Clear as fucking day, I remember the moment they looked me in the eye and swore they’d protect her with everything in them. And they fucking didn’t. I’m not blaming them entirely, but the fact remains, my baby girl is broken and barely breathing.
Nothing has ever stripped me powerless nor tested my strength as a father or a man the way hearing Talon tell me Raney was hurt did. Although admittedly when the doctor explained the severity of my baby girl’s injuries I was tested again. I don’t know how I didn’t slam the words the doctor kept using right back in his educated mouth.
I know the man was just doing his fucking job. Still, it was pretty fucking hard not to punch each and every word back into his mouth when he explained how fucking broken my daughter was. Without a doubt though, I still want to hang him on my trophy wall at the clubhouse for what he’s managed to do so far; he is my fucking hero.
Everything in my head has been a twisted, dark mess since Talon’s call. If my daughter wasn’t lying there with fucking machines keeping her alive, I’d be hunting down the cunt who did this before the authorities find her.
But all that is for later. Right now, everything is about Raney.
I’m still a bit shocked I haven’t kicked the boys out of her hospital room yet. They and Raney have a connection that doesn’t make sense to some, but it makes a lot of sense to them. The thing is, they have more issues in front of them than what we’re currently facing. I wish I was exaggerating, but it’s fucking true.
Although, I was fucking grateful none of them were around when the doctor pulled me aside to let me know that in the middle of fucking everything, that Raney’s designation came in. And yeah, I still have zero regret telling the doctor to put her on blockers straight a-fucking-way.
“We need to talk.” I stand up, my hands rubbing down my face. Supposedly, it’s a new habit I’ve picked up. I didn’t notice until Jenn, in her new age BS, pulled me up for it. Apparently, she thinks I’m trying to scrub away seeing my daughter hooked up to machines battling to pump blood through her broken body. She’s fucking spot on. I am. But I’m also fucking struggling with the rage continually building inside me. I’m overtired and sick of drinking this bullshit pod coffee these rich motherfuckers whine over.
I point the boys towards the small soundproof room adjoining Raney’s. The glass window divider is meant as a place everyone can keep watch but speak privately. It also acts as a place to avoid radiation exposure when they wheel in the portable x-ray machine to check all her breaks and fractures. Talk about soul destroying.
Jenn and I have stood inside the tiny room way too many times to hear the doctor’s update. And since she’s survived the first forty-eight hours, the most critical, I want to say my girl has done the hardest, but that’s just a fucking lie. She’s got months and months of therapy ahead of her. But before we can even talk about that shit, we need her to wake up.
I get it, the doctors are being cautious. Optimistic, but careful. I’ve heard endless experts talk about the difficulty of caring for patients with head injuries. Progress can go backwards in the space of a few hours. And I’ve seen it with my own two eyes. They want me to keep her here until she can walk out herself, but that ain’t happening. The second she’s stabilised; I’m calling in every favour I’m owed. This place is not her home, these people are not her people, not if they couldn’t protect her.
The boys, and that’s what they fucking are, follow me inside, and I shut the door, locking us in. Because I’m one of those believers that even though Raney’s currently in a drug induced coma, she’s still listening and absorbing everything we say. And I’ve got a lot to say to these boys.
Reid especially. He’s the one that tipped my hand just now. The fucking look on his face when he ambled back in covered in another woman’s scent and acting like his shit don’t stink sets every internal alarm off.
Facing away from them, I keep watch over her. The dark room, and the shitty artificial lighting means her face looks like a hollow mask. Gut fucking wrenching.
“Any sign of your mother?” I aim my question at Reid, who point blank ignores me until he chooses to. The little shit looks down his nose at me too, and it takes a lot not to make him submit, but a check on Raney is the reminder I need to pull my mood back in. I can’t afford to tip my hand with this smug asshole, considering what Colt did.
“Not yet,” Talon answers quickly. “Colt’s already told the police …”
Reid scoffs, and everyone ignores him. Which surprises me.
“I know, mate. I know.” I swing around and lean against the window. Talon, Hayes, and Colt look as shattered as I feel. I know they are distraught. That’s not what this is about.
Hayes goes to say something, and I stop him, holding my hand up. Taking the floor.
“This isn’t going to be easy for me to say. And I won’t have you interrupting me ’til the end.”
Reid doesn’t move a muscle, but Talon and Hayes nod. Colt’s in his own world, and knowingly or not, he shuffles to stand next to me, his forehead leaning against the glass. It’s not nice to see the real difficulty he’s having in accepting what’s happened. I rub his shoulder, and he turns to fall against me. Which only reconfirms what I’m about to do is the right thing.
Colt’s pain is plain as day. So is his recent transition. Though, I’m not at all worried about the kid dropping into an alpha meltdown. Never really have been with him, it’s weird.
Over the past few days, I’ve seen him sleep less than I have. He’s not eating much, hardly saying a word. Initially, he did a whole lot of talking—to the police and to me—and a fuck tonne of screaming at Reid. Since then, he hasn’t said a word to anyone but Raney.
“I know how much Raney loves you lot. Blows my mind she does, but it’s not my business. What is my business is my daughter’s welfare. It should be yours, but you have to fucking realise…”
“We’re not ready,” Colt says, breaking away from me and returning to watch over her. It’s like he’s already broken away from them in the way he’s completely ambivalent towards them.
Hayes closes his eyes and drops his head, perhaps he knows what I’m doing. Talon’s catching on too; his eyes flash with a whole lot of anger directed at me. “You can’t keep us away from her.”
“I’m going toaskyou to stay away instead. But let’s be fucking real, if I wanted, I could keep you away from her. One word and every chapter in the country would know who you lot were. They’d make sure you stayed away.”
“Doubtful. Anyway, go on, say your piece,” Reid says, trying to hurry me along. And for the time being, I let his disrespect roll off me.
I look him square in the eye, keeping a lid on my emotions and focusing on the facts. “You are not ready for someone like her.” And yeah, I make a point of looking at the obvious hickey on his throat.
He smirks when I lift my eyes off the mark, but he waits until he’s ready before he speaks. “You’re a cunt. You’ve never thought we’re good enough for her. Honestly, it’s a bit of a joke if you think about it.”
