Summer, Bellann - Paulie's Protector [The Men of the Crazy Angle Ranch 4] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove)

by Bellann Summer

  “My name is Nolan Clark.”

  “Hi, Nolan. I’m Paul Weber.” Paul held out his hand and loved how Nolan’s hand totally engulfed his, all warm and tingly.

  Nolan nodded at him, and then his face turned beet red and he looked down. Paul watched as a rash of red crept up Nolan’s neck and piercing green eyes peeked at him, then quickly looked down again. That was when Paul realized this strong, handsome man was shy, and for some reason he found himself completely charmed by that.

  Before he could say anything, there was a light tap on the door and then a man in a white coat with a stethoscope around his neck walked into the room.

  “It’s good to see you’re awake, Mr. Smith.” The doctor smiled and held out his hand. “Graham called and asked me to see if I could help you. I’m Alan Stobuck, and this is my clinic.”

  “Nice to meet you, doctor.” Paul shook the doctor’s hand and then glanced at Nolan in confusion. Mr. Smith? Nolan nodded at him and Paul decided to go along with whatever was going on.

  “I need to know how your feeling. I would assume you’re in quite a lot of discomfort. I didn’t give you any pain medicine, because Nolan said you threw up at the airport.”

  “He just threw up again,” Nolan said.

  The doctor’s head turned toward Nolan, but he didn’t say anything more. Paul could see behind the stony expression on Nolan’s face that he was actually really nervous. Nolan had been over and above wonderful with the way he had helped him, and Paul didn’t like him feeling uncomfortable.

  “The pain medicine at the hospital I was in made me nauseous. They gave me medicine to help combat it, but I left the hospital before I could get any prescriptions,” Paul explained.

  “Were you taking any antibiotics?” the doctor asked.

  “They were giving me those, too,” Paul answered. He could see the doctor didn’t look too happy with his answers.

  Paul noticed the doctor had a file in his hand. He opened it and started writing. Then he put the file on the small counter with a computer monitor on it. “When you came in I immediately started rehydrating you, Mr. Smith. Then I performed an ultrasound to see if you were bleeding internally. When I didn’t find any evidence of bleeding, I re-stitched the lacerations on your legs and abdomen. Your arms didn’t require assistance, although I did re-bandage them.”

  “Thank you, doctor,” Paul said, a little breathless. The pain was starting to really kick in as time went on.

  “You were very lucky, Mr. Smith. Graham said this was the work of a stalker. From the ultrasound, I saw that the knife nicked your liver. You do realize, had you tore the stitches internally, you could have been in grave trouble?” The doctor’s voice held a note of disapproval.

  “If I hadn’t left the hospital, I would have died, doctor.” Paul blinked back the tears that filled his eyes. Couldn’t they see he was trying to stay alive? He had barely been surviving this last year.

  There was movement, and then Nolan was standing between him and the doctor. Paul couldn’t see Nolan’s face, but the doctor took a step back.

  “He needs your help,” Nolan said.

  The doctor stood there looking at Nolan for a moment and then turned toward the counter that held a small sink and cabinets. Opening a drawer, Paul saw him reach in and pull out a couple of syringes.

  The doctor stepped around Nolan and went over to the IV. Nolan turned and stood right next to the bed by Paul’s feet. For the first time in a long time, Paul felt safe.

  “I’m going to put a dose of antibiotic, pain and anti-nausea medication in your IV. I think a slightly different pain medication might be more beneficial for you. This one hopefully won’t cause you to become so nauseated. Then I’ll write out some prescriptions that you can have filled on your way back to the ranch.”

  “Thank you,” Paul said. He would do and say just about anything right now to get some relief.

  The doctor looked at Paul, his face very serious. “We both know, Mr. Smith, that you should still be in a hospital. You won’t have any choice in the matter if you develop an infection. Any sign of a fever and you need to go straight to the hospital. I also recommend bed rest for at least a week. Then start getting up slowly, with a lot of rest periods in between.”

  Paul could feel the drugs starting to take effect. Things were getting a bit floaty, and thank goodness, he didn’t feel like puking at all.

