Defiance (The Protectors #9)(82)

“They…they aren’t sure if he’ll be able to walk again,” Everett whispered, his voice hoarse.

“He’s strong, Ev. Look at everything he’s been through. Gets that from his father,” I said softly.

Everett nodded and wiped at his eyes.

“What about his other injuries?” I asked. “The burns.”

“They’re mostly on his chest and arms,” Ronan said. “He’ll need skin grafts. It’s going to be a long recovery process.”

My stomach rolled violently, but I managed to quell the urge to vomit. “He’s going to make it, Everett. You’re going to get him home and take care of him.”

Everett began shaking his head. “He won’t let me see him, Vincent. He’s…he’s so angry.”

Frustration went through me as I climbed to my feet. I was heading for the door before I even realized what I was doing.

“Vincent, don’t!” Everett called.

But I ignored him as I left the room. I had one goal in mind.

“What room is he in?” I asked Nash, my voice cold.

“315.”

It took less than a minute to find the room. The curtains on the glass walls were drawn, so I couldn’t see inside. I took a deep breath to calm myself before opening the door. I stilled at the sight of the young man in the bed. His upper body and arms were wrapped in layers and layers of white bandaging. There was another bandage around his forehead. His face was turned away from me at first, but when I stepped farther into the room, he slowly turned to look my way.

“Can I help you?” I heard someone off to my right say.

I glanced at the man I hadn’t noticed at first. I guessed him to be in his early forties or so, with a head of thick, gray hair. He was heavily built. In his hand, he had a cup of water with a straw sticking out of it. He put the pitcher in his other hand down and approached the bed.

“Vincent!” I heard Everett call, though his voice was low. A second later, he was pushing into the room.

Just like that, Reese’s eyes went from pain-filled and tired to sharp and pissed-off.

“Get out,” he said, his cold eyes on his father. “I told you I didn’t want to see you.”

The young man shifted in the bed and immediately stifled a cry of pain. The older man put his hand on Reese’s bandaged shoulder. “Stay still,” he said softly.

“I’m…I’m sorry,” Everett stammered, his voice shaky and uneven. Watching my best friend, one of the most confident, powerful men I’d ever met, transform into an insecure, uncertain man practically before my eyes reminded me why I’d come here.

“Reese, I know you’re hurting-”

“Vincent,” Everett said, but I ignored him.

“Vincent,” Reese repeated. His mouth pulled into a tight frown. “I know you,” he said. “You’re his brother.” His eyes shifted back to his father. “You fucking him now?”

Everett let out a little gasp, and I was striding forward before I even realized what I was doing.

“Don’t,” the man with the gray hair said as he stepped into my path. He was my size and probably had a few extra pounds of muscle on me, but I didn’t care. But it was the calmness in his voice that had me stopping my forward movement.

“He’s in pain,” he said softly. “And he’s scared to death,” he said so quietly that I was likely the only one who’d heard him.

I managed a nod because I knew he was right. My instinct to protect Everett had overridden my common sense. I stepped back and let my eyes settle on Reese. “I’m sorry,” I said. “Thank you for what you did for Brody. It took guts, and because of you, we caught the guy.”

Reese seemed caught off guard by my words. He hesitated for the briefest of moments and then gave me a slight nod. “Please leave,” he said after a moment, before turning his face towards the window again. “All of you.”

The gray-haired man followed us from the room and slid the door closed behind him.

“Gage, this is Vincent St. James,” Ronan said as he motioned to me. The gray-haired man, Gage, shook my hand.

“Thanks for that,” I said as I jerked my chin towards the room.

He nodded. “I’ve partnered with Reese a few times now, so I’m starting to figure out what makes him tick.”

“And this is Everett Shaw,” Ronan said to Gage.

Gage turned his attention to Everett. “Mr. President,” he said quietly as he extended his hand. “I’m sorry, I know how difficult this must be for you. But your son is one of the strongest men I know. He’ll beat this.”

Everett nodded and shook the man’s hand. I noticed that Gage didn’t release Everett’s hand until the older man looked up at him and their eyes connected for several long beats. Only then did he let go of Everett’s hand.

“Gage is going to take you to question the suspect,” Ronan said. “We’re holding him in a warehouse on the outskirts of the city,” he said in a low voice.

I nodded and then looked at Everett. “You going to be okay?”

It took a moment for Everett to respond. He looked dead on his feet. “Fine,” he mumbled.

“Ev, you need to go get some rest. Let Nash take you to a hotel,” I suggested as I glanced at the Secret Service agent whose watchful eyes shifted between our surroundings and Everett.