Chapter Thirteen
I've only been awake a few minutes, but the continuous beeping is really starting to piss me off. I'm not ready to open my eyes just yet though.
The scratching of pencils running over paper tells me that my brother is in the room, but there is also someone else here. I heard voices as I was coming around, but I couldn't work out who it was. I didn't recognise any of the voices.
The door creaks and footsteps enter the room. "I'm just here to check her vitals, boys, relax." A woman’s voice a little closer than I thought.
"Is Nova okay?" I hear Mason ask as the nurse.
"Yeah, honey, she's fine. She's just resting. Maybe you gentlemen could take the little boy and go wait in the waiting room for a while, let her rest in quiet," I hear her tell them.
A chair creaks and I hear the sound of someone moving. "None of us have made a sound, it's been plenty quiet with us in here. The kid doesn’t want to leave her, and we won't leave him. We won't disturb her." I don't recognise the male voice but his tone is clear.
"Okay," she responds. And a few seconds later I hear the door open and close again.
As silence fills the room, the light scratching of pencil on paper begins again and I know Mason has gone back to his drawing. The gentle movements of the pencil relax me, and I start to feel myself begin to drift off back to sleep, but I pull myself back as the man from before speaks again.
"So, kid."
"Mason," my little brother tells him.
"Sorry, Mason." He apologises then continues. "Are you ready to tell us anything yet?"
The bed shifts and I feel Mason move closer to me, his hand grabbing mine. He grips and squeezes my hand, but he doesn't say anything. I consider letting them know I'm awake, but the man speaks again.
"We can help you, but you need to tell us what's going on." He's softened his tone a little.
"No," Mason tells him. No other words, just no.
"Hey, buddy." Another voice… I don't really know this voice either, but I know I've heard it before, maybe earlier? I don't really remember when but I definitely know I've heard it.
"I promise you can trust us. Please tell us what happened, why were you in that car? Where are your parents?" His questions have me dizzy and I know they are upsetting Mason as I feel him shuffle even closer to me, his grip getting tighter.
"Look." The first man speaks again. "We can help you, but only if you tell us what is going on. We need to find your parents, kid, they are going to be worried about you."
"No. Stop. Leave us alone. Get out," Mason cries out.
I can't pretend to be asleep anymore. I grip his hand and open my eyes, trying to sit up on the bed. “Oh.” I wince, my entire body screaming at me. "You need to leave."
"Nova." The fist voice speaks, and I turn to face him. It’s one of the guys from the diner. I look at his kutte—'Nitro, President'.
"Do you remember me?" he asks, and I nod my head. "Good. Mason, I'm sorry. Nova, we need to talk."
"You're upsetting him. Please just get out.
" Movement catches my eye and I turn around to see the other guy get up from the chair and walk toward us.
I pull myself up to a full sitting position and pull Mason toward me.
"Please." My throat is croaky, but there is no mistaking the small sound of fear.
He stops, his eyes flicking between Mason and I before he takes a seat on the bottom of the bed. "I'm Ice. I sat with you last night when you woke up."
Sat with me last night, what the fuck is he talking about? I don't remember that. "What?" I ask.
"You don't remember?" he asks, and I shake my head.
"That's okay. Doc said that your mind might be a little foggy..."
"Wait, you were in my room last night, you all were." My eyes flick to Mason. "Some woman took Mason out?"
"That was Marissa," Nitro tells me as he gets up and also takes a seat at the bottom of my bed, opposite Ice. "She's my VP's ol' lady. She just took him back to his room while the Doc told you about your injuries."
I close my eyes, trying to remember. But it’s like the memories are just out of reach.
"Ice, go get the Doc. Nova, try not to force it, we can fill in some blanks for you, just take it easy." He places his hand on my leg, and I tense, but as he gives it a gentle squeeze I feel myself begin to relax.
I turn to face Mason; his skin is white as a sheet and his eyes are grey. "Hey, are you okay?" I ask him. He gives me a nod then throws himself at me. "Oomph. Hey, Mase, it's okay. I'm so sorry," I tell him.
"Mason." I look up to see Ice stand by the door and the doctor walk toward me. "Can you let go of Nova for two minutes just so I can check her over, please?" he asks him as he gently reaches out a hand for him. "I'm sure Ice can take you to go get something nice from the cafeteria."
"NO." I hold on tight to my brother. "He stays here," I tell them. I don't want him out of my sight.
