Stripped Bare (35 page)

Matthew took a damp washcloth from the bathroom and wiped his face gently. “I’m glad you’re back, Shay. I missed you. You need to know Roy is in prison and he’s unlikely to be getting out any time soon. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

Shane shivered at the memory of his beating. “I thought I was going to die, Matty.”

His lover swallowed. “You nearly did, babe. But you fought back. My little pit bull.” His voice cracked. “We had no idea whether you were going to be all right or not after the hit you took from that bastard. There was a chance of brain damage when you woke up. The doctors came in earlier and said it looked like we’d been lucky. The fact you recognised me and could speak—that was a good sign.”

“I heard your voice and all I wanted to do was see you. It was what kept me swimming through the darkness. It didn’t want to let me go. I thought I wanted to stay there. It was safer.” Shane’s voice dwindled off. “But then I kept hearing you and I wanted to get out.” He frowned. “I thought I heard other voices too. Was my mother here?”

Matthew nodded. “Yes, babe. She was here. Together with—”

Shane felt a sudden crease of pain stab him in the head. He gasped, his face paling and his hands clutching Matthew’s tightly.

“God, Matty, my head hurts,” he whispered. “I can hardly think straight.” His eyes squinted shut in pain and he wanted to be ill. He could see Matthew’s anxious eyes watching him as Shane relaxed back on the pillows, closing his eyes. He felt the darkness claim him again and despite the fact he’d hated the darkness before, now he gladly sank down into its depths. The pain was just too much.

Just a few minutes
, he thought tiredly.
Then I’ll be back, Matty. Wait for me.

Matthew leaned down and kissed his forehead tenderly.

“Sleep, babe,” he whispered. “I’ll still be here when you wake up.”

Shane woke up some time later to find Matthew standing staring out of the hospital window out into the blackness. The ward was quiet, muted lights glowing down the corridors.

“Matty?”

Matthew turned swiftly and the look of sheer relief on his face made Shane’s heart swell. “Welcome back. How’s the head? I got them to give you something while you were sleeping. I hope it helped.”

Shane nodded slightly, still not liking the feeling of the ache in his head that just never seemed to dissipate.

“It feels better. Christ, I’ve never felt pain like that.”

“The doctor said it would happen. He seems to think it will eventually disappear, but we’ll have to be patient.”

“I’m glad you’re still here with me,” Shane murmured. He felt exhausted.

“Where else would I be? I love you. I’m never letting you go again, no matter what. You’re stuck with me.”

Shane grinned faintly. “I can live with that.” He frowned. “How long was I unconscious anyway?”

“Two weeks. It was Christmas Day yesterday.” Matthew replied quietly. Shane stared at him, confusion on his face.

“Two fucking weeks?” He watched as Matthew’s shoulders shook slowly and he realised his boyfriend was laughing.

“It’s funny?” Shane didn’t see what was so amusing about wasting two weeks of his life.

“No, babe.” Matthew giggled. “It’s just that I’m so glad that potty mouth of yours is back. God, Shay, I missed it.”

“I was out for two weeks? You’ve been here the whole time?”

“He has, son. Matthew has been incredible during all this.” Ray Templar walked into the room. Shane’s face darkened as he looked up at Matthew.

“You bloody called
him
?”

Matthew looked exasperated. “Of course I did. Both of your parents deserved to know their only son was fighting for his life in hospital. No matter what happened before.”

“Son, your mother is here too. She’s just in the ladies room.” Ray Templar moved over to his son’s bedside. His voice was choked with emotion when he spoke. “God, I’m glad to see you woke up, Shane. Your mother and I got here this morning-.”

“I’ve been here two weeks and you only got here this morning?” Shane’s voice was flat when he interrupted his father in mid-speech. It seemed nothing had changed even when he was supposedly dying in hospital.

Matthew interjected quickly. “Shane, your mother fell ill when she heard what happened to you. Your dad had to help her through it. He’ll explain when you’re better, but for now, just accept they’re both here. Please.”

Shane heard the plea in Matthew’s voice and he nodded. He was too exhausted to get bitchy anyway. He felt like his whole body was moving under water, the sensation lethargic and tiring. Seeing as his father was here, he might just go back to sleep and be damned. He closed his eyes and got comfortable, as much as he could anyway with the pain in his head and his ribcage.

