Infinite Ties (All That Remains #3)

by S. M. Shade

  Goosebumps line my arms when she shrieks as Nic inserts the hemostats. “Stop! It hurts!” I embrace her, and her arms fly around my neck.

  “Almost got it,” Nic says.

  She screams again, and sobs, “Joseph…please…make him stop, he’s hurting me.” Her eyes beg me to do something, and my heart shatters. “Why?” she cries, the drugs confusing her, making her forget. All she knows is she’s in agony, and I’m not helping.

  “I’m sorry, baby. He has to get the bullet out. It’ll be over soon. I promise. Hold onto me.” Her face is buried in my neck when she screams again and abruptly goes limp in my arms.

  “Got it,” Nic announces, and I hear the clink of metal as he drops it on the table.

  “Nic, she…”

  “She passed out. It’s okay. She’s better off. The worst is over.”

  “Airen…Joseph,” she murmurs, coming to as Nic puts the last stitch in her skin.

  “Right here, baby. It’s over. You did so good, my girl. I’m so proud of you. Does it hurt?”

  “Don’t feel anything.”

  “Good. She’s had a local as well,” Nic says. The next moment she’s snoring softly, her face relaxed, showing no signs of pain. “She’ll sleep awhile. Get some air, Joseph. We’ll move her in a few minutes.”

  Airen grabs me as I step out the door. “How is she? Fuck, you’re white as a ghost.”

  “She’s okay, sleeping,” I mumble, trying to forget the last few minutes. Strong arms steal around me. “That was awful.” I hope to hell she doesn’t remember, but I know I’ll never forget.

  “Tell me,” he says, pulling me to sit on the curb.

  “She wasn’t scared after the shot. She was so out of it. Funny. But when he started, she was in agony, and the worst was she didn’t understand what was going on. She was like a kid. Begged me to make it stop. Fuck, Airen, the look in her eyes, she couldn’t understand why I was letting someone hurt her.”

  Airen sighs, tightening his embrace. “I’m sorry, Christ, Joey…thank you for getting her through it.” He releases me and runs a finger down a scrape on my chin. “That bullet grazed you.”

  “I know.”

  Despair fills his face. “I could’ve lost you both.”

  “Airen…can you kiss me?” I don’t want to make him uncomfortable, but I need something. I can’t stop shaking.

  Soft lips land on mine, his strong hand curling into my hair. “I still love you. I don’t know what’s going to happen, Joey, but I love you.”

  “Me too, Dark Eyes. Let’s just take care of our girl. We’ll work on us later. Just know that there is an us. We’re not done.”

  He nods and kisses me again. “Let’s go get our girl.”

  A few hours later, Airen and I are watching over Abby at Troy’s cottage. He and Nic insisted on giving her their bedroom. They’re dealing with complete bedlam outside, trying to arrange beds and food for five more women and six kids. RV’s dot the yard as they set up temporary housing so no one is left alone. “She’s going to be fine,” Airen says, when he notices me staring at Abby.

  “I’m so fucking pissed. I didn’t think I was capable of being this angry at her.”

  Airen grins. “Pissed at your sweet innocent little ladybug?” he teases.

  “I’m serious. I…why the fuck would she do that? Defy us every step of the way. Swear to stay put and then do the exact opposite. Christ, maybe she is suicidal.”

  “No. She’s fucking stubborn and impulsive. I damn sure want to know why she was in that room, but I guarantee you, she was trying to help.”

  I rest my forehead in the palm of my hand. “She’s going to help me into the fucking nuthouse! Watching her, I feel so bad. I’d do anything to take away her pain, feel it for her, but I also want to scream at her, shake some sense into her.”

  “I know exactly how you feel, and when she’s better, you give her all the hell you want, but right now…”

  “I know. I wouldn’t.”

  “I know that too.”

  It’s after midnight when Abby begins to stir. “Sweetheart?” Airen murmurs, and climbs into bed beside her. “Are you okay?”

  Her chest rises on a sharp gasp, and her eyes fill with tears. “Hurts.” She rolls onto her side, jerking the blanket off her legs.

  “Don’t touch,” Airen warns, taking her hands as she stares at the bandage on her thigh.

