Standing By: A Knight's Tale #2 (29 page)

Blood oozes from my arm and my shoulder, the knife still attached to my body. Jake walks to where I stand, and his eyes widen.

“That’s a bullet wound,” he points at my arm and winces. “Fuck Hayley is going to kill me… I tried not to shoot you, I swear.”

The door of the guest room opens, Liam comes out wearing nothing but boxers and an annoyed face.

“What the hell is all the noise?” As I turn around his face goes pale, and he points at me. “Mitch, there’s a knife on your shoulder.”

“What clued you in, Sparky?” I mumble as Jake pushes me onto the couch right as my legs are about to give out. He heads to the bathroom, comes back with a towel and starts to apply pressure on the wound. “I thought you were in my office.”

“Yeah, that was the plan.” He touches his earpiece again. “The ambulance should be here in a few minutes. Did you really think I’d let you two be part of the mission?” He shakes his head. “As my brilliant sister-in-law pointed out, you two are nothing but a couple of civilians and the odds of coming out alive were pretty slim. So, if you think about my flawless plan… there really wasn’t a plan. Everything is tied up—now.”

I look at the floor where my new friend lays.

“I said now. He escaped and we tried to reach him before he arrived here… but hey, not one of our team died. Well unless, you do, Mitch.”

“Once I recover, I plan on practicing my shooting skills on you, asshole.” I squeeze my eyes because the sting is becoming unbearable.

“Stay with us, Mitch.” I hear Jake say, but I can’t open my eyes.

Hayley

T
he Knight brothers
are on my hit list—all three of them. Jake called me six hours ago to inform me that the operation had been successful followed by the news that Mitch is in the hospital, recovering from a knife and two bullet wounds.
Friendly fire
, he said. When I find out who that friendly person was, I’ll make sure to return the favor. As the helicopter lands on the helipad of the hospital, I slide out and head to where Jake stands, next to him is Liam.

“Who did it?” I ask him while glancing at both making sure neither one was hurt. “Who shot him and how is Mitch?”

“Recovering from surgery, both minor injuries, the bullet and the knife.”

“You said two bullets, Jacob Knight,” he goes still and shakes his head.

“No, only one,” he confirms gazing into my eyes. “When I called you I had too many people talking to me at once. You may have misheard me. The other guy had two bullets, believe me, Mitch isn’t in any danger.”

“You said you weren’t taking them with you,” He promised when I called him about the goons who arrived at Parker’s to protect me until
the operation
was finished. “We agreed they have zero training.”

“They stayed behind, Hayley,” Liam bobs his head in agreement. “Keep your finger away from my chest before you do some permanent damage, Hayley.” I put my hand down. “One of the men we ambushed escaped… he made it to Mitch’s apartment and though my brother bravely defended himself with his tablet.” They both break into a laugh—silly men. “The guy only stabbed him with a knife on the left shoulder. The doctors said it’ll take some time for the tissue and muscle to repair but with physical therapy he’ll be fine.”

“The bullet, Jake?” He winces. “Who shot him?”

“It was him,” Liam mutters, tilting his head towards Jake. “An accident, it was dark, Mitch and the other dude were tangled up fighting—I think. At least he didn’t hit him on the chest or… killed him.”

“Thank you, bro,” Jake blurts, scratching the back of his neck.

“He’s so dead,” I said, and Jake raises his eyebrow in question. “Both… the three of you… I don’t know… you Knights are … Take me to Mitch, please.”

“Your Dad didn’t come with you?” Jake asks as we enter the building and head down the stairs to the fifth floor.

“He did, as well as my brothers.” I scrunch my nose as the antiseptic odor begins to cripple inside my nostrils. “The helicopter you had only fit two more, they all drew straws and one of your guys got the shortest one. The rest will take a car and be here later.”

After three floors, Jake opens the stairwell door towards the hospital and bright white walls along with black and white floors greet me. We take a left to another hallway; I see plenty of nurses wearing different designed scrubs. One nurse composes herself as we walk by and smiles at Jake and Liam but when she spots me she begins to sneer. As if I’m competition… nope, I want to tell her. One’s taken, and the other is only a friend. There’s a tall, brawny man leaning on the frame of the room, he gives us a sharp nod and moves aside.

