The Man I Like Might Be A Delinquent - 4. Chapter 4

Jeha’s Delinquents

Jeha passed out before they reached their destination.

Axel checked his vitals with a deep frown.

“What is it?” Ryan asked from the front passenger seat.

Ryan held a walkie-talkie, and his attention was on the black SUVs ahead of them.

Axel assumed he was talking to his colleagues, so he worked on resting Jeha’s head back against the backseat. He checked Jeha’s left wrist and was glad to discover an expensive watch. He removed it from Jeha’s wrist and pressed his fingers on Jeha’s pulse, counting the beats.

“Dr. Graysen,” Ryan said. “I’m talking to you. What is wrong?”

Axel finished his count and glanced at Ryan.

“We need him lying flat soon. Jeha is unconscious. I can’t figure it out when we’re on the move like this.”

“Okay,” Ryan said and reached into his pocket. He produced a phone that he handed to Axel. “Write down everything you need for his care. Don’t worry about the cost. I’ll make sure you get it.”

“What is going on?” Axel asked as he took the phone.

To his greatest consternation, it was a phone without a SIM card. He could not make a call even if he wanted to. He scowled at Ryan who smirked at him.

“Why can’t we drive to the hospital? That would solve everything.”

“It’s complicated,” Ryan said. “Use the note app to write your list. Get to it, Dr. Graysen.”

Axel sighed, found the app, and got started.

Ryan’s walkie-talkie came alive.

“Big Bro, we’re in the clear. We’ve diverted Moon’s team. They think we’ve gone to the main house.”

“I’ll send you a message in four minutes,” Ryan said. “Get everything on the list before you follow. Don’t delay. Doc needs it all for Boss.”

“We’ll make sure to get it all.”

Ryan looked at the driver.

“Race to the new building,” Ryan said, then turned on the walkie. “Simon. Wait for us at the service elevator.”

The driver increased speed, and Axel held on to Jeha to keep him from falling forward. Axel sighed with defeat, meeting Ryan’s gaze in the rearview mirror.

“Nothing can be so complicated that you would keep your friend out of the emergency room,” Axel said. “Out here with a gunshot, there is danger of infection. If you cared about Jeha you would drive to the closest emergency room.”

“It’s not my place to explain our predicament,” Ryan said, as the driver drove too fast into the underground parking of a building that looked under construction.

Axel gripped Jeha’s right arm tight holding him in place, frowning when Jeha’s head shifted on the backseat.

The car stopped at a service elevator, and Ryan got out first and stood waiting for the service elevator doors to open. Axel noted the gun in Ryan’s hand. A pang of uneasiness swept through him. Jeha’s world was too scary. The elevator doors opened and Ryan put away his gun when he saw the man coming out of the service elevator.

“Simon,” Ryan said with a nod. “We need to get Boss upstairs fast. The Doctor is worried.”

Opening the back passenger door on Jeha’s side, Ryan gave Axel a warning glance.

“Doctor, please don’t think of running,” Ryan said. “Someone may have seen us get you, so your life is in danger. I hope you can cooperate with us until Boss can answer your many questions. Simon and I will carry the boss upstairs, please help us close the elevator doors.”

Axel scowled at Ryan’s matter-of-fact tone with the moment. His head hurt thinking of running from a building that looked under construction. Ryan’s teammates were also driving in behind them, each of them holding a gun.

Where was he going to run?

Cursing out Ryan under his breath, he followed both men as they hauled Jeha out of the backseat with as much care as they could manage. Once they were in the elevator, Axel stared at the numbers as they rose to P3 after an astounding thirty-six floors. The elevator doors opened into a bright hallway.

“This level is complete,” Ryan said to Axel as they entered the short hallway. “No one will come up this elevator without the code we used downstairs.”

Axel filed the info as it seemed important. He hurried after Ryan and Simon who carried Jeha into a spacious living room. Ryan gave him no time to appreciate the Capital City View, as they were already going up a set of wide stairs to a second floor. The trio disappeared into double doors on the second floor and Axel ran after them. He stopped at the door when he realized this was Jeha’s personal space. The handsome living area was decorated in dark brown, leather and wood.

“Dr. Graysen,” Ryan called out and Axel forgot the momentary urge to explore.

