76 Matt’s First Love

ORIGINAL CONTENT OF D.C. BLU. DO NOT COPY AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE WITHOUT THE AUTHOR’S PERMISSION. PLAGIARISM IS CRUEL. PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL.

76: Matt’s First Love

When the sound of gun fire silenced, Matt didn’t wait, he jumped out the tub and rushed down to find his heart, who he’d been worried about. It had been a full on war, sounds that would probably give him nightmares, but all he could think about, worry about, was Val.

Taking to the stairs, he ignored the chips of wood everywhere, pieces of fluff from the furniture floating through the air, and the shards of glass littering the floor. He searched frantically until he found Michel helping patch up a wounded guard.

“Michel, where is she? Where’s Val?”

Michel turned his head and looked at Matt grim faced. “She darted out the door before anyone had a chance to stop her.”

Fearing the worse, Matt ran outside. He looked around the expanse of yard, trees, green growth, bodies, blood, and vehicles. When he spotted Norman rushing past an SUV, heading deeper in the trees, Matt took off after him.

When he caught up to him, he heard Pam shouting, “Call in Roger. Tell him we have an emergency.”

Matt walked up to them to find his fantasy leaned up against a guy who held her while she herself clutched her side, blood soaking her shirt and coating her fingers.

No. No, no. If Domenic weren’t already dead…

Matt got down on his knees beside her and her head lifted.

“How bad?” He asked.

“C-clipped the side…” Val sucked in air in a harsh gasp. “…mostly flesh-“

“I’m so mad.” Pam snapped as she grabbed the medical supplies being offered by one of the guards. “You were not trained for this.” She snapped lifting Val’s shirt gingerly revealing a wound that looked worse than just being clipped.

“If you couldn’t handle it Val, you should’ve stayed with me.” Matt fussed along side Pam, as his heart squeezed and he gulped air trying not to panic.

“Agreed. You’re not military trained. Even if you can handle a gun, you’ve never been in a situation like this. Oh, I’m furious.”

“Now you know how I felt when you…” Val shuddered. “Consider us even.”

“Even!” Pam scoffed, spraying an anti-bacteria solution over the wound. “I came back with bruises. This isn’t close to even.”

“I’m fine,” she said even as her bottom lip began to tremble.

“Fine?” Tears pricked Pam’s angry blue eyes. “Fine would’ve not been getting shot! Fine would not have you bleeding faster than I could get the bandage on you.” She shoved the spray at one of the plain clothed people helping her. Other than Pam and Norman, there were the two people who helped Pam get away from Domenic. Though they hadn’t introduced themselves or even talked to anyone other than Pam, they were clearly part of the code, keeping to themselves.

“I love you, too, Pam,” Val said, body quivering.

“Cold?” Matt asked, nudging the guy holding her over. He let her body rest against his as he wrapped his arms around her to keep her warm.

“A little.” She answered.

“Blood loss will do that.”

“Right.” She nodded.

“I can’t believe you would use this as payback for what me and Matt did…stupid woman,” Pam said even as tears trickled down her cheek. “Never again. I’m ordering triple guards.”

“At least I got the guy,” Val said proudly.

“Who cares, he got you, too.”

“But he’s not getting back up.” Val laughed looked beside Matt.

Matt followed her gaze to the body with a hole in the head laying on a bed of leaves. “Um…good shot?”

“Great shot.” Val corrected.

“A great shot wouldn’t have got you hurt. Crazy woman.” Pam continued fussing as she wrapped Val’s abdomen.

“It’s not that bad.” Val ground her teeth against the pain.

“When you stop bleeding then we’ll debate it. Until then, I say it’s bad.”

“Ugh…” She leaned against Matt, face scrunched, clearly trying to endure the pain.

Matt brushed his lips against Val’s sweat drenched temple. Walthour’s guards moved around the area checking causalities and calling in reinforcements until they could get everyone moved.

“Val, I love you, so…don’t do this again,” Matt said

“Yes, sir,” she said weakly, shivering. 

“And marry me.”

In mid bandage wrapping, Pam froze blue eyes widened and darted up at Matt in shock.

“Puppy…you’re ambushing me again…” Val chuckled weakly. “Wait… until after I’m…I’m not distracted to pop life altering questions on me.” She groaned.

He chuckled, then said, “But you’ll do it right?”

“Before or after Gabe and Cody’s wedding?” Val mouthed. If Pam wasn’t code, he’d worry that bit of information would shock her. But she didn’t look the least bit surprised.

Matt opened his mouth but Pam cut him off, “Don’t you dare make it a double wedding!” She grinned. “I love weddings and I want to go to lots.”

Grinning, Matt nodded. “Okie dokie, Grammy Pammy.”

“Don’t go celebrating…haven’t agreed to it…yet,” Val grunted.

Pam giggled, before wiping her eyes of tears. “You will. First, we need to plug you up.” She pulled another row of bandages loose to wrap around Val’s torso.

“Matt?” Val murmured.

“Yep.”

“Can you go check on Christophe for me? Their in an underground bunker in the barn. Make sure he doesn’t see me like this. I don’t want him upset.”

“But it’s okay if we’re upset!” Pam’s voice pitched. “Selfish, hard headed woman.”

“Can you take Pam with you?” Val groaned.

“Nope.” He gave her another quick kiss. “You threatened me to get her back, now you’re stuck with her.”

