67. Griffin
W hy does no one ever tell you that getting stabbed hurts like a bitch?
I mean, I’m sure they do, but fuck, I never paid them any attention.
The pain in my side is a sensation of burning agony that I have never experienced before, but that’s a good thing right?
It means I’m not dead. A fact I’m not so sure of, when I finally open my eyes and find my mom and dad sitting at my bedside.
Fuck? Am I dead? Because surely I have to be in some sick sense of hell if they are the only ones in my presence.
“Griffin,” my dad grunts, when I open my eyes, jumping to his feet, as my mom starts to cry in relief.
The show of emotion is almost confusing, until I spot the nurse beside my bed, and then I digest it for what this really is, a show.
My eyes flick around the room, finding no one else, and panic and disappointment churn inside of me.
“Is Aurora okay?” I grit, trying to sit up, but the slicing pain through my abdomen is instant, and I am forced to drop back down.
“Aurora is fine, she’s in a room down the hall, the boys are with her,” my mother states, straightening out my sheets before swatting at her tears. “Harden was here, but we sent him away so you could rest.”
I almost laugh at that, but my only focus is on the first three words she said.
Aurora is fine. I saved her.
“I need to see her,” I grunt, trying to sit up again, but then my father and the nurse are on me in an instant.
“Mr. Blake, you really need to rest, you just had major surgery,” the nurse scolds, pressing me back into the bed with the help of my dad.
“What day is it?” I ask, trying to figure out what I’ve missed, and it’s my mom who answers.
“It’s Tuesday morning, you’ve been here for two days.
You woke up a couple of times yesterday, but you were pretty out of it.
” I try to recall any of the times I woke up, but it’s no use.
“The doctor said they found traces of ketamine in your system, so they think Bishop may have drugged you, we’re not sure, but the police are waiting for your statement. ”
I nod along to her words, remembering the drinks Bishop poured for me, how weary I felt, how I hit the ground, but didn’t pass out.
Getting back to my feet was the hardest thing I have ever done, it was like my limbs were weighed down with cement, but I knew I had to move.
I had to save her. At the thought of Aurora, the need to see her intensifies even more, and I nod my head at my parents.
“Send them in, I’ll give my statement now,” I say fiercely, and they both share a look, before they nod and leave the room.
The nurse is quick to do a check of my vitals, redressing the bandages on my wound, which is not only disgusting, but I know will keep me from hockey for a while.
I’m cursing to myself, when David Monroe pushes back into the room, followed by two police officers and a detective.
David moves to whisper a few words to me quietly, before I nod and the police begin their interview.
It doesn’t take as long as I thought, and it’s clear they have already spoken to Everest and Harden.
I tell them everything I can remember, up until the point of me being stabbed, and then everything is a little hazy after that.
They confirm that Aurora is fine and that Everest saved her, keeping her alive until the ambulance arrived, and that once Harden had rendered Bishop immobile, that he was the one who kept pressure on my wound.
I mildly wonder what Harden did to him, but all the officers will tell me is that his injuries are severe, but he woke up last night and was arrested instantly.
The thought should make me feel better, but after hearing what he did to Aurora, I can’t help but wish him a lot more harm than a fucking beating and prison time.
When the officers leave, David assures me that he will make sure Bishop doesn’t see the outside of a cell ever again, but when I try and bribe him into taking me to see Aurora, he rolls his eyes and leaves.
My parents come back soon after that with doctors in tow, so they can perform a few more checks.
They talk me through what happened, what kind of internal injuries I sustained, and what they did to fix it.
They said I will need some physical therapy once I am strong enough, if I plan to get back into hockey, but that for right now, playing is completely off the table.
I try not to let that fester inside of me, and by the time they all filter out of my room, it’s late afternoon.
All of my pleas to see Aurora were ignored, but the second visiting hours are over, and my parents leave for the night, I know I need to do something.
Forcing myself onto my side, I grit my teeth as pain rushes through me, trying to lift myself out of bed, just as the nurse from earlier comes strolling back into the room, pausing when she sees one of my legs already half way to the floor.
“Mr. Blake, I thought I told you that you needed to rest.” Her scolding is playful, but I groan in response.