"Sweetheart." Nitro gives my leg a little squeeze. "Mason is okay with Ice, I promise. Let the Doc check you over, then we can bring Mason back in."
I shake my head at him. "No. I need you all to get out. Mason and I need to go." I throw the blankets off my legs and swing them over the side of the bed, but before I can slide off the bed, Ice is stood in front of me, placing his hands either side of my legs.
"Stop, Nova. You need to relax. You are not well enough to leave the hospital, not yet. Just let me take Mase to get something to eat and drink while the doc looks at you, then I'll bring him right back here, happy, safe and fed. He trusts me."
"I'm sure he does, but I don't. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get up and go.
" I try pushing his hand away, but he grabs it, his thumb gently touching the drip, and I wince, pulling my hand away.
"How about we stand right outside that door and don't move?
Doc needs to check you over and it's best he does it without the kid in the room. "
I turn to Mason, who crawls toward me. "It's okay, Nova. I'll be okay. I'm hungry," he says with a smile, and I let out a small laugh.
"I don't have any cash, buddy," I tell him, my head dropping.
"What the fuck do you need cash for?" Ice bites out as he reaches for Mason to help him from the bed. "I got it." He doesn't give me a chance to say anything else as grabs Mason’s hand and walks out of the room with him, asking him what he wants to eat.
"Back into bed, please, Nova," Doc instructs, gesturing toward the pillows.
I let out a breath and awkwardly slide myself back into bed.
"Oh shit," I cry out as I put too much pressure on my wrist, the pain shooting up my arm.
Before I have a chance to do anything else, Nitro is there, placing his huge hands at my sides and gently helping me slide up the bed.
"Thank you," I whisper, a little embarrassed.
He smiles at me before resuming his position back at the bottom of the bed.
He doesn't move, he just sits there and watches Doc carry out his checks.
Doc doesn't say anything either as I watch him take my blood pressure, my heart rate and oxygen levels.
He grabs my chart and makes a few notes, before checking the levels left in the drips, makes a few more notes then places the chart back in the holder on the wall.
"Okay. So, she's doing good. She needs rest and fluids.
There are a few dressings that will need to be changed, but I will get Maria in here to do it a little later so it can be done in privacy.
" He addresses Nitro and it pisses me off a little.
I clear my throat and he turns to me and smiles.
He doesn't say anything else, he just stands at the side of the bed, folding his arms over his chest.
He doesn't look like the doctors around here. The arms on his white coat bulge with the size of his biceps, and his dark hair is shaved. The tattoos on his hands and neck give him a rugged look. But the smile he gives and the sparkling blue eyes make him seem gentle and caring.
"Nova?" I turn to face Nitro, flinching with the intensity of his stare. "We really should talk."
"I appreciate your help, and you being here—"
"Being here? Sweetheart, we pulled you and your brother from the car. Some of my men have been here since you were brought in two days ago." His tone is a little sharp, and it throws me, but then I realise what he's just said.
"Wait, two days?" I ask.
They both nod but say nothing.
"Oh, god. I have to go, I can't stay here.
Please let us leave, we have to go, I'm begging you.
" Fear swirls in my stomach, and my heart begins to race.
I try to fight back the tears, but as my thoughts overwhelm me, they begin to roll down my cheeks.
I'm going to be in so much trouble, they must have found us.
The beeping of the machine intensifies and I feel Doc place his hand on my shoulder, holding me back.
Then Nitro is there, the warmth of his hand over mine giving me a little comfort.
But it's short lived when I remember the last time I tried to run away.
I ended up in hospital, they told the staff that I had been jumped on by a group of girls, told me if I didn't lie that Mason would follow me in there.
"Nova, I need you to calm down, sweetheart, you're going to make yourself sick," Doc tells me, but I can't. How can I when I know what’s coming? They'll have everyone looking for me. I shake my head and begin to sob when Ice walks into the room with Mason.
"Nova," he cries out and runs toward the bed.
"What happened? Is she okay, why is she crying?
" he begs as he tries to climb up the bed.
Ice grabs him and tries to drag him out of the room, but Mason turns around and kicks him in the shin before landing a punch on his stomach.
Ice lets go, holding his hands up and looking at me, then Mason.
I don't know why, but within seconds he's picked Mason up and placed him on the bed next to me.
I wrap my arms around him as he begins to sob.
"Nova, what happened? Are they going to send us back? " he asks between sobs.