Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Josephine
The smell of antiseptics is the first clue that I’m in the hospital. I don’t have to open my eyes to know where I am. It’s obvious from that one fact alone. Nowhere else has the same odor. Not even a doctor’s office.
I blink one eye open and immediately regret it as pain wracks my body.
What happened to me? I don’t remember being in an accident.
For that matter, I don’t remember what I was doing before . . .
Popping my eyes open, I slowly glance around the room to find Scythe sitting in the chair next to my bed.
His head lolled to the side, eyes closed, and a grim expression on his face.
Not an unusual look for him. But what in the world is he doing here?
It’s not something he would do. Well, not really.
I mean, I’m friends with all the ol’ ladies at the club, so it’s not like someone from the club couldn’t be here.
However, I don’t think he would be that person.
The man can barely stand being around me.
Sighing, I take a moment just to watch him. He’s a beautiful man, even when he’s frowning.
The need to go to the bathroom is what draws me from my thoughts, and I shuffle to the side, swinging my legs off the edge of the bed. My movements get Scythe’s attention, and he jerks awake.
“What are you doing, Freckles?” he asks, those dark, beautiful eyes of his going gentle, and he stands, moving to stand directly in front of me.
“Freckles?” I frown, not understanding why he’s calling me that when he’s never called me anything like that before.
Scythe furrows his brows and curls a hand in my hair. “You had us all worried, baby.”
Baby? Freckles?
What in the world? Have I been sent into an alternate dimension?
“Um, Scythe?” I lick my bottom lip nervously. “You’re kinda freaking me out.”
“You wanna explain how?”
I shake my head and look around the room.
“What happened to me?” I blurt out and stare into his eyes. “Why are you in here? Did something happen to someone?”
Scythe stares deeply into my eyes, the frown darkens, and I notice his jaw clenching. This is a typical thing I’ve noticed him doing a lot.
“Jos, what’s the last thing you remember?”
I find his question funny and give him a frown of my own while thinking.
“I don’t know, getting ready for a date with a friend of mine.
Now can you move? I really need to go to the bathroom, and you’re blocking the way.
” I don’t bother allowing myself to be embarrassed by the fact I just told him I have to go to the bathroom.
Him being here . . . this close to me . .
. calling me endearments has me more than a little freaked.
What is going on here?
I watch as Scythe’s facial features harden, and he steps away from me. “Go ahead, Jos, I’ll get the doctor and let your folks know you’re awake.”
“My parents?” I gape. “You’ve met my parents?”
Scythe shakes his head but doesn’t answer me as he stalks out of the room, all but slamming the door. That is, if the door wasn’t set to keep that from happening.
I let out a heavy breath and, on shaky limbs, make my way to the bathroom to do my business. I don’t know what’s going on here, but my head is throbbing even more now while I try to figure it all out.
I open the door to the bathroom and take a step out, only to collide with Scythe. “What . . .” I gasp.
Scythe scoops me in his arms and carries me the rest of the way to the hospital bed. What confuses me more is when he gets in bed with me and holds me to his side.
“Scythe, what are you doing?” I try to push away, but the man is built out of solid rock and doesn’t budge. “Scythe, seriously! Why are you acting so weird?”
“Freckles, I’m not the one actin’ weird. That would be you,” he grumbles, tightening his arms around me.
I start to say something, but someone knocks on the door and pushes it open. I smile at the sight of Stella, thankful it’s her and not some stranger I don’t know. “Stella, can you please tell Scythe to get out of my bed.”
Stella cocks a brow and looks to Scythe then comes back to me. “JoJo you know how these men are with their ol’ ladies, they’re overprotective and don’t listen to reason.”
“Ol’ lady? I’m not his ol’ lady,” I blurt, my heart racing.
“Yes, you are,” Scythe mutters.
“No, I’m not. You can’t stand me, and besides, I’m dating someone.” Well, not really.
“Josephine, what’s today’s date?” Stella asks, her brows furrowed.
Finding her question odd, I give her the answer, and she shakes her head, sighing.
“It looks like you have short-term amnesia. I’m going to order some more tests to confirm this.
We need to check the swelling around your brain anyway.
” She continues to explain what happened to me, but I can’t get past the part about amnesia.
How could that be possible?
I nod as Stella keeps talking, all too aware of the man holding me. Am I really his woman? There’s no way. It can’t be true. I don’t want to believe it. It would crush me to think it was and then find out it’s nothing more than a joke.
Tears prick at my eyes, and I release a shuddered breath wishing this were all a dream. That I will wake up and none of this ever happened.
“She okay?”
“Yeah, she just got back from testing.” Scythe’s voice fills my ears, and I feel him close. I don’t have to open my eyes to know he’s right there. I can smell his cologne. It’s like a mixture of sandalwood, leather, and earth. In my opinion, it’s intoxicating. He should bottle it up and sell it.
“What’s Stella say?”
Coming more awake, I recognize the other man talking and not surprised by the fact Styxx is here. I’ve known him and Scythe were close. Being twins makes them all the closer.
“She’s waiting on the results,” Scythe answers and grabs my hand stroking his thumb over the back of my hand. “How’s Bristol?”
Wait, what? What happened to Bristol?
“She’s going to live. They patched up her hand.
She’s got stitches where she was cut up.
Beast is with her, but she hasn’t woken up yet.
The doc suggests we let her body do what it’s going to do.
It helps with the healing or some shit like that,” Styxx grumbles.
“Reaper’s put the ol’ ladies on lockdown at the clubhouse.
None of them are to leave except for Stella when she has to be here.
Thanatos and Diablo are at Keeper’s Pub along with the prospect.
None of the girls who work there are to go out without one of them with them.
And Ghost, along with Azrael, are outside the hospital watching.
The rest are at the clubhouse waiting for orders. ”
“I need to be there looking into the fucker who did this shit,” Scythe sneers.
“No, you’re where you need to be, and you know it.”
My heart skips a beat at what Styxx just said.
“Why? She doesn’t remember the two of us being together.”
I don’t miss the frustration in Scythe’s voice. The irritation, and maybe a little hurt.
“Brother, she will. You gotta be patient.”
“Right, and then what? She’s my woman and doesn’t believe it to be true.”
“This doesn’t sound like you, Scythe,” Styxx grunts, and I hear movement, then the scraping of a chair sliding across the floor. “What’s going on?”
“Someone got to her because I didn’t protect her. I left her vulnerable.”
Oh my God.
I should really let them know I’m awake. I don’t know if I want to hear more.
“You’re worried something will happen to her like it did with Mom because of Dad’s work and his refusal to do what those bastards wanted.”
There’s a long pause, but I can feel the tension filling the room, and with the way Scythe’s hand tightens in mine.
“Yeah, I guess,” Scythe mutters and lets my hand go, “But I won’t let that happen to Josephine. I can’t.”
“I know, Scythe. Trust me, I know, and I’ll do whatever you need me to do to help keep anything from happening to her. She’s more than just a part of the club. She’s yours, and that means she’s family in my eyes.”
Oh my God. Oh my God.
I definitely think it’s time to wake up now.
But I don’t want to make it obvious. That would just be a disaster in the making.