Read Back to You: Bad Boys of Red Hook for Free Online Page B

to love. They both are. They’ve been good for each other.”
    The door swished open, and Bree peeked in. “How are you two doing?”
    Storm stood and slid his hands into his pockets. “Good.”
    Nicki bounded over and jumped back up on Pete’s bed as Bree filled the water glass from the pitcher on the table. “The doctor said they’re going to keep you around until tomorrow, and if all goes well, he’ll spring you after his rounds. You should be home in time for dinner.”
    “Great.” Pete hoped to hell he sounded excited, because right now it was all he could do to stay awake.
    Bree took Nicki’s hand, then bent over him and kissed his cheek. “We’ve got to get back,” she said, checking her watch. “I’m running late.”
    Pete waved her away before giving Nicki a kiss. “You be good for Bree and Storm.”
    Nicki rolled her eyes. “You know me. I’m always good.” She waited a beat and then smiled. “Except for when I’m not.” She slid off the bed.
    Bree threw her arm around Nicki. “Which is usually. Come on, kiddo. I have to get to work.”
    Storm came closer and smiled. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, Pop. Take care.”
    “Sounds good. And, Storm, the keys to the car are on my dresser if you need it.”
    Storm leaned over and gave him a hug. “Thanks, Pop, but there’s really nowhere around Red Hook I want to go.”
     * * *
    Storm followed Bree and Nicki out of Pete’s room as they headed toward the elevator. He still felt a little green around the gills seeing Pop like that. He had a bad feeling Pop was going to need more than two weeks before he was recovered enough to take care of himself, no less to take care of Nicki. Shit. He was stuck there for the duration. He didn’t have a choice.
    Even as sick as Pop was, it hadn’t taken him long to start his interrogation—not that Storm blamed him. Pop deserved some kind of explanation. But with Bree working and practically living with him, Storm didn’t think it was right to kiss and tell.
    Bree leaned against the wall as they waited for the elevator. “How’d it go with Pete?”
    “Good, I guess. He spent most of the time talking about you.”
    Bree shrugged. “We’ve worked together for years. I guess it’s not surprising.”
    After taking the elevator down, they handed in their badges, and Storm stopped. “You two go on ahead; I’ll get back on my own.”
    Bree looked at him the same way she had earlier, when she was deciding if she should let him in Pete’s room.
    “See you later, Nicki. Bree.” It wasn’t as if he neededher permission. He turned on his heel and headed in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, that hallway took him to the last place he’d wanted to go—the emergency room.
    “Storm, Storm Decker? Is that you, man?”
    All the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He turned, expecting a punch, but instead found himself staring into the eyes of a man covered with blood. He knew he shouldn’t have come back home.
    “Hey, I thought that was you. I haven’t seen you since—”
    “That fight by the old sugar factory.” Frankie was two years older than Storm, and all through school, Frankie had used him as his own personal punching bag.
    At least Frankie had the decency to look embarrassed, which just added to the weirdness of the situation. “Yeah. I guess that’s true.”
    Storm shook his head, wondering if he had stepped into some strange alternate reality: Pop was in the hospital, and Frankie “the Bruiser” DeBruscio hadn’t threatened Storm’s life yet. “Don’t you need to go get some help?”
    “Me?” Frankie looked down at himself. “Oh, right. I was just going to the locker room to grab a quick shower and a pair of scrubs when I saw you.”
    “So all that’s not yours?”
    He tugged on what Storm realized was a uniform shirt. “The blood? Hell no. An occupational hazard.”
    “Vampire?”
    Frankie laughed. “Paramedic. Look, I know your old man is here—”
    “How do you