Chapter 24 #2
Beau reaches over and holds his hand up for a high five. Noah looks to Bee first, and when she nods, he gently taps Beau’s hand. “Good to meet you, Noah.”
A small smile tugs at Noah’s lips.
“Sit, Cop.” Bee pats the bed next to her as she eases back on the pillows, wincing in pain. Noah moves with her as if he’s worried she’ll disappear.
There’s a knock on the door, and Jeanie calls out, “It’s me.”
Bolt opens the door for her. She walks in with a wheelchair and looks at Bolt. “Come on, babe, let’s load her up. Dad’s getting her accommodation ready.”
Bolt shakes his head in amusement and goes to the bathroom to get the nurse.
“Hey, Beau. Your girl is on her way up, and she looks freaked out,” Jeanie tells him.
“Shit,” he mutters, sitting up straighter, or at least trying to.
He’s no sooner sat up than a tall, blonde, ethereal-looking woman pushes open the door with a bang and enters the room, her gaze landing on Beau.
She rushes towards him. “Are you okay?”
He grabs her hand and tugs her toward him, wrapping an arm around her waist. She stands in front of him, and he rests his head against her. “I’m okay, Els. Feel like crap, but I’m okay.”
She takes him at his word and looks over her shoulder at us but keeps her hand on his head.
She tilts her head slightly, and her eyes blank a little as she looks at us.
Then she smiles, and it’s like the sun coming out from behind the clouds.
The whole room seems to brighten. Even Bee relaxes for the first time since the nurse tried to take Noah.
“Hey, Bells. About time you came home.”
Bee laughs and holds out her hand towards Beau’s woman. “Hey, Ellie. Missed you.”
Ellie squeezes Bee’s hand. “Missed you, too. But I understand why you did what you did.”
I feel like I’m missing something here. I’ll have to get Bee to fill me in later.
Bee smiles softly and releases Ellie’s hand. “Out of everyone, I knew you’d be the one to understand and not judge.”
Ellie turns back to Beau, running her hand through his hair and cupping his face. “Better?”
“Much.” He pulls her down and touches his lips to hers.
Bee groans and mutters, “Well, that’s just weird.”
I’m amused. Their relationship must be new.
“Right,” Jeanie says, clapping her hands as she comes out of the bathroom. “If everyone is good here, we’re going to take this one and show her some O’Shea hospitality. She shouldn’t give us any issues. Lucy slipped me something to give her, so we should be all good.”
Fuck, I was so busy watching the interaction between Bee and Ellie that I totally forgot about Bolt and Jeanie. The nurse is in the wheelchair, covered with a blanket, and a gardening hat conceals most of her face. She looks ridiculous, but at least nobody can see her face.
This room is too fucking busy. I agree with Bee; we need to get home, where we have more control over our environment.
“Who’s Lucy?” I ask.
Everyone seems to know who everyone is, but for those of us not from this village, it’s not easy to know who to trust.
“She’s the nurse outside,” Ellie explains with a soft smile when she sees my confusion. “Ben chose her. She’s trustworthy.”
“Okay.” I’m still confused but figure I’ll have Bee explain what the hell is going on. I know who Ben is—he runs the Crawan gym—but why it’s okay that he’s chosen this nurse when he runs the gym isn’t clear.
Bolt sees my confusion. “Don’t worry, brother. I was fucking confused at first, too, but you’ll get there eventually. If Ben says she’s good, then she’s good.”
“You’d best get going. Rea’s on her way up,” Ellie warns.
“Thanks, Jeanie,” Bee replies. “And tell your dad I said thanks. Give me a few days, and I’ll find out why she tried to take Noah.”
“Anytime, girl, you know that. Be safe.” Jeanie opens the door for Bolt, who pushes the wheelchair out, and the energy in the room drops by about two degrees.
Bee laughs. “I forgot how Jeanie ramps up the energy in a room.”
“I’m so fucking confused,” I admit out loud.
Bee, Ellie, and Beau laugh.
Bee pats my hand. “I’ll explain all the dynamics later.
For now, let’s get Rea in here to give Beau something for his headache and get me unattached from this bed so we can go home.
I’m done being in hospital. We’ll be safer at the Queens Wraiths compound.
Plus, I need to touch base with Cahir and Ramzi. ”
As if summoned, Rea enters and assesses the people in the room. She holds up her hand as Bee opens her mouth. “I don’t want to know what’s been going on this morning. I understand you want out of here.”
“I do, but only if Noah is free to go with me,” Bee explains.
