avoid waking Ben. He called up the notepad app and typed out a short note. How long?
“He held you for twelve hours. You’ve been in the hospital for five days in a medically induced coma to reduce the swelling in your brain. Your jaw and knee need roughly six weeks to heal. Broken ribs are going to need about the same time. Broken nose was reset but it won’t be perfect. I’m told it adds…character,” he said with a roll of his eyes. It was the only word Aidan had said that hadn’t sounded clinical. “He stabbed you three times, but his aim sucked. Or maybe it didn’t. The asshole might have wanted you to bleed out slow. You’re going to be on crutches for a while, but in a few months, you should be back to walking on your own. I’m sure Doc will give you the full rundown when she does her rounds.”
Even if Bull could speak, he wouldn’t. The disconnected tone of Aidan’s voice was telling of the fear he had likely experienced.
Bull typed out another note.
Aidan scowled as he read the tablet. “What the fuck are you sorry about?”
He waited, knowing his friend needed a few seconds to compartmentalize his worry. With a heavy sigh, Aidan pinched the bridge of his nose. “Seeing him take a swing at you like that…”
From the sudden pallor of Aidan’s skin, Bull imagined his friend had gone back to that moment. He must have been watching from the window with Wall, waiting for the right moment to take the shot and likely kicking himself for not pushing Wall to have taken the shot sooner.
I’m okay, Bull typed out on the tablet.
“Yeah, now. But fuck me, my therapist is going to be able to afford one of Drayton’s super cars after my upcoming sessions.” Aidan looked up and blew out a heavy breath. He shook his head and planted his hands on his hips. After a few seconds, he returned his gaze to Bull. “I’m the one who’s sorry. It should have been me.”
Bull shook his head.
“I’m the one who shot Viper.” Aidan paced the room a few times before he finally spoke again. “I keep going over it in my mind, but I can’t figure it out. Why did he go after you?”
He had asked Rafe the same question. He saw me take the photo and get print.
“The picture and fingerprint we send to command to confirm the kill at the end of a mission?”
He nodded.
Aidan shook his head and scoffed. “What…did he think it was, a trophy or memento? A personal keepsake of killing his father?”
Bull wasn’t sure what had crossed a teenager’s mind seeing a man take a photograph of his dead father. Bull typed out another note. Don’t know.
Aidan exhaled another deep breath as he raked his hand through his hair. “Logically, he should have been after me.”
Doesn’t matter, Bull typed. We were a team.
“Damn, you’re stubborn.” Aidan raised his hands. “Don’t argue with me. I owe you.”
Shaking his head, Bull typed out a quick note. I owe you.
Aidan frowned. “Doc’s going to have to check your head. ’Cause your math skills suck.”
Bull huffed out a breath as he typed out another note. Aidan patiently waited as he slowly typed with one hand. One-handed typing would have to suffice because there wasn’t a chance in hell he was releasing the sleeping man tucked into his side. He paused for a moment, glancing over at the peacefulness in Ben’s expression as he turned the tablet toward Aidan. You got the shop on the list at HH. Then I got Ben.
Aidan peered up at him after reading the note. “I’m not that clever.”
Modesty truly wasn’t one of Aidan’s best traits. Even while staring straight into Bull’s eyes when telling a bald-faced lie, Bull could see the hidden smile. Rather than type out another note, he raised a challenging eyebrow.
“I’m not Cupid. I’ve told you that.”
Bull would smile if he could.
“What’s so funny?” Aidan asked, narrowing his eyes.
He couldn’t resist and typed out another note for his friend. You shooting arrows. Wearing diapers. Spreading the love.
Aidan smirked. “In the evenings, when I’m…spreading the love,” Aidan said with air quotes, “I go commando. Jess likes easy access to the goods.”
Bull winced. He definitely didn’t need that visual in his foggy brain.
“That’s what you get for fucking with me. You’re obviously feeling better, so I’m leaving. A heads-up, Nat stops by in the evenings after she closes the shop. Rachel and Cal