Rainbow (Ruthless Kings MC Baton Rouge #1) - K.L. Savage Page 0,20

stop me?”

Greer gives me a look that says, ‘I told you.’ I can’t help but roll my eyes. He uses me to push open the door. My heart does a triple flip when I see Rainbow in bed with wires all over him and a nurse trying to get his oxygen mask on his face while another tries to reattach some of the wires.

Greer and I stand in the middle of the doorway, and when Rainbow sees us, he stops fighting, and Greer points to the mask.

“Fine. Give me the damn thing.” Rainbow snags the mask away from the nurse’s hands and places it over his nose and mouth. “Happy?” the word is muffled by the hiss of oxygen.

Why do firefighters, cops, and doctors make the worst patients?

A snap of Greer’s fingers has the nurses leaving so quick I swear I see smoke coming off their heels. The door shuts, and a lock clicks. It hits me only now that the only way out is the way I came in. And that won’t be by myself.

Greer shoves me forward, and my feet get the best of me. I stumble, and I’m running headfirst into the nightstand when Rainbow’s arm stretches out, wraps around my waist, and hauls me to his side.

His touch has my body burning as hot as the flames he just survived.

He’s dangerous.

I know the heat between us will destroy me if I allow it to happen. I’ve picked up pieces from my charred heart once because of a firefighter.

I’m not dumb enough to let it happen again.

“You saved me. The least I can do is take you out to dinner.”

Maybe I am that dumb.

I don’t get to answer, thankfully, because Greer shoves Rainbow on the shoulder. I stand next to the mattress and rub my palms on my pants. Greer picks Rainbow up in a big hug, wrapping his arms around him a bit too tightly, but Rainbow doesn’t complain.

He hugs his brother in return.

I wish I had that. They’re obviously close, and it makes me wonder how they became that way. I always found family challenging to get along with. Maybe that’s because I hid who I was for so long. I had to pretend to be the straight guy interested in the girl next door because my parents disagreed with someone being gay. They think it is a lifestyle, a choice. But honestly, if I had to choose, I’d still choose to be gay, even if it was a choice.

I was always at the opposite end of the spectrum of my mom and dad. I was the black sheep in a wealthy family. Anyone different, anyone who didn’t follow the path carved out for them was someone they didn’t want to be associated with.

When I was eighteen, I already knew what would happen when I told them I was gay. I’d packed my bags beforehand; I’d saved up enough money to move from Napa Valley, California, to Vegas, where I became a paramedic. Something I know my family frowns upon because I’m not a surgeon.

When I came out, my dad kicked me out while my mom cried, asking me what she ever did wrong. After that, I was happy to leave.

I never once looked back because they were toxic.

“I’m sorry I scared you, Mime,” Rainbow says to his brother. “I’m okay. I promise.”

Greer pulls away with tears swimming in his eyes. He points to his chest and shakes his head, then presses his finger in the middle of Rainbow’s chest.

Anyone who can see can tell what he’s saying.

“You don’t ever have to worry about being without me. Okay? I promise.”

Greer huffs and turns on his boots, then marches out the door, leaving me alone with Rainbow.

I sit on the edge of the bed again and do my due diligence not to touch him. Rainbow leans his head back on the pillow and stares up at the ceiling.

“Are you okay? Is he okay?” I ask, initiating conversation.

Like the big dumbass that I am, I should take a cue from Greer’s book and leave. I’ve done my job. My patient is alive and well. I need to walk out that door, but my ass won’t move from this side of the bed.

It’s always had a mind of its own.

“He’ll be fine. We have history when it comes to fire, and he doesn’t really like my job.” He takes a deep breath of the oxygen. “He worries. A lot. We’re the only family we have, so he’s nervous