Chapter Thirteen #2
The doctor shakes her head. “Not recommended. Binding can actually make things worse. It restricts breathing, which could lead to pneumonia from poor airflow. And coughing with a broken rib? That’s just asking for more pain and complications.”
The doctor presses her stethoscope against my chest for a few seconds before stepping back. “Everything sounds good. Air is moving freely through the lungs. Do you have someone who can help you for a few weeks, Sunny?”
“Uhm…”
“Yes,” Jack says without missing a beat.
“Good. Alright. I’ll send the discharge nurse in with your papers, and then you can head home. Do you have any questions?” She looks at me pointedly.
“Me? Oh, uhm, my brain sort of checked out when you said no lifting over five pounds. Listen, Doc, I can handle a lot of pain. What I can’t handle is not helping my mama.
She’s up there in age and has diabetes. Her legs get so swollen she can barely walk.
I can’t just stop helping her with things simply because a bone’s got a little crack in it. ”
“I get it,” she says. “I do. But if you don’t give your ribs…
which are broken in half, not just cracked …
time to heal, you could do some serious damage.
One wrong move and a bone could puncture your lung.
If that happens and it’s not caught in time, it could be fatal.
Sometimes it’s a very slow, very painful death. ”
She pauses, letting that sink in.
“Sorry to be blunt, but you need to understand how critical rest is right now. And on top of that, there’s a third rib with a minor fracture. Nothing to panic over yet, but if you’re not careful, that crack could get worse.”
Her voice softens. “Now, is there someone else who can help your mom until you’re healed?”
Well, dang.
“My aunt,” I sigh. “She just sent her daughter off to college, so she’ll probably be grateful for the distraction.”
“Good. If you start having a hard time breathing, I want you to come into the ER straight away. Otherwise, make an appointment with your doctor in a week.”
“Thank you, doctor,” I say. She gives me a nod and walks out.
I turn to Jack. “Can I borrow your phone? I guess mine’s still at home.”
Without a word, he unlocks it and hands it over. Secretly, I’m a little giddy. I mean, don’t most guys act like their phones are state secrets?
I open the phone app and punch in the number I had to memorize when I started working. “Yes, I need a taxi at Palm Valley Medi-”
The phone is suddenly plucked from my hand, and Jack’s scowling face fills the space.
“Cancel that,” he growls and hangs up.
“Jack!” I protest. “I need that ride. I have to check on my mama and then go home. I know it’s not far, but I’m way too tired to walk.”
“No, what you need is to be in bed and resting,” Jack says firmly.
“And that’s exactly what I plan to do as soon as I get home. Now, please call them back.” I give him my best pretty please with sparkles look.
“I’m not letting you get into a car with a stranger, Sunny,” he growls, arms crossed.
“Then why did you let me use your phone?” I shoot back.
“I thought you were going to call your Ma.”
“But how am I going…”
“Sometimes you have to spell it out for them,” Spike interrupts from the doorway, voice dry and amused. “If Sunny’s anything like my Riley, they don’t always realize we’re here to take care of them. Not just because we want to, but because we need to.”
Jack’s jaw twitches, but his eyes go all soft when he looks at me. “I’m taking you home. You just need to decide if it’s yours or mine. Either way, I’ll be staying with you.”
“I was just gonna stay with Mama and Aunt Molly,” I say, already bracing for the incoming ‘nope.’
“Not happening.”
“Well, why in the world not? I wouldn’t be alone.”
“Because you won’t be able to stop yourself from taking care of your Ma,” he says flatly.
Dang it. He’s not wrong. That man sees through me like I’m made of thin glass.
“I guess you’re right,” I sigh. “But we can’t stay at my apartment. For one, I’m told you broke my door down, and two, it’s a very small space. You’d crowd it with your ego alone.”
He actually smirks. “Guess it’s settled then. You’re coming home with me.”
“Does your place have snacks? Because I’m gonna need comfort food, pain meds, and maybe a fuzzy blanket if I’m expected to survive this whole ‘being drugged, broken ribs and babysitter’ situation.”
“I’ve got it all covered, baby. Even the blanket. But it’s not fuzzy and it’s black.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Yeah, we’re definitely going to need to have a talk about your color scheme.
