Unchained (Hogan Brothers 3)

“You want Ma to take her in?” Finally, he was catching on.

“Yeah.”

“You think she will?” Asher asked from the other side of his car.

Nox and Loch shared a look as Loch said, “She’ll spend five minutes with Sage and beg her to move in.”

“Dios mio.”

Loch couldn’t dispute his friend.

Chapter Five

Just because my path is different, doesn’t mean I’m lost.

Lochlan left, and Sage was terrified of all the new things surrounding her. The machines she was connected to, the sounds, new people. She felt timid and afraid but had known that pretending to be fine until the morning so Lochlan wouldn’t get into more trouble was the right thing to do.

Sleep was impossible due to all the sounds. The voices through the speakers at odd hours was the worst. At one point, she’d heard rushing and cursing followed by a loud banging and that had nearly sent Sage into a panic.

When she finally managed to fall asleep close to dawn, it wasn’t long after that her parents came barging into her room. Accusations flew, and the insults being hurled had her in tears.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered for what felt like the hundredth time and likely was.

“How could you bring that heathen to our home, Sage?” The censure in her mother’s voice had her cowering back into the bed.

“I didn’t know he was coming. It’s not as if I had access to a telephone being locked away in my room for days.” Her resolve to be stronger, to fight back, was rearing its head.

“Don’t you dare talk back,” her father warned. “We’ll discuss your disobedience and punishment once we’re home.”

Pure terror froze her body. She couldn’t go back. Morgan would likely beat her to within an inch of her life. She didn’t want that.

Clearing her throat, she tried to speak. “I won’t go back.” Her words were so low, she didn’t think anyone had heard her.

“You’ll do as I say.”

Before Sage could respond, a nurse came through the door. “Sorry for the interruption. It’s time for Sage’s medication and vitals check.” The woman was oblivious to the tension in the room, or she was good at ignoring it.

“Where’s the doctor? I’d like to get her signed out of here as quick as possible.” Watching her father stand superior to the nurse who brushed him off, had her inching back again.

“I’m sorry, that’s not possible.” She didn’t even turn to look at him. “Sage has a nasty infection, her heart rate is still low, and her wounds need to heal in a sterile environment.” Relief relaxed her tense muscles.

“You misunderstand. Sage is coming home today.” Gideon’s voice was overpowering, frightening Sage.

The nurse turned to look at him. “I understand your worry.” Sage couldn’t stop the cough lodged in her throat at the absurdity of that statement. “However, Sage still needs medical care. She will remain here for at least another week.”

“No.” He refused to listen.

“If she leaves, she could very well die.” The nurse was shocked by her parents. It wasn’t the first time in recent weeks Sage had seen that reaction to them.

“Then so be it. If my child is to die, it will be God’s will. No medicine will halt what He wants.” Disbelief rattled Sage. He spoke of her dying like it was no big deal.

“Being that Sage is under eighteen, I can, and will, get a court order mandating she stays until she’s healed or eighteen, whichever happens first.”

Her father was turning red in the face, and his eyes got that cold look in them before he did something genuinely disheartening.

“I’ll charge you personally with forcible confinement and kidnapping,” he snapped.

“And the state will charge you with child endangerment and medical neglect,” she shot back.