Affliction

This is one of those moments.

***

“Thank God, you’re okay,” Kadence says, sitting on the end of my bed at the hospital. She came in five minutes ago, and Sy still hasn’t let go of my hand to let me embrace her. I understand he’s worried about me, but I’m begi

“I’m fine. Promise,” I reassure her, trying not to come across too excited. After the doctor left us with the news, I decided I wanted to keep the pregnancy under wraps for a couple more weeks; just until I’m out of the first trimester. Sy didn’t agree, but is going along with it. I’m sure he thinks I’m going to cave and let it slip, but I need to let it settle in before I share the news with anyone.

“Do you want me to call your mom?” Kadence asks, probably wondering why she isn’t here.

“God, no,” I rush out, thinking that would be the worst thing to do. “She will freak out and come all the way down here for no reason. I promise I’m fine.” She nods, taking my word for it.

“How’s Jesse?” Sy asks, letting go of my hand to come and climb into the bed with me.

“Oh, he’s okay. He’s been keeping the nurses on their toes.” She smiles, shaking her head.

“I feel my ears burning,” Jesse's voice comes from the door. What timing.

“Jesse, what the hell are you doing out of your bed?” Kadence rushes over to him, helping him hobble to the chair.

“Had to see this pretty girl.” He reaches out to take my hand. “How you feeling?” he asks, concern filling his face and ignoring Sy’s growl at his pretty girl comment.

“I’m good,” I smile, but then remember I’m not meant to be too happy. “How are you?”

“Aww, you know, making the pretty nurses fall for me,” he smirks.

“You shouldn’t be on that foot, Jesse,” I scold him when I see him wince in pain.

“Please, don’t you start,” he complains, rolling his eyes. “I’ve had my father and mother on at me about it,” he says, shaking his head.

“What did they say? You going in for another surgery?” Sy asks.

“Let's not talk about the foot for a moment, okay?” he asks, making me wonder if it's worse than he’s letting on.

“What are you doing in here?” A small brunette in a nurse's uniform comes into the room, scolding Jesse for leaving his bed.

“Ahhh, the one nurse who is immune to my charms. Isn’t that right, Nurse Bell?” He wiggles his brows at the poor woman.

“You need to go back to your room. Your mother and father are looking for you,” she replies as a light blush coats her cheeks.

“I will marry you if you tell them I left,” he says, which makes me laugh.

“Mr. Carter, stop asking me to marry you if I get rid of them. You’re a grown man. You tell them to leave,” Nurse Bell says, shaking her head at Jesse’s immaturity.

“I remember you,” Kadence says, coming into the conversation. “You were on when I was in here,” she observes.

“That’s where I know you from.” Jesse slaps his hand down onto his knee, like it all comes back to him. “I swear with the attitude you’ve been throwing around I thought I had fucked you once and forgot about it,” he responds, sending the poor girl’s blush to a deep red.

“Mr. Carter, I won’t say this again, you need to go back to your room.” She ignores his last remark and crosses her arms. I look at her closely and watch as she tries to hide her frustration.

“Will you take me back to my room and give me a sponge bath?” he teases, knowing she’s affected by him and trying even harder for a satisfying reaction.

“No, let's go,” she insists, coming forward and helping him out of the chair. “You shouldn’t be on your leg. You need to use the crutches,” she scolds him as they walk off back to his room.

“Bye, Holly.” He looks over his shoulder giving me a wink.

“Thanks for helping me, Jesse,” I answer back as he leaves.

“I should go, too,” Kadence says, coming to kiss my cheek. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I was so worried about you.” She pulls back.

“I’m good, Kadence. Thank you for coming and staying with me,” I say, knowing she has Nix waiting for her outside.

“I’ll come by tomorrow once you’re discharged.”

“She’s going to be at the clubhouse,” Sy adds, bossing me around again, only this time making the decisions himself. I don’t comment, just let him have his say, but make a mental note to talk with him later. If he thinks he is going to wrap me in bubble wrap like Nix has done with Kadence, then he better think again.

“Yes, we will be talking later,” he whispers so only I can hear. Gah, he even orders me around when I think I’m bossing him in my head.

Seriously, the man is a headache.

“Okay, say thanks to Nix,” I ignore Sy as Kadence leans forward to kiss my cheek.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asks again.

“I'm fine,” I reassure her again. It's not like I don't want to tell her. I do. I want to scream it out for people to know, but something is holding me back. I need it to be just Sy and me for a small moment. I want us to get used to the news before everyone else knows.

“Okay, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” She smiles and steps back. “I love you, girl.” She waves before walking out the door.

“Love you,” I reply and then turn to Sy.

“You wanted to tell her,” he accuses, coming to sit on the side of my hospital bed.

“She’s my best friend,” I defend myself.

“You're the one who wanted to keep it to us. I don't mind,” he shrugs.

“Well, I would like to tell my parents first,” I admit, knowing if we tell anyone straight away, it will be them.

“Baby, like I said, I don't mind. Now lay back. You need your rest. I don't want anything to happen to you,” he says, already fussing.

I lean back, the day catching up with me. “Sunshine,” I whisper, letting my heavy eyes blink once. Twice.

“Yeah, baby?”

“You're going to be a daddy,” I tell him just as sleep comes. I'm searching for a girl in my dreams. Something about her reminds me of someone and her laugh is so infectious I want to hear her again. As sleep takes me, the sunset comes into view and then I see her.

Keira.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Sy

“You hear back from Jackson?” I ask, packing up the shop after my last client for the day. I just finished my first day back after Jesse’s party and I’m eager to get home to see Holly.

“Yeah, they dropped the charges,” Beau says, watching me carefully.

“What the fuck?” I stop what I’m doing and look up at him and Nix.

“Nothing Jackson could do. It was out of his hands.” Nix nods but I still can’t get my head around it. The asshole attacked Holly in front of Jackson. In front of fifty witnesses.

“Don’t fuck with me,” I tell them, growing more pissed by the second.

“I’m not fuckin’ with you. Why do you think I’m here?” Nix says, resting his hip against the counter.

“The fucker almost killed my woman. Tell me how they aren’t pressing charges?”

“He pleaded out, so lesser charges were laid and he walks away with a misdemeanor and community service.” My blood is boiling in rage as I realize the asshole just got off for endangering my woman, my unborn child. My body moves on its own accord, dropping my shit and walking through the shop to the exit.

“Hold on, fucker,” Nix says, pulling me back from my exit.

“Fuck off, Nix. The fucker is getting off. Tell me you wouldn’t be fucking pissed,” I say, pulling out of his grasp.

“I am fuckin’ pissed, Sy. But going off half-cocked when he’s just been released is fuckin’ dumb. Think about it.”

“All I’m thinking about is seeing that crazy fucker hold a broken bottle up to my woman’s throat. Who’s to say he won’t give up? He’s hiding behind his family’s money, getting away with fucking everything while we have to fucking worry about the safety of our women.” I know it’s not Nix’s fault, but I can’t stop the pissed-off rant coming from my lips. Holly and I have just come back to a good space. Her dealing with the worry that this fucker could come back and mess with us is just too much.