  Tears stream down her face, and Airen talks soothingly to her while I radio Nic. He answers immediately, his groggy voice growing clearer after I tell him she’s in pain. Less than a minute later, he bursts through the door with a medical kit. One look at Abby’s wet, strained face, and he’s filling a syringe. “Hey, doll, is it bad?”

  She nods, wiping her eyes.

  “Do you hurt anywhere other than your leg?”

  “My back, but it’s not as bad. I can handle it, but my leg…please.” It kills me to see my strong girl so desperate.

  “I know, love. We’re going to take care of that right now. I’m going to give you a shot.” He turns to me with a reluctant grin.

  “It goes in your butt cheek, Abby, so I’m going to pull your panties down,” I tell her.

  No modesty or embarrassment this time. She doesn’t care what he sees as long as it brings her relief. “Is it going to knock me out? Make me forget?”

  “No, it’s not as strong as the last stuff.” She winces at the stick of the needle and the burn of the drug. When I rub the sore spot, her jaw drops and she looks at Nic, horrified. Airen stares at us as if we’re crazy when we burst into laughter.

  “Sorry, but Abby remembers something,” I tease.

  Feeling no pain now, she groans, her face bright red. “Oh God. I’m so sorry,” she tells Nic.

  Moving around to face her, he laughs. “Don’t apologize. You were adorable, and no one knows what they’ll do or say when they’re doped up.”

  “What am I missing here?” Airen demands, pulling a sheet to Abby’s waist. “Joseph?”

  “Relax.” Nic rests a hand on his shoulder with a smirk. “Your wife just thinks I have gorgeous eyes.”

  “Actually, she said you’re gorgeous, and your eyes are so blue,” I tease, leaning to kiss Abby’s flushed cheek. A small embarrassed smile settles on her face. “Do you remember anything else?”

  “Not really, and I don’t think I want to know.”

  “Oh, it wasn’t anything bad,” Nic says to Airen. “I learned you’re partial to Joseph’s firm ass, and you call him dimples.”

  “Abigail Holder,” Airen admonishes, and she giggles. It’s a hell of a lot better than her tears. “You’re in so much trouble.” Her eyelids droop again putting an end to our teasing.

  “Get some rest, doll,” Nic tells her, and turns to Airen. “Call me if she’s hurting.”

  “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I know it’s late.”

  He brushes a strand of hair from her forehead, his eyes filled with concern. “No worries. I’m right outside. You tell them if you’re in pain, you understand?” He’s known her for less than a week and she’s got him already. It’s a damn good thing he isn’t into women. I still don’t like it.

  “Thank you.” Her eyes widen as the day’s events come back to her. “Is everyone okay?”

  “Yes, just a few scrapes and bruises, that’s all.”

  “The kids?”

  “Everyone’s safe, now get some sleep.”

  She turns watery tired eyes on us when he leaves. “I’m sorry. The kids needed help. I didn’t mean to…”

  “Shh, Abigail. Now’s not the time. We’ll talk about it later.”

  “You’re both pissed,” she says, closing her eyes.

  “Furious,” I agree, as we cuddle her between us. “But we love you. Everything will be okay.”

  “I want to go home.”

  “Soon, baby, I promise.”

  * * * *

  Abby insists on moving back to the RV the following day. “Should she be walking on it?” Airen
asks Nic.

  “As long as she’s careful.” Nic turns to Abby. “Have you had stitches before?”

  “Yes, c-section.”

  “Then you know it’ll burn like hell the first time you put pressure on your leg, but it’ll get better. Walking to the bathroom is fine. Running around outside is not. Take it easy, or you’ll find yourself tied to the bed.”

  “Don’t tell her that! She’ll be running down the street,” Airen cautions.

  “Airen!” He laughs as she smacks him. With Airen and I supporting her, she manages a few pain filled steps around the room before allowing me to carry her to the RV. Within a few days, she’s limping around the yard, restless and bitching to go home.

  She and Airen are lounging in the RV when a thin, hollow eyed girl stops me in the yard. I remember her from the raid. She was curled up in the corner when Abby was attacked. “Excuse me,” she says in a small voice. “Can I talk to you?”