There was a second door open directly opposite, so Axel hurried to it deciding it was a bedroom.

Jeha lay on the right side of a king-sized bed, his shirt removed. Ryan was working on removing his shoes and trousers.

“Check on Boss,” Ryan said. “He feels too warm. Is there anything we can do?”

Axel pushed the sleeves of his jersey up to his elbows and hurried to the bed. Axel pressed his palm to Jeha’s forehead and sighed.

“He has a fever. Where are they—?”

Axel broke off when a commotion at the door had him straightening to find two men walking in carrying boxes of medical equipment and cartons filled with medicine.

“Big bro, how is it?” One of them asked Ryan as he placed the box he held on an armchair. “Will Boss wake up soon? Those bastards that Moon keeps are too much. How dare they hurt him?”

“The doctor is working on it,” Ryan said, nodding to a frozen Axel.

“Good,” the second man walked to Axel and held out his right hand.

Axel took it because of the manners his mother had drummed into him.

“Thank you for looking after our Boss. We’re relying on you. I’m Ned.”

Axel nodded but had no chance to respond as the first man came to greet him too.

“You tell us if you need anything. I’m James. I can help you set up the equipment we brought. I worked in a clinic when I was younger.”

“Thank you, James,” Axel said. “Show me what you found. We’ll improvise with what you don’t have.”

Axel hurried to the boxes, expecting meager findings from a convenience store. Instead, he found medical-grade equipment, and medicines he would get in an emergency room cart. He paused, looking at the new stethoscope in one of the boxes, and then his gaze shifted to Jeha.

Just what did his handsome knight do for a living?

James was very helpful. He responded to instructions quite quickly. Between them, they set up the Vital Signs Monitor and connected the cables so that Axel could read Jeha’s vitals. James sent Simon and his friend Ned downstairs to bring a box with the antibiotics that Axel requested.

“How is it?” Ryan asked, from his spot at the foot of the bed. He had not moved away since Axel started working on Jeha.

When the monitor came on and a steady heartbeat started on the monitor, Ryan stared at the screen.

“His fever is expected,” Axel said. “I’ll give him meds to manage the worst of it. I need to monitor his wound to make sure he doesn’t develop an infection. The next forty-eight hours will be tough on him.”

“Please don’t hesitate to ask for anything you need to save his life," Ryan said. “James, Ned, and Simon will help you with any requests.”

“Can I send them to my apartment to get my phone and fresh clothes to change into?” Axel asked, meeting Ryan’s dark gaze.

“No.” Ryan shook his head. “They can help you find anything but stuff from your apartment and call your family or workmates.”

“Why?” Axel asked.

“We’ll wait for Boss to wake up so he can explain,” Ryan said. “Simon will get you clothes. There are toiletries in the bathroom cabinets, and the kitchen downstairs is stocked. Please take care of Jeha.”

Axel sighed at the forbidding tone Ryan used. It looked like he was stuck here until he could get Jeha functional again.

“I should say this is still kidnapping,” Axel said, even as he adjusted the flow of the fever reducer he was using on Jeha. “I can sue.”

“Then sue after Boss wakes up,” Simon said, as he studied Jeha with a worried look. He pulled the light sheet over Jeha’s chest and arranged his right arm to make sure it was straight. Ned and James came to stand next to Ned, all of them watching Jeha.

Axel had released the sling on Jeha’s left arm, and Simon was reluctant to touch Jeha’s wounded side.

Simon brushed the hair out of Jeha’s face and nodded as he stepped away from the bed. He met Axel’s gaze and smiled.

“Boss won’t mind compensating you with money if you help him wake up,” Simon said.

Axel sighed at the trio of loyal employees. They all watched Jeha with similar worried expressions. It suddenly felt as though he was meeting Jeha’s three sons.

“Okay, fine, I'll take care of him. Don’t stand there watching him,” Axel said, waving his hands at the four men. “You’re making me nervous. Jeha needs to rest. Go wait elsewhere.”

Ryan sighed and nodded to his three subordinates.

“We'll step out,” Ryan said, making Axel scowl at him. “We’ll be in the living room out here. Call out if you need help.”

Axel nodded and watched them leave, all of them gave Jeha one last glance before they walked out the door. They did not close it but left it a bit open.

