“Show me,” I demand. “Where are you hurting?” I’ve got a good idea from how she’s protectively placed her hand over her lower chest.
“It’s nothing, Freak. Just a rib or two, hopefully just bruised, not broken.”
I start to turn. “I’ll go get Bronwyn.”
Her hand snakes out and finds my arm. “No, Freak. She’d only advise rest and painkillers. I’ve had experience with broken ribs before.”
She’s referencing her treatment from that bastard of a husband she had. My body tenses, and it’s she who soothes me, immediately understanding the reason for my reaction. “All in the past, Freak. And the man who hurt me tonight is dead.” More carefully this time, she inches over closer to the edge. My hands hover. My desire is to help her, but I don’t want to make her pain worse. She breathes a sigh of relief once she’s done and looks up at me from under her eyelashes. “Why don’t you lie down, and we’ll all get some sleep?”
“Ace and I should leave you in peace.”
As her face visibly falls, Ace pleads, “Dad? Can’t we all stay here together?”
“Stay, please, Freak.”
At her words, I examine them closely. Fuck, they've both been in hell the last few hours, and have bonded through their shared misery. How can I refuse the two expectant faces?After tonight’s stress and tension, maybe sharing each other’s company will keep all our nightmares at bay.
I go back around to where Ace is now sitting in the middle of the bed, take off my cut and boots, and lie down next to him. He, having already shucked off his shoes, inches himself down, taking a horizontal position, as does Trixie. I turn off the bedside light beside me, and she switches off hers. As the room plunges into darkness, I turn on my side, putting a hand on Ace’s shoulder, whose back is toward me, as he faces Trix. I need to be touching him, need the closeness to anchor me. So many things could have gone very differently. Just one wrong move, and I wouldn’t now have him close.
“Goodnight,” I tell them both quietly.
“’Night, Dad,” Ace sleepily returns.
“’Night,Daddy,” Trixie offers. Despite the circumstances, it makes my lips curve.
Ace is the first to start quietly snoring. Then, I know no more as exhaustion and sleep overcome me.
I awake when the door bursts open. “Trix,” Star’s voice says. “Do you know where Freak and Ace are? Bullseye’s been looking for them.” She sounds half-excited as she adds hurriedly, “He’s worried they might have been kidnapped off the compound, as they’re nowhere to be found.”
The blind is still drawn so the room is in darkness. As I flick on the light, Star gets her answer. She steps back in the force of my glare, and her hand covers her mouth. “Oh, you’re here. I’m, er, sorry for interrupting.”
“Hi, Star.” Ace emerges from under the sheet.
Her eyes go wide, showing she doesn’t know what to make of this situation.
“What’s the fuckin’ time?” I ask her.
“It’s coming up on eleven.”
Must have been five by the time we’d all laid down our heads. At least we’ve had a few hours of sleep. “Tell Bullseye to call off the search party. We’ll be down soon.” I very much doubt the idea that we’d been kidnapped had come from him. Gossip can get twisted as it goes around the compound.
As soon as she closes the door, I slide my legs over the bed, put my boots on, then stand, and pull on my cut. I eye my son, who’s burrowed down into the sheet again. “Get up, sleepyhead. Let’s give Trixie some space.”
“Da…ad,” Ace moans.
“You don’t need to go on my account,” Trixie murmurs, still half asleep.
Walking around the bed, I lean over her. “Our clean clothes and bathroom stuff are in my room. You get some rest, Trix. I’ll see you later.” I walk to the door, turning back to encourage my son. “Come on, Ace.”
“I’m coming,” he says grumpily, searching for and eventually finding his shoes under Trixie’s bed.
With my hand on Ace’s shoulder, we proceed down the corridor, ironically passing Dum/Dee leaning against the wall outside a door. He steps forward, starts to open his mouth, then shuts it when I give him a pointed look. He doesn’t need to tell me Toni’s still in the room. He wouldn’t be standing there otherwise. I know how much he wants his patch. Starting to make our way down the stairwell, I frown. Toni’s a problem I shelved last night, but in the cold light of day, I’ll soon have to face it.
“Can we get something to eat?”
Ace’s query brings me back to the day-to-day routine of parenting. “Not until you’ve brushed your teeth, had a shower, and changed your clothes. You reek, son.” As probably do I. We’d all slept in our clothes last night. “Look, you go ahead. I’ve remembered something I’ve got to tell Dum.”
“It’s Dee.” Ace rolls his eyes, but nevertheless, carries on walking while I turn back.
