Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Hellhound
Waking up in the hospital is the last place I want to be, but for Isabelle’s peace of mind, it’s where I’m at.
Fuck.
I can’t believe I wasn’t paying attention and ended up fucking shot.
Between Angel and I, we ended up earning a stay at the hospital.
Where I got shot in the gut, he took two bullets.
One in the shoulder and another in the side.
They were more grazes than anything, but Stella admitted us both for Isabelle’s mentality.
Stella even ended up giving my woman something for her to relax and sleep after the whole ordeal.
It was just easier to get her to calm down.
And right now, I know she’s still sleeping, curled into a ball in the chair sitting close to the bed.
Both her brothers and several other members of the club tried getting her to leave last night, but she refused.
I only know all of this cause after I awoke from surgery, she was there, and Angel reported it to me.
He’d been able to keep her from going out of her mind by agreeing to everything and keeping her close.
Last night she kept blaming herself before I passed out, but what she didn’t know is I’d do it all over again. For her, I’d sacrifice my life for her—she means that much to me.
I peek at the door as it opens to my little sister stepping inside.
Her eyes come straight to the bed, meeting my gaze head-on.
I can see the hesitation in them as she comes to a stop.
I realize it’s time. She needs to stop holding on to the guilt, and I need to do the same. We both need to move on with our lives.
“Come here,” I murmur, not wanting to wake Isabelle.
Stella seems apprehensive at first, but in the end, she comes to stand at the side of the bed and shocks the shit out of me by blurting out. “I’m sorry.”
I furrow my brow and cock my head slightly. “What are you sorry for?”
“Everything,” she breathes dropping her head and fiddling with her fingernails.
She’s always been like that when nervous, fidgeting with her nails.
Our mom used to paint them to keep her from doing that.
Stella wouldn’t mess them up as much if they were done, but right now, there’s no color to them.
“Stella, look at me,” I command sternly but keep my tone gentle.
Stella listens, and the tears welling in her eyes tell me this shit between us has gone on way too fucking long.
“Let it go, Twinkle,” I state, calling her by a name I’ve not used in years. It’s the one my dad and I gave her when we were kids.
Stella was always known for having this brightness around her. Smiling and laughing at everything. She also had a beautiful heart that just brought a light like no other into a room filled with darkness. After they died, that shimmering light around her disappeared.
“I can’t let it go, Asher,” she whispers, shaking her head.
“Why?”
Stella sucks in a breath and looks from me to Isabelle, then back to hold my gaze. “I just can’t.”
“Bullshit, Stella. We gotta let it go. I realize that shit. I fucked up years ago with you and never made it right. You got hurt . . .” I don’t miss the sharp breath Stella sucks in and the way she starts shaking.
“I know it hurts, Twinkle, to think about it, but the truth is I blame myself for you getting hurt. If I did a better job in making sure you didn’t go out that night, nothing would have happened to you, and I took that shit out on you.
You’re not responsible, and it’s time you got that shit out of your head.
Let it go and finally live a beautiful life. One you deserve to have.”
I wait for my little sister to let that all sink in, and when it does, I open my arms for her.
Stella leans down and presses her cheek into the crook of my neck.
Wetness hits my skin, but I don’t care. This shit between us shouldn’t have ever happened, and like Scythe and Styxx, I’ve also finally got my sister back.
Unlike them, though, I could’ve always had her in my life.
Fuck, I’m a complete and utter dick.
After a few minutes, Stella pulls away and wipes her face clear of all tears.
“You good now?”
Stella nods and gives me a small smile. “Yes.”
“Good, then can I get some discharge papers. I want the fuck out of here.”
At my comment, she bursts into a fit of laughter, waking Isabelle.
“What’s going on?” Isabelle asks, her face going from panic to relaxed seeing it’s just Stella. “Everything okay?”
“Sorry, Críona,” I murmur and motion for her to come to the bed.
“I’ll, um, I’ll get the papers situated, and you both can go home and relax.
And I mean relax, Asher, no screwing around.
You’re lucky that bullet didn’t hit anything major, and I mean lucky.
Not as in because you’re Irish, so don’t even try me.
Take it easy, and I’ll check on you there when I get off. ”
I roll my eyes at my sister’s comment. It’s a joke she knows Connor and I have between us. We used to do some crazy stunts as teenagers, and Uncle Luke said we had the luck of the Irish to keep us from getting hurt or in trouble.
“Whatever, Stella, just get me the fuck out of here.”
She rolls her eyes and leaves my room, closing Isabelle and me in alone together.
“Are you sure you should leave here?” Isabelle asks, the panic starting to take hold of her again.
“Bells, I’m okay,” I tell her and reach up to stroke her cheek. “You can nurse me back to health at the clubhouse. But I’m telling you, I’m good.”
“But . . .”
“I fuckin’ love you, Críona,” I murmur, changing the subject to get her mind off me leaving the hospital.
Isabelle’s eyes widen, and she gasps. “You love me?”
“Said it, didn’t I?” I smirk, sliding a hand into her mess of hair.
“You mean the world to me, woman, and I want you to know I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.
If I hadn’t been standing where I was when that first bullet went off, you wouldn’t be here now.
Fuck, Bells, I’d give my life for yours any day.
Though that shits over with, and you’ve got nothing to worry about anymore.
” And I meant it. She didn’t have anything to worry about anymore.
Those druggies are dead, killed by me, Daemon, and Angel.
“It’s over,” she whispers.
“Yeah, it’s done. But that doesn’t mean your not in trouble for that stunt you pulled by going after them,” I growl, narrowing my eyes on her. “I’m thinking that earned you ten spankings.”
Isabelle’s eyes glaze over with a heated look that goes straight to my dick.
I’ve learned my woman likes to be spanked. Just as much as she likes taking me any way I give it.
Fuck, this shit is gonna suck not being able to do what I want. Guess I’ll have to get creative because there’s no damn way I’m going without her sweet pussy until this wound heals.