2. Chapter 2
Leigh
After walking down the hall, I headed to the kitchen.
Pulling the fridge open, I stood, staring inside and letting the cold air blast my face.
She fucking woke up. A weight had been lifted.
I’d sat there day after day, swearing to whatever God would listen to have mercy on her.
She’d flinched and even wiggled her fingers a few times the last few days, but I didn’t get my hopes up until she started fighting everyone. Then I knew she was back.
She could hate me all she wanted. She just had to live.
I grabbed a couple of beers then pulled out my phone to text Hammer the update.
He’d been cool about me not showing up at the clubhouse since we moved her here.
We’d gotten her to the clinic as fast as we could when we found her lying in the dirt at Bama’s place.
Sam worked hard and fast to stabilize her.
Once he said there wasn’t anything else to do but wait, I demanded she be moved.
Sam tried to fight it at first, but Hammer reminded him that if anyone came snooping around, it wouldn’t look good on the clinic.
We had a prospect that worked as an EMT so we arranged for proper transport. We even moved one of the beds from the clinic in because Sam said she shouldn’t be on a regular mattress. I told him I didn’t give a fuck what they did; just move her.
Bama was outside with Sofie so I walked out there to let him know she woke up. He’d brought Linny by daily to sit with her and let Sofie say hello. It was still daylight but not for long. The air was crisp, which was a welcome change to the humidity of the Alabama coast.
There wasn’t much to do for a kid at my place, but I had a dog, Bruce, and she was playing fetch with him.
Bama tipped his head when he noticed I’d come out to the porch.
It overlooked my private, wooded yard. The back was surrounded by a tall privacy fence so I could let Bruce roam.
I walked down the steps and he started walking closer.
His dark hair was short, but it was about time for him to get a cut and his scruff was longer than normal.
Hell, we all looked like shit. Between Linny getting kidnapped, finding Ollie dead, and Glenda near dead, it had been a sullen week and a half.
Bama took the beer I held out and said, “Your fucking dog is a big as my kid.” Sofie wasn’t his by blood, but she was his all the same. The blonde five-year-old was squealing as Bruce ran after a ball she tossed.
Sipping my beer, I patted my thigh and Bruce, my grey Cane Corso, came over, wagging his tail. “He’s almost as big as you. But he’s a good boy. Brucie, sit.”
Bruce sat, then snapped his jaw shut briefly before he returned to his open-mouthed slobbering and panting.
“Bruce,” Sofie called as she waved the tennis ball in the air.
Bruce’s big black eyes stared up at me and his tail wagged on the ground.
I never cropped his ears or tail. Wasn’t for me.
Having floppy ears didn’t make him any less of a big motherfucker, and while he was a gentle giant to Sofie, he’d rip someone’s face off if need be.
And I just couldn’t bring myself to cut his tail. He’d been through enough.
“Okay Bruce, go play,” I said and he took off with the agility of a terrier.
“Maybe we should get a dog. She seems to love him,” Bama said as he sipped his beer.
“You’re such a sucker for those ladies.” I scoffed.
He whipped his head at me, his brown eyes piercing.
“Are you sure you wanna go there, brother?” He turned his gaze toward the house.
Even though he’d been Glenda’s comfort dick since Reggie died, I didn’t hold any grudges on him.
He took care of her when she wouldn’t let me.
When he got with Linny, that stopped. Maybe I hoped she’d come around when that happened, but if anything, Glenda got more closed off.
“Anyway,” I said, “she woke up. She needs a few minutes before we let Sofie go back in.”
Bama gripped my shoulder. “Hey, that’s good news.”
Nodding and watching Bruce corral Sofie back closer to the house, I said, “Well, she’s not happy.”
Bama gave my shoulder a squeeze then dropped his hand. “She’s a tough one, man. But she’ll come around.”
“Will she?”
The silence between us lingered as Sofie and Bruce ran in circles yards away from us and the crickets started their evening songs.
We stood quietly, finishing our beers as Sofie got Bruce tuckered out. The backdoor squeaked open so we both turned to see who was there.
Sam waved from the porch but came down to where we were standing. “She’s a little more settled now and asked if Sofie was here.”
Bama tossed his bottle in the trash can that sat under the porch then called for Sofie. “Hey, let’s go see Miss Glenda. She’s awake.”
Sofie stopped in her tracks, her big blue eyes wide as saucers and the ball fell from her hand. Bruce grabbed it, wagging his tail as he looked up at her. Like a bolt of lightning, she sprinted toward the stairs but Bama reached out and easily scooped her up.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Bama said. “I know you’re excited, but we gotta calm down. She still isn’t feeling great, okay?”
Her eyes were still wide as she wrapped her arms around Bama’s shoulders and nodded. “Got it. I can be calm.”
She really was an amazing kid. After all she’d been through and all she’d seen, she had a cheerful demeanor and was well behaved, for a five-year-old. But definitely wise beyond her years. But the former probably lended to the latter.
Once they’d gone back inside, Sam sighed. “You sure you can take care of her?”
“I got it.” I scooped up the ball Bruce drooped at my feet, then tossed it for him.
“Listen, man. She’s still physically broken and weak. Mentally, well…”
“Well, what?” I snapped.
Sam turned so he was facing me. “Her PTSD wasn’t under control and she stopped going to group. This may set her back. Way back.”
“I can handle it.”
“But can you handle her?” he asked.
“Doc, stop talking in circles.”
He grimaced. “This may cause undue stress on an already fragile woman.”
“Nobody will take care of her better than me. And maybe it’s time she stopped lying to herself.” Taking the last gulp of beer then tossing the bottle in the trash, I said, “She’s never gonna get over it if she doesn’t wake the fuck up.”
“Leigh, the mind doesn’t heal the same as a broken bone.”
Sam took a few steps back as I crowded him. “But what fucking good is it to let her sit in ignorant misery? Huh?”
“Leigh, I say this with all due respect… you better get the fuck out of my face.”
My jaw ticked as I stared at Sam. He was Hammer’s cousin, and he’d seen some shit himself, even though he was a doctor.
I stepped back, wiping my hand down my face. “She stays here. If I need help, I’ll let you know.”