by Levine, Nina
I lifted my brows. Fuck him. “And you used to handle your shit.”
Shoving his fingers through his hair, he muttered, “Fuck. I’ve had a bad month. There’s not much work coming in, okay?”
“Okay? Are you kidding me? I get that things are tight, but would it have killed you to warn me? Or to pick up the phone and let me know that the cash was going to be late? Because let me tell you, this mama already has enough shit to stress over. So don’t come at me, all casual and ‘I’ve got presents for the kids’ when I’m over here spending my nights trying to figure out how to pay the damn electricity bill because you didn’t uphold your end of this parenting gig.” And not for the first time.
He hit me with one final glare before turning to walk back inside, not another word on the matter.
I contemplated taking the day off and locking myself in my bedroom. If I didn’t love my job so much I probably would have done that. Instead, I gave myself a talking to and went back inside. I had shit to get through today, and I refused to give Linc any power over my actions. I’d pep talk the fuck out of today if I had to.
* * *
“You good for tonight, hon? I mean, you look like you need some time with your girls, but if you wanna cancel so you can sleep, I’ll understand.”
I watched Adelaide, my bestie, shove her bag in her work locker and wondered just how bad I looked. It hadn’t been the best morning so far, but I thought I at least looked okay. “If I look as bad as you’re saying, I shudder to think how awful I’m gonna look by tonight.”
She pulled her long red hair into a ponytail and shook her head. “Okay so you don’t look that bad, but I know you well enough to read the signs that shit isn’t right with you. Is Linc still being an ass?”
“Ugh. Ass doesn’t cover it. I’m not sure why, after three years of doing his best to ignore me, he’s suddenly always on my doorstep. He doesn’t listen when I ask him to please give me some notice he’s coming over, or even to ask if he can. And his child support payments have gone from bad to worse. I used to at least count on some money from him; these days I either get nothing or I get it late. That shit makes it hard for me to budget, you know?”
“Oh, honey, I know. You know I freaking know. Some days I want to scream at Jedd for what his bullshit support has done to my financial situation, but you know what? We’re stronger because of these men, Lily. Because of them, we’ve had to figure out how to stand on our own and give our kids what they need. When it gets too hard, remember that and be proud of who you’ve become and what you can achieve on your own.” She threw me a wink as she added, “And just know that there are good men out there and that one of them’s going to rock your damn world one day.” The wink was because after two years of being single, Addy had started dating Mr Tall, Dark, and Handsome, and he was rocking her world in ways it had never been rocked.
“Just ignore me, babe. I’m having one of those weeks. I’ll get my shit together again soon.”
Usually I didn’t allow anyone or any situation to interfere with my mojo. Usually, I’d get my meditation cushion out, light some candles and meditate my way through this kind of stuff. Or I’d burn some oils, fill my bath and chant my way through it. But Linc had been screwing with me for too many weeks now, and I was all out of sync with myself.
“What you need is a girls’ night out. I’ll organise one. And maybe we’ll find you a guy to blow your mind for even just one night.” She whipped out her phone and shot a quick message off before I could stop her. Looking back up at me, she hit me with the huge smile Adelaide Sutton was well known for. “Quinn and Georgia are in the loop. We’ll finalise plans tonight. And Lily? I have the exact right dress for you for this!”
Before I could say anything or stop her, she was out the door, and I was alone thinking about the exact right dress she had for me. It would be slutty and most likely red. Addy had a thing for red dresses. I was all for colour, but I just knew this dress was going to scream “fuck me all night long in any way you want and I’ll be sure to blow you real good” from a mile away. I closed my locker and headed out to start my shift, putting all thoughts of the red dress out of my mind after I decided I’d definitely wear it. God knew, this celibacy thing had to come to an end. I needed to get laid.
“Lily! Wait up,” my boss called out, hurrying to catch up. Falling into line, he said, “Fuck, it’s madness here today.”