Matthew leaned in and whispered in his ear. “Shay, stop it.” Shane opened one eye to see Matthew looking at him in amusement.

“You’ve been sleeping enough. It’s time to wake up now. Mend some bridges.”

The love in Matthew’s eyes made Shane quail. It was something he’d never thought he’d see again. He nodded and opened both eyes. His father looked at him quizzically.

“Wise man, your boyfriend. We’ve had a chance to get to know one another and I think you picked a winner here, son.”

“I don’t need your bloody approval.” Shane’s good hand tightened on the covers. Matthew sighed and looked at Ray Templar.

“Maybe you should do this later when he isn’t being such a bitch.”

Shane opened his mouth to say something smart then stopped as his mother walked into the room. She came over and wrapped her arms around him, smelling of soft perfume and cinnamon-scented hair. Her eyes were wet and red rimmed. Shane’s heart broke at the sight of his mother looking like that.

“Shane, darling, thank God you’re all right. I was so bloody worried about you. I’m so sorry we didn’t get here sooner, but when I heard you’d been hurt, I’m afraid I had a little bit of a fit and the doctor didn’t want me to travel too far for a while.” She glanced at his father, and something passed between them, some secret that he wasn’t privy to. He wondered vaguely what it was.

“Mum. How is the epilepsy? Are you okay now?” Shane reached up his good hand and took his mother’s hand in his. She nodded.

“Yes, I’m fine now. Your father didn’t want to leave me so we could only get down here today. I’m so glad we did.” Her voice shook slightly. “I was so worried about you. I last saw you months ago and the thought of not seeing you again, well it was just too terrible to think of.”

Ray Templar nodded. “Son, whatever our differences were, I’m glad you’re all right. I’m talking to the police about that dreadful Roy Parsons man. They have him up for attempted murder, possession of a knife and possession of an unlicensed firearm. I have a feeling he’ll be going to prison for a while. Your big friend Timmy gave a very clear statement and he’s a very credible witness.”

“He saved your life, Shay.” Matthew perched himself on the bed next to his boyfriend. “He came out and stopped Roy hitting you with the bat again. He rugby-tackled him and sat on him until the police arrived.” He grinned. “I don’t know what mortified Roy more. Being stopped from killing you or being sat on by a big, gay, black man.”

Shane’s face creased in laughter and his face winced with pain. “Jesus, Matty, don’t say things like that when I’m in this state, you bastard. My ribs hurt and now you make me laugh?” He tried to stop snorting with laughter at the thought of Timmy sitting on Roy but failed miserably. Instead he took deep gulps of air to try and lessen the mirth he felt at the picture. Matthew and he shared a look and his insides melted.

God, he loved this man. Finally he managed to stop squirming as Matthew was starting to look worried.

“Jesus, sweetheart, I’m sorry. I didn’t really think of your ribs. Are you okay?”

Shane wasn’t. He was in so much pain he wanted to curl up and pull the covers over his head, but he made light of it. He flapped his good hand. His parents were staring at them both as if they were crazy.

“I’m fine. Just give me a moment. And now might be a good time to get me some more pain tablets please, Mum. My head is killing me.”

His mother disappeared to find a nurse as he’d known she would. His father stood watching him warily.

“You’ve got a long way to go to get out of here, son. So your mother and I are going to leave now that we know you’re okay and leave you in Matthew’s very capable hands. She needs to get back for a checkup and I don’t want her going home alone. But when you’re better you have to promise me we will talk. I nearly lost you, Shane. For the second time. I don’t want it to happen again.”

Shane’s mouth dropped at his father’s words, words he’d never expected to hear.

His father reached down and took his hand. “I know we’ve had our differences. But it’s time to resolve them, be honest with each other. Maybe I can get to tell you more about why I said what I did the day you left. I hope we can do that when you’re feeling better, down at the house. And bring Matthew with you. He seems to be able to keep you in check, something I never could do.”

Shane scowled at those words. Matthew grinned.

His mother returned with a nurse and a very large hypodermic. Shane winced as he looked at it.

“I said tablets, Mum. Not a bloody great needle.”

The nurse ignored his jibe as she motioned them all to move away out of the room. “He needs this in his backside,” she said cheerfully. “So give us a minute.”

