“See, and that’s why Colt’s in New York right now trying to square everything away with Rafe and Nick. He wants to make sure that you’re not in any danger. From here on out, you and this baby are his top priority. And, of course, I’m going to be the coolest uncle ever.” He just kept on rambling, and didn’t notice he’d done exactly what I was hoping for, spilling the beans on my man.

  When he did notice, he nearly choked. “Shit! You didn’t happen to catch all that, did you?”

  “I’ve had a good time with you and all in his stead, but that doesn’t stop me from being pissed. How could you?” I demanded an answer. “I asked you repeatedly and you kept telling me I had nothing to worry about. But I knew better. He wouldn’t just leave me in a hospital like this. And you haven’t left my side, but to go home and shower. Damn it, Damon, you knew! Why didn’t you say anything before now?”

  “Because I told him not to,” Colt’s voice both startled me and filled me with immense joy. I nearly hopped out of bed and threw myself in his arms. “Colt!” My voice was filled with emotion and love. Lots of love for the man I’d missed.

  Colt made his way over to my bedside and held onto my hand. “Don’t be mad at Damon. I told him not to say anything.”

  “Well then I guess I’m mad at you. Why would you do something so stupid, so reckless?”

  Colt kissed the top of my forehead then. “Because you’d been through enough and I didn’t want to add any more stress to that.”

  “Plus I told you not to.”

  “And that.” Then he continued, “But, baby, he needed to answer for what he’d done. And he did. In fact, it’s all over. I didn’t even have to do anything. Easton charged them his morning. It turned out once I let him in on what happened, he pulled a few strings, manipulated Nick’s receptionist, who also knew what was going on and being put through hell, just not as bad as you were. Anyway, they’re both behind bars and she’s been relocated for now.”

  “What?” I was shocked and relieved all at the same time.

  “That’s great, man, I’m glad it all worked out,” Damon said.

  Colt grinned. “Thanks. I’m just glad Scar’s safe, and she will be for as long as I’m on this earth.”

  I smiled and could hardly see through the curtain of tears welling in my eyes. “Colt, the situation could’ve been a lot worse.”

  “But, like you told me, it wasn’t.”

  To hell with him for throwing my words back in my face. The big goof that he was, I just wanted him to be safe. He put himself in harm’s way. And the reason he did it was noble, of course. But that didn’t change the fact that he did it. And I could’ve lost him. I swatted his arm, that wonderfully muscular arm I loved so much. “What were you thinking?”

  Colt quirked a brow. “I was thinking you and I are starting a family and I wanted to make sure the threat was over. That this entire shit was put to bed. For good.”

  I softened my facial expression. “I know you were looking out for me, but did you ever think for one second that I don’t want to lose you, either?” The thought of it made my stomach churn and I was reaching for the trash can again.

  Colt helped me out and lifted it to me, Damon rushing behind me and holding my hair back as I puked again. When I was done, Damon backed off and Colt put the trash can back on the floor. “Pregnancy?” Colt asked.

  “Guess so,” Damon replied and shrugged.

  “Maybe it’s all the pills, too,” I added. “You know, maybe they’re getting to me.”

  Colt breathed outwardly. “Yeah, well, you need them.” Then his eyes darted over to the board that read my goals for the day. Every morning the nurse had me share my goals for the day and placed them on this board with smiley faces.

  “Managing pain,” Colt read my goal for the day aloud. He winced as though he could feel the pain. “Damon texted they were discharging you today.”

  I shrugged. “I’m happy about that, but I’m also scared.”

  He looked confused. “Scared of what?”

  I began to tear up. “Colt, I’m battered and bruised. I’m in pain constantly or drugged to not feel the pain. I’m not the same woman as I was when I left your place that morning.”

  He chuckled lightly. “Baby, you’re the same woman, just with some battle wounds, that’s all. You’ll be as good as new in no time. And the best thing for you is to come home and let me dote on you.”

  “Oh, and no cheeseburgers,” Damon said, poking Colt’s back.

  Colt shot him a raised eyebrow look. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  I explained, “The smell of the meat makes me sick.”

  “And maybe keep some pickles in the house,” Damon continued. “I didn’t realize it until now, but she’s going to have cravings.”

  “And pickles are the solution?” Colt inquired, still observing his brother closely.

  Damon held up his hands. “Hey, that’s what Mom gnawed on with you.”

  “You’re so weird,” Colt said, and I couldn’t help but laugh at them.

  Damon stepped toward the door then. “Well, now that you’re back, I’m going to go. If that’s all right with you,” he said, looking at me.

  I nodded.

  “Good, then, I’ll stop by your place soon and check on you, Scarlet.” He added, “Oh, and Mom prepared meals for the next week, so it’s either already waiting for you at the house, or she’ll drop by later.”

  “Probably the latter,” Colt said and Damon agreed.

  I squeezed Colt’s hand.

  “All right, bye, Scarlet. Feel better.”

  I waved as he left the room and it was just Colt and I. “Now, I was thinking,” I began. “I know I’m in pain, but does anything heal better than physical touch?” I licked my bottom lip and could feel my body flush.

