Fuck if he wasn’t right. Because maybe if I didn’t have my head in my ass when it came to Storm, we wouldn’t be in this damn hospital room, and I wouldn’t be pissed off that we lost our baby. It’s time to grow up and be a f**kin man. Men have f**kin emotions too. I’ve gotta stop being such a pu**y when it comes to her. I close my eyes and take a deep breath in when I feel her fingers running through my hair. I’ve been quiet. I don’t know how to act around her. She just lost our damn baby. What the hell do I say to her?

I slowly turn my head to look at her while her fingers continue stroking my hair. I’m still alert. My right hand between my legs still grips my f**kin gun.

“Whatcha over there thinkin about?” She tries to smile.

She had to ask that. And she deserves the truth right now and so much f**kin more.

“I’m thinkin… I’m done wastin time.”

She laughs. “What in the world are you talking about?”

“Somethin Pyro said to me once.” I sit up and lean on my left arm, staring straight at her. “He said that I’d regret not taking advantage of the time I have with you.”

I watch as her smile turns into confusion and then her face contorts in anger. “I don’t want a pity boyfriend, Mason.” She growls removing her hand from my head. I snatch it before she can drop it away.

The door opens, snapping my attention away. My gun is in the face of someone that I want to strangle for interrupting my conversation.

“Jesus! They let you in here with that thang?” The g*y nurse of my nightmares twiddles, carrying a bag of food.

I smirk, lowering my gun. “Do you think they’d try stopping me?”

He shrugs. “Here sugar, brought you some fattening food. It’s better than what this shithole makes. But I have an ulterior motive if you want this food.”

Storm laughs. It’s only been a day since the accident. She’s already laughing and smiling, and it isn’t because of me, and that shit burns my soul on fire.

“What do you want from me handsome?” She says reaching for the bag of food. I sigh, get up, and wheel her tray over.

“I wanna know if this here beast is just that good.”

“What do you mean?” she smirks.

“The f**ker knocked you up first go around.”

Too f**kin soon. Too f**kin soon for that shit. I’m about to put a bullet into his head when I look over at Storm and see her contemplating what he just said.

“Or maybe I’m just that fertile.” She jokes.

What the hell? This is not somethin to be sharing or joking about.

“Oh, I like you darlin,” he smiles, handing her the bag of food and turning his head towards me. “Go get the beauty something to drink. I’ve gotten her food; make your sexy self useful.”

Who the f**k does this joker think he is? “Don’t you have work to do? Like harass other patients or somethin?” I growl.

“I came in early after the gossip told me all about the man of my dreams being back in the hospital.”

I groan, and Storm loses her shit and starts laughing uncontrollably.

The pop machines are just around the corner, so I place my gun on the tray table in front of Storm and walk out to get her something to drink. Really? It’s just so I don’t kill that motherfucker. After grabbing her a cold cola, I come back into the room and their laughing together as she eats her fries. She looks so f**kin happy.

“He really has a Jacob’s ladder?”

What the f**k? I was gone two seconds!

“He does.” Her head moves up and down quickly.

I slam the pop down on the tray table and pick up my gun, shoving it in the back of my jeans. Really, I just want to remind this f**ker about who I am.

“You’re makin my fantasies eat me alive, darlin,” he teases her.

“Keep me and my c**k outta your f**kin mind!” I growl.

“No can do. She’s already let the cat outta the bag, or shall I say the ladder off the fire engine. So many analogies I can use here. Oh this is perfect. Okay gorgeous, I gotta get to work. If you need anything, page me and I’m here.”

Finally, I think but really, I say it out loud and earn a scowl from both of them. Storm thanks him for the food and I cringe when he leans down to kiss her cheek. I watch him with a growl as he leaves.

I take a seat. Storm all but yells at me as she eats. “He’s leaving you know. He’s got a boyfriend in New York. He’s lonely here, no need to be an ass**le!”

“I didn’t even know you knew him.”

“I don’t really.” She shrugs. “He said hi to me the last time I was in here for my leg. He’s a good person. Is Smokey and Rap okay?”

Dammit. I don’t wanna talk about other f**kin people right now. “Rap’s got two broken legs, Smokey’s just banged up.”

She nods and seems happy knowing that.

“Back to our earlier conversation.”

She drops her food. “What do you want, ZZ?”

I hate when she says my road name like that. I like when she uses my real name when we’re alone, and the fact that she used my road name means I need to tread lightly and carefully.

“I want to try.”

How else do I say that or put that? Fuck, she looks beautiful even though her face is all cut and bruised up. Dammit, stay focused you idiot.

“What the f**k does that even mean?” she yells, causing the heart monitor to start beeping loudly, and that little f**ker comes over the bed intercom.