“How did you raise such tall sons?” Axel asked the unconscious Jeha as he sat in a chair pulled close to the left side of the bed. He glanced at Jeha’s vitals and was glad to see they were stable.

“You have a lot of explaining to do,” Axel said. “Wake up soon. This is the first time I’ve been kidnapped. I can’t believe it’s for being a doctor. Who would believe this story if I told it? You don’t want to ask for a ransom, but want to use my skills.”

Axel shook his head and settled in his chair. He looked at Jeha’s exotic features. His dark hair was damp from sweat. Axel had wiped it earlier, but until Jeha’s fever broke, he would need to keep drying it. Axel’s gaze lingered on Jeha’s patted lips.

How easy it would be to lean in and steal a kiss. Axel winced at his thoughts. He was beyond help if he wanted to kiss a patient, who had kidnapped him.

“Great job lusting after a patient, Graysen,” Axel said, shaking his head.

He wiped a hand down his face and wondered what time it was. Glancing at the bedside table, he saw an alarm clock that told him it was almost ten o’clock at night. He had slept the day away and the bandits in the living room must have broken into his apartment in the evening. Shaking his head, his attention was drawn to a picture hidden behind the alarm clock. Looking at the door, Axel was glad to see no one so he reached for the picture frame.

Axel smiled when he saw a picture of teenage Jeha standing between his parents with a wide smile on his face. Axel touched Jeha’s smile in the picture.

“Who can believe you end up so tall and mysterious,” Axel murmured, studying Jeha’s parents.

His mom was pretty and short, compared to Jeha’s dad. Axel suspected Jeha probably towered over her now. Jeha’s dad looked serious and reliable. He had an arm around Jeha’s shoulders and stood in a protective stance. Jeha had grown up in a loving home.

“Dr. Graysen,” Ryan’s voice startled him.

Axel looked up to find Ryan and Simon standing at the door.

“We need your help,” Ryan said. “If you let James know what to look out for, he can look after Boss for a while.”

“What’s wrong?” Axel asked, returning the picture to the bedside table. He checked on Jeha’s vitals and was glad to see they were still stable.

“It’s like this,” Simon said, interrupting Ryan before he could speak. “Our brothers were caught in a fight. Some of them are injured. We all need to protect Boss’s position until he can wake up. We’re hoping you can help us patch up the worst hit.”

“Patch up,” Axel chuckled. “As in like needlework and quilts? What do you think I am?”

“Dr. Graysen,” Ryan said, scowling at him. “Simon is worried we will draw attention to Boss if we head out to find an emergency room. There is no way Jeha would sit out if one of us was hurt. He always follows up and makes sure we are not alone in the hospital. If he doesn’t show up—”

“The enemy will know he is hurt,” Simon said, his tone anxious.

“And that is why you’re keeping him here,” Axel said, studying the two men who were looking at him with pleading gazes.

Simon was easier to read. His worry was evident on his face, but Ryan was a blank stone. Axel bit back a scoff.

Wait, there was one thing he could read off of Ryan. Ryan wanted to shake him into submission.

Simon brought his hands up in a heartfelt request.

“Dr. Graysen, please help my brothers. We’ll owe you.”

Axel sighed and glanced at Jeha. Confident there would be no immediate emergency, he gave Simon a nod.

“Get James,” Axel said.

James dashed in as though he were waiting right outside Jeha’s room.

“I’m here,” James said, meeting Axel by Jeha’s bed.

Axel pointed to the thermometer and the notebook he had found to track Jeha’s fever.

“Check his temperature every thirty minutes. If his temperature rises, you get me. Call me if the numbers on the monitor change, and it beeps; I’ve already set it up. If he wakes up and is in unusual pain, or seems delirious, call me. Understood?”

“Yes, Doctor. I’ll do a good job,” James said.

“Don’t thank me, yet,” Axel said, glancing at Jeha’s unconscious face before he followed Ryan and Simon out.

Downstairs, Jeha paused at the last step when he saw at least fifteen men scattered around the large living room.

“What the hell is going on, Ryan?” Axel asked, wanting to step back.

Ryan gripped his left arm and led him to the dining table near the open kitchen. It was piled high with medical supplies.

