Chapter Fourteen
Aries didn’t recall much of the ride home. She held on to Lucifer with one hand, and she used her legs to stay steady. Aries felt sick to her stomach and was trying hard not to throw up. When she saw them pull away from the other clubs, she figured home wasn’t far. At one rest stop, she’d put her jacket on over her vest. The night air on the bike made her shiver. She was past caring about her hand; she wanted a shower. She wanted her bed and a glass of soda. She wished she could just shut the damn world out. Not even the thought of all the beautiful clothes Lucifer had bought her made her happy.
She leaned forward and tried to put her head on his back. He tapped her thigh, and she leaned back. She knew he was letting her know he wasn't comfortable. Finally, she saw their street, and he was parking the bike. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to stand. Charlie was beside the motorcycle, and he helped her to get off. As he carried her upstairs, she laid her head on his shoulder.
“Charlie, I had to use your dagger, I did what you said to do,” she whispered.
“Lucifer called from the road; he told me you got hurt. I’m gonna lay you on the couch.” Charlie put her down carefully. He pulled her boots off. “You didn’t lose my dagger, did you?”
“No, Lucifer has it. I promised you; I’d bring it back. I’m so damned drained. I just want to go to sleep in my bed. Can you help me get this jacket off?” She was trying to pull it off with one hand.
Charlie helped her get it off as she was struggling. She didn’t lay down. She knew the glove, and duct tape had to come off. It would be easier if she did it herself. She began to tug the glove off while Charlie hovered over her.
“It hurts like hell. If you don’t like the sight of blood, don’t look.” She warned him. “I need to rip this tape off and hope it doesn’t bleed more.” It hurt her hand badly as she removed the bloody glove and Charlie took it away from her.
Lucifer was coming into the apartment when she was telling Charlie she was going to take the duct tape off. His hand throbbed too.
“Aries, don’t take the tape off yet. Let’s get you to the sink. I’ll put your stuff in the closet.” He had her clothes in his hand, and he disappeared into the bedroom.
Charlie was sitting near her and was watching her with concern. “Who hurt you? I’m gonna kill the motherfucker.”
Aries didn’t want him to get into any trouble over her. “I got him good enough. I hurt myself holding the dagger. I got my hair pulled, and I hate my hair pulled, it makes me go into a rage. Juba said to let Lucifer handle it. I want to forget about today. I’m never going to another hill climb again. It was boring and next time I am staying home with you.” She looked at him and tried to smile. She failed miserably.
Charlie was livid. She was his family now, and he was going to make sure she was always safe. She had little Jewel, and he loved kids. He couldn’t work supposedly due to his mental problems and got a decent check from the government plus the money he made doing odd jobs here and there. He was going to be Jewel and Aries personal protector. He may have failed Della, but he would never let down his new family.
“I’ll be right back; you stay right on the couch. Promise me you’ll wait for me before you get up, okay?” He stood over her waiting for her promise.
Aries sighed, “I promise, I won’t get up.”
Charlie nodded, “I’ll be right back, and we’ll get you fixed up.” He left the room and went to talk to Lucifer.
Lucifer was in the bathroom cursing as he was pulling the tape off his hand. He had a deep gash, and he needed stitches. He saw Charlie lurking by the door.
“That fucking dagger is sharp as hell. What the hell did you do, sharpen the sides too?” He was rinsing his hand off.
Charlie looked at him, “It saved her ass, she said you’ve got it, so hand it over. I’m going be her protector, I couldn’t help Della, but now she and Jewel are my family, too. I want to move into the other bedroom. You offered it to me enough times. When you’re not around, I will be.” He was very solemn.
Lucifer didn’t answer him right away. He reached up and took the cord with the dagger from his neck. Charlie was dead serious about protecting Aries and Jewel. He knew he’d protect both with his life if it came down to that. With Frog and Devil’s Grime MC out for blood, it was a decent idea. Would Aries mind another person living with them was the question? He didn’t give a fuck. His bros were always crashing here anyway. He chose his words carefully because upsetting Charlie wasn’t a wise idea.
