Chapter 7
SAVAGE
That didn’t fucking go as planned.
When I get back to the compound, I have to be helped inside by Shadow and Viper.
“I’m fucking fine,” I grunt, trying to shove myself upright, but I can’t. I took a beating today, and while I won the fight, my body feels like it lost a title match.
I shrug off their help, trying to hide the pain that slices through my chest every time I move. I took a couple of boot kicks to the ribs and would not be surprised if I have bruises. I’ll be lucky if nothing is fractured.
“You might have a concussion.” Shadow grunts into my ear. “Lemme get you to your room, and we’ll call the doc.”
In addition to a lawyer, the club recently added a doctor to the payroll.
“Stop.” I cover my face with my hands and let out a groan.
I clearly didn’t realize how many punches I took to the jaw, too.
“I’m fine.” I stand on my own, trying my ever-loving best not to pass out.
“I’m going to check on Claire and the baby, and then I’ll crash.
If I need the doctor, you can call her in the morning. ”
I don’t know why I’m hell-bent on checking on Claire after hardly seeing her at all for the last week. Part of me just wants to reassure myself that she’s really here and okay. That she didn’t pack up her laptop and her daughter and leave.
I lean one fist against her door and suck in a breath as I lift my hand to knock. Shadow and Viper are on my heels, glowering, hovering.
She opens the door, holding Aurora in her arms. “Savage?” She immediately looks worried. “What’s wrong?”
I hold up a hand before Shadow or Viper can say anything. “How are you? Everything go okay today?” I try to sound normal, but my breath seems to be coming out real fucking shaky. A wave of nausea hits me, and my knees buckle.
“Oh my God.” Claire turns and sets Aurora down in the crib, then she turns back. “Come in and sit down.”
“He might need a doctor,” Shadow says, and it sounds like he’s gritting his teeth.
“I need a fucking babysitter like I need a hole in the head,” I growl, glaring at him. I flick a look at Claire. “You mind? Can I sit a few?”
She nods, shoves a baby blanket and some toys off the couch, and motions for me to sit.
I drop onto the cushion, but as soon as I lower my body, an agonized noise slips past my throat.
Claire is immediately at my side. She kneels and hovers a hand over my arm. “What happened? Where are you hurt?”
Viper answers for me. “He took a few hits on a job today. Ribs, mostly. We want him to see a doctor, but—”
“I’m fucking fine.” The words come out louder than I intend, and my first reaction is to look at Aurora in case I scared her. She’s sitting up inside her crib, her wide crystal-blue eyes looking right into mine. “Sorry, baby,” I mutter.
I lean back against the couch cushions and groan. “Lemme rest for five minutes, all right? If I don’t catch my breath, we’ll call in the doc.”
Claire jumps to her feet and talks in a low voice with Shadow and Viper. They are chatting through something, but the second I close my eyes, I feel the first bit of relief from pain in hours.
The next thing I know, the door is closing, and Claire, Aurora, and I are alone.
“I’m fine,” I try to tell her, “I just—”
I feel her hand on my arm, and the words die in my throat.
“I know you’re not okay,” she says, her voice calm but firm. “I’m going to take care of you, if you’ll let me.”
I open my eyes, and I don’t know what’s on my face, but she reaches forward and strokes my hair back from my face. “You don’t need to worry about me,” I tell her, but the words end on a cough. “I’ve been through worse.”
“That doesn’t mean you have to go through this alone now.” She shakes her head. “I asked Shadow to bring some ice and ibuprofen. When was the last time you ate?”
She peppers me with questions while she lowers herself to the floor and helps me work my feet out of my boots.
“Glad I wore my cute socks today,” I croak out. They’re plain black, but at least they don’t have holes or anything like that.
She gives me a wry smile and sets my boots by the door. Then she grabs all the pillows from the bed and lines them up on one of the armrests of the couch. “Do you want to move to the bed?” she asks. “Will that be more comfortable?”
“Unless you put me in a coffin, I don’t want to move,” I admit. My ribs burn like they are on fire. My jaw feels stiff and swollen at the same time. It hurts to talk, to hold my eyes open, to do anything. “Can I just lie here a few?”
“Of course.” She helps me stretch my legs onto the couch, and I lie back. God help this woman, because I don’t know if I’m going to be able to move again.
She puts a warm hand on my forehead, and I close my eyes. “I came to check on you,” I grit out. “How was your day?”
