“You’ve had a dislocated shoulder?”
“Twice,” he confirms.
“You didn’t tell me!”
“No need to worry you, Trouble.”
“We are having a conversation when we get home, Captain.”
“Captain,” Dr. Ashby says with a nod. “I thought you looked familiar. You’re Ryker James.”
“Guilty.”
I feel Ry tense up. Normally he doesn’t mind talking with fans, but this isn’t a good time. Luckily, the doctor just nods and then goes about his business. At least he didn’t ask for an autograph.
Aiden wipes a tear from his cheek.
“It’s just a reaction to the pain,” he says, trying to talk all of us into believing that he wouldn’t cry.
“Of course it is.” I lean down and kiss his head. “I love you, buddy. I’m so sorry it hurts. We’ll take you home and get some good drugs in you, and you can rest.”
“Lame,” Aiden says, but he leans into my touch. There are moments when he’s still my little boy.
Finally, an hour later, after they’ve given him a full bag of fluids, cleaned his cuts and scrapes, wrapped the ankle, and put his arm in a sling, we can head home, armed with a few days’ worth of pain medicine so we don’t have to rush to the pharmacy. Ryker is careful to avoid bumps as he drives the truck, and it takes both of us to help Aiden inside and up the stairs, thanks to his twisted ankle.
“This sucks ass,” Aiden says as I help him lie down on his bed. “I have to go out to the bunkhouse and pack up my stuff.”
“That’ll be done for you,” Ry replies. “Just rest for today, buddy. Take a nap.”
“I think the medicine is making me sleepy,” he says. “But it’s hard to get comfortable.”
“I’ll adjust your pillows when needed,” I assure him and then kiss his head again, breathing him in. His hair is always so soft against my lips. “Nap for a while, and then I’ll bring up some food.”
“Okay.”
He’s asleep before we leave the room.
“Jesus, I’m tired,” I say as Ry and I walk down to the living room and curl up on the couch.
“If we never relive that, it’ll be too soon.” His lips are in my hair, brushing back and forth. “I have news about the other stuff, but if you’re too tired to talk about it, we can do it later.”
“No, I want to know. It’s killing me.” I lean back so I can see his face. “What’s going on?”
“It was all Andy,” he says and brushes a lock of my hair behind my ear. “He’s been arrested this morning on a bunch of charges.”
“And he didn’t send those pictures to anyone else?”
“As far as we know, no. He just wanted to get money out of me.”
I sigh and lean against him again. “I’m so sorry, Ry. You trusted him.”
“Yeah, well, I’m just glad it’s over. But I’m thinking about going to Seattle to check on the penthouse and talk with the attorneys and PR people in person.”
Panic shoots through me.
Jesus, I don’t want him to leave. I know I can do this alone. I’ve taken care of Aiden during illnesses and injuries by myself since he was little, and if I had to, I could do it now too. And Ihateto ask for help.
I hate feeling like a burden to anyone. It was drilled into me as a kid, by the one woman who was supposed to love and protect me, that I was just that: a burden.