  Colt harrumphed. “That’s what you’re thinking about?”

  I slapped the sheets on the bed. “Oh, come on, tell me you haven’t missed this?” I leaned over and trailed kisses along his jawline.

  Colt brought my hand to his mouth then and kissed me. “You know, when I was putting together a bag of clothes for you before I left, I found something very interesting.”

  I rolled my eyes, knowing full well what he was talking about. “Please, you thought that was mine.”

  “It’s in your drawer.”

  “It’s not mine.”

  “Whose is it then?”

  “Okay, so it’s mine. Brooke bought it for my last birthday.”

  Just then the nurse walked in with her clipboard. “Hello again,” she greeted me. “Mr. Ryder.” She pulled out papers and handed them over. “You can be discharged after you fill out these papers. We scheduled a routine follow-up with your orthopedist in two weeks. Remember to use your crutches so you don’t bear weight on your ankle. At your check-up he’ll tell you how it’s healing. And you’ll need to see your OB-GYN soon and no sex for another two days,” she said, eyeing us closely.

  “Absolutely,” I promised.

  She nodded. “I’ll leave you to it then.”

  I nodded and looked at the love of my life. “And I’ll be updating all my emergency contacts at those appointments. To you,” I clarified when he didn’t seem to understand what I was saying. “Once Brandon died, I had to make someone else my contact and Brooke was the closest thing I had to family, but now that’s you, so it just makes sense.”

  He smiled. “You have no idea how much this means to me. That you trust me enough. That you love me enough.”

  I tried to lighten the mood. “Colt, it’s just an emergency contact.”

  “It’s more than that,” he insisted. “I love you, Scar.”

  “I love you, too,” I said.

  He helped me out of bed and to the bathroom where I tried getting dressed on my own, failed, and he had to help me the rest of the way. Then he filled out the discharge paperwork and I couldn’t have been happier. “I can’t believe I’m getting the hell out of here finally,” I said.

  He replied with a soft kiss on my swollen lips. “Well, believe it because I’m taking you home with me and never leaving your side again.”

  “You promise?” I said, melting into his arms.

  “I promise.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Colton

  Before driving Scarlet home, I should’ve thought of her crutches and made proper accommodations. I didn’t even think of the fact that she wouldn’t be able to walk up the stairs to get to the bedroom. The few stairs to the door also didn’t cross my mind. Honestly, I was just so happy to have her home with me.

  As she unbuckled her seatbelt, I brought her crutches from the backseat to her side. When I opened the door, I was met by a scowling Scarlet. “I’m not a child, Colt.”

  “I know that,” I guaranteed her. “I just want to take care of you, okay? Let me take care of you.”

  Scarlet sighed and brushed a loose strand of hair from her eyes. “Okay, if that’s what you need to do, then I’m not going to stop you. But, please, I don’t need you fussing over me. Just pretend like it never happened.”

  I swallowed hard. That was easier said than done. “That’s not an easy thing to ask me.”

  “I know it isn’t.” She tried to reach me, so I met her halfway and she brushed a light kiss on my lips. “Thank you, Colt.”

  She struggled getting out of the car and I so badly wanted to rush over and help her, lift her into my arms, but I resisted thanks to her warning. She hoisted herself up and took her crutches from me, tucking them under her arms. Suddenly, it looked like she’d run a marathon. “You’d never think of how much effort it takes to do the simple things.”

  The words cut through me like a knife. Scarlet should be able to do any and everything she wanted to do. “Come on,” I said, as I let her lean into me for added support. “I got you.”

  She grinned then. As much as she didn’t want all the fuss and help, she needed it. And I wasn’t going to make her beg for it. If the roles were reversed, she’d do the same for me. And I was as stubborn as they came when it came to accepting help.

  I helped her up the stairs, one-by-one, and then moved my arm in the front to open the door for her. Neither of us spoke and she didn’t need to keep thanking me. The silence spoke volumes. I was pained by the fact that she couldn’t do these things on her own for the moment and she was obviously sickened by it, too. She was putting on a brave face, though.

  “I’ll just sleep on the couch,” she said once inside.

  I shook my head. “No, I have an idea for that, too.”

  “Yeah, and what’s that?” She sounded like a balloon that was deflated as she asked the question.

  I didn’t want her to feel like it was hopeless, so I smiled and said, “How about I just show you?”

  I picked her up and held her in my arms, letting the crutches fall and clatter to the floor. “Are you crazy?” she asked, stretching her leg out.

  She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and I muttered, “I got you, baby. I’m not going to drop you.”

  “I know. I guess I’m just scared, that’s all. I feel like an egg, that if I crack anymore I’ll break completely.”

  The cracking in her voice as she spoke made my stomach churn. “Don’t worry about that, because it’s not going to happen.”

  “I trust you, Colt,” she said, as though she needed to hear the words more than I did.

  I kissed her then. “I know you do.”

  She smiled. “I’m a little sleepy, though, so you can probably just put me on the bed.”

  “You don’t want to try to shower?”

  She shook her head, profusely. “It’s going to be too hard, Colt. They said I can’t wet the cast.”