“Charlie, you going flip out or do anything stupid because Jewel is a child? She gets annoying at times. We’ve got to run this by Aries and see how she feels about it before I give any answer. Fuck, her hand’s worse than my cut. Motherfucker, we’re going to have to go the Emergency Room to get them stitched up. Come on, we’ll see what she says, but if you fuck up and scare either of them, I’m gonna be mad at you.” He warned him as he ran more water over his hand and wrapped gauze around it.
Aries was trying to tune out everyone who had come into the apartment. She was ready to go to bed. She was only sitting because she had promised she would.
Lucifer sat on one side of her and Charlie sat on the other side of her on the couch. She looked at them tiredly.
“Babe, do you mind if Charlie moves in with us? He wants to be close to you and Jewel, so if anyone tries to hurt you, he can stop them. It’s up to you, but it’s a good idea, honestly. He’s one of my best bros.” Lucifer was as persuasive as he could be in Charlie’s favor.
Aries turned to look at Charlie. He was looking at her with a new look in his eyes. Maybe this would help him, she decided.
“I’d like that. I’ll feel safe with Charlie, and as long as there is no more hiding in closets, the answer is yes.” She reached out with her good hand and touched Charlie’s arm. “Thank you for caring, Charlie.”
“No more games, except if Jewel wants to play hide and seek. We need to see your hand sis, let's get you to the bathroom and away from everyone.” Charlie seemed different as if he had a new outlook on life.
Lucifer hid a smile. Maybe this was going to bring back the old Charlie and give him a new reason to clean up his act.
“Do you need help getting up, Aries?” He saw how pale she looked and wanted to get her hand checked.
“I want to get this damn tape off and take a shower and go to bed. I’m tired, and I feel sick to my stomach.” She pushed herself up, and the two bikers were instantly beside her.
She walked to the bathroom with them behind her, and she looked at her hand with the duct tape wrapped around it. It was going to be a bitch to pull it off. Dried blood was caked all over her hand. She felt sick to her stomach as she looked at the tape. It was going to have to come off, and she wasn’t sure if pulling was the best idea. Cutting it off might be better. She opened the drawer by the sink and found her scissors.
“One of you cut the duct tape off. I don’t want to look; I feel sick, and like I’m gonna puke.” She wasn’t afraid to admit how she really felt with Lucifer and Charlie.
“I’ll hold you and Charlie can cut it off. Hell, he can use his dagger, that thing is as sharp as a razor.” Lucifer tried to make a joke to lighten the mood.
Charlie glared at him and ran his finger over the blade of the scissors. “They’re dull, hold her hand still, Lucifer. I am using my dagger, it is sharper and will cut the tape faster.” He had it in his hand, and Aries shut her eyes as she felt her hand being held out. He was trying to be gentle, yet do it as fast as he could. The tape was sticky, and he pulled it away from her skin as quickly as possible.
Aries gasped in pain and felt Lucifer tighten his grip on her. Charlie washed her hand with soapy water and it stung. She was scared to look at the cut.
Lucifer watched as Charlie used gauze to blot her cut. His friend looked at him sadly, “She needs stitches. I should have warned her just to hold the handle.”
Aries had heard enough, she pushed out of Lucifer’s arms and reached the toilet where she emptied her stomach.
Charlie looked at Lucifer and mouthed the word soda at him. Lucifer nodded back and stood there helplessly, as his ol lady heaved her guts out.
“I feel like shit; I want to go to bed and not get stitches. What the hell are we going to tell the hospital?” She flushed the toilet and was reaching for the mouthwash. “Look at me, I look awful.” She swished her mouth, spit and rinsed the sink out.
“Babe, they’re not gonna ask. They usually see the club patch and say little. You want to wash your face and put on a clean shirt? We may as well get this over with right away. If you want, I’ll send somebody to get sandwiches from the diner.” He knew if he had food waiting she’d be more likely to go.
