Snake's Addiction(11)
“I’m not going anywhere without seeing you.”
“Would you like me to go and see him?” Snake asked. “I could take Jessica. She could give me a rundown of all that shit. Take a photo if I’m allowed.”
“Would you do that?” Judi asked, smiling. “I would really like to see him again.”
“I’ll go and do it now.”
“Thank you.”
Leaving the room, Snake went to grab Jessica. She was reading a book when he entered the waiting room.
“Are you done?”
“No, I need you to take me to the neonatal unit. Judi wants a picture of her kid.”
“Snake, I don’t think they allow—”
“I’ve gotten their permission. Judi needs to see her son. Please.” He wasn’t beyond begging for Judi.
“Okay, okay, I’ll help.” She got to her feet, taking his hand. They walked toward the doors. He moved behind her, following her. Ripper was exiting the room as they walked in.
“I thought you weren’t going to see him,” Snake said. The sound of screaming babies hit him hard.
“I can’t see him, but I had to sign your names down. I’m going back to my woman.” Ripper was gone before he could say anything more.
“It must be hard for him.”
“I don’t think it is. He’s feeling guilty.”
“How do you know?” Jessica asked.
“I know Ripper, and I know what he’s feeling. At the moment he’s angry at the baby for putting his woman at risk.”
“But that’s stupid,” Jessica said.
“Is it? Judi’s the love of Ripper’s life. He risked everything for her, and now he almost lost her. Ripper can’t go and see his kid until the anger goes.” Snake signed himself into the room, nodding at the woman. The nurse showed them toward Ripper’s kid. He was in an incubator, hooked up to a machine.
The sight made any anger Snake had disappear. This little guy was going to be loved by the whole club.
“How can anyone be angry at him?” Jessica asked.
“It’s not directed at him,” Snake said, trying to amend his earlier comment. “It’s what he could have done.” Pressing his fingers to the glass, he let out a breath. “He’s so small.”
“He’s ten weeks early. It’s going to be hard couple of weeks, if not months.”
“Damn, I didn’t think he’d be that small.”
“What did you think? He’d be a grown assed man so you could beat him up for hurting Judi?”
“No, I didn’t.” He turned to look at Jessica. Tears were shining in her eyes. “What is it?”
“Nothing. I just, I hate seeing babies like this.”
Snake didn’t like the way he felt from witnessing her upset. Women crying usually pissed him off, and he wanted out of their lives. This wasn’t the case with Jessica. Gripping the back of her neck, he pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “It’s okay.”
“He’s so little.”
“Yeah, he is. He’ll be big soon. Can I take a photo of him?” Snake asked. He didn’t want to let go of her.
“Providing you don’t get anyone else or other babies, you should be fine.”
He pulled out his cell phone. Accessing the camera, he took several shots. His heart broke for the little baby hooked up to machines. When he was done, he took her hand, leading her away.
“Come with me. I just want to show Judi these shots.”
They made their way out of the neonatal unit. “Do you think I should go up there?”
“Yes. You’re coming with me.”
He didn’t let her go as they made their way up to her room. Spider and Dime were inside the room this time.
“I’ve got the pictures.” He released Jessica long enough to hand Judi his phone.
****
“He’s so beautiful,” Judi said, smiling down at the phone. Jessica watched the young mother, wishing with all of her heart nothing went wrong. This was the one day where she left work early and now she was back because she couldn’t stay away. Lydia wasn’t answering her phone, and when she wasn’t answering her phone, Jessica didn’t know why she should steer clear of Snake.
“Take the phone,” Snake said.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, you look at that little guy.”
“Ripper, you’ve got to go and see him.”
Jessica couldn’t stay to watch anymore. It broke her heart. This was why she stayed with her emergency room, handling cases that were fleeting, not cases like Judi.
“Jessica, wait up!”
She kept walking, needing to get out in the fresh air. The brothers didn’t look up as she made to pass them. Only Snake calling her name followed her. She grabbed keys out of her back pocket determined to get out of the hospital. There was no way she was going to fall for his tricks. She was done with this shit. She didn’t want to fall for a biker, a man whore biker.