“You’re awake,” Matt says, his voice heavy with sleep as I turn my attention over to him.
“How bad is it?”I return, my voice cracking and breaking from the damage done to me and however long I’ve been out of things.“How long have I been asleep?”
“It’s not the best, Tutor.You had to have surgery to remove your spleen.There was internal bleedin’ and they got it stopped when they removed that.Your left wrist is broken and the right one is rubbed raw from the rope that was holdin’ you to the bed.Your left ankle is also badly sprained.It’s not broken and the doctor said you’re very lucky with the amount of damage that’s been done to it.Your ribs aren’t broken, but they’re severely bruised.It will take them a while to heal.There’s also a nasty gash on your head.It was enough to give you a concussion.Other than that your wounds are superficial.Bruisin’ and shallow cuts to your body.She really did a number on you and will pay for everythin’ she did,” Matt tells me, reaching over and pouring me a fresh glass of water before holding it for me to take a few small sips of.
“Matt, I don’t remember everything that happened.There’s a small amount of time I’m missing.The last thing I remember is walking in the clubhouse with Kimber and my dad.Then there’s nothing there until I wake up in that room,” I tell him honestly as he presses his forehead against mine gently and I close my eyes and simply enjoy the closeness of him.This is something I started to doubt I’d ever have again.
“That’s okay, Tutor.It will come back to you.Just know that we’ll deal with everyone who hurt you.Well, we’ve already dealt with them.The only time I left the hospital was when you were in surgery because I was like a damn caged animal and started scarin’ everyone here.Your dad kept me updated the entire time I was gone.Did that bitch say anythin’ to you when you were there?”Matt asks me as he sits back and moves his chair even closer to the bed where I’m lying.
“This was all about money.I knew Clark was never faithful to me, but I had no clue he was married to another woman and our marriage was never legal.Didn’t know Cedric and Caydence weren’t his only children either.She told me I was never entitled to the insurance policy.I’m the one who paid for it and Clark is the one who chose me to be his beneficiary.I really didn’t expect that from him because he never gave me anything after we were married.Even the few gifts he gave me when we were dating were cheap and insignificant.I truly never kept a single one of them.Yet, I have things you gave me when we were in school put up in a box,” I tell him, giving Matt one of my biggest secrets that I’ve held close for a very long time.
“You have things I gave you when we were in school?”Matt asks me, his voice full of shock as he looks me deep in the eyes to find the truth.
“I did.You gave me a few notes left in my locker about our tutoring times.The concert we all went to that Kimber talked me into going with you guys.I dried the flowers you brought in that one day when you knew I was having a bad day.Small things like that.Even though they probably didn’t mean anything to you, they meant a lot to me.They still do,” I say, averting my eyes from the man who has given me a reason to wake up every morning.
“I gave you all of those things because I loved to see you smile, Peyton.Your smile lights up a room and pulls everyone near you in.I know you’ve never seen yourself that way, but it’s how I’ve always seen you.Your smile is radiant and one of the best parts of my day.I’ve missed seein’ it over the last few months with the stress you’ve been under dealin’ with this stalker bullshit.But that’s over and you don’t have to worry about any of them ever again.Clark’s wife has been beaten and sent to prison.The Slayer Slit who tricked you away from the compound was beaten and banished from the club and Frostford.She’ll never be allowed back again.None of our allies will allow her near their club either.The men who were there, well, that’s a different story,” Matt informs me, his voice almost a whisper as he looks at me and gently lifts my hand in his to press a kiss against the back of it.
“I’m free?”I question him, my own voice a broken whisper as my eyes fill with tears.
“You’re free, Baby.None of them will ever hurt you again.There won’t be anyone stalkin’ you.You can roam the compound wherever you want and not have to worry about someone attackin’ you.You can come into town to shop or just hang out and no one will get near you,” Matt informs me as he looks me straight in the eyes so I can see the truth of his words.
“Thank you, Matt.You’ve given me the greatest gifts I could ever receive.Two more children and the freedom I’ve been craving since this entire situation with the stalker started,” I tell him honestly as a knock sounds on the door and an older woman walks in with a tablet in her hands.
“It’s good to see you awake, Miss Mills.I’m Dr.Ashford and have been taking care of you since you were brought in.How are you feeling?”she introduces herself to me with a soft smile on her face as Matt leans back in his chair to give her room to speak to me.
