“Thanks.”
Kevin moves some equipment to just outside the ambulances back doors. He moves around my shoulder doing some shit. I don’t pay attention, but instead keep my focus on my girl. I pull my eyes away from her to watch them wheel Dominick’s sheet-covered corpse from the cabin. Vince is next. It looks like they’ve got him awake and talking. I should have aimed higher.
A cop with a note pad asks me questions. I answer them until he’s satisfied and walks away. He moves to questioning Raven next. Milena jumps to her side.
“Hey, man. How’s the shoulder?” Blake plops down next to me at the back end of the ambulance.
“It’s all right.” I’m not concerned about my fucking shoulder.
Both Milena and Raven talk and nod as they most likely retell the night’s events. I wish I could hear what they’re saying.
“She’s going to be okay, ya know.”
I don’t take my eyes off my girl. “How do you know that? She just killed someone.”
Blake shrugs. “Cops said they’d been looking for something on Morretti for years. The guy’s operation was locked up tighter than a Royce Gracie shoulder hold. This little situation was the Golden Goose taking a big fat dump right in their laps.”
I don’t say anything, but God, I hope he’s right.
“Guess ole Vinnie started singing like a canary the second they got him conscious. Fucker gave away everything. Even told them he roughed up Guy and stole his cell phone.”
“He roughed up Guy? Is he okay? Wait, does Raven know?” I watch Raven. Her body language is relaxed. They must be finishing up.
“Yeah, he’s good. A few bruises and a gnarly concussion. That’s how they got Raven out of the arena. They sent her a text from Guy’s phone. Fucking assholes. Threatened to kill him if she didn’t cooperate with Candy.”
The name grates on my nerves. “And what about her? They gonna arrest her?”
He leans back, crosses his arms over his chest. “Yup. She’ll go down for kidnapping and whatever else the prosecutor can scrape up.”
I exhale a long breath. Guess keeping Vince alive was a good thing.
“Don’t you let her cry one tear for that dick.” Blake looks to the ambulance that holds Dominick’s body then back to Raven. “She’s a sweet girl, and sweet girls feel shit for shitty people. Don’t let it eat her up inside. She saved your life.”
I turn a glare on my friend. “Yeah, she did. And don’t think I’ve forgotten about your broken promise, ass.”
“Dude, she forced me. I got her out, but she threatened to tell the women of Vegas that I’ve got a needle dick.” He throws his hands up in mock surrender. “I can’t let that happen. I’ve got a reputation to uphold.”
“How hard is it to keep a fucking promise?”
He shrugs, but has the decency to look embarrassed. “Your girl can be persuasive.”
“Ass.” I chuckle and turn back to Milena and Raven, making a mental note to take it out on him in the octagon once my shoulder heals.
“Milena’s fucking hot as hell.” There’s a smile in his voice.
I glare at him, but can’t help the curl in my lips. “Are you seriously talking about my girl’s mom? Sick fuck.”
“What? I know hot when I see it, and Milena’s smokin’.” He stands and holds out his hand. “Keys. I’ll follow Milena home in the truck and bring it by in the morning. I’m assuming you’ll be riding down the hill in this.” He motions to the ambulance. “I’d offer to take Raven home, but knowing you, you ain’t letting your girl out of your sight for . . . well, ever.”
I toss him my keys. “Thanks, man.”
He looks away and nods. Guy code for, no problem, you’d do it for me. Fuck yeah, I would.
Blake turns on his heel.
“Hey, B. You keep your dick to yourself around Milena, ya hear?”
He stops, looks to the ground, and shakes his head. He continues walking and turns over his shoulder. “I don’t do chicks with kids, remember?”
I laugh to myself and watch as Raven finishes up. She turns away from the group of police who frantically fill their note pads and heads in my direction. She has a blanket from the EMT wrapped around her shoulders. Her head wound is clean and covered with a butterfly bandage.
Standing, I pull her into my arms. “Hey.” I push the blanket down to kiss her neck at my spot. “You okay?” She curls in tight, just like she always does, as if she was carved from my own form.
“Yeah. I’m great.” The smile in her voice is unmistakable.
“Mr. Slade, it’s about time we get going,” Kevin says from inside the ambulance.
“Come on. Let’s get this over with so we can go home.” I move to help her inside the vehicle.
“Oh, no, she can’t come.” Kevin wags his finger as I one-arm lift Raven into the ambulance. “But if she wants to, she can meet . . . you . . . um . . .”