Prodigal Son(64)

Chapter 29


Luke


I watched as her eyelids fluttered, and I breathed a sigh of relief to see her blue eyes, unfocused and confused at first, but clearing as she saw my face and started to smile, stopping as the pain kicked in.

“Wh … where am I?” she croaked, confused.

“You’re in the emergency room. You’re going to be just fine.”

“He hit me,” Krystal said, clearly remembering the events of the evening.

“Sure did. Angel told everyone that you’d stopped him from hurting her, and when I got around to the side of the house, Bug was gone, and you were lying on the grass, out cold.”

Krystal put her hand to her jaw. “Jesus, it hurts.”

I reached down and carefully brushed her hair back from her face. “I’m sure it did. Bug’s a pretty strong guy, and he clearly didn’t hold back.”

“Where is he?”

“Don’t know. We didn’t call the police. Joker didn’t think it was a good idea. He said that Bug has a house full of knives and guns, and he was afraid that it would look bad for the MC.”

Krystal grimaced. “Sounds like Joker. Taking up for his brothers above all else.”

“A month ago, I’d have insisted on calling the cops, but not today. If I ever lay eyes on Bug again, he’ll be sorry he was ever born, and if he so much as thinks about touching you again, I’ll kill him.”

Krystal looked worried, and she tried to sit up. I gently pressed her shoulder back down onto the hospital bed.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere, and you’re safe. I’m in no hurry to sort things out with Bug. His day of reckoning will come, and I won’t have to do a single thing to make it happen.”

Krystal seemed to relax a little, and she looked up at me with the tiniest of smiles. “I’m glad you’re here, Luke.”

“Nowhere else I’d rather be.” I moved from the bedside chair to sit on the edge of her bed. “Krystal, I meant what I said earlier today. We are meant to be together. You’re mine, and I’ve learned how and when to protect what’s mine. Baby, no one is ever going to hurt you like he did, not if I can stop it.”

“Luke, I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. I don’t need someone to fight my battles for me.”

“Krystal, you may not need it, but you’ve got it. I did a lot of thinking on the road, and I know what I want. I want to be a Savage Son, and I want you. That’s it. It’s that simple. And I’m not the kind of guy who’s going to wait around and hope that I get what I want. Not anymore. I want you, and I’m gonna have you.”

“You know what’s funny, Luke?” Krystal asked. “I had just — right before he knocked me out — decided that I was going to leave Bug once and for all. It had nothing to do with you, either, but it was a decision I had to make for myself.”

Krystal stopped talking as the physician’s assistant came in the door.

“Ah,” he said, seeing that his patient was awake. “Krystal, nice to have you awake and alert. How’re you feeling?”

I stood up and got out of the way so that the man could examine Krystal, check her responses, and assess whether she was thinking clearly. He told her that there was — surprisingly — little chance that she had a concussion, and that their x-rays had shown not a single broken bone. He looked at me before he continued, and I noticed some hostility in his gaze.

“Krystal, I know this wasn’t the result of an accident. Is there anything we need to know about how you were injured? Anyone we should talk to?”

I could see him inclining his head toward me, and I realized that he thought that I might have hit her. Before I could say a word, though, Krystal spoke up.

“I get what you’re asking. My ex-boyfriend hit me, and Luke is just cleaning up the mess. I don’t want to press charges, and don’t want to talk to the cops. I’m sure it won’t happen again.”

“You know, we don’t usually see women in here just once for domestic violence, Krystal. You’ll be safer if you press charges and get a restraining order.”

“No need. Luke will keep me safe, and if I see my ex around again, I’ll call the cops right away. That make you feel better?”

“I guess that’s the best we’re going to get, isn’t it?” he asked, not convinced in the least, but resigned to her right to make her own decision.

I finally stepped forward. “She’ll be fine, and we appreciate your taking such good care of her.”

He nodded and turned back to Krystal. “As long as you’re feeling okay, we’ll go ahead and get started on your discharge paperwork.” He looked at his watch. “I’m afraid you’ll miss most of the fireworks, but at least we’ll get you home in a couple of hours or so.”