Heart Beats (Joker's Sin #3) - Davidson King Page 0,65

here like a lump and watch a movie…Oh, and feed you.”

“I’m fairly certain Ziggy and I would be bleeding out if we didn’t have you to take care of us.” Ledger batted his eyelashes at me, and if he wasn’t recovering, I’d have hit him.

“If anything ever happens to me, I expect you both to take care of me.”

“Deal.” Ziggy and Ledger spoke in unison.

When Ledger was released from the hospital, it was discovered there was minor nerve damage, and he needed physical therapy. He was showing improvement every day, but he still had to rest after a session or two. And because Ledger promised Ziggy he could recover at his place when he was out of rehabilitation, he was here too. He was doing very well. There were some issues that he quickly discovered would affect him being a DJ, and he was depressed for a time. The other day he decided he’d still entertain; he just had to figure out what he’d do.

“What movie are we watching?” I put the bowl of popcorn between my two patients and handed them their sodas. I’d go sit on the recliner where Lion would perch himself on the back and whisper how he would poop in their shoes for me.

“Maybe a comedy?” Ziggy said while Ledger said horror.

And so they argued. I went to the recliner, and Lion swooped down.

“Men,” he said, and I chuckled.

“Indeed, my friend.”

We ended up not watching a movie and instead chose to start a new series we all wanted to binge on Netflix. It was really good, and I hoped it got picked up for another season.

Later that night as Ledger and I lay in bed, staring up at the skylight, I allowed myself to be grateful. Being with Ledger was easy, but our road there was not.

Trinity’s funeral was filled with so many people, most who Ziggy said just wanted the attention and nothing more. But there were many who were genuinely sad. One woman sobbed next to her casket, and Ledger later told me it was her estranged sister. They had never made amends.

Too easily that could have been Ledger being lowered into the ground, and the fact that it wasn’t, made me feel grateful. For a while the guilt of that woke me from my sleep. How could one person’s death make someone feel grateful? But as I lay in Ledger’s arms, listening to him breathe, I accepted it.

Charles pleaded guilty by reason of insanity. And while he appeared to know right from wrong, he was not of sound mind. The District Attorney agreed to the plea deal that Charles spend the remainder of his life incarcerated in a mental facility far from here.

Ledger and I thanked Ciro for everything, as well as his friend Riordan. While Riordan was pleased to help, Ciro just responded, “It’s what we do.” I didn’t really know what he meant by that. But at the same time, maybe I did. I’d had no one for a long time; then I had Toby, and then I had this whole insane family. It was a good family and one I knew would never turn their backs on me.

Three months later

Ledger

“Let me hear you, Joker’s Sin,” Atlas shouted into the mic. He was in a ruby-red suit, and the feeling of Christmas was in the air.

I started playing my Christmas dance mix and everyone cheered. Atlas loved celebrating everything, so every Saturday in the month of December, he celebrated a different holiday from Christmas to Hanukkah to Kwanzaa. I found the music; he ran the show.

Tonight was all about the red and green and jingling all the way. I looked over toward the bar, and Shane was wearing his sexy elf costume. All the bar staff were elves, and Atlas was Jolly old St. Nick, but he was a sinful Santa. Toby was Mr. Claus, currently watching his man entertain the crowd.

“Have you all been naughty or nice this year?”

A cacophony of both was shouted, and I laughed into the microphone. “Sounds like Santa has his hands full this year.”

“He sure does.” Atlas smiled at me. “I think this calls for a dance-off, wouldn’t you agree, DJ Edge?”

“Most definitely.”

“But first,” Atlas said before I could hit the button. He was going off-book. He loved doing that, and it kept me on my toes. So I waited and watched the master work.

“I have someone very special who’d like to come up here.”

I looked around, trying to see who, but didn’t see