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“Rooht, it’s down the hall on the le—”

The three of the on the white tile floor “Here,” Zach said, skidding to a stop outside a roo out from the door frame He shouldered the door open and came to a dead stop

“Fuck me hard,” Rocket swore under his breath

Zach couldn’t have said it better hi the small hospital bed barely resembled the prospect Zach had seen alht arm was propped on pillows and wrapped in what appeared to bewas splinted and elevated

Then there was his face The face Shell had once described as a baby face was varying shades of purple with one eye swollen so bad it looked like a near black bubble Across his hairline, a jagged wound that had been stitched was visible against the light brown hair

And those were the injuries they could see on first glance Zach had no doubt under his hospital gown his torso would be aand probably broken ribs

Copper walked to the head of the bed and gripped LJ’s uninjured hand “Hey, brother, can you hear me?”

Zach moved to his other side, near his head He needed to hear everything that was said The motherfuckers who did this had no idea the hell they were about to have rain down on them

“I’h lips so swollen they didn’t move when he spoke

Both Zach and Copper leaned closer “You did good, prospect Viper told us they didn’t get the money”

LJ had been on a run for Zach, collecting an alrand repayment owed by one of the very few clients who always paid on time When Viper called Copper to let him knohat happened, he’dh to make them flee without the cash

“Not after—” LJ shook his head “Water,” he rasped out

“Here, man” Zach snatched a paper cup off the bedside table and held the straw to LJ’s abused lips while Copper raised the head of his bed It took a few tries for hiht it, he sed greedily