“Friend of yours?” I ask out loud, hoping to get an answer from either one.

“One of my men,” Jake stops right before I take a step inside the room, turns around and gives me a stern look. “Mitch’s under pain meds… that means he’s sleeping—not dead. Don’t start flipping on me.”

“I’ll flip on you if I want to,” I poke him with my finger. “You shot him you’re fair game… now move aside.”

Before I can take a step, I see him laying on the bed and a lump forms inside my throat. This isn’t my Mitch. His eyes remain closed; strands of his hair cover his forehead, some touch his eyelids and his bare chest is patched with white stuff. Two machines connected with wires are also glued to his chest and then the IV bag connected to a clear plastic tube inserted with a needle on the back of his hand.

“Poor baby,” I release a tight breath yet my chest is still tight. I finally step inside the room and make my way next to him. I brush some of the hair strands from his face, bend down and kiss him on the forehead. “This is more than a scratch, Muffin Man,” I whisper making sure not one tear peeks out of my eyes. “We’ll have to review the consequences, mister. Stabbing… shot, that’s too many things at the same time.”

He doesn’t answer, but his steady, slow breath continues. I look over my shoulder and glare at Jake.

“Are you sure he’s fine?” I insist.

“Yes,” Jake’s nostrils flare. “He came out of surgery a couple of hours ago and they drugged him.”

I close my eyes for one second, give Mitch another kiss and walk to where his brothers are.

“Where are your parents?”

“On their way, with Emma,” Liam answers. “Mom’s ready to fuss over her boy and we’re already deciding how we’re going to help him while he recovers. The doctor said that he shouldn’t work for at least the next eight weeks. Want to help?”

“Yes, put me down for overseeing the restaurants, I’ve been helping him with that for the past three months and Parker is in town,” I remind them. “We can both take over while Mitch recovers.”

The brothers high five each other as if they just scored on an important game or sealed the best deal of their lives. Knights… they are a strange species.

*

“I have a
farm,” Parker tells me while we sit in the hospital cafeteria having lunch. That’s a perfect opening for me to hum the “Old MacDonald” song. “Really, Hayley? At the farm it’s somewhat amusing, more when Ben joins in. However, here it loses the cute effect. As I was saying, I have things to do; I can’t stay here for eight weeks to help Mitch with the restaurants. I have even less time and patience when he has a freaking mess at
Alexander’s
.”

“It’s not that messy,” I scratch my head. “Mitch was getting ready to hire a new group of chefs.”

“Yeah, I saw that,” Parker and I visited each restaurant yesterday and made sure everyone knew that until the doctor cleared Mitch, we would be the ones running the show. “I’ll talk to his brothers; I want a Knight to be there during the interviews. Thirty-six and I’m back living with my father.”

“For two months,” I remind him. However, it does sound bad mostly because I’ll be doing the same. “If it’s any consolation, I’ll be living there too.”

“What about your plans?” I shrug one shoulder.

“It’ll happen. Liam and I agreed to work on a business plan, Emma’s in charge of the image… granted she’ll include what I already had: colors, logo and
Heavenly Wear
.” I gift Parker a stern glare as he begins to laugh. “That’s what we call it, t-shirts, aprons and all the gear Liam designed.”

“Have you decided on a location yet, Hayley?”

“That’s simple,” I grin. “Wherever is most convenient… I’ll ask Liam to consider both states, Washington and New York.”

We both continue talking about the pros and cons of setting up in either state, the possibilities of branching out within a year to the other state and end up agreeing that no matter what, we’ll visit each other often if I stay here. At that moment, I spot Dad and it’s strange to see him wearing a pair of jeans on a weekday. He’s on vacation, and so far keeping his word of staying away from the office.