” Then it hits me. “Wait… don’t you live in the compound?
With Riley and Abby?” I shake my head. “Oh no, I can’t go there.
That place is packed full of badbutt biker people.
And I hate to break it to you, buddy, but I’m not even remotely badbutt.
Not even, like… diet badbutt. Think of the least badbutt person you know, add frosting, a bow, maybe a sparkly sticker or two and I’m still three glittery steps beneath that. ”
“Bad…butt?”
“See? I can’t even curse properly. Just drop me off at a nursing home and sign me over to the state.
At least there, people expect you to act like a child in a toy store, and I won’t get weird stares.
” I pause, then add seriously, “That’s something else you should know before doing that whole caveman-claiming thing.
People stare at me all the time. Like… all the time.
It’s because I’ve got a ‘too-much’ gene.
But I like being this way. I don’t mind the stares.
But you might.” “Sunny, what on earth are you going on about?” Riley asks as she steps around Spike.
Jack steps closer, his brows drawn but his eyes soft. “You done?” he asks, voice low and raspy. “Or you got more sparkly stickers to add to that little speech?”
I blink at him, not sure if he’s teasing or mad.
But then he crouches in front of me, his big hands gentle as they reach for mine. “I don’t care if people stare. Let ‘em. You shine bright, baby. You were meant to stand out. And if anyone’s got a problem with that, I have a few knives that I’ve been wanting to break in.”
My breath catches, because dang, that was kinda poetic for a man who once grunted his entire way through a conversation. But knives ?
“I don’t need a badbutt woman,” he adds, squeezing my hands. “I need you . With your bright colors, smiles, frosting, and too-much gene. You make the world brighter just by walking into a room. And me? I’ve been stuck in the dark so long, I forgot what light even looked like… until you.”
My heart’s beating so loud, I’m pretty sure the nurses down the hall can hear it.
Jack leans in, brushing his forehead against mine like I’m something sacred. “So, no more talk about nursing homes or being too much. You’re just right, Sunny. You’re mine . And I’ll take all the glitter you come with.”
“I hate glitter,” I whisper my truth. “I only like the kind on clothes that doesn’t fall off and get all over everything.”
“Noted,” he says backing away a bit. “Now, will you stop all this nonsense and let me take you home?”
“That depends,” I say, tilting my head and narrowing my eyes at him. “Is your whole house black? Because if I walk in there only to find myself in a black void, I’m turning around and going back to the hospital. I’ll fake a heart flutter. Don’t test me.”
Jack huffs a laugh, shaking his head. “You are absolutely exhausting.”
“Thank you,” I beam, like he just told me I won an award. “It’s one of my better qualities.”
He mutters something under his breath that sounds suspiciously like “adorably insane” and then threads his fingers through mine. “Come on, baby. Let’s get you home before you talk your way into another medical emergency.”
“Rude,” I mutter as he helps me up. “Also, fair.”
“Wait, you’re coming to the compound?” Riley asks, her eyes lighting up. “Heck yeah! Bones lives one house down from us. That’s like, ten seconds away. And Abby’s on my other side. Oh! Maybe you can talk Bones into letting us paint his door. We’re trying to make all the doors different colors.”
“Is yellow taken?” I ask, perking up, ignoring the stabbing pain in my chest.
“Nope!”
“Not happening,” Jack growls immediately, his tone flat and final.
Riley ignores him completely, already plotting. “Ooh! What if we do like a sunny sunflower yellow with little white daisies along the trim? Or…wait!. Ombre! You could totally ombre it from goldenrod to lemon. It’ll be like walking into sunshine!”
“Absolutely not,” Jack says, looking personally offended by the idea of cheerful door gradients. “I’m not living in a damn lemonade stand.”
I grin up at him. “C’mon, Jack. It’ll make people smile.”
“Yeah, and also make people question my ability to throw a knife.”
“Oh, you poor grumpy soul,” I say with a dramatic sigh. “You’ll survive. Besides, if you’re really worried, we’ll just paint skulls on the daisies. Compromise.”
He glares at me like he’s trying really hard not to smile. “Skulls. On. Daisies.”
“Artistic juxtaposition,” I say proudly.
Riley claps her hands. “I love her. Can we keep her?”
