Chapter 13. #2
By the end of the second week, I’ve had enough of the hospital and I’m forcibly checking myself out.
The doctors try to convince me to stay, but when they see how easy it is for me to move around there’s not much they can do except hand me a few medications and give me strict orders to stay away from hard labour for the next four weeks.
I’m stepping out in clothes Lucia bought for me, long grey ‘slacks’ she called them, black boots and a white wool sweater with long sleeves.
As much as I wanted to reject the brown long coat and the white scarf, Lucia actually looked excited to dress me up, so I had no choice but to oblige.
Besides, it’s mid-October, so the days are getting shorter and colder, even if there’s no sign yet of snowfall.
I’m stepping out of the hospital looking like I stepped right out of a magazine and Lucia’s prouder than she should be when she arranges my transport to the Taiga residence.
I don’t bother calling Reuben ahead of time. I want to surprise them a bit. I just hope I can change into something less conspicuous before they realize I’m back. I feel like I won’t hear the end of it.
Lucia promises to visit, and I encourage her to call often. I worry for her. I make her promise to come for me by the end of the week so we can visit Camille together but she only gives me a sad smile.
The drive back leaves me antsy and nervous. By the time I’ve pulled up to the outer gate, I feel ridiculous in Lucia’s lavish clothes and the guards don’t even try to take me seriously. I have no choice but to call Reuben.
“I’m outside.”
There’s a strange pause on the other end. “Outside where?”
“The outer gate, tell the guys to let me in. Lucia dressed me in something ridiculous so they’re not taking me seriously.”
“You’re supposed to be on bed rest for the next four weeks.”
“The doctor was so impressed with my recovery he said I could go home,” It’s only after the words have left my mouth that I realize what I’ve said. Home. It sounds strange on my tongue. I almost can’t believe I said it.
“Anyhow, are you going to let me freeze to death at your gate? Might not be the best for my recovery.”
Reuben mumbles some curses in Spanish that drive a smile to my lips, and within moments, the guards are opening the gates.
My nerves are mounting, strangely, through the drive to the second gate.
When the driver puts me off by the porch, there’s a strange anticipation in my chest that wasn’t there before.
I’m not sure what I’m expecting. Or why I’m nervous.
Maybe I’ve only fooled myself into thinking I’m a part of the team. Maybe their kindness was reserved for me only because I was injured. Maybe everything will go back to how it was before. Distant. Strangers.
I’m mentally prepared for anything the moment I step into the house.
I’m not prepared for the strange silence in the air.
I’m not prepared for the stares, following me while I walk through the house, or the eyes of the house sentries. Some drinking in the kitchens, some posted in the living room… and two others posted by the stairs which lead up to the second-floor bedrooms.
Their laughter and conversations all mute to a hush when I pass by. When they see my face.
And then the whispers.
‘That’s the guy.’
‘The survivor?’
‘I thought Reuben got rid of him?’
‘What’s he still doing here?’
By the time I reach my room, there are ants beneath my skin. There’s a strange stammer in my pulse and I’ve held my breath for way too long.
Because something’s happened. Something’s… wrong.
I stay suspended for a long time as I try to figure it out. Try to remember what the looks of the guards mean, and where I might’ve seen them before.
By the time Reuben appears in the doorway, I’ve remembered. I’ve pinpointed them in my memories to the first few months I spent trying to blend in with humans the first time.
Those are expressions people use when I’m not welcome.
There are two knocks on the door, even now that it’s open, and my gaze is pulled out of the space I was staring into to meet Reuben’s eyes.
He looks like he rushed here to come see me, but there’s a worry there that confirms my suspicions—that says he’s hiding something.
“I should’ve known you wouldn’t keep still for a whole six weeks.”
I tuck away all the unpleasantness from the last few minutes to raise a brow and give him a small smile, “Yes, you should’ve known better.”
“I can’t convince you to rest a little longer?”
“You don’t have to send me on missions,” I compromise, “but I can do some grunt work until the full six weeks are up. Something easy.” I pause for a moment, speaking softly, “You know I can’t afford to stay out of the loop too long.”
Reuben’s eyes soften, “I know. Fine. But if I see you overexerting yourself, I’m pulling you out.”
“Yes, sir.”
He blinks for a moment, as if finally taking me in—my long coat, my sweater and scarf—and for a moment, I swear, displeasure flickers across his face.
It’s gone before I can know for sure, replaced by a familiar smirk, “Lucia deserves a raise.”
“Fuck off, Reuben.”
He chuckles, but he doesn’t stay, though I know he wants to.
I can tell from the way he lingers. But before I know it he’s gone like a whirlwind.
They all are, over the next few days. Xavier and Tobias drop by to see me, but they’re gone before I can get a good word out.
Even Gabriel does his check-in to give me a once-over, then he leaves, as though he’s ticked off the box on visitation. I appreciate the effort at least.
The only other strange thing is the box of strawberries I find outside my door every morning. The first one came with a ‘Get Better Soon’ note, so I’d accepted, thinking it was from one of the guys on the team. But when I asked, none of them knew about it.
The strawberries themselves were sweet, packed into a small black box with a pink bow.
In hindsight, none of the guys would have bothered with that, they’d have thrown it at me whenever they saw me before running off to do whatever.
The box was cute too, so I didn’t have the heart to keep it, I put it back on the floor outside my door with a ‘thank you’ note—after considerable practice, since I didn’t exactly have much time practicing my handwriting between now and Christian’s death.
Mystery strawberries aside, there are at least four warehouses on the estate, all holding weapons and supplies deep below ground.
Until my recovery period is up, Reuben posts me at the first warehouse closest to the lake to help haul and pack cargo.
Of course, I don’t bother to tell Reuben about the doctor’s order to stay away from hard labour, I feel like that’d only complicate things.
The unwelcome-ness from the other men also eases over the next few days.
I don’t talk much to anyone or give trouble, and I barely take breaks, so they become more relaxed around me, naturally.
It’s the men in the house that are… not so much.
I’m holding an empty crate to gather some bottled water for the labourers outside when I hear their voices, right before I enter the kitchen.
“I hear Reuben’s got a new recruit. A military veteran.”
“The Don must have paid him out like crazy to get him.”
“He had to, after that Drayton fiasco. Reuben has no idea what he’s doing, losing the Diamond like that. And to jump into the ocean for some new recruit?”
“Some survivor. The guy you see coming in and out of here. The pretty one. Apparently he led and lost his whole team.”
“Must only be useful now for keeping Reuben’s dick wet.”
“With pretty eyes like that he doesn’t need to be good.”
A hand on my shoulder jumps me out of my thoughts and when I look up I’m surprised to see Gabriel dressed casually in black. His eyes are narrowed on the doorway, and his expression is stormy before he looks back down at me.
“You’re looking for water, right? For the warehouse guys?”
I nod once, keeping my face blank, as though I’ve heard nothing at all and he nods further down the corridor, “First living room on the left. There are some drinks in the cooler. On me.” He rolls his sleeves up with a scary expression on his face, “I’ll deal with these bastards.
Everyone seems to be losing their mind recently. ”
I can barely hold back my surprise as I blink, and Gabriel scowls at me, “Don’t let people mouth off whenever they want. Fuck them up once, and they’ll learn not to do it again.”
My mouth opens but before I can get a word out, the kitchen door is closing behind him. Their surprise is quickly followed by the sound of sharp, punishing blows.
I close my mouth. I’m still in a state of shock when I walk away to find the drinks he directed me to.
I couldn’t really understand what those guys had been talking about.
But seeing how angry Gabriel got for me, I figure they were talking nonsense.
I don’t bother to think about it anymore.
In fact, I think I might have warmed up to Gabriel a bit.
Stars, if there is a hell, then it’s frozen over for sure.
The next day, we have new faces around the house.
The unwelcomeness has all but disappeared and even the old faces don’t linger on me.
I have to make a note to thank Gabriel later.
I don’t see much of the team anymore, not even Reuben does his usual evening checkups, but it was only a matter of time.
Gabriel’s support from that evening reassures me at least… that I’m still part of the team.
I also uncover the mystery of the morning strawberries.
I’m opening the door in the early morning in the hopes of stealing away a snack from the kitchens, when I run into a familiar girl with braided black hair pulled into a ponytail.
Her dark freckles stand out on chocolate skin and her eyes are a sharp golden colour, and I’m frozen in the doorway when I recognize her.
“You.”