Zane chuckled as he walked out alongside the chair, his insistence on doing the pushing having dissolved as soon as Ty spoke again, though he kept a sharp eye on their surroundings, just in case. They walked out the entrance where he’d had the hospital valet pull up the SUV in anticipation of loading Ty into it. “It’s bed rest and an ice pack for you tonight,” he said as the orderly helped Ty into his seat.
“Ice pack,” Ty sneered. “A f**king ice pack, that’s all I get?” he asked incredulously. “This is a serious head wound,” he insisted with a gesture to the back of his head and an insulted look. “It needs at least a sponge bath.”
“You barely even got stitches, you big baby,” Zane said as he reached over to help with the seat belt once the orderly shut the door.
“Feels like my brains are leaking out my ears,” Ty grumbled as he watched Zane’s hands. “Do I really have to be buckled in?” he asked with some amusement.
“Yes, you do,” Zane said doggedly. He buckled his own belt and drove away from the hospital, eventually bypassing their own hotel and moving into a slightly ritzier block.
“New digs?” Ty asked distantly as he watched the scenery pass by.
He winced and turned his head away from the window.
“Sort of. I figure there’s a couple real nice, upscale rooms already waiting with our names on them that no one would think to look in,” Zane said.
Ty nodded absently. “Good thinking,” he mumbled. “No new rooms with our names to give anyone a lead.”
Zane nodded, almost disappointed that his forethought hadn’t warranted more of a reaction from Ty. “I’ll go get our stuff after dark while you rest,” he said as he pulled into a parking spot in the hotel’s parking garage.
“Shouldn’t go alone,” Ty reminded, though his voice still had the slightly detached tone to it.
“I’ll be careful. Let’s go,” Zane said after he parked and shut off the 190
engine. “You need to get horizontal.”
“Not the best pickup line I’ve ever heard, but it’ll do for now,” Ty responded, his voice lighter again, if not still slightly groggy.
Zane made sure he followed along as he went to the front desk at the Tribeca Grand and checked in. The slow, distracted way Ty was moving and looking around at his surroundings as he trailed along behind made him look slightly like Rainman, and Zane had to fight hard not to laugh at the image.
Soon he was leading Ty to the elevator. They zipped up several floors and moved down a richly appointed hallway, where Zane opened the door to an executive suite.
“Nice digs,” Ty muttered as he stopped in the entryway of the minimalist guest room and narrowed his eyes. “Bureau went all out on us, huh?” he asked as he looked at the bedroom longingly.
Zane dropped the key cards on the low wooden table in front of a swank white padded couch. “Why don’t you go lay down, and I’ll get you some ice for that bump. And some codeine, if you want. Doc said you were okay to take painkillers after a few hours.”
Ty swallowed as he looked around before finally meeting Zane’s eyes. “I’d rather be aware when we go back to get our things.”
Zane held his gaze for a long moment, and then nodded slowly. “All right. Go on,” he nodded toward the bedroom and grabbed the ice bucket, heading out the door with key card in hand. He made sure the door shut behind him.
As soon as the door clicked, Ty carefully reached his hand up to the back of his head and gingerly prodded at the goose egg there. He winced as pain lanced through his head, and when he brought his hand back to his side it was trembling slightly from the pain. Slowly, he made his way to the bed, and he crawled into it and burrowed under the layers of soft chocolate-colored sheets as he admitted defeat for the day.
It was only a few minutes before Zane returned. He shut, locked, and latched the door before pulling off his jacket, knives, and gun. He filled the heavy plastic bag that came with the bucket half full of ice and carefully crunched the ice on the carpet, not making too much noise. He wrapped it in a towel and walked to the bedroom. Ty was obviously under the sheets and high-thread-count blankets. Setting the ice pack aside, Zane started peeling back layers. A soft groan met his efforts, and finally he uncovered Ty, who hadn’t even bothered to take off his jacket.
“Ty,” Zane sighed under his breath. The other man looked miserable.
“Come on, sit up and get some of your clothes off. You’ll be a hell of a lot more comfortable.” He helped Ty sit up and started pulling off the ruined jacket first.
Ty huffed and whimpered softly as the jacket was removed, his sore arm and ribs protesting. “Want out of the rest?” Zane asked quietly as he sat back down at Ty’s side.
“Fuck,” Ty groaned. “Just let me be miserable, okay?” he requested grumpily.
“Okay,” Zane said soothingly. “Lie back down and turn on your side—bump up, of course,” he said, smiling a little.
“Shut up,” Ty huffed even as he obeyed the directive. Zane didn’t answer the barb, instead lifting the ice pack and settling it carefully over the swollen area of the back of Ty’s skull and holding it there. The hair was still matted with dried blood. Ty hissed in protest and closed his eyes, shivering hard.
Zane rubbed his free hand along Ty’s shoulder and side, just behind the bruises; he didn’t want Ty jerking around in pain. “Want anything to eat or drink? I’m supposed to keep you awake at least a couple more hours,” he said.
“Ugh,” Ty answered pitifully. All he wanted to do was sleep.
“I know. Been there. How about you hang onto this ice, and I’ll call out for some room service? Got any favorite foods that might keep your attention?” Zane asked as he clasped Ty’s shoulder.
“No,” Ty murmured as he closed his eyes.
Sighing, Zane got to his feet. He snapped on both lamps and turned on the HD television, pumping up the volume on what looked to be a violent action movie. He tugged on the toes of Ty’s boots as he walked by. “No sleeping,” he reminded.
“Mmkay,” Ty mumbled as he pushed his head under his pillow and promptly began to drift off.
Zane looked down at him and yanked away the pillow and then all the covers. “Ty, I mean it. Do not go to sleep,” he said firmly.
“Nap Nazi,” Ty accused miserably.
“Yeah, sure, hate me for wanting to make sure you don’t go into a coma,” Zane said as he nudged Ty’s lower back. “Now sit up, and don’t 192