When the Dead Speak, Bailey Bradford [new ebook reader .TXT] 📗

body, the man almost vibrating as he worked to fend off voices he didn’t want to hear. It would have been easier on him, and Laine would have understood, if Sev had stayed at Brendon and Zeke’s while Laine visited Rich. As it was, Laine had left the hospital well before Doctor Hunter had wanted him to. He couldn’t bear to see Sev struggling to maintain the walls he’d erected in his mind to keep out the ghosts.

And he’d rather have Sev playing nurse for him any day than the sour-faced guy who’d been prodding at Laine here in the hospital. Matt tapped on the door then made his way over to the bed. He’d been released three days earlier, but as far as Laine could tell, he hadn’t left the hospital much at all. He seemed to feel personally responsible for Rich’s survival.

“Any changes?”

Laine shook his head. “No, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. He’s not getting any worse. Dr. Hunter says it could take a few more days, and considering…”

Matt nodded in agreement. Considering all the blood Rich had lost, the multiple stab wounds that had taken hours in surgery to repair, and the near miss to Rich’s jugular from the gaping gash to his neck, the man was lucky to be alive.

“But he will wake up. He’ll be okay.” Matt’s voice rang with a surety that Laine wished he felt. Rich was so still, except for the steady breaths. He hadn’t flicked so much as a finger since he’d been laid on a gurney and wheeled from Laine’s house.

“He will be.” Sev squeezed Laine’s waist before stroking his hand over Laine’s hip. “Rich will wake up soon.”

There was that surety that, once again, Laine wished he could feel. “Matt, call me if—the second he wakes, okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll do that. You get everything straightened out at work?”

Laine shrugged and grimaced, the move pulling at his wound. “Wasn’t as many people screaming for a recall vote as I, or the mayor, thought there’d be. Irma was the loudest, and I think she scared off most the other people who weren’t happy with me being gay. Or maybe the people of McKinton are tired of violence and hatred. Everything’s okay for now.”

“Laine,” Sev’s voice carried a hint of reproach, “I think you misjudged the people of McKinton. There are a few narrow-minded bigots, sure, but you’ll find those people anywhere. Think about all the flowers and cards and visitors you’ve had, and Doreen tearing into anyone who dares to speak ill of you. The support has really been overwhelmingly in your favor.”

Thinking about it made Laine’s cheeks heat with embarrassment. “I guess so, though Deputy Sparks doesn’t seem to be able to even look me in the eye. I keep hoping he’ll come around, but…” Laine didn’t think it would happen. It had hurt, having a man he’d worked with and known for years look at him like that, disapproval clear in his eyes.

“Sparks is an asshole, Laine, seriously. If he is gonna be a dumbshit, then I hope he does quit. I personally can’t stand the guy, anyway.” Matt’s gaze darted away, and Laine wondered what had happened between the two men to make Matt feel that way.

“You never said anything before.”

This time it was Matt who shrugged, blowing off the unasked question.

“Well, guess he’ll do whatever he’ll do. Worrying isn’t gonna make a difference.” Laine looked at Rich, willing the man to wake, to smile and make a snarky comment to Matt, or bitch at Laine for not staying in touch. Anything. He’d settle for a nervous tic, but Rich remained as he’d been for days, silent and unmoving.

“Yeah.” Matt rested his hands on the bedrail. “But I’m sorry he’s being a prick.”

Sev tapped Laine’s hip and Laine took it for the signal it was. He touched Matt’s shoulder then let Sev lead him out of the room. They left the hospital and, after a short debate, decided to have lunch at Virginia’s café.

Laine parked his truck in front of the café and fingered the keys as he considered what he wanted to say. He could feel Sev watching him, and it made him more nervous, terrified he would bumble the words that were so important to him.

“Laine, you’re making me nervous,” Sev teased, trailing a hand up Laine’s thigh. “Just spit it out already.”

That’s my romantic little lover. All poetry and flowers. And he was stalling. Laine raised his eyes to Sev’s and held his hand where it pressed against Laine’s thigh.

“Okay. I’m not good with words, but there’s some things I need to say.” He felt the tips of his ears burning and wondered if he couldn’t have found a card to say it for him. A distinctive thump to the back of his head knocked the idea away. Guess that would be Conner’s version of ‘no’.

Sev looked worried now, his eyebrows knitting together, and Laine knew then that he’d been quiet too long. He was fucking this up.

“I… You haven’t said if you’re planning on staying, and—” Sev didn’t look worried anymore. He looked pissed, and Laine hurried to finish before that frown on his lover turned more severe. “We’ve been staying with Zeke and Brendon. I can’t go back to that house, can’t live where Rich almost died, I just can’t.” A quick check told Laine Sev had softened somewhat, but the man still wasn’t happy. “If I… We could, maybe, we could get a different place? If you want to stay here, stay with me?” Say the words, you idiot! Laine would have sworn that wasn’t his voice he heard rattling between his ears. And Sev still didn’t look happy.

“Laine, why do you think I’m not planning to stay around, as you put it? Do you think I’m not capable of being serious, of loving one person, loving you?” Sev’s voice hitched with hurt. “I thought… I thought you—”

Laine was stuck on the ‘loving you’ part of Sev’s speech. He smacked the