Leaning down with a grimace, I press a kiss to Cleo’s head before slipping out from under her.
She tightens her hand around me. “Don’t go,” she murmurs sleepily.
Fuck if it doesn’t make me want to crawl back in bed.
“Hush. I’m going to the bathroom and taking a shower. You rest.”
Her eyes pop open. “I should go with you. I need to change your bandage.”
She looks exhausted. Her eyes are red with dark circles surrounding them. Her skin is paler than normal. When she sits up and moves off the bed, it’s lethargic.
“Baby, I want you to rest some more. You’re worn out.”
She shakes her head. “I won’t be able to sleep without you so I might as well get up. Maybe we can have some coffee.”
Sighing, I pull her into me. “I don’t think I can ever let you go back home. Can we run to Vegas now and get married?”
She lets out a small chuckle. “I would in a heartbeat, but I think some people might have something to say about that.”
“Fuck them.”
She pulls back, leading me into the bathroom. Once there, she hands me two more pills before turning to start the shower.
Our shower is short and sweet. She washes me again, her attentive hands as gentle as ever. When I attempt to return the favor, she gives me a stern look.
It only turns me on, but I let her have her way for now. If it wasn’t for the concern in her eyes, I would have pushed the issue. I don’t want her to worry though, so another time.
Then she dries me, making me sit on the closed toilet as she tends to my wounds.
After several minutes of silence, she huffs out a breath. “Maybe I should ask Kenji to look. I don’t know what it's supposed to look like.”
Reaching up, I grab her hand in mine, bringing it to my lips.
“You’re doing great. I’ll walk you through it.”
She looks at me with confusion. “You know how to treat a gunshot wound?”
Reaching up, I cup her cheek, bringing her lips to mine. I press a quick one against hers.
“I know how to treat a laundry list of wounds. My life is dangerous. This isn’t even the first gunshot wound I’ve had.”
She swallows hard. “I don’t like you being hurt.”
“I know, but I will always come back to you.”
She glances at me, her eyes watery. “Promise?”
I pull her to me. “I promise. I’ll never leave you alone. You’re stuck with me.”
She breathes in deep, holding it for a moment before letting it whoosh out of her.
“Tell me how to care for you,” she says after a moment.
So I do. She follows my instructions, checking for infection, disinfecting, then rebandaging the wound.
By the time she’s done, my shoulder aches, but the look on her face makes it worth it. She feels accomplished. Like she did something right.
“I’m proud of you, princess. You are going to be my perfect queen.”