  “Sure…um…”

  “Molly,” she offers.

  “It’s nice to meet you. How are you?”

  “Better. I just…you’re Abby’s boyfriend, right?”

  “That’s right.” I expect to have to explain our unique relationship, but that isn’t what this is about.

  “Why was that man with you when you saved us?”

  “What man?”

  “The red head, the big guy.”

  “Jon,” I reply. “He ran off in the middle of it all. What about him? Do you know him?”

  “No.” Her hands wring the hem of her sweatshirt. “But he didn’t…help us.”

  “He saw that man attacking Abby?”

  She nods. “He came in just before you. He laughed and said...” Her head bows, her eyes trained on the ground.

  “It’s okay. Tell me what he said.”

  “He told Keith to fuck her in the ass because her pussy’s no good,” she whispers, her face burning. “Then he just left.”

  That motherfucker.

  “I just thought you should know.” My anger frightens her, and she takes a step backward.

  “I’m sorry. Thank you for telling me. You don’t have to worry about Jon. If he comes back, I’ll deal with him.”

  With a look of relief, she nods and leaves me to sort through my anger. He didn’t just run. He left Abby to be raped, encouraged it. Why the fuck didn’t she tell me? Why does she let him do this shit and keep it all a secret? What the fuck does he have over her? I thought I was pissed at Abby before. I’m fucking furious now.

  Airen’s sitting on the edge of the bed working a crossword puzzle while Abby lies on her belly in a tee shirt and panties. A book is open before her and she kicks her feet lazily in the air as if she doesn’t have a care in the world. Like there isn’t a damn bullet hole in her leg. Like her ex didn’t try to get her sodomized less than a week ago. Like everything’s fine. “How’s your leg?” I ask, sitting beside her.

  Her exasperated sigh just enflames my fury, like she’s sick of being asked. “It’s fine. Just a little sore. I didn’t even need a pain pill today. It’s no big deal.”

  Did she actually just say that to me? Visions of her screaming and clutching me while Nic dug out the bullet flash before my eyes. “No big deal!” I shout. Before I think about my actions, my palm cracks across her ass cheek, hard. “It’s a big fuckin deal, Abby!” My words are punctuated by three more slaps to her panty clad ass.

  “Enough,” Airen says calmly, grabbing my hand as Abby scrambles to roll over out of my reach. She glares at me, speechless for once.

  “You still don’t think you did anything wrong, do you? You ignore all our warnings, promise us you’ll listen, and then do whatever the hell you want. Risk your life without a second thought about how it affects us. Fuck! You piss me off!” I have to get out of here, away from her. Away from that devastated expression on her face that for once, wasn’t caused by Airen.

  Chapter Nine

  Airen

  The RV door slams shut behind Joseph, and the look on Abby’s face is almost comical. She can’t believe Joseph actually yelled at her. Not only that, he lit her ass up good. I know he’d never really hurt her. If we hadn’t been playing around with the erotic spankings I’m sure those few swats wouldn’t even have happened. He’ll feel terrible about it later, but she deserved it. Something needs to open her eyes. The look on her face was utter shock, disbelief that Joseph would even yell at her.

  “You should go check on him. He’s losing it,” she says, rolling away from me to face the wall.

  “He’s fine.”

  “Airen…”

  “Nope, you just want me to leave because you’re going to cry.” I rub gently over the pink handprints on her behind, the sight of them making me hard. “Are you surprised, Abby? Did you really think you wouldn’t hear about it, get taken to task over it?”

  After a long shuddering breath, she finally replies, “I know. I just didn’t think…” She swallows, fighting back tears.

  “You didn’t think it’d be Joseph chewing you out.”

  “I’m not a child that has to obey!”

  “No, a child would have more self-preservation.” I can’t help but grin when she scoots close to me while burying her face in her pillow, torn between regaining control and reaching out for comfort. Abby would never admit it, but she draws a lot of comfort in the way Joseph babies her. She knows I love her and I’m there for her, but she needs him to be her soft place to fall sometimes.

  Fed up with watching her fight her emotions, I pull her into my lap. “Let it happen, sweetheart. The last few weeks have been hard. It’s okay.”

