Slade
My eyes are swollen shut, but I manage to open them enough to know that the room is barely lit. I listen hard to see if I can tell whether I’m alone or not. It feels like it’s been hours since someone was last in here with me. My mind drifts to my girl. She must be worried sick about me right now. I have no idea how long I’ve been in here, I passed out, but I don’t think it’s been more than a few hours. If it had they would have come back. The vibration from the music only stopped a little while ago and I haven’t heard it since. That tells me the club is still closed.
These dicks are seriously fucking pussies, fighting a guy with his hands tied behind his back. Noah thought he was such a big man when he came back in with brass knuckles, using them to slam at my ribs. I told him to untie me and fight me like a man. He slammed his brass knuckles into my right leg. I’m pretty sure it’s at least fractured. They kept asking me stupid questions. “What do you know about the club?”
Every time they did I gave them stupid answers. “The club has alcohol and dancers.” Punch to my face.
“Why did Logan Michaels send you here?”
“He doesn’t know I’m here.” Punch to the ribs.
“Where’s Miranda?”
“Fuck You.” Another punch to the other side of my face.
I can’t stop replaying this night over and over in my mind. I really fucked up coming here alone, but part of me is glad I did. I wouldn’t want Cole stuck in this situation with me. My body fucking aches all over. I try to pick up my drooping head and I groan in pain. The pain is too much and the darkness takes over.
I’m startled by a noise outside the room. I have no idea what’s happening, but suddenly the door flies open and in comes a swarm of people and I hear shouting all over me. “We found him.” I believe that’s Cooper’s voice but I can’t open my eyes. “Shit, he’s fucked up bad.” I groan in pain. My entire body fucking hurts. “Get a stretcher in here.” His voice is shaken. I feel my hands cut loose from behind my back, but I can’t manage to move them, they just hang by my side. My legs are cut loose next, causing my limp body to fall, but someone catches me and lays me on something soft. It must be the stretcher they called for.
“I didn’t tell them anything,” I groan in pain.
“Shh, son. Relax, we’re going get you help.” I’m suddenly being rolled out of the room. Thank fuck they found me. In that moment, I’m so glad I told Zane my plan for the night. I have no doubt it was he who helped them find me. “Notify Kara, let her know we’ve found him and he’s alive.” Alive, yeah barely, but I won’t give up. I need to see my girl again. I fucking love her and I need to make to make sure she knows it. I’ll spend a lifetime making this up to her.
I’m lifted into the back of the back of the ambulance and I’m suddenly slammed with questions. “Slade, can you hear me?” I groan in response.
They’re calling out numbers around me and it’s making me feel dizzy. I can’t handle all the noise. I have to shut it all out. It hurts—my head, my leg, my ribs—all of it hurts. I take a deep breath and everything goes black.
***
Kara
I’m sitting on the couch, my hair is wet from the shower my mother convinced me to take, and I’m wrapped in a blanket. The room has been quiet while we wait to hear something. The news has been playing in the background in case they get wind of the warrant and show up at the club. Katie sits beside me with a brush in her hand. “Turn, sis, let me put your hair up for you.” I twist my body without saying a word. I’m too tired to talk. I haven’t been able to sleep since I dozed off and had that nightmare, and I vowed to myself that I wouldn’t sleep again until I’ve heard something. When Katie’s done with my hair, I sit straight again and lean against her. Sky is on the side of me, rubbing my leg, hoping to settle me enough to sleep, but it won’t happen.
Shane walks over and stands in front of me. I sit up straight and he squats in front of me. A small smile spreads across his lips, letting me know it’s good news. “They found him. He’s alive, but beaten badly. We’re going to get you to the hospital so you can meet him there.”
Tears start to roll down my cheeks. “Let’s go.”
“Kara, it’s going to be a little while before you can see him. Let’s pack you guys some things. He’s going to be there for a while recovering.”
My expression changes. “How bad?”
“I don’t know yet. All your father said was it was bad, and I heard something about his eyes swollen shut.”
I gasp. “I have to get to him. I want him to know I’m there.” The panic is back.
“Go grab some things for yourself and I’ll grab his shower kit and some spare clothes for him.” I nod and run off to grab a change of clothes using the burst of nervous energy that just washed over me.
When I come back into the room, Logan, Shane, Zane, and Cole are all talking. The two cops that were at the front door have taken Sapphire to see her child and to explain to her sister what’s going on. I’m listening to their plan as I sit on the couch staring at the TV. We’ll ride in a convoy to the hospital. Stone and Miranda will lead, followed by Logan and Sky. Next will be Mom and I, driven by Cole. Shane and Katie will be behind us, and Zane will bring up the rear. Cole, Zane, and Stone are all carrying, and I assume that’s why they have us set up the way they do. They called Jonah, who will be by later. He had to go by both clubs to make sure they were still intact, but he’s meeting us at the hospital to get the update from Cooper.
We’re pulling up to the hospital. “Do not jump out of this car.” Cole warns.
Stone and Logan peel off to go to park on their own and we pull up to valet parking. Cole opens my door and escorts my mother and I inside. We discover my father is already sitting there in the waiting room. He’s leaning with his elbows on his knees and his hands in his hair.
“Daddy?” my tone is questioning.
“He’s in surgery, baby girl. I don’t know much yet.”
I collapse in the seat next to him. “How bad is it?” I lean on his shoulder.
“I’m going to be honest…it’s not good. You can’t even tell it’s him. He’s such a mess. They had him tied to a wooden chair and it looks like they just kept beating him.” He wraps his arm around me. “They must have been asking him questions because he mumbled, ‘I didn’t tell them anything.’” He rubs my arm. “He should make it, but we really have to wait and see.”