I eyed the exhaustion lining his face. “You need to take that holiday you’ve been talking about for six months, Jackson.”
“Don’t get me started on that,” he muttered. “The higher-ups keep pushing our workload. At this rate, I’ll be getting around Greece with a fucking cane.”
Hospital life was never slow. The problem was, though, that these days it wasn’t just hectic, it was unbearably so. Staffing and funding cuts were killing us, to the point where I’d even started considering leaving the hospital to work for a physiotherapist friend who had her own successful practice. She’d been after me to join her for over a year, but I loved working with Jackson and Adelaide so much that I hadn’t entertained the idea.
He shoved a chart at me. “I need you to start with this woman today. Her brother is causing me no end of fucking grief, and while I’m loathe to give him what he wants, I just want him gone.”
I frowned. “What’s going on?” It was unlike Jackson to get this worked up over anything. His patience and calm way of getting through work were what made him so good at his job.
“She had hip surgery yesterday, and he’s in everyone’s face about her recovery. One of the nurses mentioned physical therapy was up next, so he’s been harassing them to get us down there. Apparently, he wants to be there for our first session, but he’s busy and doesn’t have all day to wait around for us.” Anger clouded his face. “Like we’re not fucking busy ourselves.” He exhaled loudly and muttered, “Fuck.”
“I think maybe you need to take the day off. It’s so unlike you to get worked up over an asshole like this and to cater to his demands.”
“The nurses want him gone too. I haven’t met him, but I’ve been told he’s menacing.”
I nodded. “Okay, well with the mood I’m in this morning, he can menace me all he likes. I’ve had just about enough of asshole men.”
His face turned serious. “Be careful, Lily. These guys aren’t worth messing with. I don’t need another Mackie case on my hands.”
The case he referred to had caused our team no end of headaches. The father of a young girl had assaulted one of our physiotherapists when he’d refused to cave to the guy’s demands. His treatment plan didn’t fit in with the father’s work schedule, and while we’d tried to accommodate that, we didn’t do enough as far as the father was concerned. They’d had a roaring argument that ended in the father punching our guy. Jackson had been the one who had to answer to bosses and deal with the fallout.
“I’ll tread carefully, but I won’t allow him to walk all over me.”
He sighed. “God help me.” Shaking his head, he added, “For once, I’d just like to be given a team member who doesn’t ruffle feathers.”
I grinned. He didn’t mean that, but I knew both Adelaide and I created headaches for him. “You’d be lost without me.” I took a step away from him. “I’ll do my best to keep the peace.”
Ten minutes later, I entered the hospital room of Skylar King and came face-to-face with who I presumed was the guy Jackson had mentioned. And I could see why the nurses were keen for me to get him sorted and out of here.
Chapter Eighteen
King
“Finally,” I muttered, watching the dark-haired woman who’d just entered Skylar’s room. If I ran my club the way this hospital ran, we’d never survive. They didn’t know shit about efficiency.
Her brows lifted. “I think you mean hello. Right?”
I wasn’t in the mood for snark. Not today. “I always say what I mean.”
“King,” Skylar said, “can you lay off her? She’s just doi
ng her job and trying to help me.”
The woman looked at Skye and smiled. “Hi, Skylar. I’m Lily.” She glanced up at me. “And I’m just going to ignore your brother’s attitude. I deal with teens every day, so I’m a pro at that.”
I held her gaze, unable to let it go. She was throwing up a challenge, and fuck if it didn’t stir something deep in my gut. But right alongside that was irritation. I stepped closer to her. “I’m not someone to be ignored, Lily.”
“Oh God,” Skylar muttered, but I blocked her out, my entire attention on the physiotherapist. Not that I knew for sure that was who she was, but my patience levels were running low, so I hoped to fuck she was.
She stood taller, straightening her shoulders. “Well, like I always say to my kids, I won’t ignore you if you treat me with some respect. But if you wanna hit me with bad manners and rudeness, you won’t get much out of me.”