Aries looked her hand, damn; she had cut it deeply. She thought of Frog and decided the cut was worth having.
“They will be stitching your hand too? At least I didn’t get your right hand. Will Charlie hold my hand if you can’t?” She sounded weary and looked at him with tears in her green eyes.
“Of course I’ll hold your hand, I got you some soda to settle your stomach.” Charlie held the glass of soda out to her. “Try to take little sips.” He looked at Lucifer, “Who else do you want to go?”
Lucifer was tired, “Whoever is the soberest. I need somebody to get us roast beef club sandwiches. Figure it out while I get her ready to go.”
Charlie left, and Lucifer got Aries into the bedroom to put on a plain tee shirt. She grabbed one and went braless. He went into the closet and tossed out a pair of sandals for her to slide her feet into easily.
“Lucifer, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful but could there be fewer people here when we come home? I want to eat and cuddle with you. My head hurts terribly. I’m not in a partying mood, to be honest.” She sounded tired and weak.
“Yeah, no problem but I doubt Charlie will go, he’ll crash on the couch.” Lucifer knew Charlie wouldn’t leave.
Aries let out a deep breath. “I hate pain; I hope they give us shots to numb the area before they do anything. This fucking sucks.”
They walked into the living room where Siggy was waiting with Charlie to take them to the Emergency Room. Sleaze had taken the girls to the diner and would bring the sandwiches back.
Lucifer guided her down the stairs and into her car. They got into the backseat while Siggy drove and Charlie sat shotgun. Aries put her head on his shoulder. She was dozing until he gently moved her.
“We’re here, come on, let’s get this over with.” Lucifer sounded weary too. He helped her out of the car and Charlie was right beside her.
They walked into the well-lit emergency room; Charlie held her good hand. She was never going to another run or party in Pennslyvania, she swore to herself. The rest of their time at the emergency room was a blur once they numbed her hand. The nurse was nosey, but one snarl from Charlie shut her up. He made sure he never left her side, and he was the one that carried her up the stairs and into the apartment.
Lucifer and Siggy stood on the balcony watching as Charlie got her a sandwich and fussed over Aries.
“Charlie seems to be better; he said he’s gonna move in here with you and Aries, and you’re okay with that, Pres?” Siggy wasn’t sure it was the best scenario.
“She needs somebody watching out for her, and she’s okay with him. That is the main thing that Aries is fine with him. Charlie will protect her and Jewel with his life. Maybe he will finally snap out of his depression. You all need to head out. I’m beat, crash at Sleaze’s apartment, just in case. Rico won't be back for a few days. Best to be prepared for anything. I don’t trust those motherfuckers, be ready.” He looked at Siggy with a hard stare. “I don’t know if they will try to retaliate. So until we’re aware of what’s gonna happen, we’re gonna be ready for anything.”
Finally, everyone was gone, and Lucifer ate his sandwich. He didn’t tell Aries how many stitches she had. Charlie had said she didn’t want to know. He couldn’t wait to get to bed and hold his ol lady in his arms. It still pissed him off he hadn’t thought more about her safety. He promised her she’d be safe and he let her down. Thoughts of what he planned to do to Devil’s Grime MC filled his head as he plotted what he’d do to them for touching his property. Aries was his, and now he had to prove to her, she was safe with him.
Aries managed a quick shower with her stitched hand well protected from the water. Washing the dirt from her body felt good, and she wasn’t taking the pain pills. She was dead tired, as it was, and she didn’t want to get sick from pain meds.
Lucifer was ready with a towel and helped her get one of his tee shirts on. He took a quick shower, and when he came to bed, she was fast asleep. Charlie was on the couch watching the television.
Lucifer moved closer to Aries and wound his finger around a strand of her hair; it was becoming a habit to twist a bit of her hair around his finger. He wasn’t sure why but it just felt right to him. She was his, and he’d kill for her.