  Turning, he looked at Nolan, who was still standing by his feet. “Hey, Mr. Hunky. Are you ready to take me to the ranch where Elliot is?”

  Nolan blinked and Paul would have laughed at the startled look on his face, but he was too busy thinking how gorgeous the man was. Nolan had green eyes that seemed to look into a person’s soul, and his wavy brown hair grew down to the nape of his neck, calling for Paul to run his fingers through it.

  Paul had always been attracted to tall, muscular men. Call him a size queen, but for him, the bigger a man he was attracted to, the better. And to Paul, Nolan was everything and more. It was too bad his life was in such a mess right now.

  Paul wasn’t sure if Nolan answered him. Everything was just so beautiful and peaceful at the moment. So, he just sort of lay there and enjoyed the feeling of floating in the clouds.

  * * * *

  It seemed to take forever, but Nolan almost had Paul to the ranch. He wasn’t sure if he was happy about that or not. He found he really liked having the man close. But, whatever was in that pain medicine sure made Paul higher than a kite. He had been calling Nolan Mr. Hunky ever since that first dose was put in his IV.

  Nolan had carried Paul the short distance from the clinic to the truck. He wasn’t taking a chance of putting any pressure on those new stitches. There also wasn’t much of a chance Paul was capable of walking right then. Nolan did his best to try and make Paul as comfortable as possible on the front seat. He had given him his pillow to hold against his stomach and covered him with a blanket. One quick stop at the pharmacy, and they were on their way.

  Most of the way home, Paul rambled on about all the pretty butterflies floating around the cab of the truck. Then he talked about someone named Pennington, who he compared to a spider. As far as Nolan could tell, Paul thought this Pennington had an indestructible web and it blanketed the whole world, not letting anyone free.

  Paul started to become so agitated at that point that Nolan couldn’t think of anything else to do, so he started humming. Paul settled right down, and after a while, Nolan started softly singing to him.

  Now they were almost up to the house and Nolan found himself reluctant to let the pretty Paul out of his sight. The matter was taken out of his hands when he stopped his truck next to the huge open porch attached to the main house, and Elliot burst out of the heavy double wooden doors.

  Behind him were Adam, Zaiden, Graham and Tyler. Elliot ran to the truck and opened the front passenger side door.

  “Oh, Paulie.” Elliot’s usual sunny face looked heartbroken when he saw is friend lying there, curled up on the seat.

  Hearing Elliot, Paul shifted his head, which was again lying on Nolan’s lap. He blinked a couple of times, like he was clearing his eyes. Then Paul smiled, looking as drugged up as he was, and in a singsong voice said, “Hi, Elliot.”

  Elliot put his hand on Paul’s thin leg. To Nolan, it almost looked like Elliot was making sure Paul was really there and alive.

  “I’m glad you got away from him and are here,” Elliot said.

  “Of course I’m here, Mr. Hunky brought me,” Paul replied.

  Nolan had to hold back a chuckle at the stunned looks on all the men’s faces, at the way Paul had so matter-of-factly made that statement. Nolan put his large hand gently on Paul’s shoulder, getting his attention.

  “I think we need to get you into the house,” he said.

  “Okay.” Paul smiled at Nolan, his expression dazed and his pretty hazel eyes cloudy.

  “I’ll get him,” Adam said, reaching for Paul.

  Paul’s head jerked around to A
dam, and Nolan felt Paul’s whole body tense up. “No! Mr. Hunky will help me. Don’t touch me.”

  Adam jerked his hands back like they were being scalded by hot water. Nolan saw him frown and Elliot pushed up against him, putting his arms around his waist, giving the big foreman a hug.

  “He’s just scared, Adam. And he looks pretty drugged up,” Elliot said.

  “Of course I’m drugged up,” Paul responded. “You should see what that monster did to me. Thank goodness, I now have Mr. Hunky to protect me.” Nolan had no idea how true that statement would turn out to be.

  * * * *

  Nolan quickly got out of the truck and scooped Paul into his arms. The man look happy and relaxed as Nolan carried him through the house and into Elliot’s old rooms off the kitchen. Just as he was about to set Paul onto the bed, Paul stopped him.