I opened my mouth to give her my thoughts on that, but Skylar glared at me. She then turned to Lily and asked, “Are you my physio?”
Lily nodded. “Yes. I’m going to get you started on some rehab this morning and work with you until you go home.”
“How long do you think I’ll be in here?”
“Usually three to five days for this type of injury, but that depends on a lot of things.”
“What kind of things?” I asked.
She looked at me again, her gaze a little less sharp. “Once Skylar is able to get out of bed unassisted, use the toilet, and shower herself, we can discharge her. She’ll need someone to help her at home, though.” Glancing at Skylar, she asked, “Do you have someone?”
“She’ll stay with me,” I said. “I’ll take care of everything and make sure she has whatever she needs.”
Lily’s eyes cut to mine, flashing with something I couldn’t quite read. Surprise perhaps? She watched me silently for a moment before nodding and saying to Skylar, “Okay, great. So the nurses have had you sitting in the chair. I want you to do as much of that as possible. It’ll reduce the risk of bed sores and clots, and help you transition to standing. I’m going to visit you both morning and afternoon to get you up and about, but we’re going to take it slow, okay? It’s important not to do too much too soon.”
Skylar nodded. “Got it. Slow and steady.”
“Right, let’s get you out of bed and into the chair. Then we’re going to focus on you standing on your uninjured leg for today. The goal is to try to get you on both legs tomorrow.”
My phone rang as Lily helped Skylar out of bed, and I left the room to take the call.
“Everything is set for us to visit Ghost this afternoon,” Hyde said when I answered the phone.
“Good. Any news on Nitro this morning?”
“No. The lawyer Tatum recommended is seeing him in about an hour, so we’ll know more then.”
Nitro and Marx had been picked up when Nitro was on his way to get rid of the asshole. A fucking cracked taillight had done it. Marx had been unconscious in the back seat, causing the cops to grow suspicious, and because of Nitro’s club ties, they’d hauled both in for questioning. Fuck knew what Marx had told the cops.
“I’ll be there in about an hour or so. Make sure Kick’s around then. We need to discuss our plans to draw Romano out.”
“Will do,” he said, and we ended the call.
When I stepped back into Skylar’s room, she was standing on one leg while Lily helped her. I slowed and ran my gaze over the woman who would be helping my sister’s recovery. She had the kind of beauty I didn’t see often, and while it had a lot to do with her looks, it had a fuck of a lot more to do with her energy. I’d take a beautiful face, long legs, and a tight ass any day, but it was the way she stood up for herself that got most of my attention. I didn’t like a woman arguing with me, but I respected the fuck out of a woman who didn’t let a man walk all over her. Sometimes those two preferences clashed, but in the end, respect always won the battle.
“I’m guessing that you’re gonna load Skye up with a rehab programme to do at home when she leaves here, and I’m also guessing her recovery would be helped along by seeing a physio,” I said to Lily. At her nod, I continued, “How often do you recommend for that?”
She answered me while keeping an eye on what Skylar was doing. “A few times a week if you can swing it. The more the better. I can give you some names of physios I recommend.”
I nodded. “I’d appreciate that.” Looking at Skylar, I said, “I’m gonna head out now. Devil’s on his way up to stay with you today, and I’ll be back tonight. Text me if you need anything.”
“Can Nik come to visit? I could do with the company.”
“No. Devil will keep you company.”
“Ugh. You are such a pain. I like Devil and all, but I’m fairly sure he’s bored out of his brain talking to me.”
“Yeah well, he’s all you’ve got. You’ll be back at the clubhouse in a few days hopefully.”
The last thing I heard as I exited the room was her mutter, “Men. Do the guys in your life give you this much hell, Lily? Tell me I’m not the only one who has to live with this kind of stuff.”
I didn’t catch Lily’s reply. My mind was already on the next fire I had to put out. I didn’t give a fuck if Skylar felt like I gave her hell. All I cared about was protecting her.