“We’re at war with an idiot,” Ryan said. “I hope we win otherwise, Moon will find us here in this penthouse and cause more trouble. We’re relying on you to save our brothers.”

Axel turned to find Ryan’s ‘brothers’ had all stood up and were looking at him with expectation.

Axel gripped the stethoscope still around his neck and moved closer to Ryan.

“Is this a gang?” Axel whispered, wanting to know and being afraid to discover more.

“If I tell you, you may have to join,” Ryan whispered back.

“Don’t tell me,” Axel said, shaking his head. “Hanging out with a bunch of bad boys is not part of my future.”

“So you say, but you are sweet on our big boss,” Ryan said, with a small smile, then whispered. “Which makes all these brothers part of your future.”

“You wish,” Axel scowled at him. “Start with the one who is most hurt and work it back to the least injured,” Axel said.

Ryan relayed his order and soon two burly men carried a groaning man to the dining table. They laid him on the dining table and stepped back. Axel wore gloves and started his examination.

It took him a minute to find the injury. When he did find it, he could only scowl with annoyance.

“Doc,” his patient said, his voice laced with pain. “Do you think I’ll make it?”

Axel watched the man pull up his dark jacket to reveal a stab wound on his left side that was stuffed with gauze and wrapped with a belt. The knife was still in there.

“Ryan! You lying, mad, ridiculous delinquent! This is an abuse of my skills. He should be in an emergency room. Why do you keep thinking I can bring people back from the dead?”

“I believe in you,” Ryan said with an expectant nod.

“Doc,” Simon said, coming to help him settle the man with the knife on the table. “Big bro trusts you. You can do this.”

Axel cursed under his breath when he met his patient’s hopeful gaze. He had no choice but to get to work. Relying on skills acquired in the harrowing emergency department, he removed the knife, managed the wound, and offered the necessary aid. Once again, the availability of hospital-grade meds made him want to ask questions, but he never got the chance. He treated cuts varying from severe to minor, bullet grazes, bruised ribs, broken arms, a sprained ankle, and finally, Ryan sat on the stool Axel was using. The dining table had turned into a hospital bed for his knife wound patient.

“Where?” Axel asked, looking at Ryan and seeing only a neat black suit jacket. There was no blood on him.

Ryan gave him one glance, and then he shrugged out of his suit jacket with a wince.

Axel changed his gloves and watched Ryan undo his shirt buttons. Simon helped him remove the white shirt, and that’s when Axel saw the raw skin on his back.

“Shit,” Axel cursed, moving the lamp Simon had found him to study the red-grazed skin. “Have you been moving around with this the whole time?”

“Got it when I was racing to find boss,” Ryan said. “I only had time to change my shirt.”

Axel shook his head.

“What are you guys into? Drugs? Guns? Which one? I don’t care what it is but your life is not worth this much pain. Do you know you can walk away from workplace abuse?” Axel asked, as he rummaged through a carton filled with supplies and found a pack of sterile gauze, antiseptic, sterile saline, and a nonstick dressing.

Axel glanced up and found Ryan and Simon watching him. He was surprised by the hurt look in Simon’s eyes.

“We’re not drug dealers or gun peddlers,” Simon said, his tone forceful.

“Simon,” Ryan said. “Go check on James and the Boss.”

Simon scowled at Axel before he turned away and headed upstairs.

Axel frowned. “What did I say?”

“You insulted our brothers,” Ryan said with a small scoff. “Judged us all with one bad day.”

“Can’t help it,” Axel said, as he examined Ryan’s wound. He got to work, cleaning the graze and making sure there was no debris in the raw skin. He expected some complaints of pain from Ryan but got none. So, when he was done, he covered the wound with a nonstick dressing.

“Don’t get it wet for the next twenty-four hours,” Axel said as he removed his gloves. He looked around the large living room and let out a sigh. His sixteen patients were sprawled on couches and armchairs in various levels of rest. Those who were uninjured were restless and moved in and out of the hallway.

“It feels like I’m working a shift at the emergency room,” Axel said, sanitizing his hands.

“Thank you for helping us,” Ryan said, folding his shirt as he got up. “Try to get some sleep. We’re going to be here for another twenty-four hours, or until Boss wakes up. I’ll let you return to him.”

“You never answered my question,” Axel said as Ryan turned to leave.