  “He hates me,” she chokes, burying her face in my chest.

  “Abigail.” A chuckle escapes my throat. “Are you looking for another spanking? You know better than that.”

  “Shut up. I can’t believe he did that.”

  “You scared him. He popped me in the mouth when I scared him once, remember? That pretty ass was right there by his hand, so tempting. Maybe I should put you over my knee every time you put yourself in danger,” I tease.

  She sniffs and wipes her eyes. “You’re mad too.”

  “Of course I am, but that doesn’t get under your skin as much, does it? If I’d yelled at you, or smacked your ass, you’d have screamed something just as mean and shoved me off the bed. It wouldn’t have hurt your feelings or made you cry.” Her shoulders rise on a deep sigh as my hand runs up and down her spine.

  A small grin tilts her lips when she peeks up at me and says, “We both have a temper, and I expect to fight with you. We’ve always fought and made up. It still hurts when you’re pissed, but I know we’ll both cool off and get over it. I know I won’t lose you.”

  Hearing how secure she feels in our marriage fills me with happiness and a sense of relief. It took us so long to get to this point, where she doesn’t see us as temporary. I hold her tighter and she cuddles into me. “Thank you for not yelling at me too.”

  “I think Joseph got our point across.”

  “This is so opposite of the norm. Just when I think I can predict what you two will do, you switch roles.”

  “Because I’m supposed to yell while Joseph babies you?”

  “Shut up!” Her small palm smacks my chest. “He doesn’t baby me.”

  “Oh, yes he does. There’s nothing wrong with it. You need to feel cared for, and Joseph needs someone to coddle.” Her hair is silky between my fingers when I stroke her head. “You can come to me, you know. You’re precious to me too, and I’m perfectly capable of babying you.”

  She chuckles and kisses my jaw. “Like now.”

  “Mmm hmm.”

  “You’re always there when I need you, Air, but I don’t like to feel…needy or weak with you.”

  “Sweetheart, you’re the strongest woman I know. A few tears isn’t going to change that. I want you to need me. I sure as hell need you.”

  “I need you. Right now I need you to beat Joseph’s ass.”

  “No can d
o. You deserved what you got and plenty more. You’re lucky you aren’t across my knee right now.”

  “Bullies,” she replies, scooting back onto the bed. “I really am sorry.”

  “I know.”

  “Will you go check on him? I promise I’m okay.”

  With her pale face and tired eyes, she doesn’t look okay. “You need to eat.”

  “I’ll grab something later. I can’t right now. My stomach’s in knots.”

  “Because Joseph’s mad?” My grin is rewarded with a glare that could start a forest fire. “Fine. I’ll find him, but you have to promise to at least have a snack.”

  “Promise,” she says, tugging a blanket around her middle.

  I don’t have to look far for Joseph. A darkened figure is slumped over in a chair just outside our RV. “Is she okay?”

  “Of course. It’s Abby, she’s fine.”

  “I swear if she says that again…”

  I flip on the lantern and place it between us. “You’ll beat her ass?”

  The pained expression on his face makes me regret my teasing. I knew he’d make too much of his reaction. “Fuck, Airen. I hit her.” His voice is thick with guilt and disbelief.

  “It was a few swats on the ass, Joey, not a punch in the nose.”

  “I hurt her.”

  “You hurt her feelings more than her ass. She can’t stand knowing you’re pissed at her.”

  He leans forward, his elbows on his knees, his head falling into his hands. “I can’t be around her right now.”

  “I know. You can crash in the little camper.”

  “Is she in there plotting her revenge?” he asks, his tone a little lighter, and I chuckle. That would be more like our girl, but not tonight.

  “No, probably crying herself to sleep.”

  “Don’t screw with me. I feel bad enough.” His eyes meet mine in the gloom. “Is she crying?”

  “Of course, her Joseph is mad at her. She couldn’t even eat. When I’m pissed she could have a three course meal and ask for extra dessert.” I grab his hand when he gets to his feet. “She’s fine, Joey. Yes, she’s hurt. You’re the only one capable of breaking her heart with a few angry words, but that’s exactly what she needed. Maybe it’ll get through her head she can’t just do whatever the hell she wants.”