Matthew had plenty of comments to give about pricks and backsides but this wasn’t the time or the place. He imagined Shane was thinking much the same thing from the smirk on his face. They moved out into the hall while the injection was administered, hearing Shane’s muttered “Shit. That hurt.”

The nurse bustled past them. “It’ll make him sleepy, so you’d better get in there quick, Matthew, if you fancy a kiss or anything else before he goes,” she said wickedly.

Matthew chuckled. “Thanks for that, Amy.” The nurse winked as she hurried off.

Ray Templar watched as his wife went over to Shane to say goodbye. He held out his hand to Matthew.

“You’ve taken good care of my son, Matthew. He obviously adores you; you can see it. And I can see you love him. I’m glad this worked out. Please convince him to come see me when he’s up and about?”

“I’ll try but I won’t force him. It’s his decision.”

Ray smiled. “I’d expect nothing less from you. Thank you. You have my number. Keep in touch with how he’s doing, please. His mother and I really want to know.”

Matthew nodded. “I will.”

Natalie came out and hugged Matthew. “Thank you,” she said simply. “I appreciate what you’ve done. You brought him back to us. But you’re the one he came back for. Anyone can see that. Look after yourself, Matthew and take care of my boy for me.”

The couple waved and walked back down the corridor. Matthew went back into the room to find Shane almost asleep. He managed to peer at Matthew from between half-closed lids.

“Hey, babe.” He giggled. “Have you come to give me another prick?” His voice was slurred.

Matthew grinned. Shane was definitely away with the fairies.

“No, I think we’ll leave that for later, lover. For now, you get your sleep. We can look at the whole prick situation when you’re up and about.”

He placed a soft kiss on Shane’s lips and his boyfriend’s hand sneaked up and pulled him closer. For a man with a lot of drugs in him, he had some strength. Shane’s tongue slowly slipped past Matthew’s lips. Matthew felt the breath leave his body as he kissed Shane back.

God, how he’d missed tasting this man, kissing him, being close to him. It felt so good to have him back. He’d never have made it longer without him.

Shane finally let him go as he drifted into sleep. “Love you, Matty,” he said drowsily.

“I love you too,” was Matthew’s whispered reply. “Merry Christmas, Shay.”

Going home

Shane knew he’d been driving Matty crazy. He was a terrible patient. He was three-F: fractious, frustrated and fed up. He’d had to take things easy over the last week as he got used to being mobile. He’d had to do all the physical therapy crap they wanted him to do before they’d release him.

Shane scowled now as he tottered around his hospital room in his loose jogging bottoms and a tee shirt, his legs still weak. His broken arm was healing and the physiotherapy he was having made it more mobile but it still hurt like a bitch and did virtually nothing he wanted it to do. He was determined to get fully mobile and get out of this bloody place. The last week had been hell, wanting to go home but not trusting his body to support him as he got used to moving muscles that had weakened. Matthew came in. He saw Shane standing up and raised an eyebrow.

“Wow. You’re being adventurous. Need a hand for anything?” Shane saw him waiting to see what the response would be. Moving across and trying to help him when he wasn’t wanted was like a red flag to a bull and likely to make Shane growl in his present mood.

“No. I went to take a piss and then I was just exercising these legs of mine.” Shane moved determinedly over to Matthew, slightly unsteady but pleased he was making it on his own. “I want to go home, Matty.”

Matthew sighed. “Shay, the doctor will be around tomorrow and hopefully he’ll say you’re okay to be released. It’s just another day, babe.”

“Another fucking day in this place,” muttered Shane sulkily. “I don’t think I can do it.”

Matthew sighed. “You’ve caused mayhem here. The nurses love you, but even they’re starting to get a little annoyed.” He grinned. “I saw one of them loitering with intent the other night when you were sleeping. She had a pillow in her hand. I managed to convince her to put the weapon away.”

Shane scowled. “Very bloody funny. You try having someone helping you take a pee all the time, washing you and doing that god-awful physical therapy which hurts like a bitch. And I can’t even work on my laptop because of the headaches.” Bushwhacker had been relegated to Shane’s study at home, so the temptation to spend hours on end on a computer screen was removed. The doctor had recommended he not spend time staring at a screen.