Krewe Daddy (22 page)

"Old . . . man."

He frowned. "I'm the Old Man."

Drew looked exhausted, and kept licking his lips.

"Are you thirsty? Do you want a sip of water?"

He nodded.

Lifting the pitcher they always kept by his bedside, Luis poured some water into a glass, and eased it against Drew's lips.

"Okay, so what about Sandalio?"

"Old . . . man . . . Sandalio." He sounded breathless. The combination of the nightmare and seizure seemed to have sapped all the strength from his voice, too.

"Old man Sandalio." Luis thought for a moment. "The father? He was there?"

Drew nodded before closing his eyes again. "Fourth man."

"Old man Sandalio was the fourth man there that night." Luis couldn't believe his ears.

"Yes. Told them . . . told them to beat me, but not . . . kill . . . me." Drew opened his eyes, his gaze meeting Luis' with ferocious pain. "Find him. He needs to pay."

Luis couldn't speak. Drew had endured unfathomable agony at the bidding of Henrique Sandalio. "I'm going to get my phone to call the detectives."

Luis ran like the building was on fire. He had to report this information before Drew forgot he'd even said it. He pressed
call
on his way back to Drew's bedroom.

The night duty detective asked, "Is Drew there? I need to record this for the official record."

Luis' heart sank.
What if Drew has already forgotten?
"Drew, the detective needs you to tell him what you remembered. They're going to record it. Can you do that?"

"Yes."

Luis handed him the phone.

* * * * *

"Sandalio's father was there. Don't remember his first name. The old man. He told the other three what to do. He told them to beat me. Sandalio said not to kill me.

He kicked me a few times, but the others used the baseball bat and their fists. Sandalio said was big payback for sending his son to jail again." Drew spoke haltingly, the aftereffects of the seizure clear.

"You're sure it was Henrique Sandalio?"

"Yes. The whole thing came back to me tonight. Do you have what you need to arrest him?"

"Enough to get started, that's for sure. This is great."

Drew handed the phone to Luis. "That's enough."

He covered his face with his arm, and waited for Luis to finish the call. "Luis, you need to tell the District Attorney."

"I suppose Sheila Parsons wouldn't want to hear about this through the grapevine tomorrow."

"She'd be pissed." Drew listened to Luis place the call. Afterward, he said, "I suppose she's halfway to the police station already."

Luis chuckled. "Do you blame her?"

"No. Help me up, please."

Luis helped Drew swing into a sitting position.

"I gotta get out of here."

"What do you mean?"

"I had that nightmare again about being in the trunk. I need to see some sky. Will you help me to the couch?"

"You're as weak as a kitten. How about I turn on some more lights, and you stay put instead? Plus, it's pitch black out."

Drew shook his head. "I need some windows and some air. Please."

Luis put an arm around Drew's waist, and helped him stand. "I'm not sure this is a good idea. That looked like a pretty rough seizure."

"We were arguing when I went to bed. Do we have to start again?"

"Come on."

Drew leaned on Luis, grateful for his strength and his body heat. Every time he had one of those damn seizures, he was chilled to the bone.

"I have a surprise for you. Can you wait here for a second?"

"Do I have to?"

"Well, no, but I think you'll like it. Lean against the wall. I'll be right back."

The sensation of the cool wall against his bare arm sent shivers through Drew.

"Hurry up. I'm freezing to death."

Luis returned with a big smile on his face. "Okay, come on."

They stepped into the living room.

"Oh, cool, you put up the tree!"

"Do you like it?"

"Yeah, you know I'm a sucker for a nice Christmas tree."

Luis helped Drew to the couch. "You can check it out tomorrow, but I wanted you to see it tonight. The lights are so pretty at night."

Drew put his feet up. "I love all the snowflakes."

"I've been collecting them for years." Luis covered him with a blanket.

Drew raised an eyebrow and fingered the fabric. "Santa Claus?"

Luis shrugged. "A boy can dream, can't he?"

"Come cuddle with me." The request slipped out before Drew had a chance to think about it.

"Are you sure?"