Rea’s expression softens as she looks at the little boy, who’s fast asleep again. I’m a little worried about him. Do we need to be concerned about how much he’s sleeping?
“We’ll get him released to you,” Rea reassures her. “Ramzi has all the relevant paperwork for you. He said they’ll fill you in once you’re out of here. I need the rest of you to leave while I prep Bee for discharge. Beau, are you okay to walk?”
“I’m okay,” he replies, standing slowly.
Ellie moves under his arm and helps him out of the room.
I scoop Noah up, winking at Bee as I cradle him to me. “I’ll see you soon, Spice.”
Bee smirks and returns my wink, which looks ridiculous when the other eye is still swollen shut. She giggles and then groans, “I’ll see you soon, Sugar. Don’t go far.”
I walk out and close the door behind me, joining Beau and Ellie in the hallway while we wait.
“You match Bella,” Ellie says out of the blue.
I reply with a confused, “Okay?”
Ellie laughs and waves a hand. “Bells will explain. But Bella, Noah, and you match. And that’s a good thing.”
I’m not sure what to say. That we “match” means something to Ellie. Beau seems to know what she’s talking about, but I don’t have a clue.
I feel like I have to point out that Bella no longer goes by that name. “She goes by Bee now.”
“Bee.” Ellie mulls it over, then nods. “I like it. I’ll let the family know.”
Silence fills the hallway, but it’s not heavy.
It doesn’t take Rea long to discharge Bee and Noah.
Guess it’s a perk of your family having connections.
Within an hour, we’re out of the hospital and in a big black four-by-four driven by Ellie, who sometimes appears like she’s away with the fairies when it’s very clear that she’s not.
Bee, Noah, and I squeeze into the back seat much like when we arrived here.
Beau takes the passenger seat, leaving his bike behind as he’s in no fit state to ride it safely.
I squeeze Bee’s hand as we pass Crow Manor. “Do you want to stay there?”
She shakes her head and leans against my shoulder. “No, it’s not home anymore.”
My heart aches for her, for all that she’s given up and is still willing to sacrifice.
“I’m sorry, baby,” I whisper against her hair.
She tilts her head to look at me. “I’m not. I’m happy to go home with you. I made my decisions years ago, knowing I’d probably never live there again. I’m at peace with the way things have turned out, and I’m looking forward to the next part of our lives.”
I search her eyes, and all I see is absolute certainty. I relax. She’ll be okay. I won’t allow her to be anything else.
“You got it right this time, Bells,” Ellie speaks up, her eyes meeting Bee’s in the rearview mirror.
“I did?”
“Yeah. It’s a gorgeous copper colour. It surrounds all three of you.” Ellie smiles, and all the tension seems to flow out of Bee. I’m lost, but Bee seems to know what Ellie is talking about.
“Copper, huh?” Bee grins.
“Yep. Kind of fitting, don’t you think?”
“All three of us?”
“Mmhm.” Ellie’s eyes flit to the road, then back to Bee. “All three of you.”
“That’s perfect,” Bee murmurs. “Thanks, Ells.”
“Welcome. Happy to have you home in one piece. Time to finish this and come back to the fold. You’ve done the hard bit. Now it’s time to reap the rewards.”
“The job’s not done yet.”
I’m silent as I listen to their conversation. I’m not sure what their comments mean. It’s like listening to another language.
“No,” Ellie agrees, “this job won’t be done for a long time.”
Ellie is silent for a couple of minutes as she navigates traffic, then starts up the conversation again as if she’d never stopped.
“But,” she continues, flicking on the indicator for our turning, “your part will be done once you get this guy. And I have every faith that you will. The bigger players will be found when the time is right.”
“God, I’ve missed you, Ells,” Bee admits. “I missed everyone.”
“We know. It’ll take time, but bridges will be rebuilt. Time heals all wounds, eventually. Your folks might move in with you and Copper for a bit. The last few years have been rough on Dog and Maggie.”
“I’m sure we can fit another mobile home somewhere for them,” I say.
Ellie approaches the security gate, which opens as soon as she looks into the camera. “Welcome home, you three.”
Home.
Fuck, it feels good to be back here. I didn’t realise how much I missed the club.
I left a single man with one thought in mind—making the woman of my dreams mine.
I’ve accomplished that.
Now, I’m home and ready to take the next step—making her my Old Lady. Officially. Then, we’ll see about getting married.
First things first, though. Allowing Bee to heal so we can go after the motherfucker who hurt her and Noah.
Everything else will come in time.