“I will rest,” I tell her, as she moves toward me. “The second I have set eyes on my girl, and I know she is okay.” She reaches my side and tries to guide me back against my pillows.
“Miss Gray is fine, your friends are still with her, refusing to leave, so I can assure you she is completely okay.” I scoff at that.
“Please, those pricks don’t know their humerus from their femur,” I grunt, forcing myself to sit up against her hold. “Okay, maybe they do, but still, I am not stopping until I see her.”
“You’re going to rip your stitches open,” she snaps, arching her brow at me.
“So then help me,” I toss back instantly. “Either get me a wheelchair or get out of my way, because I don’t care how much pain I am in, I will get to her fucking room.” I’m not sure what she sees on my face, but she sighs, releasing me and walking out of the room.
Finally, I start my movements again, hissing at the pain, until she comes back into the room with a wheelchair in tow.
“If anyone asks, you coerced me.” She pushes it to the side of the bed, before gently helping me into it.
Every move is like a fresh knife in my side, but I don’t stop, I can’t, not until I see her with my own eyes.
The nurse makes sure the coast is clear, before she pushes me out of the room and down the hall.
When we push into Aurora’s room, all their heads snap my way, their stares widening comically at my presence.
“Griffin,” Harden sighs in relief, jumping to his feet, as his voice washes over me.
“Miss me?” I ask with a smirk, as they all look from me to the nurse in total confusion.
“He threatened to walk here if I didn’t bring him,” she sighs, pushing me toward the bed, but my eyes are already on Aurora.
Tears already dampen her cheeks at the sight of me, and I have to swallow down the anger at the bruising around her neck. Something that is harder than I thought when I see her hands come up to sign, instantly realizing it’s because her neck is too swollen to fucking talk.
Griffin, what the hell are you doing here? You should be resting.
At that I smile, reaching over to clasp her hand in mine.
“What? You think a pesky little knife in the side could keep me from you, sweetheart? You’ll have to try harder than that to get rid of me.
” I turn to the nurse who is still idling by the chair.
“You better leave before someone catches you at the scene of the crime.”
She hesitates a little, before her attention moves to the guys with a firm stare. “Do not let him move from that chair, I’ll be back in one hour.” They nod and she offers them a flat smile, before she turns and leaves.
Harden is at my side in an instant, his hands checking over me, as he positions the chair closer to the bed. “I’m okay, baby,” I tell him firmly, pulling his stare to mine.
“I love you too,” he blurts, and I blink back in surprise. “You signed it to me when you were bleeding out, and all I could think about was not getting the chance to say it back. So, I love you, Griffin.”
Emotion clogs the back of my throat, as I smile.
“I love you too.” He leans down and kisses me softly, his hand interlacing with mine, as he pulls back and allows me to flick my attention back to Aurora.
“And I suppose I owe you one too, huh?” I smirk, and she smiles softly, shaking her head ever so slightly.
You don’t have to say it just because I did . She signs, and I grunt a laugh at that, leaning forward with a hiss, to pull her hand into mine.
“Aurora Gray I have loved you since you nearly made me fall out of that tree the day I met you,” I tell her truthfully, and tears gather in her eyes.
“From that day, and every other day this prick warned me away from you,” I add, nodding my head toward Everest, who just rolls his eyes.
“I love you, sweetheart, and I’m so fucking sorry I waited until now to say it. ”
Tears gather in her eyes, as she nods her head at Everest, who instantly jumps to his feet and helps her sit up in bed, until she can lean forward. I love you too . She signs, before kissing me gently.
“Finally,” I sigh, rolling my eyes. “Had to almost die to get you both to admit your feelings to me.”
Everest is already shaking his head. “Even wounded you’re still a fucking idiot,” he grunts, but I only smile.
“And I love you too, Monroe.”
Aurora and I spend the next week in hospital.
Bishop choked her so hard that her neck is still bruised and swollen.
The doctors are confident that she will be able to talk when the swelling goes down, but right now she has to rely on signing.
She also had a cut on her lip and a lump on her head, but she is recovering well, especially with all the fuss of her family.