Drew suspected Luis was afraid he would hurt him. "I won't break if you don't squeeze too hard."

"Sit up. I'll hold you."

After a bunch of careful maneuverings, Drew settled against Luis' barrel chest.

"I'm sorry about dinner."

"I know. You've sure held a string of pity parties lately."

Drew knew he was right. "Yeah. My therapist says a little frustration is a good thing. It shows I want to get better, and I'm making progress."

"Just not fast enough, huh?"

"Right. And what I wouldn't give to go for a walk, or something as mundane as grocery shopping."

Luis kissed Drew's temple. "I know. The breakthrough you had tonight, wow, seeing the fourth guy's face was huge."

Drew nodded. "I hope it's enough. I know I'll have to testify against him, but maybe they can round up that group of thugs. If I can't have my life back, at least I can have some freedom."

He glanced up at Luis. "What does your therapist say?"

"I'm out of my mind—lock, stock, and barrel."

Drew chuckled. "I take responsibility for that. Has it totally sucked having me here?"

"No. It hasn't been easy, but you're making progress, and things like tonight, well, they just prove you're going to come out of this okay."

"I don't know what I'm going to do with myself for the rest of my life." Drew had lain in bed for hours and hours over the past weeks, looking for answers to that question. He really didn't expect to be able to work as a Senior Agent ever again. "It'll be up to, what's his name, the one who's marrying my old boyfriend?"

"Kevin?"

"Yeah, it'll be up to him to decide whether I'm too beat up to model anymore, too." Luis held him a little tighter, and Drew felt him silently conveying his support.

Drew bit his lip to keep from getting emotional.

"Scars can be very sexy, too."

"You should be in charge of PR in rehab. I'll make you a nametag. I'll call you Doctor Spin." Drew studied the twinkling Christmas lights. "What made you decide to put up the tree?"

Luis laced his fingers in Drew's. "I wanted to see you smile."

"You've done so much for me already. I'll never be able to repay you."

"Get well. That's repayment enough. By the way, I wondered if you had some things from your apartment you'd like brought over. Maybe you'd feel more like this was your place, too."

Drew gripped Luis a little tighter. "You're keeping me?"

"Yes."

"Well, in that case, I really miss my recliner. It's not leather, but I think it'll go with the rest of your stuff. I'm sure there are other things, but I can't think of anything else at the moment. Is my lease up?"

"I honestly don't know, but I don't think you'll be going back there any time soon. Seems like a huge waste of money to keep paying rent on a place you can't live in."

Drew understood the financial logic of what Luis said, but he felt more indebted to him than ever. "I can't live here for free. If I'm going to give up my apartment, then I have to pay you something."

"Stop it. I make enough to cover everything."

"I don't care. I meant what I said at dinner. You've given up everything ever since I got here. I insist on contributing. I have money coming in." Drew twisted around and looked at Luis. He spoke with utter conviction. "Don't emasculate me any more than I already have been."

Luis cupped Drew's chin and kissed him.

Their tender kiss lasted long enough for Drew to know Luis wasn't patronizing him. Hot tears prickled at the corners of his eyelids.

"It was never my intention to make you feel that way. If contributing to the household budget makes you feel better, then we'll work out something."

Drew's chest ached with gratitude. "Why are you so good to me?"

"Isn't that what you do for people you love?"

His declaration caught Drew by surprise. "What are you saying?"

"Could it be any simpler? Clearer? I love you. I have for a very long time." Luis'

voice sounded bedroom husky.

Drew believed him. For the first time in their tumultuous relationship, he had no doubt.

Luis broke the yawning silence. "This is where you say something like, I love you, too. Or, I just want to be friends, or, let's take it slow."

"If we took it any slower, we'd be stopped." He cleared his throat. "I love you, too, Luis. I never thought I'd be saying that under these circumstances, but here we are."

Luis crooked an eyebrow. "You're in my arms in front of the Christmas tree.

What could be more perfect than that?"

"Having hot sex right about now would make it a lot more perfect."

Luis kissed him again. "I won't pressure you. My right hand says I can wait a little longer, until you're stronger."

