Everyone’s head spun toward the door. Chelle’s hair was a mess, her face make-up free and she wore yoga pants under an oversized sweatshirt.
To Shade, she never looked more fucking beautiful.
“He’ll need bedrest,” Trip told her. “For at least a few days anyway, but even after that he still needs to keep off that leg for a coupla weeks.”
“He can do that at my house,” Chelle said firmly.
“Your girls,” Shade reminded her as she moved closer to the bed, nudging Sig out of the way. Her daughters didn’t have any clue that they’d been spending more time together other than on the weekends when they were painting.
“They’ll want to help,” she told him matter-of-factly.
“Chelle, they don’t know.”
She shrugged. “They still don’t have to know. I’ll have your brothers set you up in my spare bedroom.” She glanced around the room, her gaze landing on each one of them.
“They’re gonna wonder why you’re takin’ care of me.”
“And I’m going to tell them the truth: because I want to. I’ll also tell them the sooner you’re healed up, the sooner we can get back to painting.”
“Paintin’,” Sig said on a snort.
Christ, she had an answer for everything. She walked into that room and took control. That was hot as fuck.
“If I had to choose, Chelle’s a lot better nurse than,” Sig swallowed what he was going to say and finished with, “one of the prospects.”
That was for fucking sure. Better than even one of the sweet butts. But he couldn’t put her out like that. “Chelle—”
“Now that I see you’re alive and acting stubborn as hell, I’ll head back home to get things set up. Bring him over to my house.” She gave Trip a look. “My house. If you don’t bring him there, I’m coming to find him. This isn’t negotiable. Did you hear me?”
Shade wasn’t the only one being stubborn in that room.
Judge turned away and Trip dropped his head. When the Fury prez lifted it again, his eyes were crinkled at the corners and he was struggling to keep a straight face. “Yeah, woman, we hear you.” He finally smirked. “Gonna go out and update everyone.”
“Everyone who?” Shade asked.
“Everyone,” Trip repeated, but more slowly. “Everybody wanted to be here who could be. Includin’ Mashed Potatoes and Puss Sack.”
Sig hooted. “Kinda likin’ those names better than the ones I picked.”
Chelle frowned. “Are those road names?”
“Nah,” Trip answered with a grin.
“Tater Tot and Possum are our prospects. Trip just likes to bust their balls,” Judge explained.
“Wait. They got balls?” Trip asked. “Pretty sure they both got vages. Big bushy ones.”
With that, Trip walked out. Judge followed him with a deep chuckle and a shake of his head.
Both Shade and Chelle turned their attention to Sig who still stood there watching the two of them.
“Wanna give us a minute?” Shade asked him, annoyed the VP was eyeballing Chelle.
Though, it seemed more out of curiosity than anything else. Sig wouldn’t do Autumn wrong even by simply eyeing up another woman. He only had eyes for her and normally used them to keep a close watch on her, too.
“Will give you more than one.” He headed toward the door, but before he stepped out, he glanced back over his shoulder. “Got yourself a fuckin’ MILF there, brother. Good for you.” Then the asshole winked at Chelle.
He was probably just getting him back for the night Red curled up with Shade on the bus bench.
Chelle stared at the now closed door for a second then slowly turned back to Shade, her cheeks still a bit pink. “I’m a MILF?”
“Haven’t looked in the mirror?”
“I never thought of myself like that.”
“Wear that badge proudly, beautiful. You earned it.”
She sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed his hand without the IV, bringing it to her lips.
“Chelle...”
“I was really scared for you,” she whispered. Her confession came out shakily and he could see her emotions starting to bubble to the surface. “I think my heart stopped when Cassie called me, but I’m grateful she did.”
He gripped her hand tighter and pulled it to his chest. “Chelle, don’t gotta take care of me. Don’t wanna put that on you.”
“I don’t want anyone else taking care of you but me.” The shake was quickly gone from her voice and her emotions hidden.
“Chelle—”
“I don’t want to argue about it.”
Well, fuck. “You got work.”
“I have the rest of the weekend and the girls will help. Between the three of us, we got you covered until next week. By then you should feel a little better and I have a set of crutches from when Maddie broke her leg when she was fifteen. You can use those once you’re allowed to be up and about since you’re supposed to keep your weight off your leg. And like Trip said, no riding your motorcycle. Between my vehicle and the girls’ we got you covered to haul you around, if needed, or I’m sure one of your brothers can in a pinch. Hopefully, it’ll only be a couple of weeks.”