Chapter 37 #2
Then Sylvia was pulled away from her and Rock tugged Indie in close to him, his arms surrounding her as he walked her away.
In the background, she could hear her mum screaming.
She didn’t know where Slade and Spencer were.
All she could hear was her own ragged breathing.
Rock’s heart was beating rapidly against her ear as he guided her out of the market and toward their car.
He unlocked it and lifted her in, then he slid in beside her.
“Show me.”
Indie stared at him, still shaking. Show him? What did he mean by show him?
He grasped hold of her hand and drew up the sleeve of her coat as the others climbed in the front seats.
“Fucking bitch,” Slade said as he turned to glance back at her. “Baby, are you all right?”
“She’s shaking,” Rock answered as he grabbed his phone to shine the light on the scratches on her forearm.
Ouch.
So that’s why it hurt.
“Fuck, we need to get that cleaned,” Spencer said as Rock belted her in .
“Right. Who knows where that bitch’s fingers have been,” Slade snarled.
Indie winced at that, although she couldn’t argue.
“She should never have touched her,” Slade continued as he started the car.
“My fault.”
She turned to Rock, who had spoken, but he was staring out the window, his fingers working at his throat.
Reaching over, she took hold of his hand. “It wasn’t your fault. And nothing really happened that hasn’t happened before. I’ve lived through worse.”
Not that her mum was usually violent or anything. But she had been known to grab her and dig her nails in. It had just been so long since it had happened.
And ever since Billy had started hurting her, she’d become more . . . jumpy.
All three men let out unhappy noises and she bit her lip. Perhaps she shouldn’t have said that. They seemed to be in overprotective mode.
Spencer was on his phone, texting someone.
“She must have known you were staying with me,” Slade said. “Dad probably let something slip. I told him that you were with me.”
“Do you think she was watching the penthouse?” Indie asked.
“I don’t know,” Slade replied. “Maybe she saw us drive out and followed us? She’s seen this car plenty of times.” They were in Slade’s Phantom rather than their new vehicle. Slade drove into the parking garage under their penthouse.
When he’d parked, he jumped out to open her door. To her shock, he unbuckled her then picked her up in his arms.
“I can walk,” she told him.
“I know,” he said. “You’re fucking amazing and I know you can do anything. But I need this so let me have it?”
There was a desperate note to his voice and she nodded. She kind of thought they were overreacting a bit. It wasn’t like Sylvia was a real threat.
Maybe if Billy had been the one to find them . . . yeah, then she’d get this. But Sylvia wasn’t going to harm her. She’d never been in any real danger.
When they entered the penthouse, he carried her straight over to the sofa, sitting with her on his lap. Spencer grabbed the First-Aid kit and sat on the coffee table in front of her as Slade started taking off her outer laying of clothing.
“Let me see it, Princess.” He took careful hold of her hand.
“Where’s Rock?” she asked, glancing around.
“Here.”
She looked behind her to find him standing between her and the front door.
He was in protection mode. Her sentry.
Her guard.
But he was so much more than that and she hoped he knew it.
Perhaps she should show him.
“Come and sit with me.” She held out her good hand to him.
He eyed her for a long moment and then he seemed to shake off whatever had held him in its grip and strode toward her. Sitting next to Slade, he took a gentle hold of her hand.
“This wasn’t your fault, Rock,” she told him. “And I think you’re all overreacting. All Sylvia did was grab me.” She glanced over as Spencer placed a large bandage on her arm.
“We are not overreacting,” Slade told her. “She got to you, hurt you, while you were under our protection. We should have got you out of there as soon as we saw her.”
“She wanted to say her piece,” Indie told him as Spencer grasped hold of her hand and lifted her arm into the air.
What was he doing?
Surprise filled her as he kissed her arm over the bandage.
“There, all better,” Spencer told her.
That was so sweet .
“I’m going to make us all hot chocolates. Or do we want tea and biscuits?”
The other guys didn’t say anything so she smiled up at him. “Thanks, I don’t think I need anything.”
“Tea. We all need tea.”
“I really am okay, guys,” she told them. “It was better to let her say her piece. Otherwise she’d keep trying to harass me.”
“She won’t be getting near you again,” Slade promised. “We’re going to make it so she won’t get near this place. And you aren’t going anywhere alone, anyway. But we will avoid public places.”
“We can’t avoid public places,” she protested. “I have appointments tomorrow, remember? And it’s just Sylvia. She doesn’t really mean harm.”
“She hurt you,” Rock said in a stark voice, staring down at her arm.
Oh, Rock.
“Rock, hey, I’m fine. I’m good.” She cupped his face with her hand. “I’m not hurt.”
“You are.” He stared at her intently. “Protect you.”
“You always protect me,” she whispered.
“Do better.”
What was she going to say to them to convince them that Sylvia wasn’t a threat? And that they didn’t need to feel guilty over what had happened? Before she could figure that out, the front door slammed open and she let out a squeal of shock.
Quaid strode into the room. There was something off about the way he looked.
As though he was scared? Angry? Both?
But as he stepped in front of her, those emotions were wiped away and she started to second guess whether they’d been there to begin with.
“What happened?” he asked in a tight voice. His gaze moved to her arm.
“Sylvia found us at the market,” Spencer said grimly. “She wanted money. Apparently, Slade’s old man isn’t coughing up enough to keep her in the style which she desires.”
“And she thought Indie would give her some?” Quaid asked. “Like any of us would help that bitch.”
She stared up at him in surprise. Had he been upset over what happened to her?
She’d thought he didn’t even like her anymore.
“Do you need a doctor?” Quaid asked her. His tone was cool but she thought she heard some real concern.
“I’m honestly fine. You’re all overreacting.”
“I don’t believe we are,” Quaid replied. “From now on, any threat to you gets squashed. And that includes your mother.”
Indie gaped up at Quaid in shock. But before she could say anything, he turned and left.
Wow.
That was . . . unexpected.
Maybe he did still care about her?
Slade placed his mouth next to her ear. “Told you.”