Eight
Doc
“Oh God, it feels so good to be out of the hospital. I commend you and Monroe for doing what you do, but the smell of a hospital is not something I ever enjoyed.” Once I saw Monroe to her car and watched her taillights disappear, I called Shovel. He gave me not any amount of good news. It was to be expected, honestly. This Brad dude is much like any other abuser. Her clothes, shoes, framed pictures, furniture, it was all ruined. ‘Sliced and diced’ were the words Shovel used. Persephone was ranting and raving, basically screaming the apartment down because she was so pissed for Fallon. The woman has really come out of her shell since she’s been with Shovel.
“Don’t blame you. It’s not the type of smell I’d like on me permanently either.” Fallon is moving slowly through my room at the clubhouse. I’ve given her time to shower, biting my tongue, wanting to help her. I’ve seen the bruises, the gingerly way she’s moving around, and then, of course, there’s the fainting bit that had my ass glued to the door in case she fell. Now she’s wearing one of my shirts with the leggings Monroe bought her while towel-drying her hair.
“You’re not telling me something. I can feel it.” Fallon gets to the point. When I got back to her hospital room, needing a few minutes to seethe through my anger, she was fast asleep. It was then her parents and I talked. I let them know Fallon has been on my radar for a couple of months, but I could tell she wasn’t ready for anything, so I never pushed, worked on just being her friend. But once I got the call she was attacked, I made my intentions clear with the club. Then her parents. And now it’ll be with Fallon, even as I deliver news that will no doubt piss her off.
“You could say that. You wanna sit down?” I suggest.
“It’s not like I didn’t know what he was going to do. If it weren’t for Rage, he probably would have killed me. I tried to protect myself as much as I could, but he’s bigger than me, and yeah, I thought I was safe, parking near a streetlight. I had my keys out. I just didn’t see any of this coming. You don’t even have to tell me that my place was destroyed. If you can take me there tomorrow or later this week, I’ll see about what I’ll have to pay the landlord for damages, maybe see if he at least didn’t get into my safe.” Fuck, this woman has been through the wringer.
“I can do that, but I’m also going to have you call your attorney first thing in the morning. You might want to fire them. Not sure what she was thinking of not putting an order of protection on you with those files. I’m ninety percent sure that’s how Brad found you. It wasn’t anything you could have prevented when your own attorney fucked shit up.” I watch as she drops down onto the foot of my bed. My hip is leaning against the edge of the dresser.
“Christ on a cracker, do you know what I spent on that attorney? And she just sold me out, knowing my situation, because I told both her and the paralegal at her firm.” I watch as she lets out a deep breath, then flops as much as she can until she’s lying on her back, staring at the ceiling.
“We’ll get you new clothes. The club has an attorney on retainer. His name is Max. I’ve put in a call to him already, and we’ll work on your old lawyer next. I’m sure Max will have no problem helping you get some of the money back from yours since they fucked up. Right now, it’s time for you to climb on up in bed, take your medicine, and get some sleep.” Truth be told, the second she passes out, I’ll be right beside her doing the same thing.
“Fine. Where are you sleeping, since I’m in here?” she asks, but I see the smirk on her face. Fallon knows damn well where I’ll be sleeping, with my body wrapped around hers like it’s been longing for, for too damn long.
“Next to you.” I move away from the dresser, taking my shirt off with one hand, stepping out of my boots, and her eyes don’t leave my body as she moves on the bed until she’s under the covers.
“Fine, but I’m paying for the attorney, and don’t expect me to cuddle.” There’s a mischievous tone in her voice.
“Whatever you say. The attorney bit, you’ll have to take up with Shovel, and good luck with that.” I grab a bottle of water from the small fridge I keep in my room, opening it, then head to her medicine on the nightstand, handing them to her, watching as she takes them.