by you or any of us until we ID them all, you have one job. That’s to get better, go along with your physical and occupational therapists, and stop being a total arse to everyone who’s trying to help you.”
“I ain’t a total ass,” I argued, even though I knew I was.
“Really? Well, you’ve managed to tell everyone what you think of them when they come to visit. I’d say that fits.”
I flushed with embarrassment since that was exactly what I’d done. I’d still deny it to my dying days. “I don’t do that.”
“Oh, no, of course not,” he drawled. “Candy and the rest of us simply adore it when you call us names and act like a bloody child.”
I shook my head, pointing at him. “Pfft. There, you’re wrong.”
“I certainly am not!”
“I never called Candy any names,” I grumbled under my breath.
“Well, you may as well have. You’ve treated all of us appallingly for the last two months. You’ve been ghastly. Why should he get special treatment?”
I let the guilt of that statement wash over me.
It was becoming a damned constant companion, my guilt. I felt like shit every time one of them had to help the nurses. Changing clothes or putting on my fucking socks, just so I could humiliate myself during the painful physical therapy I was forced to do three goddamned times a day. I hated being so dependent on everyone, and I missed the fuck out of Lola even though I knew the guys were taking good care of her. They’d snuck her in a few times.
And then of course, there was the unspoken heartbreak I went to bed with every night because I’d made the worst mistake of my life in hurting Cachi the way I had.
I held up both hands. “All right. You’re right and I suppose I had that one comin’.”
