Chapter 50
The next morning,I was discharged from the hospital. I was sure Bones wouldn’t let me walk on my own two feet, and I was correct. He commanded that I sit in a wheelchair.
“This is ridiculous,” I argued. “The doctor told you my CAT scan and MRI came back clean. I’m hydrated. I slept great. I have no headache or vision problems. Let me walk.”
“You let me push you in this wheelchair or I’m carrying you bride-style out of here. Your choice.” His tone and expression brooked no argument.
With a sigh and crumbling resolve, I took the wheelchair and let him wheel me toward the elevators. It was overcast and gray clouds threatened to open up.
I was quiet on the ride home, checking my phone every few minutes to see if my mother or Charlie had called, but my cell was silent.
Bones reached over and placed his hand on my thigh and gave it a squeeze.
We pulled into the driveway and Bones cut the engine. I reached for the door handle and he looked at me and said, “Don’t you fucking dare.”
I placed my hands in my lap and waited for my husband—my husband—to open the car door for me. He helped me into the house and he quickly disarmed the alarm before it blared to life.
“I want to shower off the hospital smell.”
He nodded. “Okay, let’s shower.”
“Bones…”
“Hayden. No arguments. Not today. Tomorrow I’ll let you do everything yourself, but for today, please give this to me.”
I sighed and nodded. “You think I’m weak.”
“I don’t think you’re weak.”
“You look at me and you think about Iris,” I stated. “Don’t you?”
“I thought we talked about that already.”
“Not enough. Not nearly enough. I don’t know anything about her. What does she look like? Am I like her at all? You tattooed a Golden Snitch on your body because of her, but what about me? We’re married. You want babies with me. And you don’t have a tattoo of that commitment on your skin. Why not, Bones?”
“She was blonde,” he said. “Sunshine blonde. Bright, you know? Her teeth were a little crooked, but it just made her approachable. And when she laughed, her nose scrunched. You’re nothing like her, Hayden. You don’t remind me of her. You don’t look like her. You don’t laugh like her. You don’t love like her.”
His words pierced my heart.
Bones took a step toward me and reached for me. He placed his hands on my shoulders. “You remind me of you. You look like you. You laugh like you. You love like you. I don’t look for her in you. You’re your own person, Hayden. And I love you for you.”
“Oh,” I whispered.
“And the reason I don’t have a tattoo on my body that commits this thing between us in ink yet is because I haven’t left your side long enough to get it done. But as soon as I can stand to leave your side, I’ll get Roman to tattoo me. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“Now let’s shower and when we get in there, I’m going to wash your hair and you’re going to let me love you. Got it?”
I sighed. “Got it.”
“Do you need another blanket?” Bones asked.
“No.” I smiled. “Two is plenty. You’ve cocooned me.”
He handed me the remote. “I have to call Prez. Will you be okay?”
“I’ll be fine,” I assured him. “My bladder is empty, my belly is full, I’m good.”
He looked at me.
“I’m good. Now go deal with whatever it is you have to deal with.” My cell phone rang. “See? I have to take this. It’s Mom.”
He nodded and leaned down to kiss my forehead. He then sauntered toward the dining room, looking far too delectable in a pair of grey sweats and a white T-shirt that showed off his muscular arms.
I picked up my cell and pressed a button. “Hello?”
“You were in the hospital?”
The doors to the dining room closed and Bones disappeared.
I held in a sigh. “Yes. But really, Mom, I’m fine.”
“Where are you? Are you still in the hospital? I never should’ve taken that pill. Damn it.”
Silence fell between us.
“It’s okay,” I said gently. “I know about the sleep meds. Stanton told Bones.”
“I shouldn’t have hidden that from you.”
“Probably not,” I agreed.
“I haven’t taken them in eight months. But yesterday was…yesterday.”
“I understand. And no, I’m no longer in the hospital. I’m at home.”
“What happened?”
“I guess it’s my turn to come clean about some things, too.”
“More things, Hayden? Really?”
“Just listen, okay?”
I quickly told her about my condition, and when it had started. She was quiet the entire time and didn’t try and interrupt me. “I had an episode for lack of a better term, last night at dinner. I was in the restroom. I fell and cut my forehead and Bones found me on the bathroom floor.”
“Did they call an ambulance?”
“Yes.”
“Did Bones ensure the restaurant kept your name confidential?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’ll call and make the inquiries,” she said.
“I appreciate that.”
“So, they really don’t have an explanation for why you have these episodes?”
“No. No clue,” I said.
