Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 33998 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33998 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
“Ribs.” Vomit rose in my throat. “Gonna be sick.”
He grabbed the trash can, and I threw up, sobbing as I did so, snot falling. The pain was so fucking intense, I almost passed out. My vision went dangerously hazy. As soon as I was done, Whiler held me to him, whispering low, soothing words into my ear until I wasn’t on the verge of screaming anymore.
A nurse helped ease me back into the bed, and then she administered pain medication through my IV before smiling gently at me. “Get some rest, hun,” she told me. “And if you need anything, press that button your husband did, okay? Dinner will be here in about thirty minutes.”
I arched a brow at Whiler when she left the room. “Husband?” I teased, the drugs quickly taking effect and making me drowsy.
He cracked a grin, and the shadows that had been living on his face since I woke up disappeared. He gently lifted my cast-covered arm and pressed a kiss to my diamond ring. I shivered.
“Damn right, baby—husband. Paperwork is just a necessary evil we’ll get to when you’re out of here.”
A dopey smile pulled at my lips as my eyes slid shut. He brushed his lips to my forehead, and that was the last thing I was able to make sense of before I fell back asleep.
12
Whiler
Cannon smiled up at me when I walked out of the closet, shrugging on my cut. Jessie and Elaina were settled on my bed with her to keep her company while the guys and I were gone since she couldn’t get around too well yet.
Jessie ended up with seven stitches in her skull, and since one side of her head had to be shaved to allow the stitches, she had Ink shave the other side so it matched. Honestly, she rocked the look well; she looked bad ass as fuck.
I knew the guilt was eating her up inside for not being able to protect Cannon, but Ink and I weren’t having that shit. Both of us constantly reassured her that what happened to Cannon wasn’t her fault, and there was nothing she could have done. I mean, fuck, her concussion had been so bad that she still hadn’t recovered the days she lost.
Richard had been an unexpected surprise…one I was leaving with the club to go deal with. Alejandro was staying behind with some of his men to take care of kids, which even included Isabelle, surprisingly. Alejandro was a hard man, and he terrified most people, but he had a soft spot for kids.
“You going to be alright while I’m gone?” I asked as I strode toward the bed.
Cannon nodded, eyeing the snacks surrounding her with an amused smile. “I’ve got enough snacks to last me an entire month,” I snorted, “and good company.” I’d just wanted to make sure she and the girls had everything they needed while we were gone, especially since they were being kind enough to keep Cannon company. “I’m good.”
I bent and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, gently coaxing them apart to lick into her mouth before I forced us apart. Otherwise, I’d be kicking Jessie and Elaina out and figuring out a way to fuck my woman in her current condition.
I was the equivalent of a dog. Sue me.
“I’ll be back before you’re up tomorrow,” I promised her. “I love you.”
“You better be safe, Whiler, you hear me?” I nodded once, my lips quirking at the stern note in her voice. She nodded once. “Good. I love you, too.”
I grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to her ring before walking out of the room. Joey, Ink, and Vern were waiting for me downstairs, the others most likely already on their bikes. “We ready?” I asked.
“Yep,” Ink said, popping the P. He looked up to the floor above us. “Jessie good?”
I clapped a hand to his shoulder and gave him a firm, small shake. “She’s good, brother. Let’s hit the road so they don’t have to miss us too long.”
Richard was sleeping peacefully in his bed, like he didn’t think we wouldn’t fucking come for him. His son, who looked to be in his mid-twenties, was asleep in the basement. Fuck, they couldn’t be more like Paul if they’d tried, sleeping like they were untouchable.
There was no wife to be seen or girlfriend when we did our check. A background check, courtesy of Alejandro, hadn’t shown any, but we could never be too sure. Witnesses would be a problem.
Vern and Ink crept into the basement, and Joey and I made our way up the stairs to Richard’s room. Our boots were silent on the carpet, and not a single floorboard creaked. The house was pretty new construction, which worked even more in our favor.
Joey stuffed a rag smothered in chloroform over Richard’s mouth and nose, and I pinned his body to the bed. He yelled and tried to fight, but his eyes quickly began to slide back closed before he slumped. Joey snickered.