  “Lean down,” Paul said, in a loud stage whisper.

  Nolan tipped his head to the side until his ear was near Paul’s pouty mouth.

  “I have to go to the bathroom,” Paul whispered loudly.

  Nolan heard everyone else in the room chuckle softly. He knew if Paul remembered any of this when he sobered up, he was going to be extremely embarrassed. Nolan glared at the rest of the room, and immediately the humor on their faces disappeared. Nolan knew what it was like to be laughed at and was not going to stand for anyone laughing at Paul when he couldn’t defend himself.

  Turning, Nolan carried Paul into the spacious bathroom. Setting him onto his feet, Nolan put his large hands carefully around Paul’s bandage-covered waist and held him steady until he was finished doing his business. Under Nolan’s fingers, even through the medical tape, he could clearly feel Paul’s ribs. That was when Nolan started to understand somewhat how the toil of the last year of being on the run had affected Paul. Part of Nolan wanted to help Paul get his life back. But Paul had come to Elliot for that.

  “I think I’m going to fall over,” Paul stated.

  “Let’s get you to bed.”

  Paul laughed and batted his eyelashes. “Would you like to join me?”

  Nolan couldn’t help but smile back at the tipsy little man. “Maybe when you actually know who it is you’re asking into your bed.”

  Paul instantly sobered. Serious hazel eyes looked up at Nolan. “I may be drugged out of my gourd right now and think it’s a great idea to call you Mr. Hunky. ’Cause I think you’re a hunk and a half, by the way. But let me tell you. If you came into my bed, I would always know it was you.”

  “Paulie? Is everything okay in there?” Elliot’s voice prevented Nolan from answering. He was kind of glad, because he hadn’t really known how to respond to Paul’s statement.

  “Coming,” Nolan called back. Picking Paul up, he left the bathroom and set him on the king-size bed. Someone had been nice enough to pull back the covers, so all Nolan had to do was unzip Paul’s jacket and pull his tennis shoes off.

  Paul settled right down and looked like he was drifting off to sleep. Elliot had planted himself on a wooden rocking chair next to the bed and looked like he wasn’t going to be moving for a while, so Nolan left the bedroom and walked through the sitting room to go find something to eat in the kitchen. As he went through the doorway to the kitchen, he stopped short. Waiting for him next to the big island counter were Adam, Zaiden, Tyler and Graham.

  Adam raised one slim, black eyebrow. “Mr. Hunky?”

  Chapter Four

  Nolan walked into the kitchen, shutting the door behind him. For the second time in ten minutes, he didn’t know what to say. So he went over to the refrigerator and checked to see if there was anything that looked appetizing in it.

  “There should be a plate made up for you in there. Elliot thought you would probably be hungry,” Zaiden said.

  “Thanks,” Noland responded. He found a plate piled high with golden chicken meat, fluffy mashed potatoes and green beans. He popped it into the microwave and then went back to the refrigerator to find the milk.

  By the time he had a glass of milk poured and set on the island counter, the microwave buzzer went off, telling him the food was ready. Putting the plate on the island, he sat on one of the stools and started eating. It wasn’t long before the questions that he knew were coming started.

  “What happened when you picked him up, Nolan?” Graham asked.

  “He was pretty messed up,” Nolan answered. “From what Paul said, he hadn’t been officially discharged from the hospital. Something scared him and he ran.” Nolan kept eating, but part of him was listening in case Paul needed him.

  “What did Doc Stobuck do to him? Did you use the name ‘Smith’ like we discussed?”

  Nolan nodded. “He was unconscious when I carried him in there. Under his coat, he had a towel pressed against his stomach. When we pulled it away, the blood was pouring out of a couple of deep cuts and a stab wound. The doc did an ultrasound and saw that the knife had nicked his liver.” Nolan drank the last of the milk and put the glass down next to the now-empty plate. “The doc said it was a miracle Paul hadn’t torn up his insides on the plane ride. He has deep slashes on his arms and legs, too. The doc said he should stay in bed for about a week and then start slowly working himself up to walking around.”

  “Okay, is there anything else?” Graham asked.

  “If he starts running a fever, we have to get him to the hospital as soon as possible.”

