Craving Rose (The Aces' Sons 5)

“Agreed,” Will said.

“Round the clock guards on my girls?” I said, finally giving up and laying my head back on the pillow. “I’m awake,” I said as I closed my eyes. “Just takin’ a break.”

“Do whatcha need to,” Dragon said in understanding.

“Round him up,” I said, curling my good hand into a fist. It was infuriating that I couldn’t run the bastard to ground myself, but I wasn’t going to be in any shape to do that for a long ass time, and my woman needed to be safe now. She’d never be safe while Copper lived. Sick fuck. “Let Grease do it. Then burn the fucker.”

“That was oddly nonspecific,” Will said in amusement.

I opened my eyes to look at him. “I’m flat on my back, here,” I replied flatly. “Your pop’ll get the job done the way I would.”

“Fair enough,” Dragon said, getting to his feet. “We’ll let you know when it’s finished.”

“Appreciate it,” I murmured, closing my eyes again. “Tell the nurse to send in some pain meds, yeah?”

“Pussy,” Will joked.

I curled my fingers down, but didn’t even bother lifting my hand as I flipped him off. Then it was lights out. Even the pain radiating through my body wasn’t enough to keep me awake.

* * *

My hospital stay was a blur of visits from Rose, Kara, my parents, and nearly every brother and old lady in the club. I was rarely alone once I was moved out of ICU, and when I was, it wasn’t ever for long. Police came and left when they realized I wasn’t going to say anything about how I’d gotten there or who had attacked me. I had so many wounds, there wasn’t any way to prove that I remembered a damn thing. Eventually, they gave up.

Rose slowly lost the exhausted, hollow look around her eyes. We didn’t talk about our time in the basement, but I knew we’d have to at some point. That shit would fester if we didn’t talk it out, and I wasn’t going to let that happen.

God, I loved her. Any doubts I’d had disappeared. The knots I used to get in my gut when I saw her mothering Kara were completely gone. She wasn’t going anywhere, and I knew with absolute certainty that it didn’t matter what happened between us—even if I fucked up big and she left me—she’d never leave my kid.

Rose slept at the hospital most nights, even though I told her over and over to go home and get some sleep in a real bed. It seemed that I wasn’t very intimidating when I couldn’t even get out of bed to piss without help. I wasn’t sure how she did it, but by the time I was cleared to go home, Rose was completely moved into my house. We hadn’t discussed it, but I wasn’t going to complain. She was exactly where I wanted her.

“What the fuck?” I asked as we stepped through the front door.

“You’re not good on stairs yet,” she said, following me in. “So I did a little rearranging.”

“There are three steps between the upstairs and downstairs,” I stated flatly. The house was split-level, it wasn’t like I had to crawl up a flight of stairs.

“I had the boys bring the couch to our room,” she said, moving around me to put my bag on the edge of the bed. “So Kara can watch TV in there.”

“Maybe I want to watch TV in the living room,” I said stubbornly.

“Then it’s good I brought the smaller TV down here,” she replied, unruffled.

“You’re forgetting that I have to use the steps to get to the bathroom,” I said smugly.

“Bedpan,” she said easily.

“Not ever fucking happening,” I snapped.

Rose burst out laughing. “You can pee off the back porch,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “You only poop once a day, before your shower in the morning, so that’s not an issue. I’ll just help you up there and leave you to it.”

I sputtered.

“What?” she asked innocently. “Was I not supposed to know that you pooped?”

I stood there dumbly, absolutely without words.

“Everybody poops,” she whispered, like she was letting me in on a secret.

“This is my life now, isn’t it?” I asked as she laughed.

“Yep,” she said. “Get used to it.”

“How are we supposed to get down when our bed’s in the fuckin’ livin’ room?” I asked, following her into the kitchen. Jesus, I hated the cane I had to use until I was done with physical therapy. Every thump against the floor grated on my nerves and I felt unsteady as hell using my left hand. My right hadn’t needed surgery, but I still couldn’t use it for much.

“I’ll fuck you once you’re healed enough to get up the stairs,” Rose replied with a shrug.

I automatically turned toward the stairs. I could get up those motherfuckers no problem. I’d crawl if I had to.