Shaking his head, Jack gently helps me to my feet, pulling me softly against his chest.
“Ouch,” I whisper, wincing as I lean against his body. “I didn’t know air could hurt.”
“Let’s go before the pain meds wear all the way off,” Spike says, stepping aside.
“Here, sit in the wheelchair. I’ll push you,” Riley offers cheerfully. “Who knew getting drugged would turn out to be a good thing? Not only do we get to be neighbors, but Bones finally stopped being an idiot and admitted his feelings.”
“Maybe,” I sigh, easing into the chair. “But it’s only for a couple weeks. Temporary neighbors. And by then, Jack will be tired of me.”
“We’ll see,” Riley says with a sly smile. “Marv’s Market is closer to us than your place. So is your mom’s house, actually.”
“Riley,” Spike warns, a hint of a growl in his voice.
“What?” she says innocently, pushing me forward. “I’m just stating facts.”
Those are some interesting facts.
“Please tell me I get to ride on someone’s bike,” I say hopefully.
“Not until you’re healed, Sunny,” Jack answers, his voice firm. “And then only ever on the back of mine.”
“Bossy.”
“You don’t even know the half of it, sister,” Riley laughs. “Wait until the rest of the guys show up. They’re all bossy bikers. But don’t worry. I’ve got just the book to help you survive it.”
“I threw it away,” Spike mutters behind us.
“I know,” she sighs dramatically. “Patch sent me a few more. I’ve got them hidden.”
Riley turns to me with a grin. “Patch sent it as a wedding gift. It’s called How to Survive Marriage to a Hardheaded Biker: A Guide for the Brave (or the Crazy). Very informative.”
“Fucking Patch,” Spike grumbles.
Spike and Riley bicker back and forth as we make our way outside and to the parking lot.
By the time I get settled into the freakishly large truck, I’m fighting back tears. Everything hurts so freaking bad, and I’m still full of drugs, which means this isn’t even the full horror show yet.
Jack doesn’t say a word as he gently helps me with my seatbelt. He tucks a folded blanket between the strap and my chest to cushion the pressure, then clicks it into place.
Still hurts. Maybe worse than before. But I know it’s for safety, so I grit my teeth and hold it in.
Almost.
A single tear slips down my cheek before I can stop it.
“Double ouch,” I whisper.
Jack’s voice is thick with guilt as he leans in. “I’m so fucking sorry, babygirl. I promise I’ll get you in bed and out of pain as fast as I can.”
I nod, because if I open my mouth, I might scream. And screaming will make it worse. Everything will make it worse. So, I sit here like a statue and breathe. Barely.
He presses a soft kiss to my forehead before slipping into the passenger seat in front of me.
Riley’s beside me. She doesn’t say anything, just holds out her hand.
I grab it like it’s a lifeline.
“I’m sorry I drugged you,” I whisper. “Didn’t mean to. Honest.”
The sadness melts right off her face. She chuckles, then kisses the back of my hand. “Best drugging I’ve ever had. And I’ve birthed a kid.”
I clamp my lips shut to keep from laughing, but my face must give me away because she grins like she’s won something.
“Maybe we should stop for burgers on the way,” she says, far too casually.
“No,” both men snap in unison.
“From now on,” Jack says. “You, Sunny, Abby, and Asher only eat what’s prepared inside the compound.”
“Well, that’s hardly fair,” Riley mutters. “Have you tasted Skip’s chicken? I don’t think it’s ever met a fully functioning oven. I’d have better luck with a hot sidewalk and a magnifying glass.”
“I’ll have Tank go out and grab stuff for burgers,” Jack says. “We’ll grill them at home. Inside the compound. Where I can watch them being prepared.”
“Husband,” Riley groans dramatically.
“Don’t even try it, babe,” Spike says, amusement thick in his voice. “First and foremost, Bones’ job is keeping all of us safe. Someone screwed with that, and now he’s royally pissed. He’s not backing down anytime soon.”
He throws a look at Jack, who’s still visibly simmering.
“When it comes to safety, I step aside and let him do his thing. His word is final. Just be glad he’s not dragging in a cow and butchering it in the backyard.”
I glance at Riley, silently asking if that was even a possibility. Based on the defeat in her eye…it is.