CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
JAKE
It has been two excruciatingly long days since my Angel opened her eyes. The doctors said she had multiple injuries. The blood loss from the gunshot wound to her shoulder was a lot. Gabe gave consent to give his blood just in case she needs it.
The doctor said a contusion on her head was the most severe after the gunshot, and although there was no swelling of her brain, she could stay in and out of consciousness for several days. Along with her contusion, she has a couple of cracked ribs, and bruises on her face and arms from the car accident.
Before we found them, she and Thomas were run-off the road and his truck rolled over several times before coming to a stop. Cusenza’s men pulled them from the vehicle and transported them to Baron’s Edge by a cargo jet. By the time we found them, Cusenza was gone. He left a few of his soldiers behind to take care of Thomas and prepare Avery for delivery.
Or so the soldier Vincenzo had a personal chat with explained. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the opportunity to question him before he succumbed to his injuries.
I didn’t fucking care so long as Avery was all right.
Thomas has been moved to our basement with our other guest.
I wonder how he likes his new accommodations? I smile to myself at the thought. Pres promised to hold him until Avery comes home, so Pop and I can have our time alone with him.
Avery’s woken up a few times for several minutes, but she still can’t speak more than one or two words at a time. The nurse said part of it is from the intubation tube they used during surgery. Once she wakes up and gets some fluids in her, it should go away.
They were able to fix most everything, except for the ribs and the bruises which will heal over time. He said she would need to undergo physical therapy and will need help with basic care when she finally gets released to go home. She won’t have any problems when she leaves here because I plan on taking her sweet ass back to my place where she’ll be staying so I can take care of her.
Gabe and Liz have been arguing for the last two days over where she will stay and who could take better care of her. I didn’t even put my two cents into the conversation. I decided I’m taking her home and I’m not telling a damn one of them until it’s time to put her in the cage. They can fight all they want, but she’s mine now and no one will be taking care of her but me.
I meant every word I said the other night. I don’t know how she did it, but she wiggled her way into my heart and pieced together parts I didn’t even know were broken inside of me. It’s my turn to keep my promise and do the same. I don’t care if some crazy asshole has marked her. I’m a tattoo artist. We make our money covering up other people’s mistakes. It’s why I’m sitting here in this uncomfortable as all hell chair sketching a design for her as I watch her sleep. I’m going to find a way to make something beautiful out of all that was once broken for her.
A light cough coming from Avery’s bed has Gabe, Liz, and me all on our feet, rushing to her bed. I get to her first, grabbing her hand and gently caress her face with my other. She lightly squeezes my hand and my heart thumps faster against my chest, like it knows its job is to beat for her. Leaning down by her head, I swipe the hair from her face and whisper in her ear, “Good morning, Angel.” She turns her head and for the first time in days, I’m met with the most beautiful green eyes.
“Hi.” She mouths. Her voice is a raspy whisper. “Water.”
Gabe grabs her a cup of water and a straw while I slowly raise her bed, sitting her up. I put the straw in her mouth for her to drink. “Slow baby. You need to go slow.” She nods. “Good girl.” I whisper and give her a wink. She glares at me for a second, probably wishing she could hand me my ass, but quickly changes her mind when Gabe steps in closer to her. I smirk.
“How do you feel, sweetheart?” he asks.
“Sore,” she admits. “Everywhere. And tired.” She lays back into her pillow. I drag my fingers lightly through her hair and she lets out a little moan.
God, how I’ve missed her noises. Even the pissed off versions.
“Not half as sore as you’re going to be when you finally heal up.” Gabe smirks and tells her in a low tone. The look of shock on her face is priceless. I don’t disagree with him, and I’ll be happy to delve out her punishment, but she doesn’t need to think about that just yet.
“What happened?” she asks, glancing between me and Gabe.
She doesn’t remember?
“You were shot, baby girl.” Gabe looks at me. I nod for him to go ahead. “By Eleanor.”
She lets out a long sigh, then turns her face away. Gabe gently brings her chin back. Her eyes are glazed, her bottom lip trembling. The beeping noise speeds up on the machine behind her. “Shit. I’m sorry, honey. Don’t get yourself all worked up. It’s okay. We can talk about all this shit later. You need to focus on getting better.” He wipes the tear from her cheek, then releases her chin and her eyes drift closed again.
“She was going to kill Jake,” Avery says quietly. “He was helping Ethan. When she raised the gun at Jake. I … I …”
“Shhh, baby. It’s okay. It’s over. You did good.” I kiss her head. “Stupid, but good.” She groans her disapproval. I smile, leaning my forehead on hers. “Careful, Angel. You’ve already got a monstrous spanking coming your way, not only for leaving, but for putting yourself in harm’s way. Wouldn’t want to add to it by being rude too, would you?” She moves to turn over, but winces at the pain the movement causes.
Avery’s eyes snap back open. “Where is she?” she asks as the machine’s beeping starts to grow faster.
“She was arrested at the scene.”
“She’s in jail?” Avery’s shoulders relax and I hate that what I’m about to tell her is going to upset her.
“No. She was let go.”
“What do you mean? How?” Her eyes are huge with shock.
“Club business,” Gabe answers in a gruff voice behind me. “All you need to worry about is resting up and getting better.” She studies his face, then nods before closing her eyes with a deep sigh.
