“Bash and Rave go home yet?”
Colt’s older brother shook his head. “Rave is waiting around for us to say goodbye. She’ll be in soon, and then Bash is making her go home. We all need some sleep, and then we can start planning with that intel you got yesterday.”
Colt nodded then waited for Quinn to hug me one last time, and he walked them to the door. Coming back to me, he kissed my lips and sat in the chair, making me glower at him.
“I’m right here, baby. See?” He brought my hand to his lips. “I don’t want to crowd you. Just sit back and relax. I’m not going anywhere.”
He wasn’t leaving, but apparently, the rest of the waiting room was. Raven and Bash came in, Raven making sure I was fine, asking if I needed anything. Her green eyes scanned me from head to toe before she gave a satisfied nod and bent to hug me.
Raven Hannigan Reid hugged me.
That was a bit surreal, but then she was promising she would be back to check on us later and let her husband pull her out the door. Others came and went. Hawk and Gracie. Jet and Flick. Even Spider and Willa came in for a brief moment before heading home to get some sleep.
“Is that everyone?” I asked, feeling exhaustion pulling me down.
“Trigger and Aggie left when we got back from handling Samson. But Hank and the ugly duo is still in the waiting room. He told me he didn’t want to bother you until you were feeling better, but he’s not going anywhere until you’re ready to leave this place.”
I couldn’t explain how much that soothed something inside me. Hank wasn’t going to leave. Neither was Colt. I wasn’t sure if I should believe that, but I wanted to, and I was going to let myself believe it.
For now, at least.
Chapter 27
Colt
Kelli was in the hospital for a week before the doctor released her. During that time, the press tried to get in to see her, but somehow Badcock took care of the situation, and the flashing cameras and dickheads with microphones disappeared. Without once bothering Kelli.
I didn’t keep up with the continued story on the dishonored senator, but the others were making sure to follow it. Making sure that once his body was found, the media believed the story Badcock wanted them to believe.
We left Samson in his rental car on an old dirt road that was well known for working-girl hookups. He was badly beaten, and the cause of death—or so the coroner said in a press conference—was a heart attack brought on by the beating. Authorities suspected the senator had picked up the wrong girl, and she and her pimp had beat him to death.
It was a good story. A lot better than reality.
Badcock and I took turns beating the fuck out of the bastard until he was puking blood and begging us for mercy. Maybe
he really had died of a heart attack. Or maybe it was the ruptured kidney I gave him. Perhaps it was the internal bleeding Badcock had caused from all the hard punches to his stomach.
I didn’t know, and I didn’t want to know.
All that mattered was the sonofabitch was dead, and Kelli didn’t ever have to worry about him again.
Once Kelli was released, Raven and Flick showed up at the hospital in her SUV and helped me get Kelli back to the clubhouse. Kelli bitched at me as I carried her from the vehicle to our room and settled her in bed.
“There’s nothing wrong with my legs,” she groused as she started to get up. “I can walk just fine.”
I stepped in front of her, blocking her from doing anything but sitting back down on the bed. Glowering at me, she leaned back against the pillows as I leaned in and kissed her lips. “Doc said to take it easy. I’m just making sure you follow his orders.”
“But I’m tired of sitting around doing nothing. I feel better now,” she complained. “Let me go help the others with lunch. I’m sure I can find something I can do, even if it’s dishes.”
That had me laughing out loud. “You’re so bored you actually want to do dishes? That’s the first time those words have ever come out of your mouth, Kell.”
With a huff, she crossed her arms over her chest and glared up at me. “It would be better than sitting around growing roots because I’m not allowed to do anything but vegetate.”
“Poor baby,” I teased, kissing her lips again before stepping back. “You’re going to take it easy, or I’m going to spank that sexy ass. Got it?”
Her eyes brightened at my threat. “Promise?” she purred, grabbing hold of one of my belt loops and tugging me forward. “Because I would really, really enjoy that.”
I untangled her fingers and took several steps back, away from temptation. “All in due time, babe. Doc has to release you for that before I put my dick in you again.”