“I’m hurting, but it’s nothing I can’t deal with.My entire body aches and the worst of the pain is in my abdomen and ribs.Matt told me my ribs are bruised and I had to have my spleen removed.I’m guessing that’s the cause of the pain I’m currently in.The most concerning part for me is that I’m missing a small part of my memory,” I tell the doctor honestly as she frowns when I mention losing part of my memory.
“I’d like to get a scan of your head, Miss Mills.That’s the one thing we didn’t do when you were rushed into surgery.I’m going to go put the order in now.The nurse will be in soon with your next dose of pain medicine.Please take it so we can stay on top of your pain levels.At least for the first few days.You don’t feel any pain in your wrist or ankle that are damaged?”Dr.Ashford questions me, her voice almost a whisper as she looks where I have a cast and brace.
“No.I really don’t feel any pain in either of those areas.At least right now I don’t feel anything.Is it possible the areas are numb for some reason?”I question the doctor as Matt sits forward with a frown on his face once again.
“I mean, there’s a possibility it would be numb for a little bit.If you don’t get feeling back in your wrist and ankle soon, we might have to do more testing on those areas to ensure there’s nothing more going on we didn’t see when you were brought in,” Dr.Ashford responds, making notes on the tablet before she gives me a small smile and turns to leave us alone with a gentle reminder of going for a head scan soon.
Matt and I sit in silence for a few minutes.I know my family and the club members are waiting to come in and see me, but I’m afraid all of them in my room at once right now will be too overwhelming.Especially knowing I have to go for a head scan soon and that everyone wants to make sure I’m okay.On a good day, everyone together is overwhelming.Now, I don’t believe it would be something I can handle dealing with.
“Matt, I’m not sure if I can have everyone in here at once,” I begin speaking as Matt looks at me with a smile on his face.
“I know, Peyton.I already planned on goin’ out to get our family and the kids first.My mom isn’t here right now.She’s back at the compound with the rest of the kids.Only our children are here.Callum, Kimber, and Brick with your parents and Jennifer should be okay,” he assures me, standing from his seat and making his way to the door.
I don’t take my eyes from Matt as he remains in the doorway and talks to whoever is just outside the door.The last thing I want right now is to be alone.Part of me is still scared the stalker is out there and will get close to me if I’m in this hospital room alone.It’s not rational, but this person has been stalking me for months and for it to just stop isn’t going to be easy to convince me of.It’s going to take time for me to process the information and realize it’s true on my own.Then I’ll be able to go out with the freedom I’ve craved since this all started.Not just the freedom but a sense of peace I haven’t felt in such a long time.The only time I do feel it is when I’m in the safety of my house with Matt by my side.He’s my home and makes me feel secure, safe, and with a peace I haven’t felt since the day I started talking to Clark.That asshole robbed me of every ounce of confidence I ever had before him.Matt is the one slowly restoring it within me.
Matt makes his way back to my bed and resumes sitting in one of those uncomfortable chairs they always seem to have for visitors.I already know he won’t be leaving my side until the second I’m discharged.My parents, Jennifer, and Kimber will help with the kids.And I know I’ll have men guarding my door even though the stalkers have been dealt with.I just hope Clark’s wife doesn’t get bail and remains in jail until the trial and then gets sent to prison or a mental hospital where she can get the help she’s in desperate need of.
“Sweetheart, we were so worried about you,” my dad says, entering my room and rushing to the opposite side of my bed.“Are you okay?”
“I’m doing as well as I can be right now.Dr.Ashford is going to send me to have my head scanned because I’m missing a little bit of time.They didn’t do that when I was brought in I guess, so they’re going to do it now,” I answer him honestly as always because I refuse to keep anything from my family.Especially my dad.
Matt lifts Cedric up in my bed and he cuddles in next to me.Callum is holding Caydence in his arms while Kimber and my sister each hold one of the twins.
“The kids will be coming home with Jayson and me when we leave here,” Kimber informs me with a soft smile on her face as she looks at me.
I watch as she takes in my injuries and her eyes become larger and larger.Tears form on her lashes and I know it’s taking everything in her to hold them back right now.This is why she’s one of my best friends.
“Don’t cry for me, Kimber.I’m okay.A little sore, but these injuries won’t last forever.And I don’t have to deal with the stalker anymore.This apparently had to happen and I made it back alive,” I tell her, knowing deep in my heart that’s the truth of the matter.
Clark’s wife wasn’t going to stop until someone made her.And she wanted to have me suffer for the wrongs she supposedly suffered by me getting what she believed was hers.
“You shouldn’t have dealt with this shit at all,” Callum says angrily as he steps up closer when Caydence reaches out for Matt.