  “Yeah, but they also gave us this bag,” I said, eyeing the door where I dropped a bag with her clothes from the accident and the bag they gave me before leaving the hospital. It was supposed to go over the cast so that it didn’t get wet in the shower. “If you want to shower, we can do this. I promise.”

  I knew she trusted me, but it was like she didn’t trust herself. She was a lot stronger than she felt right now. I knew that and deep down she knew it, too. “Do you want to?” I inquired, still holding her.

  Scarlet nodded. “Sure, but if it doesn’t work, we give up, okay? Sponge baths aren’t the worst, I guess.”

  I didn’t like to give up, Lord knew, but if that was what she wanted, then that was what we’d do. “You just say the word if you feel like it’s not working, and I’ll pick you up, dry you off, and get you the hell out of there, okay?”

  “No,” she immediately responded and shook her head. “Colt, that’s embarrassing. I want to shower myself.”

  “Come on, baby, I’ve seen everything before.”

  She cringed. “I look like I was attacked by an animal on some parts of my body. Believe me, you haven’t seen it all. And I don’t want you to.”

  I nodded. “Okay, if you’re this adamant about it. I’ll just be right outside the shower if you need anything, okay?”

  “Okay,” she replied.

  I carried her up the stairs and to the en suite bathroom. When I put her down to sit on the top of the toilet, she just sighed. “Turn around,” she ordered and I did as she asked.

  I could hear her groaning as she took off her shirt, threw it on the floor, then came her bra. “I’m going to go get that bag,” I said, remembering it was still downstairs.

  When she didn’t answer, I went down and got it. “Fuck,” I heard her say and immediately ran back up the stairs with the bag in hand.

  “What? What’s wrong?” Without thinking, I just barged in and she threw me a look as she tried covering herself with the shirt she had crumpled on the floor previously.

  “Sorry,” I quipped.

  Tears were welling in her eyes and the quick glimpse I caught of her I did see what she was talking about. It was the airbag that caused most of the bruising, but it was brown and there was a still that gash on her collarbone that looked like it hurt badly. They’d treated it, but it needed nothing more than time at this point. Truthfully, even though I kissed her as many times as I had, I hadn’t really kissed her, fearful it would hurt. Her lip still had a cut through it and was swollen. It looked like somebody punched her squarely in the mouth.

  I handed her the bag from behind me. “Here, Scar, you can do it yourself.”

  “Thank you,” she cried. “Why don’t you wait outside? I’ll call you if I need you.”

  “No, Scar, I don’t want to leave you.”

  “Colt, I’m begging you.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She answered lowly, “No.”

  “I’ll stay. I promise you can do this.”

  I heard her turn on the shower then and listened as she squirted shampoo in her hand, then the loud sound of her squeezing out her hair and the soap hitting the floor of the shower. She didn’t groan nearly as much, which made it more bearable. But then a loud shriek came out and it took everything in me not to peel back the curtain and jump in there with her. “What’s wrong?” I asked instead.

  “Maybe you can just wash my back for me?” she asked, her voice shaky.

  “Of course.”

  I opened the curtain slightly and grabbed the soap from her. I began washing her back and watched as she relaxed beneath my hands. When I was done, I tapped her shoulder to pass the soap back. Instead, though, she turned around and bared herself to me. “I don’t want to hide anything from you, Colt.”

  I reassured her, “I don’t care how many bruises you have, Scar. You’re still beautiful to me.”

  She chuckled. “It’s that look you give me when you look at me. You make me feel like I’m the most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen.”

  “That’s because you are,” I said.

  Scarlet giggled now and pulled me to her. Our bodies were touching and I could feel my clothes getting soaked by the minute, but none of that mattered because she wrapped her wet arms around my neck and kissed me. I helped hold her up while she parted her lips for me to enter and gave me everything she had in that one kiss. Our tongues were in perfect harmony and, for the first time, I could tell she was her old self again. She wasn’t thinking about being self-conscious or afraid, just giving herself to me. Fully. Completely.

  When the kiss ended, I just looked into her beautiful eyes. “You should get done in here. You don’t want to stand on your good leg for too long, either.”

  When she was done, she let me pick her up again and carry her to the bed where I plopped her down. She was still wrapped in the shower towel, one wrapped around her hair, too. “You know, I’m wide awake now.”

  I saw the wicked look in her eye and only harrumphed. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  She giggled and wiggled her toes on her good foot. “Come on, Colt, don’t tell me you’re not up for it.” Her eyes roamed to the belt buckle on my jeans.

  I combed my hands through my hair and backed up. “It’s just two more days, that’s nothing,” I reminded her firmly and turned away. “You’re going to be the death of me, you know that?”

  “So, you don’t want to be with me?” She pouted, knowing full well that was all I wanted.

  “I don’t want to push it, Scar.”

  She gave up then and took the towel off her head first. “Fine. Can you get me my PJs then? They’re in the top drawer.”

  I went to retrieve them and passed them to her. “Thanks,” she said, taking them. “Also, turns out Damon was right. I’m craving pickles. You got any?”

  “You know we do.”

  She licked her lips. “Great, I’ll take one then.”

  “You just want a pickle.”

 

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