Dillan dropped me off at the hospital, promising to be back as soon as I sent word. I forced him to go to the club, as he hadn’t left my apartment in all that time either. 

I found Randy lying in a hospital bed on the 3rd floor. I stood in the doorway and just stared at him. His guard sat near the window, but when he saw me, he stood up, nodded his head in greeting, and went out into the hall. Randy turned to look at me. He smiled, then frowned.

“It feels like just yesterday I was here with Dad. How are you feeling? Do you need a nursing home now too?”

“I probably should.” His voice got a bit raspy with emotion, and he had to clear it before he could continue. “I have a problem. I didn’t listen to you. I always thought you were overreacting with your warnings. I am so, so sorry, Fi.” I’d never seen my brother cry. I’d seen him come close, but not actually cry like this.

I walked over and sat on the bed, holding him. He cried for a minute then pulled away, his eyes on the mask. When his hand went to move it, I stopped him.

“Don’t. It won’t help.”

He nodded once and dropped his hand. “Did they… did… I could hear them talking. I was starting to come out of it. I got my eyes open enough to see you fall to the floor, and them… but then it went black again. I managed to open them again after I heard Dillan. I could see a gun close by and grabbed it. I couldn’t let them hurt you. I can’t stop seeing that man on top of you.”

“They never got the chance. Dillan came before then. He’s a little peeved you pulled the trigger first. He was really itching for it. But he also knows it was something you needed to do. You needed to feel the satisfaction of protecting me. He thinks that will help you heal faster, mentally. Not much we can do about the physical. How are you?”

“Concussion, a couple broken ribs, bruised pretty much everywhere inside. Had some internal bleeding. My leg will require surgery, but they wanted to get the rest of me stable first though. Does, uh, does Dad know?”

“No. I haven’t figured out what to tell him yet. I don’t want to stress out his heart. He’s always known about the gambling though, Randy.”

He snorted. “I kind of figured. He never came out and said it, but the way he would look at me with pity once in a while. I’m working on that though. A psych doctor with the hospital has come to talk to me a few times. She says addiction is a brain disease. But they can help me. We’ve been discussing possible triggers. Since it started when mom died, she is wondering if my trigger is the desire to take care of my family, but not having another way to do it. Instead, I went into a hole, and you dug me out. Then I felt guilty and wanted to pay you back. It was a never-ending circle. I told her that I owed people money and they had gone after you. I stepped in and got beat, but you got away. When she asked where you were, I told her you had gotten hit, but your boyfriend was taking care of you. I explained that he sent his little friend to stay with me as a consolation prize. They know I am not telling them the complete truth, but they are taking it for now. With therapy, the doc says I will get better. I really hope so.”

His voice cracked as he looked at me again, his eyes focused on the mask. “I never want you to get hurt because of me again.”

“I won’t. Your future brother-in-law wouldn’t allow it. You have no idea how much convincing it took for him to even let me leave the house today… What? What did I say?”

Randy’s eyes were wide. “Did he propose? Already?”

I blushed, not that it would show through all the makeup. “No, not yet at least. I know he loves me. Even if he hadn’t already said it, it would be obvious after the other day. We are talking about moving in together though. And from the way he rubs my stomach every time I talk to Katia, I’d say he is definitely thinking about the future.”

“Wow. I never thought Dillan had it in him.”

I shrugged. “Things change when you meet the right person. From the moment we first met, we just sort of clicked. Like everything was falling into place. I never gave much thought to soulmates and all of that girly crap, but now… I’m thinking it just might be true. He’s everything I never thought to ask for.”

Randy shook his head slowly. “I’m glad you found him then. It’s a bit weird to think about you and him together. I never would have thought you would go for someone like him. I always pictured you with a nerdy computer geek kind of guy. I thought you would spend your nights at home messing with each other online.”

“Oh no, I do that to his friends. Dillan sits right next to me, reading a book or watching a movie. His IT guy is a hoot. He is determined to beat me one day. I keep proving him wrong. Dillan says he is dying to meet me. We have never even messaged, just digital pranks.”

“Why aren’t you with him then?”

I laughed at the idiot. He really was struggling with the idea of me and his bookie. “For one, I was already falling for Dillan. And two, Jorge’s gay.”

“Ah. And no one at work…”

I elbowed the butthead. “There is a Junior Partner, my old boss, that I know likes me. He started coming around more, right about the time I met Dillan. At first, I thought if it hadn’t been for Dillan, we might have been good together. But I’m starting to realize I never would have been happy with guys like that. I need someone who can take care of me once in a while. I need the Dark Knight. I need someone who gets it when I don’t want to be the good girl all the time. I’ve always had to play that role in the family. I get a high when I hack into people’s lives. I can do that at work and not get in trouble for it. I can even mess with Keith when he is being a butthead. Dillan thinks it’s hilarious.” I laid my head on my brother’s shoulder. “I found where I belong with that crew. Even crabby BoBo.”

Randy took my left hand in his and patted it. “I’m glad you found people who accept you, sis.”

“You will find your place in the world, too, Randy. It will just take time.”