The Deputy and His Enforcer (Kincaid Pack #3) - Kiki Clark Page 0,110
the hospital?” He was panting for some reason, and his muscles were so tense they were sore. Trying to relax, he focused on breathing, nearly swallowing his tongue when Nico slipped him his phone and he saw he had six missed calls from different Medinas. “Oh no.”
“It’s going to be okay,” Nico said, rubbing a small circle on Marcus’s back. “Once you see him and hear him ordering around the nurses, you’ll feel better.”
But would his mate’s family ever trust him again? He’d been unreachable when Robson had needed him most. As he stared at his phone, a text came through from Patrick, and he was almost too scared to open it.
Patrick: I stayed at the house with Maria but Teresa should be almost to the hospital. Don’t let his family keep you out of things. You’re his mate, even if they don’t know that. Teresa will help. Give him my best.
He stared at the screen for another minute, expecting another message asking why he hadn’t answered or why he wasn’t already there, even though it had probably been less than thirty minutes since he’d felt the initial pain in his arm.
When nothing else came through, he thumbed back to the rest of his texts and sucked in a breath when he saw one from Robson.
Robson: I gotta head to the hospital—I’M FINE—but will you come please? I need you to keep my family from smothering me. Love you.
Swallowing, he quickly typed out a response, though he wasn’t sure if Robson would even still have his phone on him.
Marcus: I’m so sorry I didn’t see this right away. I’m on my way right now. I love you too. I’m so sorry.
Despite how badly he’d fucked up with his phone, Marcus felt better knowing Robson had been well enough to send him a text. He leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes, trying to concentrate on breathing.
The drive seemed to take three times as long as normal, but they were finally pulling into the hospital’s parking lot. Unfortunately, the woman at the desk was less than helpful.
“He already has two visitors in with him,” she said, barely glancing up from her computer. “You’re welcome to wait with the others in the waiting room.”
Sighing, he stepped back from the counter and headed into the small area off to the side where he immediately saw Teo pacing, then spotted Teresa sitting between Annalisse and Valentina, both of whom were leaning on their big sister and crying.
As soon as Teo saw him and the others, he stalked over. “Do you know anything? Mom and Hector went back, but we haven’t gotten an update yet.”
Marcus opened and closed his mouth, not sure what to say, but Rick stepped forward and put a comforting hand on Teo’s shoulder, leading him away. “We don’t know much, just that it isn’t serious…”
Teresa gave him a tired smile from behind her sisters. “You know, all those years serving and he barely got hurt. But less than a year as a deputy and we’re all in the hospital waiting for news. How messed up is that?”
“I’m sorry I didn’t answer when you called,” he croaked out after falling into the chair across from her. “I accidentally left it in my office. I… I’m so sorry.”
“Hey.”
Her firm voice brought his head up from where he’d dropped his gaze to the scuffed laminate tiles beneath his feet. “Yes?”
“You don’t need to be beating yourself up because you didn’t answer when we called. If it had been more serious, we’d have tracked you down. You got here like ten minutes after we did.” She smiled at him, waiting for him to respond.
He finally nodded, not sure he should let himself off the hook so easily. He’d never fully appreciated how dangerous his mate’s job could be. Robson had always seemed larger-than-life and unstoppable. His fragility as a human had never really crossed Marcus’s mind.
He jerked his head to the side when he caught Robson’s voice coming from the other side of the ER. “This is fucking ridiculous. I need like two stitches.”
The relief that coursed through him at his mate’s ornery voice made his knees weak and would have sent him to the ground if he wasn’t already sitting. He caught Teresa’s eye and tapped his ear, then gave her a thumbs-up.
She smiled like she’d known he was fine, but the relief was in the way she loosened her hold on her sisters. “You should go see him.”