“There. Call her that until she wakes the fuck up.”
Honey Badger looks over the doc’s shoulder and smiles proudly as the guy reads it, too. After a long beat, he does the decent thing. “I’ll have them change it in the system. We’ll print out a new one.”
Turning to her, I take a seat, pick up her hand and firmly tell the room, “Go.”
One after the other, they file out.
Scratch is the last one, and he walks over to pat my shoulder. “Call.”
I nod and wait until the door closes behind him.
“Sunshine, if you can hear me, you did good back there tonight. You did it. It’s over.” A lump tightens in my throat. “If you have to go now, I understand. You deserve to have whatever you want, but…I want you to stay.” Holding her clammy hand to my forehead, I close my eyes.
Jett
For the next few days, I eat here in the room, watching her face and listening to the machine that’s breathing for her. The nurses brought me in a cot to sleep on. Every two hours when they come in, and it’s the same thing. They apologize for waking me and I tell them I wasn’t sleeping.
My brothers check on me during this time. Scratch tells me the story hit the Los Angeles Times: Who Are Your Neighbors Really?
The journalist left out the part about the Ciphers.
Fine by us.
We don’t want publicity.
Let the cops take the win. They sure fucking need one.
On day three, I hear the door open and at the sound of many heavy boots, I glance over to see all four Ciphers have come.
I blink at their determined expressions.
Fuse, Honey Badger and Tonk all cross their arms, and I notice their jackets are clean now. Fuse’s shoulder has the hole in it. He plans to leave it that way.
Scratch stands in front of them. “Time for a fuckin’ shower and some real sleep.”
“No.” I turn back to her.
A great force pulls me up from the chair and I fight off Tonk and Scratch.
“FUCKIN’ PUT ME DOWN!” Despite my exhaustion, I break my right arm free and punch Honey Badger as he moves in from the front to help.
He punches me in the gut and I double over. “JETT, GO TAKE A MOTHERFUCKIN’ SHOWER.”
Panting with Tonk and Scratch holding onto my arms, I glare at them. “What are you, my mothers?”
Fuse levels on me, leaning in. “You smell like shit. If she can smell, you aren’t doin’ her any favors by bein’ here like this.”
I hear the logic. But I don’t like it. Snarling, I tell them, “Let me go.”
“You gonna be a good boy?” Scratch asks.
I cut my eyes to him and see the smile in his.
“Fuck you. Fine.” Releasing me, they throw me my jacket. “Who’s stayin’ with her?”
“I will,” Tonk says. His eyes say I can trust him.
“Fine.” To the room, I growl, “Give me a minute alone with her.” They file out. Fuckin’ assholes.
I’ve been obsessed. Somewhere deep inside I know it, but the thought of leaving her alone is fuckin’ killing me.
But they’re right. I’m a mess. I’m no good to her like this. “Sunshine,” I say as I walk to her side and feel a lump forming in my damn throat. “Remember how I said it was okay to leave? Well, not yet. If you fuckin’ clock out while I’m gone, I will hunt you down in heaven and make you pay for that shit.” I lean over with tears in my eyes. “I mean it. Don’t leave yet. I’ll be back. Tonk’s gonna watch over you. Don’t you fuckin’ leave.” Kissing her cheek, I hold there. It takes every ounce of willpower I have to walk away.
Luna
It feels like I’ve drunk five liters of Jack Daniels. I open my eyes, but nothing is in focus. There is a distant beep, but other than that, silence.
Is this a dream?
Shapes come into focus. A beige rectangle. A black square high above that. A huge white blob to my left.
Am I paralyzed?
Wiggling my toes takes everything I’ve got, but I do feel them moving.
It’s like this fog doesn’t want to leave.
I’m confused. Lost. Bone-weary.
My hand is warm. So are my thighs. They feel heavy as if someone is holding them down.
Am I chained up?
Did Matias’s men drug me?
I have to stay quiet in case they are listening.
If they think they’ve won, they’re wrong.
I will get out of here.
I will never give up.
Something is in my nose. It hurts. The white blur to my left becomes a curtain. I look down and see a bearded man sleeping on my legs. My hand is warm because his is. Our fingers are entwined. He looks familiar.
He looks like…
Oh…
I remember now.
I snuck into the mansion thinking I was being so sly. But they were watching me, acting like they didn’t see me coming. They tied me up. He sneered and wondered aloud what he should do to me. His bodyguards had waited, enjoying it.