* * *
Lily
Do the guys in my life give me that much hell?
I laughed. “Where do I begin?” Honestly, I felt like maybe they didn’t, because her brother seemed way over the top, but at the same time, I experienced as much frustration with Linc as she did with King.
I wonder what his first name is?
God, why was I even thinking about him? The man was rude and demanding, and I had no space in my head for people like him. But, good lord, he had something that sparked my interest. Tall and built with muscles for days, he’d commanded my attention as soon as I entered his space. His piercing eyes had hit me instantly. They looked like eyes that hid a thousand secrets. God, I’d even liked his dark hair that was a little longer and a little more unruly than I usually preferred. Not to mention his beard and tattoos. King looked to be everything in a man I’d never had but had always wanted to try. I’d found myself wanting to pull him into line for being so rude while also wanting to talk a whole lot more with him.
And that scar on his face.
I wanted to know who did that to him and why.
Skylar cut through my thoughts. “Are you married?”
I steadied her while she did the exercises I’d prescribed. She was fit, so I had high hopes for a speedy recovery. With any luck, she’d be out of here fast. “Not anymore. After twelve years of marriage, I discovered my husband was cheating on me. We’re divorced now, but he still gives me headache after headache.”
“Fucker. I’d cut his balls off. Like, literally. But then, I’m as crazy as my brother, so I’m not really a sane person when it comes to being crossed by people.”
I liked her honesty and the easy way she allowed me to work with her. Some patients struggled with their rehab and fought it every step of the way. So far, Skylar had done everything I’d wanted her to. And it had impressed me that her brother seemed invested in her recovery. Family support was a huge key to success in this journey.
“Trust me, I dreamt about doing that to Linc. I’ve got three kids, though, and parenting from prison didn’t seem like a good option, so I let him keep the balls. But let me tell you, this week, I’m this close to slicing them off.”
“That’s gotta be the worst—still having to have him in your life after what he did to you.”
“It’s definitely hard. And bittersweet some days.”
She frowned. “How so?”
“Linc and I were high school sweethearts. I’d always thought we’d be together forever. The fact I still like the guy underneath all the bullshit means it hurts to have him around, knowing everything we’ll never have.”
“Yeah, I can see that.”
&n
bsp; She was beginning to tire with the exercises, so I manoeuvred her to the chair. “I think we might be done for now. How are you feeling about everything?”
Taking a seat, she said, “I’m over it already, but I know I have to do the work, so I’m not complaining. Please just tell me if there’s anything I can be doing to speed everything up.”
I took a seat next to her and smiled. I really did love her desire to do what needed to be done. “Time is a big factor in all this, Skylar. As is you continuing to do the exercises I give you. Please don’t put any pressure on that leg today. Wait until tomorrow and I’ll assess it then. I think, though, that you’ll be ready for it tomorrow.”
Another man joined us, blasting me with the kind of smile any woman would love sent their way. “How’s she going, Doc?”
I returned his smile. He must have been the man King referred to as Devil. Interesting names these men had. I’d never had anything to do with bikers, though, so I had no idea about how they chose them. The only thing I knew about bikers was what I read in the newspapers, and lately their club had been mentioned a lot. That was how I knew what the name on the back of their jackets meant. “I’m not the doctor, but she’s going well.” Standing, I said, “I’ll be back later this afternoon, but remember what I said about no standing on that leg.”
I ran into Jackson twenty minutes later as I did my rounds. “You took care of that guy?”
“Yeah, all sorted.”
“Thanks, Lily. That’s one problem I can take off my list of shit to worry about today.”
Speaking of lists of shit, Linc had sent me a text telling me the child support money would still be a couple of days away. If only I could take him off my list as easily as I’d taken Skylar’s brother off Jackson’s list.
I decided to put him completely out of my mind and not think about him today. Maybe instead, I’d think about King and that scar of his.