“Have you thought…”
“What?” I pressed.
“About seeing someone? A therapist, I mean.”
“We don’t talk to therapists.”
“Maybe we should,” she said. “Maybe a therapist will help you work through the things you’re still holding on to.”
“And what about you?” I asked. “Are you going to see a therapist to help you work through things you’re still holding on to?”
“I’m thinking about it,” she said. “Even though the idea of unveiling my private issues to a stranger without a vodka gimlet in hand is borderline terrifying.”
“Maybe we should do the terrifying things, Mom.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready for that level of self-awareness.” She chuckled.
“Has Arnold returned any of your calls?” I asked.
“No. I thought for sure he’d attempt contact by now, but it’s been silent.”
“Do you think he left town?”
“It’s possible. Who knows, though. It will make trying to serve him divorce papers more difficult if I can’t find him. But right now, I’m so angry that if I see him, I’m liable to do something completely out of character.”
The front door burst open, and I heard the clack of high heels on the wooden floor before Charlie appeared in the living room. She glared at me in anger.
“Mom, I gotta go,” I said suddenly. “Charlie just showed up. And she looks pissed.”
“She probably saw the marriage announcement,” Mom said.
“What marriage announcement?” I asked.
“Bye, darling. I’ll be in touch when I have news about the restaurant.”
She hung up and I set my phone aside. “Hey, Charlie.”
“Hey, Charlie?” she snapped. She marched around to the couch and waved her phone in my face. “Why am I reading about your marriage announcement after the fact?”
“Charlie, none of this was planned,” I said simply. “And for your information, I had no idea my mother was going to put out a public announcement about my marriage.”
“You got married without me and didn’t even have the decency to let me know? I was supposed to be your maid of honor.”
I looked her up and down and couldn’t fight the smile. She was wearing a man’s white button-down shirt that was cinched at the waist with a tie—and a pair of black heels. “Maid of honor? Or maid of dishonor?”
Her eyes bugged out of her head. “You’re not seriously cracking jokes at my appearance right now.”
I patted the couch. “Sit. And I’ll explain everything. And then you’re going to explain why you’re dressed the way you’re dressed. And before you continue ranting, you should know that Bones called you last night and left a message.”
She sighed. “I dropped my phone. Again. I had to get a new one this morning.”
“Well, that explains the radio silence,” I said. “And I won’t hold it against you that you didn’t visit me in the hospital last night.”
“Hospital?”
“Sit down, Charlie.”
She all but collapsed onto the couch. I held out my hand and she gave me her phone. The website she had open was the society section of the local paper where major announcements about prominent or wealthy people were listed. There we were—Bones and I—a picture from my mother’s charity event that I had no idea had even been taken. Bones was looking down at me and smiling and I was unaware of the camera on us.
It was a beautiful photo. Unposed. Unfiltered. I quickly scanned the announcement itself.
“Uh oh,” I muttered.
“What?” Charlie asked.
“My mother was very creative when explaining Bones’ background.”
“Oh, yeah. The private security spin. I wondered about that. Guess she really couldn’t say biker in a motorcycle club, though.”
“Correct,” I agreed.
“So, what happened in the last several days since I’ve seen you? Because apparently, you’ve had a full schedule what with getting married and all.”
“Buckle up,” I muttered. “It’s going to be a bumpy ride.”
Before I could even begin to explain, the double doors to the dining room opened and Bones strode in.
Charlie launched herself up. “You!”
Bones frowned. “Me what?”
“You did this,” she accused.
“I did what?” Bones asked.
“You and your dick sorcery somehow got my best friend to marry you—without even inviting me,” Charlie accused.
“My dick sorcery in no way influenced your best friend to marry me,” Bones argued.
“It had a little bit to do with it,” I said with a shrug.
Bones raised his brows and Charlie glared at me.
“Call off your dog,” Bones said. “She’s about to rip out my throat.”
“Charlie, sit,” I commanded again. “And let me explain everything.”
With a snarl at Bones, Charlie finally sat again.
The story came out quickly and a bit disjointed, with Charlie constantly interrupting to ask questions. But by the end of my explanation, she had a decent grasp on the situation.
“So like, you’re really married? Not like, get a handle on your dad’s company and get through the publicity and then divorce kind of married?” she asked.
“We’re married, married,” Bones ground out.
He was still standing next to the couch, and I reached my hand out to him and he took it. Charlie’s eyes took note of it.
“Where’s Arnold?” Charlie asked. “That fucker has some explaining to do.”