“I don’t think I’ll be the one to give you the answers you need,” Ryan said. “All I can say is that we’re not villains. We don’t sell drugs or guns. Do you believe me?”

Axel met Ryan’s harsh gaze and was surprised to find that he did believe Ryan’s explanation. So, if not drugs and guns, what would put Jeha’s people in so much danger?

“Stop speculating, and head upstairs. I’ll find you something hot to drink. Are you hungry?”

Axel shook his head.

“Get me fresh orange juice. No food. I can’t eat after all that.”

“Okay,” Ryan gave him a ghost of a smile and turned around heading to the kitchen.

“Doc,” James called from upstairs.

Axel hurried to the staircase his thoughts shifting to Jeha’s condition.

Everyone watched as he ran to reach Jeha’s suite. He never stopped to wonder what they thought of his panic. He never saw Ryan step out into the living room to watch him with a slight smile.

****

Jeha woke up two days later to a comforting weight on his stomach. He blinked sleep away, his eyes adjusting to the dim light in his bedroom. The curtains were drawn over the floor-length windows. A dim lamp at the corner was the only source of light.

Jeha brought his right hand up to rub the last of the sleep cobwebs away and lifted his head to see brown wavy hair scattered on the white t-shirt he wore. He smiled and moved his right hand to touch the messy hair.

Axel’s bed hair was a thing of beauty. The tangled strands felt soft under his fingers. He combed his fingers through Axel’s hair, unable to stop the grin that curved his lips.

Jeha shifted on his pillows and winced at the numbness on his left arm.

The numb pain was a violent reminder of his confrontation with Moon at the industrial workshop. He cursed under his breath, his thoughts on his cousin.

His team had picked up Moon’s Chemist as he entered the industrial warehouse his cousin was using as a lab. Jeha had hoped to avoid a confrontation with Moon, but luck was not on his side. The moment Ryan got a hold of the chemist, Moon and his band of idiots opened gunfire on them.

Jeha remembered urging Ryan to drive off with the Chemist and take him to his father, Yisu.

Jeha was left dealing with Moon’s gang and their deadly assault. One of Moon’s men shot Jeha in the left arm. From there, it had taken everything to get out of the industrial district alive.

Jeha sighed thinking about the blood soaking his white shirt—Ryan’s panicked face when he saw him after leaving the Chemist with Yisu.

Then, there was Axel.

Gerard, Ryan’s most trusted, picked Axel up. It was too bad that Gerard was a lot rough around the edges. He had been unkind to Axel.

Jeha closed his eyes, his fingers stilling in Axel’s hair.

In any case…he was grateful for Axel. Otherwise, he would have bled out without Axel’s help. He had hoped to meet Axel in a normal, understandable way. Let their relationship progress naturally.

Now, this situation had dragged Axel into the deepest part of his world. There would be no turning back for either of them. He hoped Axel would agree to stay with him. If Axel really could not stand it, then Jeha would work to make sure Axel stayed safe as an outsider.

Jeha let out a soft sigh hoping Axel would decide to stay with him.

Axel shifted, and Jeha pulled out his fingers from his hair, afraid he would tug on Axel’s hair. He smiled when Axel yawned and sat up fast. Axel smoothed Jeha’s t-shirt, as he wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth. Then he leaned over to check on the bandage on Jeha’s left arm.

The frown creasing his forehead made Jeha smile wider. He felt oddly happy to see the concern on Axel’s face.

“You’re awake,” Axel said when he noticed him looking.

“Mm,” Jeha said. “You were asleep. I didn’t want to wake you.”

Axel let out a short yawn and stretched his arms above his head.

“You were running a fever last night,” Axel said, getting up from the chair pulled close to the bed. He pointed to a table on his left, packed with washcloths, a bowl of water, ice packs, and medicine packs. “I’m glad you’re over it now. You’ve stressed me these past two days, Jeha.”

Jeha started to sit up, but Axel placed a gentle hand on his right shoulder.

“Not too fast. Don’t undo my hard work.”

“I want to sit up,” Jeha said, feeling restless, his legs were stiff, and he wanted a moment in the bathroom. “Maybe visit the bathroom.”