“That’s right.” Pam nodded fiercely.

Matt laughed kissing the older woman on the cheek before hopping up to go find his brother.

Going out to the barn, the security let him in and found Bailey and Christophe coming up from an open hatch in the ground.

Bailey’s eyes widened the moment he saw Matt. “You okay?” His brother rushed to him lifting Matt’s shirt. 

Matt hadn’t realized he had Val’s blood on him. “I’m fine, it’s not mine it’s…” He looked down at Christophe then up and Bailey.

Nodding understanding, Bailey picked Christophe up in his arms effortlessly, probably to keep him from running off. “How bad is it?”

“Says its just a flesh wound, but the bleeding hasn’t stopped yet.”

“She’ll be fine,” Bailey mouthed.

“You should stay in the barn, its a war scene out there.”

“I want mommy.” Christophe whined.

“She’ll be back, buddy. She needs to do something first,” Matt said.

“How long?” Christophe asked laying his head on Bailey’s shoulder, his thumb gazing his mouth as if tempted to suck it.

“Not long,” Bailey said walking with Matt. “You should change your shirt.”

“Yes, dad.” Matt mocked running off back toward the house.

When he got there, Val was being loaded in a helicopter, Matt rushed to grab a shirt before hopping into the vehicle to go with her.

“I’ll stay with Christophe and your brother, so keep an eye on her.” Pam smiled wearily clutching a roll of bandages.

“I will.”

It didn’t take long to get Val to a hospital with Roger flying like a bat out of hell. Though the protocol was to ask about bullet wounds, Voronin worked his magic — cash — and got them in with few questions asked.

“So…” Voronin began as they sat in the waiting room of the ER. “About Ricci…”

Matt sat forward, arms braced on his knees  and he stared down at the ground. “No more Ricci.”

“That’s my boy.” Voronin patted Matt on the back before getting up. “You may not be my blood, but you’re my son through and through.” The man waltz off with many of his guards.

For hours, Matt sat waiting as they took his fiancee, as he told the medical staff, to have emergency surgery. According to doctors, the bullet passed through her side, but hit no major organs — mostly flesh as Val had told him. But it would leave an obvious scar. 

Who gave a fuck about scars? His Val was all that mattered.

Hours later, Matt was surrounded by his brothers and sister, Cody as they crowded in Val’s room waiting for her to wake up.

Even though she had survived, he wasn’t going to be happy until she was opening her beautiful hazel eyes and staring at him.

It was maybe an hour after dinner when Cody and Bailey went to get something to eat, again. 

Tyler stayed and sat on the opposite side of the bed, watching Matt.

“I’m fine, Tyler,” Matt said, as he played with Val’s fingers.

“You don’t know what I’m thinking,” Tyler said defensively.

“You’re hoping Bailey and Cody bring me back some food so I can eat. Don’t worry he will, he’s too mothering not to. And you’re upset that Bailey was in the middle of a shootout, but because he’s not hurt you won’t mention it.”

“And you said you weren’t a mind reader.”

Matt laughed.

Later that night, Matt woke from the reclining chair to a buzz at his hip. His phone?

He answered it.

“How is she?” Val’s uncle. He’d recognize that eerily soft voice anywhere.

“Still sleeping off the anesthesia.”

“Good. Good.” He sighed. “Thank you for being there with her.”

“Not something you need to thank me for. By the way, you’re invited to the wedding.” Matt didn’t mention the fact she hadn’t exactly agreed.

There was a pause. “I’ll…try to make it. Take care of her.” He whispered before hanging up.

Matt thought of the man he’d never met face to face and only had conversations with. He sounded so sad, tired, and yet there was a strength in the man Matt couldn’t put his finger on. Val’s uncle had chosen isolation from the majority of the world instead of being with his family.

Could that have been Matt? If Bailey hadn’t been there, would he have drowned himself in loneliness with just his music to keep him company?

Val too? If not for Christophe, she’d have still been under Domenic’s thumb, lonely and unhappy. 

Matt looked over at Val who still lay sleep. She seemed so fragile, so weak. He wanted to lay in bed beside her to give her some of his strength, but with her side still healing he would give her space…

“Puppy?”

Matt groaned, opening his eyes. When did he fall asleep?

“Puppy?” A soft voice called to him.

Matt jumped up from the recliner and rushed to her side. “Hey!”

Val grinned up at him, looking exhausted and pale. “Hello.” 

He leaned in and kissed her. “Gabe assigned you several bodyguards.”

Val groaned. 

“And I’ve assigned you several more, but they are the kind that aren’t real visible unless you’re looking for them.”

“They’re code. They’re supposed to blend in,” she grumbled, groggy. “When can I go home?”

“Since it wasn’t bad, they’ll probably discharge you in a couple of days.”

“Good. Now be a good puppy and fetch me some drugs.” She gritted out before groaning again. “Hurts.”

Matt laughed pressing the nurse call button. Then he helped her get more comfortable.

Closing her beautiful eyes, she said, “Matt, I love you.”

He hopped in the bed with her, laying just on the edge. “Don’t tell me that until you’re better and I can fuck you.” Val laughed and groaned. “Stop that, it hurts.”

ORIGINAL CONTENT OF D.C. BLU. DO NOT COPY AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE WITHOUT THE AUTHOR’S PERMISSION. PLAGIARISM IS CRUEL. PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL.