Chapter 21 #3
I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Racking my brain for any memory of Dolly, I was alarmed at the total lack of recollection of the night past talking with Bull. How could I have done this? My heart was beating rapidly, and I felt a constriction in my chest.
“Shhh. Calm down. You didn’t do anything with her,” Fee said, which only confused me further.
“When I walked in on the two of you, I admit, that was my first thought. While Dolly was busy taunting me, I got a good look at you, and realized you weren’t just asleep or passed out.
” She paused as if gathering herself. “It looked like you had been drugged. I called Bull, and he came up and brought X with him. X agreed with me, and after a blood test, he found incredibly high levels of GHB in your system. Dolly admitted to spiking your beer.”
“When? How? When did she get into my room?” I asked, my mind having a hard time stringing everything together.
“Bull forgot to lock the door after he got you settled. She snuck in right before I got here. Said she was trying to fuck with us,” Fee explained, her face hard and her jaw clenched tightly.
“Let me see her,” I growled, and turned to Fiona, who was suddenly sheepish. A knock on the door gave her a reprieve as X and Guard both walked back in.
“I want to see Dolly,” I demanded.
“We had to sedate her. She’s not gonna be conscious for a few hours,” X replied, his tone giving nothing away.
“What the fuck? Why?” I yelled as all eyes turned to Fiona, who was suddenly looking anywhere but at me. She stood up and paced nervously.
“Well, I may have gotten a little aggressive when I was asking her what she gave you. I kind of hurt her arm,” Fiona muttered. I just looked at her in shock. My dad let out a laugh at that, drawing our attention to him.
“A little aggressive? Little miss over here went Hulk on that piece of trash. Nearly knocked her out before dislocating her elbow in one hell of a move. X managed to reset the bone, but we decided to hold off on any more treatment until we got a more detailed story from her.” Fiona winced at the description, but I couldn’t help the pride that swelled through me.
“That true, killer? You defended my honor?” I asked, my brain deciding to skip over the part where I was roofied and focus on the woman who had maimed someone who tried to get between us.
“She hurt you. It was terrifying, Bash. You weren’t responding to anything,” Fiona said, a tremor in her voice.
“Why is she sedated? She should feel all of the pain she earned right now,” I stated, and once again, all eyes turned to Fee.
“She wouldn’t stop hollering like a banshee. I may or may not have threatened X to shut her up before I dosed her myself,” Fee explained sheepishly, eyeing the bed hidden behind a curtain on the other side of the room. Dad let out a heavy guffaw before pulling Fiona in for a hug.
“Aw, come’re, baby girl. You did real good,” he said, beaming like a proud papa. Hating the ease in which everyone was able to move around besides me, I focused on the doctor in the room.
“X, what are you pumping into me, and when can I get off it?” I asked, feeling trapped in the small medical cot.
“Just some saline solution to try to flush the drugs out of your system. There’s not much else we can do. There’s no antidote for a GHB overdose.”
“How much longer? Can I go back to my room?” I inquired, not liking how close we were to the woman who had drugged me.
“How ’bout we move you to one of the guest rooms on the first floor? I’ll carry the IV pole. We’ll take it slow,” X offered, and I nodded, just grateful to get out of that bed.
By the time we made it to a room one floor up, I was sweating and shaking, and desperately trying not to let any of that show. Giving me a knowing look, X got me set up with the IV next to the bed before addressing the two of us.
“We don’t know how much you were given. The fact that you’re waking up and responding is good, but we still need to keep an eye on you.
I’ll be back in a bit to check the IV, but the best thing you can do now is rest,” he said, his tone serious.
After giving Fee his cell number, X stepped out, promising to check back in an hour.
The door closed behind him, and Fiona hovered nervously next to the bed.
“Come here, darlin’. Lie down next to me while I’m stuck to this damn thing.” I motioned toward the IV drip.
Kicking her shoes off, Fee climbed onto the bed before gingerly settling herself next to me. Not liking the distance, I wrapped an arm around her, hauling her closer until she was draped over my chest.
“I need to say it again. I’m so sorry, pretty girl.
I went about this the wrong way. I should have waited until I was calmer to bring everything up.
I should have told you how I felt, how much I want you with me all the time.
I want to go to bed beside you and wake up with you wrapped around me.
I want to sit and talk through our issues, not walk away when the conversation gets tough. ”
Storming out, drinking, was not how I wanted to respond to conflicts in our relationship. Fee pushed herself up until she was leaning over me, making sure she looked me in the eyes as she started speaking.
“I’m sorry too. I’m a coward. Everything about you, about us, has been—no IS—incredible, and I’ve just been waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s not fair to put that on you. You’ve always been honest with me.
“I want to move in with you. I love that house, and have loved it since the first time you took me there. It’s not just about the house or living together, though,” she said, taking a deep breath before looking at me, her eyes holding mine in such a way that I couldn’t turn away, even if I wanted to.
“I love you, Callum. I love you so fucking much. It terrifies me,” she whispered, tears pooling in her eyes again. My heart started thumping, hearing the words I had only dreamed about finally coming out of her.
“Baby, I love you. So much. More than I ever knew was possible,” I responded, reaching up to try to pull her back down to me, only to get caught up in the IV wires.
Seeing my struggle, she put my hand down, then resettled herself, her head on my chest, our hands locked together, and my unencumbered arm around her back.
“Get some rest now, darlin’. We’ll figure out the details when we’ve dealt with this mess,” I murmured into her hair, my eyes fluttering closed as I found sleep with Fiona in my arms.