There’s a knock on the door and Vincenzo walks in. He has Santiago place a bouquet of flowers on the table near the window. I sit in my seat while he and Avery visit for a few minutes. He keeps the conversation light, talking about Antonio and how he misses her. How he’s found a new love for puzzles. Avery’s smile brings warmth to my chest. I’ve been praying I’d get to see her smile again.
When I saw her lifeless body on the ground, my world stopped on its axis. All I could think of was getting her out of there and to the hospital. The images of Gabe holding Maggie as life slipped from her kept pulling me back to a dark place. The thought of having to let Avery go, after finally getting her to agree to be my forever, felt like a three-hundred-pound weight slowly crushing my chest. I couldn’t let her go. I wouldn’t. I won’t.
Seeing her here, like this, though she’s in pain, is worth every bullet we spent. Vincenzo’s men went back in after we left the warehouse and torched the place.
Cusenza was reported missing and has yet to be found. He and Eleanor are in the wind.
Thomas was taken to the basement, where he and Pop had a thorough conversation. He’s been down there ever since. Gabe reserves the right to hold off making any decisions on his fate until Avery has fully recovered. He’s spent almost as much time as I have here at the hospital. Neither of us sleeping much in these uncomfortable chairs. He wants to get her home, get some rest, and then maybe he’ll decide on his brother’s fate.
A new doctor, a woman, comes in to check on Avery. Gabe and I take a step back, giving her room to work. She isn’t dressed in scrubs like the rest. She looks like she has just come running in from a workout or something. She’s wearing yoga pants and a hoodie under her white lab coat, with her hair up in a messy bun.
“I’m Dr. Emilia D’Angelo. I’ll be overseeing Avery’s care.” She reaches to shake our hands.
“She was awake for a few minutes, but she slipped back to sleep,” I offer.
“Yeah, uh, it’s normal with cases like hers,” she says, as if catching her breath. “She may be in and out for a few days. Her body is working hard to heal itself and the most important part of the process is rest.” She looks down at the chart, makes a few notes, then scans the room.
Parisi looks the woman over from head to toe, his lips curling. “I didn’t know yoga pants were standard issue for hospital attire, but I must say, I think it’s a good choice. Much more flattering than those scrubs,” he says, as his eyes slowly peruse the doctor once more.
She narrows her eyes at him. “They are when you get paged during a yoga class and have to leave to check on a patient who was brought in by a mix of leather-clad and suit wearing thugs with a gunshot wound.” She glares at him, but Parisi makes no move to back down. Instead, he steps into her personal space, getting closer and says, “If you need a lesson in stretching techniques, Gattina, I’d be more than happy to teach you a few things.” She holds his stare, not backing down, but ignores his comment, speaking to the room instead.
“Perhaps since she’s opened her eyes, we could trim down on the number of visitor and guards we have camping out in the waiting area?”
“I’m not leaving,” both me and Gabe say in unison. Just then, Liz walks in, hearing our boisterous decline of the doctor’s request.
With a sweet smile and tender eyes, Liz tells the doctor, “You’ll have to excuse them, dear. My granddaughter here is very special, and as you can see, she has a very large family who cares about her.” Then, turning her burning glare at all of us, she says, “Gabriel. You and Jake stay and keep an eye on our girl. The rest of the men should go home to their families.” She raises an eyebrow at him. He smirks and nods, appeasing the doctor for the moment, knowing good and well the guys won’t leave without his say so.
“Good. That would make some of our other patients and their families feel a little more comfortable,” Dr. D’Angelo states. “I’ll be back to check on her periodically. In the meantime, if you need anything, please let the nurses know.” Parisi makes no move to get out of her way until she glares at him and huffs her breath, rolling her eyes. “Excuse me.” He smirks at her and lets her pass.
“I will leave two of my men. One outside the entrance and one here in the waiting room. They will blend in.” Not likely. “I would feel better if you would accept their presence until Avery is ready to leave the hospital.”
“We appreciate the offer,” Gabe says.
“I’m not asking, Gabriel.” Vincenzo says flatly. “Miss Elizabeth. It was lovely to see you.”
He watches as Liz approaches Avery’s bedside and takes her hand. She’s sniffling as she cups Avery’s hand in hers. Gabe reaches around and hugs his mother’s neck, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
“She’s all right, Ma. She’s going to be okay.” Gabe wraps his arms over Liz’s shoulders, kissing her temple. She sniffles and turns into his chest. He holds her while she sobs. Once she’s done, she pulls back and wipes her face with the back of her hand. “Gabriel? You have to make sure they’ll never be able to hurt her again.” He understands what she’s asking without saying the words, but it’s Vincenzo who answers.
“All parties involved will be dealt with appropriately,” he confirms. She looks to Gabe, who nods, letting her know he speaks the truth.
“Then you boys let her rest and bring her home.” She points around the room at each of us. “And you,” she says, pointing at me. I grab my chest as if she’s wounded me with an accusation. “You pulled your head out of your ass yet?” The room erupts in laughter and Avery stirs, scrunching her face at the sudden noise. “Shh. You idiots. She’s sleeping.”
“If you’re asking if I’ve claimed her as mine, the answer is yes.”
She looks at Gabe. “And you gave your blessing?” He shrugs his shoulders. “Good. The only other man I’ve seen love a woman so hard was you with our Maggie.” Gabe smiles down at her and gives her another hug. “Now, as for the rest of you, get the fuck out. Shoo. Come on. Out. Out. Out.”