  “Did Paul say anything about the stalker?” Adam asked.

  “I think his name is Pennington, and the way Paul talks about him, he’s powerful.” Nolan wasn’t used to talking this much. He was kind of proud of himself and yet part of him wanted to go to his room in the farmhouse and be alone for a while. Then he looked at the door where Paul was and wondered if he was okay.

  “I think we’re going to have to wait until the drugs wear off to talk to Paul. Believe me, pain meds can make you pretty loopy. I remember I talked to a certain someone in this room just like Paul was talking to you, Nolan.” Tyler pointedly looked at Graham, who smiled proudly.

  “If I remember right, honey, you tried to tell me you couldn’t be held accountable for telling me how attracted you were to me,” Graham teased.

  “And if I remember right, you held me accountable in the hottest and most delicious way,” Tyler teased Graham back and the air in the kitchen suddenly rose several degrees.

  “All right, before you two start anything more and decide to disappear, we have to make a plan,” Adam interrupted.

  “I think the only thing we can do is keep an eye out for trouble until we can talk to Paul and get the whole story,” Zaiden said. “Then we can plan accordingly.”

  “The shot the doctor gave him should wear off by morning. Then he has pain pills that aren’t as strong,” Nolan said.

  “Zaiden and I are going to crash in the living room. There’s no way Elliot is ever leaving Paul tonight, and with the stalker on the loose, we’d feel better if we’re out here watching things,” Adam stated.

  “Well, let’s get some rest and in the morning we can see how Paul is and go from there. Goodnight, everyone.” Graham put his arm around Tyler, pulling him close, and the two men headed toward their suite.

  Nolan looked at the door where Paul was again.

  “He’ll be fine, Nolan. Go to bed. Elliot is with him, and Adam and I are going to be right in the living room,” Zaiden assured him.

  “Goodnight,” Nolan said. He headed out of the main house and got into his truck.

  After a hot shower, Nolan found himself in his big bed on its high platform. The spacious farmhouse where most of the full-time hands lived may be old, but it was kept well maintained with all the modern conveniences. It was where Callum, Trace, Xavi and Nolan lived, all having large rooms with attached bathrooms. Graham had given them full liberty to decorate or remodel the rooms any way they wanted.

  Callum had expanded his bathroom, putting in every high-end luxury known to man. Nolan centered his attention on his bed. It was a custom-made, Califor
nia king-size, built on a specially designed platform. Nolan was a tall man and hated the feeling that he was lying on the floor when he lay on a standard-height bed. He preferred to climb up into his bed, not down onto it.

  The mattress was thick and just firm enough for his comfort. The sheets and comforter were high quality and in the shades of green and blue he favored. When Nolan went to bed, he relaxed in the ultimate comfort, except for this night.

  Tonight he lay there, all alone in that big bed, and wondered how Paul was doing. He hoped the drugs in the man’s system kept him sleeping all night. Nolan also hoped Paul didn’t wake up scared. That thought bothered him the most.

  * * * *

  The ringing of his cell phone woke Nolan out of a sound sleep. Fumbling around, his hand desperately searching to find the ringing beast, he proceeded to knock just about everything off the side table next to the bed.

  Finally, he found it. “Hello.”

  “Nolan, can you come up to the house? We can’t get Paulie to calm down.”

  Nolan recognized Adam’s calm-in-an-emergency voice. In the background, he could hear Paul shouting, and Elliot pleading.

  “I’ll be right there,” he said.

  Quickly, he pulled on clean jeans and a T-shirt. Shoving his feet into his worn boots, he was out of the door in seconds. Wasting no time, he climbed onto one of the four-wheelers parked next to the house and was off with a spray of gravel.

  Walking into the brightly lit kitchen from the side entrance, Nolan was greeted by Zaiden.

  “He woke up screaming that Pennington was going to kill him. Elliot tried to calm him down, but he just got more riled up. Adam and I both tried talking to him, but that just made things worse. We thought maybe you could try. We’re all worried he’s going to tear open those stitches.”

  “Okay.” Nolan walked past the island counter, which had a tired, worried-looking Graham and Tyler sitting by it.