Drew gave him a humorless laugh, and examined Luis' right hand. "No calluses yet. Can't be that bad."

"I'm too tired to think about my dick most of the time. But a few evenings like this will change things fast."

Drew smiled at him. "I like the sound of that. I hope it won't be long. And for the record, I hate sleeping alone."

"What do you suggest?"

"Is that a serious question?"

"Well, yes, sort of. I mean, I figure it means you want to sleep together, but my bed doesn't have rails. If you have—"

"You'll be there to catch me."

Drew sat on the orthopedist's exam table and wiggled the toes on his left foot. "It feels so good to have a cast off."

The doctor examined his handiwork on Drew's ankle. "I know it's been a long haul, but the X-rays look good." He manipulated Drew's ankle in a gentle, circular motion. "How does that feel?"

"Sore, stiff. About like I expected."

The orthopedist straightened up. "Let's get you standing to see how it looks and feels."

Drew got off the table and placed his foot on the floor. It had been months since he'd done that. He was afraid to test it with his full weight. "What if it gives out?"

"Stand on it. Everything is nicely healed."

Drawing a deep breath, he did as the doctor asked. His left ankle didn't collapse.

"Feels weird, but sturdy."

"It's going to feel that way until you get the muscles strengthened." He looked Drew in the eye. "No jumping or running until I see you in February. Got that?"

"Shouldn't be a challenge. The guy I live with doesn't have a basketball court in his place, and the police still have me almost on house arrest."

"I'd have thought that situation would ease up a little now that the people who beat you are behind bars."

"They're not permanently in jail yet. If the grand jury indicts them, I'll be able to stop looking over my shoulder every second." He asked a burning question. "Do you think I'll ever have full mobility again? I don't know if it's possible with my memory issues, but physically, do you think I could go back to my old job?"

"I've seen people with your type of leg injury have a permanent limp, shortened ligaments, and lingering pain. Your head injury works in your favor, at least in the near term."

Drew frowned. "How so?"

"You know you can't go back to work until your memory is solid, and the seizures under good control. That'll give your body more time to heal and get your strength back. You won't be raring to go prematurely and stress these bones." He rested his hand on Drew's shoulder. "I think you have a good chance of recovering most of your mobility in your ankle, and all the strength in your arm, if you do your exercises and don't push it. These bones were badly broken."

Drew wanted to recoil from a renewed memory of the pain he'd endured when the baseball bat slammed against his body, over and over. "But they didn't win. I'm going to."

He reached for the small bag he'd brought with him. "Now, I'm going to put on my left sock and shoe for the very first time, and walk out of here, more whole than I've been in months."

"I'll see you in six weeks." Compassion filled the doctor's face, and he extended his hand. "Good luck."

He shut the door behind him on his way out of the exam room.

Pride in his accomplishment, mixed with his sorrow over what he'd endured, clouded Drew's vision with tears. He threaded the soft, white sock over his scarred ankle, then pulled on his shoe. Standing afterward, his foot ached a bit. He felt a little unsteady. Picking up his bag, he put a smile on his face and left the room.

Excitement personified, Luis stood the second he saw Drew.

With measured steps, Drew approached him.

Seeming to read Drew's thoughts, Luis rushed to him and wrapped his strong arms around him in a mammoth, Daddy hug.

Drew burst into tears. While he sobbed with grief and relief, Luis trembled, too.

This day was a victory for both of them, he thought. While drying his tears with the back of his hand, Drew smiled. "Great day, huh?" Emotion fogged his voice.

"One of the best in a long time." Luis took Drew's bag. "You ready to go home?"

"Just one more thing." He pressed his lips against Luis', kissing him gently.

"Thank you for everything. I don't know how I'd have gotten through this without you.

It's been terrible at times."

"Say no more. I love you."

"Aw." The woman's voice interrupted their moment.

Luis gazed into Drew's eyes. "I think we have a fan." He nodded toward the receptionist.

Drew smiled. "Let's get out of here." As they passed the receptionist, Drew winked at her. "Thanks for everything."