She laughs softly as the couch dips. She’s so close, her thigh touches my hip. I try to move to make more room for her, but trying to shift my torso makes me feel like someone is sawing into my rib cage with a very dull hacksaw.
I huff a hard breath, and she gasps.
“Shit. Sorry.” She smooths my hair back, and there’s a knock at the door. “Come in,” she calls.
I hear voices and feel movement, but I start to let myself settle into the pain.
Someone cups the back of my neck and holds my head up so I can swallow some chalky pills.
Then my head is back against the pillows, and I feel a cool weight on my ribs.
As soon as my head hits the pillow, I focus on the soft sound of Claire’s voice, and I crash hard into sleep.
When I wake up, the room is mostly dark, except for one dim lamp. I can hear soft white noise, and I squint my eyes open.
“Hey, you’re awake.” Claire jumps off the bed where she was sitting with her laptop. She’s changed into gray pajama pants and a matching button-down pajama top. Her hair is loose and free, and she looks tired.
“Sorry,” I grunt. “I must have dozed off.”
She nods and rests a hand against my forehead like I have a fever, but I ain’t complaining. “How are you feeling? You can’t have any more pain meds for about another hour.”
“How long was I asleep?”
“It’s five in the morning,” she says with a smile. There are soft shadows under her eyes, but she’s looking at me sweetly.
“Holy shit, you’ve got to get some sleep. I’ll get my ass up.” I turn my head and realize the crib is gone. “Where’s Aurora?” I demand, my pulse picking up. “Is she okay?”
Claire nods. “I moved the crib into the bathroom.”
I’m confused. I lift a hand to my ribs and feel ice zipped into plastic bags and wrapped in towels under my T-shirt. It all starts to come together for me. “You’ve been taking care of me all night?” I ask.
“Just a few ice changes, and I rubbed a little of that pain gel you gave me on your jaw.” She sweeps her fingertips lightly over my stubble. “You’re probably going to have some bruises.”
I swallow against the dryness in my throat. “Aurora,” I croak out. “Why is she in the bathroom?”
Claire chuckles and sits so close beside me I can feel the soft curve of her thigh against mine.
“I went to the kitchen to get ice a couple of times. I didn’t want her to wake up, so I set up the baby monitor you got us and moved the crib into the bathroom.
It’s a bit snug if you need to use the bathroom, but she hasn’t seemed to mind. ”
A few minutes of consciousness is all I have in me. I lift my hand to touch her. My head throbs. My face feels hot. But halfway to her cheek, I let my hand drop, close my eyes, and pass out again.
When I finally wake up again, I have to piss like crazy, and my head is throbbing. I squint open an eye and see an empty crib and unfamiliar surroundings. Then I see the play mat on the floor and remember—I’m in Claire’s room.
“Claire?” I whisper, my voice scraping out of my parched throat like razor blades over a two-day growth of beard.
No one replies, so I hoist myself up on the couch.
It takes a minute, but I am able to get up and off the couch, my left side screaming with soreness but nothing I haven’t dealt with before.
I consider heading back to my room, but my bladder doesn’t have the patience that’s going to require.
I stumble into Claire’s bathroom, close the door, and pee until I’m empty.
I wash my hands and face, groaning at the bruises that have popped up on my jaw. I open the door and see Claire’s green eyes wide with worry.
“Savage,” she breathes. “You’re up. I left you alone for five minutes…”
“I’m a big boy,” I tell her, but I need to steady myself against the doorframe. “I’ll get out of your hair now. What time is it?”
Now that I’ve peed, I’m hungry, thirsty, and stiff as fuck from lying on the couch. I have shit to do today, and I’d better get to it.
“It’s three,” Claire says.
“Three?” I echo. “In the afternoon? I slept for almost twenty-four hours?”
She nods.
“Holy shit, I’m sorry. I’ll get out of your space.”
“No.” Her voice is firm. The next thing I know, she’s grabbing my hand in hers. “You’re really hurt, Savage. Come on. I want you to lie down in my bed. I’ll sleep on the couch. You shouldn’t be alone until you’re better.”
I shake my head, but I leave my hand in hers. Her touch is strong, but her skin is so, so soft. “I’m all right,” I tell her. “I’ll take a few more pain relievers and sleep this shit off.”
“No,” she insists. “Listen to me. Phantom’s daughters are here. They came after school. Aurora is having the time of her life out in the front, playing. I want to help you.”
“I need to shower and eat. I probably smell like a three-day-old sock.” I lick my lips. “Toothbrush. I’ve got to go take care of—”