Edge nodded.
Rain nearly sighed when Edge focused on someone else.
“Text the client, Field.” He touched his earpiece. “Send video proof, Tracker. Let me know when payment is confirmed.”
Silence met his demands. They all waited, equally understanding nonpayment meant a second job tonight. It was just as well rehearsed, but they didn’t want to do it. Getting paid was always best.
“Payment complete.”
Even though no one sighed in relief, it was practically understood. Killing a client came with a lot more risks. They would know the crew came for them. That was the terms. Payment or death. A person who expected to die set up protection. That made things trickier. Rain could do it. No problem, but he still didn’t like the extra complications. Plus, a sexy man waited for him. Rain needed to shower and then sneak out for the night. He wasn’t exactly sure why he hid Austen. Rain just wasn’t ready to introduce him. Killers Inc. wasa brotherhood. They were family. His family would take it out of Austen, testing his mettle. Rain wasn’t ready for that. He wasn’t sure Austen would stay through that bullshit. Rain just needed a little more time. He could addict Austen to his touch. Then maybe they could survive his crazy brothers. Until then, it was his little secret. No one had to know.
Chapter Six
ThetwoweeksAustenhad to wait to do Rain’s surgery were hell. He finally got to see Rain’s performance from beginning to end. Austen spent the entire time wincing. While Rain never showed an ounce of weakness or missed a step, sometimes Austen saw the pain in his eyes when he thought Austen wasn’t watching. He was so fucking grateful to have Rain on the table about to go under.
His medical staff and surgical crew readied the room while Austen sat near Rain’s head. He waited for the anesthesiologist to run through everything with Rain before stealing his attention.
“Thank you.”
Confusion crossed Rain’s features. “For what?”
“Trusting me to take care of you.”
Rain’s features cleared. “Oh. That’s nothing. I trust you above all others. There’s no miracle you can’t perform.”
Austen realized he was smiling. Everything about Rain always fluffed his ego. “Thanks to Beau finding me some help, I’ve cleared my schedule for the next few weeks. Guess who’s getting pampered?”
Rain chuckled as the anesthesiologist put an oxygen mask on him. Austen gave the guy a nod. He started the IV.
“I’ll be the first thing you see when you wake up.”
Rain nodded. His eyes were already drooping.
Austen kept an eye on his vitals. “Okay, guys. Let’s get started.”
Even though Austen went through the motions, he was hyper aware it was Rain. He went slowly, taking his time and ensuring everything was completely perfect before finishing up. Rain would stay off this foot until it healed if it was the last thing Austen did. He gave a few instructions to the team and then headed out to remove his PPE for sterilization. As he stepped from the room, muscular arms encircled him, lifting him from the floor. A sea of men wearing all black and various-colored LED masks surrounded him. Rage flared through Austen.
“I have a patient on the table. What in the fuck is wrong with you people?”
He went ignored.
The largest of the bunch motioned toward the room where Rain would wake soon. “Ridge. Shore. Clear the room. You know what to do. Shadow. Take care of your boy.”
Three men broke off and headed inside the surgical suite. Gasps and screams filled the air, making Austen's already snapped temper skyrocket. “If you let Rain die, I swear to God you won’t live to regret it.” He struggled against the hold of whoever held him. It was like being trapped in a steel vise. “I have the connections to make you wish you were dead.”
“Let’s find a place to talk. You took my brother. I can’t let that stand.”
While he had thought this was likely the family Rain spoke of, realizing he was correct didn’t make him feel better. They still endangered Rain with their bullshit. Not to mention terrorizing his staff.
“This isn’t a kidnapping. It’s foot surgery, dumbass.”
Nobody moved, but the hold on him didn’t lessen. An alarm sounded.
A guy with black hair and crystal blue eyes stuck his head out the door. “Um. Something’s wrong.”
The shot of panic that hit Austen gave him superhuman strength. With a solid elbow and head butt, he was free and back with Rain. He eyed the machines. Rain didn’t have a heartbeat. “Get my fucking staff.” Austen leaped onto the table and started CPR. Rain would not die on his watch, especially not because of his fucked-up family leaving him unsupervised within minutes of surgery. These motherfuckers. He would see them dead. Austen had never felt so much fury in his life. He had nowhere to go with it. His skills and the best team money could buy saved him. He worked, and they worked until they had Rain stable again.
“Pump him full of clot buster. When he wakes up, we’ll start him on an anticoagulant.” Austen pressed his forehead against Rain’s and took a shaky breath. His entire body shook with fear and unchecked rage. No one had fought to be with him the way Rain had. No one meant as much to him. The more he thought about losing Rain, the more the fury built.