“I came to check on Mitchel,” Dad says. “Do you know he’s awake?” I ignore the question and finish my sandwich. “He asked for you, I mentioned you were downstairs and he realized that not only have you been here for the past three days but you’ve also been avoiding him.”

“How did he realize that, Daddy?”

“Perhaps I did say, ‘
She hasn’t left the hospital since they admitted you, Mitch. I’m not sure why you haven’t seen her yet. Maybe she’s avoiding you.’
”

That makes sense; anyone could decipher that sentence and come to a fast conclusion… Daddy dear, threw me into the shark tank… merciless man.

“What’s the story?” Parker asks. “I noticed you leave as soon as he starts moving… I just didn’t connect the dots. Why are you avoiding him?”

“It’s stupid,” I confess. “He first reminded me we’re only friends, then started the annulment process and made sure that I understood we’d never be a thing. I’m in love with him, Parker, I need to forget the guy. However, during my second night in Seattle, he drunk called me saying there was a plan but he couldn’t do anything until Jake tied up the loose ends of his terrorist problem. It kind of messed with my head, and now he’s all injured and fragile; add his charming personality and … I’ll fall like an idiot again… my heart can take only so many rejections.”

“There is a plan, Hayley,” Parker sighs and scrubs his hand through his hair—it reminds me of Mitch’s messy hair. “Dad can attest to it.” I side-glance Dad.

“I can… but I won’t say anything; you should check on him. Stop being stubborn and give him a chance.” Dad lectures me; pushing my plate, I stand up, take a deep breath and head to the elevator without saying a word.

“Stupid plan,” I mumble. “Selfish bitch.” I call myself for not wanting to see him.
Coward
, that’s the word. I can’t fight his charming powers or his melting grins. I know myself, once he gives me that hurt puppy look I’m going to want to fuss around him then… what?

As the elevator opens its doors, I take a step toward his room a route I know by heart after three days of living in this hospital. Jake’s goons are gone, the entire operation had been a success—everyone is dead. Excuse me if it doesn’t cheer me up. It’s a little out of my comfort zone to be happy after people die. The door of his room is open, and the frequent voices of his family are absent today; that’s how I usually know if he’s awake or not. Perhaps he’s asleep; I heave a sigh of relief. This time I can say I tried, but he was, in fact, fast asleep.

“I know you’re there, Hayes, I can smell that soft peach-vanilla scent of yours,” I hear his voice, then I peek inside the room to find him siting up in bed, his back against the headboard. “You look like shit, Hayes. I’m supposed to be the one looking tired and all sick, not you. What’s going on? Why are you avoiding me?”

I suck in a shaky breath and remain where I stand.

“You’re scared.” I refuse to answer; then again, it’s a statement. “How so?”

“I can’t be mad at you,” he smiles… no, it’s that cocky smirk. Ugh. “Then there’s that charming factor, you unleash it and I’m going to succumb to your charms—you’ll let me fall again, and I’m still trying to pick up my splattered body from the pavement you left outside the tattoo parlor.”

“That wasn’t my intention, Hayes,” he gets serious, then pats the side of his bed with his good arm. The left is inside a sling. “I traced this plan in my head while they tortured me in the tattoo parlor with needles, creating that.” He points at the dragon on his foot, and I look at mine, which is perfectly visible since I’m wearing sandals. “That’s when I realized that you deserved better than a casino wedding in front of Elvis with a drunken guy who had no idea what love is… until he fell flat on his face for this beautiful, smart, list-maker girl. If you remember, I promised that once you find the right guy, I’ll make sure you had that dream wedding. Coincidentally, you said it that night… that you were ready. That’s huge, Hayl, that means you’re in love. You don’t take those steps lightly… you never took that step. You handed me your heart; I had to do the same.”

I hate his
curl your toes with my cheesy words speeches
, because it’s impossible to hate him when he does that.

“You deserve a
bend-on-one-knee-with-flowers-because-I-love-you
declaration and a beach wedding.” He pats the bed again, and I’m all wobbly ready to succumb to his charm—again. “Want me to tell you a secret… I never loved them.”