I’d been proud of them too, but hearing it from him meant more, because he knew how I’d loved to cook before, and my god, I felt so guilty that he got beaten because of me.
“He’s nothing like Sean,” I said fiercely to Lenore, watching a smile blossom on her face.
“You’re so sexy when you’re fired up,” she said, grinning wider by the second, “so I don’t need to rip off his balls and mail them to that club of his?”
I grimaced. “Dear god, please don’t. He really did everything he could to look after me. He does. He’s a good man. He’s…” I turned to smile at him, but he was too busy pressing his fingers gingerly against his ribs, “he’s the best person I know.”
“Good.”
Chapter Seventeen
Iheld off gettingsomeone to check my lower ribs, but I swear something felt wrong down there, however my priority was getting Glory back home, and clearing things up with the club.
“You sure you don’t want us to stay? She made a right mess of your face,” Micro said, while Stag leaned forward with a smirk.
“It’s an improvement. Send her a thank you note.”
Rocket shoved him out of the way, and jerked his head at Marco and Lenore, who were still chatting with Glory. “We should stay ‘til those fuckers are gone, at least. Just in case.”
I glanced over at them, seeing the way Glory smiled as she spoke to them, knowing that, just for that, I’d never resent them, even though I was aching in all kinds of places.
“Nah, it’s all good. I’m sorry you guys got called out here, but Lissa was just being safe. I get that. I appreciate her too.”
“Don’t appreciate her too much, Ice can be a real prick.”
Grease shrugged when we all looked at him. “Hey, I like the guy, but he has his dickish side.”
“As do you, my man,” Stag said, slapping his chest. That was a mistake, clearly. Grease’s eyes narrowed on the hand that just touched him, and Stag gulped.
“Shit. No, I’m sorry. I uh… fuck me, Rocket, stand here, will you,” he rambled, trying to shove Rocket in Grease’s way.
“Nope. You did this to yourself, but take it outside, please. That nurse already has her hand on the phone, and I’m not looking to get arrested tonight.”
On Micro’s edict, everyone started filing outside, some snarking out chirpy goodbyes and goodnights to the nurses.
“I’m sorry, Pres. I didn’t mean to waste everyone’s time.”
He shook his head, flanked only by Rocket and Harley now.
“It was the right thing to do, and I know you’re just a prospect,” the corner of his mouth lifted, “but you’re family, man. We back our family. You have any more issues with them, call me. I’ll have support here.”
The momentary sting of ‘just a prospect’ was just that, because his words just reminded me that, prospect or not, I was family to them now. They heard I was in trouble, and dropped everything to rush here. That said so much about the kind of people they were, and the kind of club I was so desperate to join.
“Thanks, Pres. Thanks all of you, honestly, I’m just embarrassed you got to see the aftermath of my buttkicking. She’s fucking scary strong.”
“And behind you,” Rocket said, clamping his lips closed on a smirk. Fuck! I spun on my heel, but she was still sitting beside Glory, her eyes on us at the perfect time.
“You fucking…” I groaned, “I get it. I’m a pussy, but I swear, she hits harder than most of you.”
“Then you haven’t been hit by most of us, man.”
Micro laughed, shoving Rocket and Harley back a few paces as he turned.
“We’re out. Get home safe, brother. And get those ribs looked at. We need you capable of hauling rubble tomorrow.” Fuck. I watched them walk away, and lifted my t-shirt to check my stomach. Fuck.
It was another twoand a half hours before we made it home, and not because they took ages to see Glory. They saw her about five minutes after Lenore and Marco finally left, and then she insisted on me getting my ribs checked, which took all of a few minutes with one of the triage nurses. Nothing broken, so basically suck it up.
I took her home, and then while she rested with a cuppa, and a fleece around her shoulders, I cleaned up the wasted dinner. We hadn’t eaten, so I toasted some sandwiches for speed, and also because my stomach ached like a bitch. We sat and watched Empire Records for the millionth time, both dosed up on pain relief, wrapped in the same blanket, with our stomachs filled with toasties, chocolate, and Skittles, which I’d stocked up on for her, because they were her favourites. The sour ones, because she always used to joke she was more sour than sweet. She couldn’t be more fucking wrong.
