Page 63 of Road to Absolution

CHAPTER 14

Decoys and Dangerous Games

“Thank you for the date night, Beautiful.” From the hospital bed, I humorously waved to Scorch with twinkle fingers, while my nurse hooked me back up to a monitor.

Was my situation humorous? Clearly not, but that’s the reason for the play. The stress relief was needed, for all involved. That’s why, rolling the wheelchair out of the room, Scorch also rolled his eyes. “I should’ve voted no.”

After the door closed, I told my nurse, “He’s a little shy but clearly in love with me.”

The nurse giggled. “I’m concerned your cat scan may not be clear tomorrow.” Pushing a button on my bed remote, the mattress went flat. She wanted me to sleep.

“You’re just jealous you don’t have a shaggy redheaded biker to tuck you in at night.”

“Why do I need him to tuck me in a bed when I’ve already had him in the broom closet?”

The fuck? I sat my bed back up. “That no-good bastard is cheating on me?”

She pressed the button, laying me back down. Covering me with a blanket, she winked. “It’s true what they say about redheads. He’s fiery.” She whispered, “And an animal in the midst of sex.”

Laughing freely, I complained, “Great. Now I have that image stuck in my head. How am I going to sleep through that?” I sat my bed back up because, if Scorch was bangin’ my nurse, I had to check her out. Take notes that could come in handy. Who knew if the time would arise that I would need some details to hold over his head?

My nurse was a shorty and a tad chunky. She was not my tall, thick, voluptuous—

Mav, stop thinkin’ of Lilah. You’re about to shock this poor nurse with a woody.

My nurse’s short curly brown hair bounced as she lectured, “If you hadn’t ripped out your IV, like the high maintenance patient you’ve become, I could’ve hooked you up with the best sleep of your life.”

Ohhhh, shorty got backtalk. I get it now.

Scorch calling me out on the roof, there was clearly no denying the shitty behavior I had exhibited earlier, so I didn’t even bother trying. “Do I really need the IV? Don’t these hospital joints still serve pills?”

As if I had opened a conversation she was hoping for, she happily replied, “Sure do. And we deliver doctor’s orders. I need to get some work done tonight. I can’t have you gallivanting off to the roof top again.”

Smirking, I teased, “You just want me out of the way so my guard can be all yours again.”

From her nurse-shirt pocket, she pulled out a little paper cup and grabbed my water. “Swallow like a good boy.”

Taking the pill, I cringed. “I just went on a date with a biker. Easy on the wording.”

Laying my bed back down, she burst into laughter. “I see it’s not just your good looks that has that woman of yours head over heels.”

Smiling, because I loved hearing someone see how Lilah felt for me, I didn’t fight her this time and let my head sink into the pillow. “Be gentle on my boyfriend tonight. I don’t want him too tired to woo me tomorrow evening.”

She laughed even harder while turning off the lights.

I tried to hide my sharp inhale, but in the dark, I suddenly heard roaring engines and saw headlights… What the fuck is wrong with me?

A small light above my head turned on. The nurse said, “Sorry. I can turn this off if you want me to, but it’s quiet in here. I’d love to catch up on some charts.

Noticing she now had one in her hand, I let her lie to me. And I lied to her. “No, that’s cool. Keep the light on. It’s not bothering me. Stay as long as you need.”

“Thank you.” She sat on the couch and went to work.

I exhaled, thankful to not be alone, and let my eyes close.

It barely registered, but sometime during the night, I heard fast heavy footfalls. Lying on my side, away from the door, reacting substantially to the drug, my eyes drifted open…

The light was off.