It’d been a long hot day, and they’d had double header in Houston, coupled with an extended evening of lovemaking. Now that Addison’s parents knew about the relationship, they were doing their part to give them more time together. Addison’s uncle and aunt lived in Houston, and they’d brought their granddaughters to the second game. Then they’d taken the kids to another Galaxy Pizza-type restaurant. Addison had opted out, using her work again as an excuse for needing to get back to the hotel. As usual, she’d been nervous about Clair going to a restaurant she wasn’t familiar with because of her food allergies.

She’d checked and double-checked with her parents and Clair that they had an extra EpiPen handy just in case. She’d even called the restaurant ahead of time and spoken with the manager to make sure they didn’t use peanut oil and few other things Clair was allergic to.

After their first round of fabulously exhausting lovemaking, when they were both lying there still basking in the glow and catching their breath, she’d practically jumped off the bed when her phone rang. Later she’d texted her parents several times to make sure Clair was still okay. So when AJ woke to an empty bed, it didn’t surprise him to hear her in the other room on the phone.

He sat up, smiling when he looked down at his ready-to-go cock, despite how spent they’d both been when they passed out earlier. The instant recall of what had them so spent had everything to do with the further rise of what was already at attention.

AJ got off the bed, anxious to be near Addison again, but at the same time slightly concerned that everything might not be okay with Clair. He picked up his own phone to check for any missed messages as he sauntered out into the front room of his suite.

Addison’s anxious whispered words, “Because I can’t talk to you right now,” had only begun to register when he did a double take at the text message from Nathan.

We’ve been trying to get a hold of you. Isaiah was rushed to the hospital. He’s in the ICU. We’re all at the hospital now. Call me ASAP.

His heart was pounding instantly as he quickly scrolled through his other messages from both his sisters. All they knew was that his brother had been out on a call at work—a fire—when the roof of the structure caved in and Isaiah was caught in it. That news only furthered the panic of what he was already feeling.

Rushing back into the bedroom to start packing his bag, he hit speed dial. “How is he?” he asked as soon as Nathan answered.

“We don’t know anything yet,” Nathan said, but he was clearly as anxious as AJ felt. “The captain said he was one of the guys on the roof when it caved in. It took them a few minutes to get in, find them under the rubble, and pull them out. He was unconscious when they found him.”

Addison set foot in the room just as AJ pulled his pants on with Nathan still on the phone. She watched, the alarm in her eyes growing, as he rushed to put the rest of his clothes on, still getting information from Nathan.

“I gotta go,” he said as soon as he was off the phone. “I won’t make tomorrow’s game. Isaiah was hurt on the job. He was rushed to the ER. I don’t know if he’s gonna be okay. I gotta go home. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be” was her immediate response as she brought her hands to her face.

He was still rushing around the room, his heart going a mile a minute as he threw his things in a bag, the dread of his brother not being okay building with each moment. “Fuck!” he muttered as he zipped the bag. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”

Flinching at Addison’s unexpected touch, he turned to face her, wrapping his arms around her the moment she caressed his face, and burying his face in her neck. She hugged him tight, surprising him with her words. “I’m coming with you,” she whispered in his ear. “It’s gonna be okay.”

He inhaled deeply, even more surprised at the emotion he felt just from her touch. “He’s gotta be okay.”

“He will be,” she assured him. “Think positive, okay?”

AJ nodded, pulling away to look at her. “What about Clair? What are you telling her?”

“The truth,” she said with a weak smile. “That you have a family emergency and I’m coming with you for support.” She smiled a little bigger. “I think she’ll be glad I’m going with you. She knows how close you are to your siblings.”

He wrapped his arms around her again, amazed at how just holding her could bring him such comfort. Her coming with him would absolutely make the nerve-wracking trip so much better. The reality sunk in just then. Addison and Clair had slowly seeped into his heart and soul in a way no one ever had. Everything in his life seemed so much brighter now with them in it. Addison had a way of making him feel calm even at a moment like this. He needed her in his life now. It was as frightening a thought as it should’ve been exhilarating. Only it wasn’t quite so because of the emotion he was feeling about his brother being hurt. Still he breathed in even deeper, so glad she’d be there with him.

“I love you,” he whispered in her ear, and she didn’t go still like he thought she might the second the words slipped out.

Instead, she hugged him tighter. “I love you, too,” she said without hesitation.

He pulled back to look at her, and she stared into his eyes. Declaring their love for one another should’ve been so much more thrilling. AJ would’ve planned the first time he ever said it to any girl, if his telling her hadn’t been so unexpected.

“If it weren’t for the circumstances, I’d be making love to you already,” he said with a smile that felt as bittersweet as that moment did. “I’d tell you over and over just how in love I am with you while I did it too.”

She smiled, touching his face again. “I’ve always known, even before I met you, AJ, I could easily fall in love with you. That thing everyone calls rage, I always called passion. I love your passion. It’s undeniable in everything about you: your love for the game, your family . . . me.”

“You and Clair,” he whispered, taking her hand and kissing her fingers. “I think I fell in love with that little girl the moment I met her. She’s something else, and when I met her mother, I knew why. You’re amazing—”

His phone dinging broke their moment, and he moved away from her, rushing to pick it up. It was another text from Nathan.

He’s got a neck injury, but they don’t know the extent yet because he’s still unconscious. His leg is broken in a few places, but that’s all we know for sure. Could be a spinal cord injury.

“Fuck,” AJ whispered, feeling something grip his wind pipe. “Possible spinal cord injury?”

“Positive thoughts, Andrés,” Addison said, kissing his arm, then hurried around the bed to get her things together.

~~~

When they reached the hospital, they were told Isaiah had finally woken up but he’d complained of neck and back ache so they gave him morphine. By the time AJ was able to go in and see him, he was out again.

“What did they say about his spine?” AJ asked as he stared at his big brother looking so helpless in a neck brace and tubes all over.

“Well, the fact that he was in pain is actually a good thing,” Nathan informed him. “He can feel his legs. Mostly the pain is in his broken one.” Nathan shook his head. “I don’t know, man. This could be it for him.”

AJ jerked his head up to gape at Nathan, the fear searing through him as Addison squeezed his hand gently. “What do you mean?”

“I mean this may do it,” Nathan explained. “His knee was already giving him shit ever since that last injury. They had him on light duty for months and he hated it, remember? He said if he were ever put on permanent light duty, he’d quit. This may just do that.”

“Good,” AJ said as the blissful relief replaced the brutal fear that had just shot through him. But it was fleeting. Instantly, he felt the familiar heat chase the bliss away. “I’ve told both of you there’s no need to continue putting yourselves in this kind of danger. I hope to God this does mean permanent light duty so his stubborn ass will finally quit. I just hope it doesn’t take something like this for you to finally listen too.”