“That fucker hasn’t even contacted Marilyn or tried to come home. My guess is he’s laying low, licking his wounds and trying to figure out just how much we know.”
“Or, he’s worried about you going Bad to the Bones on his ass,” Charlie said. “For hiring a hit on your woman. You are going Bad to the Bones on him, aren’t you?”
“Charlie, stop. Bones isn’t going to do anything to Arnold.”
Bones’ hand tightened around mine.
“But he has to!” Charlie insisted. “You can’t let him get away with this. And you’re clearly not going to the cops with this. Why not, by the way?”
“Because we have nothing substantial on him,” Bones said. “Her father’s death was already ruled an accident. Arnold was legally elected to the board and his marriage to her mother…everything was legal. Everything seemed above board.”
“And if you did have proof, you’d turn him over to the authorities?” Charlie pressed.
When Bones didn’t speak right away, I looked up at him.
“We got married to put an immediate stop to it,” Bones replied instead of answering her question.
“How the hell is marrying her protecting her?” Charlie asked. “He could still try and hurt her.”
“He could,” I agreed. “But he won’t. Because if I die, the company will be dissolved, and the patents sold. Arnold doesn’t gain anything by coming after me anymore.”
“And you married her so she could have access to the controlling seat on the board, thereby neutering Arnold and all his power.”
“Yes. That’s why he married me.”
“I married you because I love you, Duchess. The other shit was just a reason to push the timeline up.”
I sent him a tender look and then I returned my attention to Charlie.
“I’m sorry we couldn’t tell you what was going on. We didn’t even tell my mother until after I’d already assumed control of the company yesterday.”
“Has she forgiven you for usurping her right as the mother to watch her daughter get married?” Charlie asked.
“Enough, Charlie,” Bones stated. “You’ve made your point. You’re pissed you didn’t get to see her get married.”
“No.” Charlie shot up. “That’s not what this is about. I get why you had to do all the secrecy shit. You couldn’t let Arnold know about your plan. That all makes perfect sense. I didn’t get to do the thing that best friends are supposed to get to do.”
“Wear an ugly dress and do the chicken dance?” Bones drawled.
She glared. “No, I didn’t get to have my one-on-one talk with you about how you should treat my best friend, or else, talk. And for the record, Hayden never would’ve made me wear an ugly dress.”
I nodded. “It’s true. I would’ve let her pick her own dress. Despite the headache it would’ve caused.”
Bones let go of my hand and walked to the other side of the room to the chair. He took a seat. “Okay.”
“Okay what?” Charlie asked in confusion.
“You want to have the talk. Let’s have the talk.”
“I’m not having the talk with you while she’s present,” Charlie said, snapping her spine straight. “I’m going to sound bloodthirsty, and I might go feral goblin on you. I don’t want her to see that side of me.”
“I’ve already seen that side of you,” I said with a smile. “I can handle it.”
Charlie shook her head. “Nope. I will not budge on this. Bones and I are having this conversation in private, or I won’t come to the party your mother is throwing for you.”
“How do you know about the party?” I asked in surprise.
Charlie rolled her eyes. “Please. That woman was deprived of a society wedding. She’s throwing you a party.”
“Name the time and the place,” Bones said. “And you can give me your best friend speech.”
“Noted.” Charlie sat up straighter. “Now can you give me and my girl some alone time to talk?”
Bones rose. “You know she’s just going to tell me everything you talk about, right?”
“She will not,” Charlie stated. “We have an iron pact. Layers of secrecy.”
“But she’s married to me now. And I know how this all works.”
“I’m not telling you anything that Charlie says to me,” I said. “Girl code.”
“Married code trumps girl code.”
“Like hell it does,” Charlie fumed.
Bones looked at me. “You want to know why everyone in the club knows each other’s business? Because you tell an Old Lady, they’re gonna take it back to their man. Before you know it, the entire club knows your shit.”
“Is that really true?” Charlie asked, her gaze flitting from me to Bones and then back to me.
“I knew Doc was pregnant before everyone else,” I pointed out. “And I kept that to myself.”
Bones looked at Charlie. “You’re wearing a white button-down shirt, so I know it’s not Savage’s and last I knew, you were trying not to be in love with Savage.”
“You told him!” Charlie gasped.
“I told him nothing.” I glared at Bones. “How did you know that?”
“Willa was scolding Savage. I overheard.”
“So, it wasn’t Hayden,” Charlie pointed out. “See? She keeps my secrets. And I keep hers. You’re not breaking up the dynamic duo. I don’t care how much sorcery is in your dick.”