“Okay,” Axel said, with a nod. “Slowly, we’ll take it bit by bit. You’re on painkillers but there will still be discomfort. We need to manage your pain levels and prevent any infection. So, we’re stuck together. I’ll help you to the bathroom, no full showers for you, though you can wash essentials. I’ll help unless you don’t want me to.”

Jeha nodded, caught between embarrassment and excitement at the thought of Axel helping him to the toilet. He felt groggy and out of balance. Axel was gentle even as he was firm. He used a sling to immobilize Jeha's left arm. Then, he helped Jeha sit up and pulled a wheelchair close.

“Where did you get a wheelchair?” Jeha asked as he shifted on the bed, holding on to his wounded arm. He relied on Axel’s strength to stay up.

“Ryan is quite resourceful,” Axel said, as he made sure the wheelchair was locked. “We’ll need it for a few days. The meds I gave you are heavy. I don’t want you falling and ruining my work.”

Jeha followed instructions, allowing Axel to help him into the wheelchair. The bathroom was spacious and it was easy to maneuver the wheelchair in there. The logistics of sitting on the toilet with Axel’s help left no room for pride. Axel was matter-of-fact about helping him use the toilet and clean up after. Jeha had no time to feel embarrassed.

When he was back in the wheelchair, Axel flushed the toilet and used a warm washcloth to wipe Jeha’s face. Folding the washcloth, Axel met Jeha’s blue eyes and smiled.

Jeha stared because Axel in the morning was handsome as hell. From his messy brown hair, which Jeha had mussed even more with his fingers to his honey-brown eyes. He could stare for days.

“Jeha,” Axel said, touching his right shoulder to get his attention.

Jeha blinked and found Axel holding his electric toothbrush already with a dollop of toothpaste. Jeha took the brush and started brushing his teeth. Axel moved the wheelchair closer to the sink and turned on the tap, using a mug to get water for Jeha. Jeha watched as Axel moved away to get a towel. Jeha finished brushing his teeth and rinsed his mouth.

Axel returned with a towel and helped him wipe his mouth.

Jeha smiled and met Axel’s inquiring gaze.

“What?”

“It’s been a long time since someone wiped my face for me,” Jeha said.

“How long?” Axel asked, folding the used towel neatly and placing it on the sink counter.

“My mother when I was young enough to be unable to avoid her,” Jeha said with a laugh.

Axel shook his head and pressed his left index finger into his right cheek.

“You have dimples when you laugh,” Axel said. “They’re cute.”

“Cute?” Jeha scowled and shook his head. “What about me screams cute?”

“Your dimples,” Axel said with a small smile. “Alright, we should get you back to bed.”

“Can’t I sit up for a while?” Jeha asked. “I don’t want to be in bed all day.”

“Step by step, Jeha. I need to check on your wound,” Axel said, taking control of the wheelchair. He led it out of the bathroom and they returned to find the sheets on the bed had been changed, and the covers smoothed and pulled back for Jeha.

James or Simon must have come in to check on Jeha. They were both very worried that Jeha had not woken up yet.

Axel arranged the pillows, locked the wheelchair, and concentrated on getting Jeha back on the bed.

Jeha was not proud of how weak his legs felt, and the dizziness that assaulted him as he stood. Letting out a soft breath, he sat on the bed and was grateful for Axel’s arm around his shoulders. He was afraid he would have fallen back like a log. The little trip to the bathroom had tired him out.

“The meds are heavy,” Axel explained. “It will take a bit of time for the meds I’ve pumped into you to leave your system. So, it’s going to be tough on you. Now, let’s move you up a bit.”

Axel used considerable strength as he helped Jeha shift back and settle on the bed half-sitting half-lying down. Axel pulled the covers over Jeha’s lap and sat on the left side of the bed breathing hard.

“You’re a workout, Jeha Wook.”

Jeha could barely laugh at the comment. He felt exhausted by the whole exercise.

Then, Axel took in a deep breath, let it out, and shifted to face him.

“Now that you’re awake and refreshed,” Axel said, narrowing his gaze. “I have questions that need answers, Jeha. I have spent the past two days patching up all the men who work under you. Cuts, stab wounds, bruised ribs, sprained limbs, the list is endless. As a doctor working in the ER, I should report suspicious situations. I should call the police.”

“Axel.”

“Jeha, are you a mob boss?” Axel asked.

****