“We’re hoping the extra security will help,” said the doctor, but I didn’t have faith.
“No, get me my discharge notes. I want to go home, and we’ll call Doc Paul, who I understand your hospital refused to allow privilege to.”
“Ah well. I don’t think leaving is a good idea,” the doctor replied.
“Bring Chey’s papers,” Celt demanded from the door. Jesse had stayed silent until Celt arrived but lifted his head in surprise.
“You’re springing Mom?”
“Yeah, some asshole keeps getting backhanders to let the media in to take shots of Cheyenne. Ain’t having that, we’re taking her home,” Celt responded with a dire look at the doctor.
“What are you suggesting!” the doctor exclaimed, but I’d finished paying attention.
“You better get me out of here,” I growled, as much as it hurt my throat.
“Ah shut up, woman, we’re getting you home. Jesus, even twelve hours for you in hospital is plenty. Jesse, get your mom dressed, and then the three of us are going to talk on the way back,” Celt said, pointing between us. Oh, uh, that didn’t sound good.
“Maybe I’m too tired to chat?” I croaked. Celt sent me a sceptical look.
“Pull the other one, Chey; you’ve been a bossy bitch since you awoke this morning. Last night was so peaceful with you drugged up,” Celt tossed at me and left the room, shoving the doctor in front of him. I scowled.
“Can you believe Celt’s arrogance?” I grumbled to Jesse as he supported me to sit up and pull a top over my head. Other than my throat injuries, my shoulders were severely bruised and stiff from being tied up and then the crawl through the trees. Of course, Higgins slamming my back to the floor hadn’t helped matters. I wrapped a scarf around my neck to hide the bruises, it may Jesse well up every time he looked at them.
Jesse winced as he drew a pair of leggings over my legs. They were a mess of cuts and bruises, and I was damn glad I couldn’t feel anything from them. I motioned Jesse away as I struggled to get the leggings over my thighs and pull them up. There were some things a son shouldn’t see! Once managed, Jesse shoved shoes onto my feet and grabbed my wheelchair.
“I can’t wait for a bath,” I moaned as I felt the stiffness in my muscles.
“Not long, Mom,” Jesse smiled. Damn, I loved my kid. He’d not left my bedside since I arrived at this ward. But I’d never forget the fear in Jesse’s eyes at seeing me battered and bruised. His terror had shot up when we’d discovered that Higgins was being treated in this hospital, too. Nope, that had caused my push to go home. No fucking way was I staying in the same hospital as that murderous motherfucker. Jesse took my weight as we manoeuvred my body into the wheelchair, and I was looking innocent when Celt appeared. He offered a disgusted snort and threw a hoodie at me.
“Put that on, brat,” Celt ordered and stuck his head out of the exit. He chuckled as he pulled his head back in. “You ready, Jesse?”
“Yeah.”
“Follow Saint, okay?” Celt said, and I frowned. He was up to something. “Go!” Jesse shoved me through the door, and I blinked as three other wheelchairs carrying hoodie covered women shot in different directions.
“What the fuck?” I asked as Saint jogged away with Jesse on his heels.
“Decoys, that’s Thalia, Clio and Tati,” Saint offered as he entered a deserted lift. Saint led us around the houses until we came to the exit manned by Jed, and I was lifted out of the chair and shoved into a limo. Celt’s big grin met me inside.
“Was that necessary?” I asked as Saint and Jesse climbed in. Saint yanked out his headphones, shoved them on and ignored us.
“Nah, but the old ladies wanted to have fun, so we let them,” Celt replied.
“Okay.” The Hellfire women were strange, I decided.
“Now, Saint’s not listening, so I’m making a few ground rules,” Celt said, and my eyebrows disappeared into my hairline.
“Sorry?”
“Shut up and listen. Jesse, you gonna have to learn to suffer me in your life. I ain’t leaving, nor do I plan to. Someday in the future, you’ll call me dad and mean it. Until then, Celt is fine. Hear me?”
“Yeah, whatever, dude,” Jesse said, totally uninterested.
“And as for you, shush, Chey. I’m claiming you and everything that goes with you. When you’re on tour, I’ll travel with you. Chance thinks he’s going to make me open a glassblowing shop. Brother’s got another think coming. So when you go to concerts, I’m right there by your side, understand?” I nodded and bit my lip.
“Fine.”
“When we’re ready, we’re getting hitched, nothing fancy, family and friends. Once we’re married, we’re having more children; we’ll find a way around your paralysis, don’t assume that means you can’t have kids. It just makes it a bit more difficult due to pushing and shit. Ain’t fretting about that now.”