My own injuries were a little more severe, thanks to Bishop twisting the knife in my side, forcing it to knick my spleen.
Surgery is the only thing that saved me, that and Harden stopping me from completely bleeding out.
I have a thick and angry scar that is still covered, and I can’t walk unaided yet, but the guys have been happy to help me with whatever I need.
The two of them haven’t stopped apologizing for leaving us with that prick, and I roll my eyes every time.
How were they supposed to know he was a fucking stalking maniac?
Fuck, I was friends with the guy for over a decade and I didn’t notice.
It’s that thought that stings me with regret the most, because while we were all so worried about Jason, it allowed Bishop to slip in under the radar.
David has been keeping us updated with the charges pressed against him, and I know he won’t let him get away with what he did.
Aurora is discharged first, her parents instantly taking her back to the city since the hockey house is still closed off.
I can’t think of anything worse than going home.
My parents were here all day the first couple of days, but their show of affection soon dwindled down.
Harden has been the only constant, staying by my side, pushing me to Aurora’s room any chance he got.
Archer also came to see me, thanking me for trying to protect his sister, but I could tell he was still salty about the punch in the face.
By the time I am let out, I am mentally preparing myself to go home, except when I reach the main entrance in my wheelchair, I only find Harden waiting for me.
“Stalking me?” I ask, as he thanks the nurse, taking over pushing my chair, until we reach a town car idling by the curb.
Roger jumps out to open the door for us, and when I look at Harden in confusion, he only shrugs. “Did you really think I was going to let you go home with your parents?” He scoffs, leaning down to help me up and into the car, and I can’t hide my smirk.
“I knew you were obsessed with me, Haze,” I muse, grunting as I drop into the backseat, and he only rolls his eyes, as he climbs in beside me.
“I’m not obsessed with you, I am in love with you, there’s a difference,” he states calmly, but my blood instantly heats at his words, still not used to hearing them.
“Fuck, I can’t wait until I am better, and I can hear you say that while you’re fucking me,” I tease, and his stare darkens.
“Careful baby, because I’m pretty sure your mouth still works.” His taunt has me tipping my head back with a groan.
“Where are we going anyway?” I ask, forcing myself to change the subject, and he smiles, knowing exactly what I am doing.
“I’m taking you home.”
That’s the only information I get before we pull away from the hospital, his hand moving to rest gently on my leg.
We drive for about thirty minutes before I start to realize where we are going, and even though I look at him in silent wonder, his eyes remain focused out the window.
When we pull up to his house, I frown, but Harden doesn’t hesitate in getting out, rounding the car to open my door.
He lifts me out gently, nodding goodbye to Roger, before slowly leading me to his front door.
“I had one of Caden’s guys fit it with a new security system,” he grunts, unlocking the door and helping me inside, and I have no choice but to move with him.
“Harden, what the fuck are we doing here?” I ask, having hardly ever spent any time here before, and I never expected to since his mom was killed here, but Harden only shrugs.
“We needed somewhere to call our own, to spend Christmas,” he explains, and when we reach the living room, I find a huge Christmas tree waiting to be decorated, one of those sofas that can be rearranged into a huge bed, and Aurora and Everest smiling expectantly.
Hurry up, Griff, we’re going to boss them around about where to put everything. She signs excitedly, gesturing toward a box of decorations from her spot on the sofa, and Harden helps me over to her, dropping me beside her.
“You mean I get to snuggle up on this sofa with you, while those two do all the hard labor?” I ask, and she nods with a smile. “Sounds like a good deal to me, sweetheart, now why don’t you scooch in a little closer,” I tease, needing to feel her next to me, and she rolls her eyes but does as I ask.
Better? She signs, and I nod.
“Good enough for now, until I can use my dick again,” I joke, and she pinches me playfully.
“You good?” Everest asks, his wary stare washing over not just me, but her too, and I nod.
“I have everything I need right here in this room, of course I’m good.”
Then we spend the rest of the afternoon watching them decorate for Christmas, making them move ornaments so many times they curse, and fielding far too many phone calls from everyone checking up on us.
All things considered, it’s a pretty perfect day.