I was so deep in thought listening to my father that I hadn’t noticed everyone else walk in. Cole is standing guard by the door, but the look on his face tells me he’s struggling. I get up and go over to him, feeling bad that no one has asked him how he’s holding up during all of this.
“Cole.” He looks at me. “I’m so sorry. Everyone is so wrapped up in me that no one has asked how you’re holding up. This is your partner and it has to be hard on you too.”
He slips his mask back into place. “I’m all right. I know my boy is strong. He’ll pull through. Right now my focus is on keeping you guys safe.” He turns to face the door, blocking me out.
“It’s okay to be worried for your friend.” I walk away, saying nothing more.
When I get back to my seat, Katie and Sky come in with Logan. They’re each carrying a tray of coffees with little creamers and tons of sugar. He hands me one and puts creamer and sugar down so I can make it the way I like it. “Thanks, Logan.” He nods and continues handing out cups of coffee until everyone has one.
We’ve been sitting in silence for far too long. The wait is killing me and the silence is deafening, but I can’t handle small talk anymore, either. The man I love is on the other side of those doors with surgeons, who are hopefully saving his life. Leaning on my father’s shoulder, I let him wrap his arm around me as I close my eyes, trying to think happy thoughts while we wait. My eyes are so heavy and I can feel myself drifting off when I hear the doors open. “Ryan family?”
“I’m Detective Cooper. Slade doesn’t have family. This is his girlfriend, and I’m the detective that found him. What can you tell us?”
“Well, he made it through the surgery. The internal bleeding was minor and he should recover from that pretty quickly. The remainder of his injuries however, are going to take time. He has a fractured rib, as well as several severely bruised ribs. His right tibia was broken, and we’ll need to do surgery to repair that, but I want to get a specialist to do it when he’s more stable. I’ve set it in a cast for now. He has a major concussion from all the blows he took to the head. Right now he’s still out from the surgery, but we’ll decide the next course of action based on how he is when he comes to.”
“When can we see him?” His brows shoot up at my father’s desperation. “It’s not what you think. I don’t need to question him. I’m her father.” He points to me. “I would like her to be able to see him as soon as possible.”
He nods and looks at me. “I just described a lot of injuries. You need to understand before you go in to see him that he’s been beaten badly. You won’t recognize him, and you need to be prepared for that. There are bandages on his wrists from the cords cutting into his skin. It’s a lot to take in.”
“I understand. I just want to be with him. I want to tell him I’m here.”
“Give me time to get him settled and you can go in.” His eyes shift. “You can’t all go in at once. You’ll need to visit in shifts.” He leaves the room and I can’t help but feel slightly relieved that he’s going to make it, but I’m nervous to see him. Everyone keeps trying to prepare me and I really don’t think there’s any way to do that. I have to walk in and face this. I love him and I just want him to be better.
About an hour later a nurse comes out to get me and she allows my mom and sister to come with me for support. When we get outside of his room, she stops me. “I’ll be right here if you need anything.” I nod my head. “Are you all right?” I nod again.
I take a deep breath and step into the room, but no pep talk could have prepared me for the image I see. I run to his side, take his hand in mine, and sob. His eyes are closed and his face is almost completely bruised. He has a few lumps on the side of his head from where they beat him. I notice his hands are fine other than his wrists. There is not one defensive wound, which means he never got to defend himself. “Oh, Slade. I’m so sorry this happened to you.” Tears run down my cheeks as my mom stands on one side of me and Katie is on the other. They wrap their arms around me, trying to comfort me. I hear a noise outside the door, and when I turn, it’s Cole arguing with someone. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“This guy thinks he’s sending me home.” Cole is pissed.
“Come here, Cole.” I pull him into the room with us. “Visit with him.”
“I need to protect him. Not visit with him.”
“You will. Tomorrow. Please, I need you to be on alert. It’s been a long day and we’re all tired. Go home and sleep, and then come back tomorrow to be here for me.”
He closes his eyes and nods his head slightly. “Okay, I’ll go.” He takes Slade’s hand. “We’ll get this fucker, that’s a promise, my friend.” He places it down on the bed and I walk him to the door.
“Thank you, Cole.”
He nods. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
He turns to the guy at the door. “That’s my partner in there. Take care of him and his girl or I’ll have your balls.”
“I will. I promise.” They man hug and Cole walks down the hall to head home.
I take my spot back by Slade’s side. “Sweetie, we’re going to give your friends a chance to come in and visit for a bit. We’ll be back to say goodbye before we leave.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
When they leave, the nurse comes in. “Are you going to be staying the night?” she asks me with a small smile.
“Yeah. I can’t leave him. I need to be here when he wakes.”
“I’ll get you a cot. He’ll have the room to himself, so you will have plenty of room. I also told your friends they can come down as long as they’re quiet. If it gets too noisy, they have to go.”
“Thank you.” She nods and walks out to get me the cot I need for the night.
“All of your friends are here and somehow they’ve managed to get approval to come down and see you, but I want you to rest and get better. I love you, Slade, and I need you healthy,” I tell him softly.
“He will be.” Shane walks in with Katie and the rest of the crew. When they see him the room gets quiet. “Man, they really fucked him up.”
“I’ll fucking kill him,” Stone growls, taking his side.
“Don’t go there. I would hate to have something happen to him and you be my number one suspect.” My father pats him on the shoulder. “Let me handle this. I swear to you we will find him. He can’t be far…his club is now closed and we found his drug stash, so we have what we need for the drug charges, and when Slade is strong enough, I’ll get his statement. If he’s smart, he’ll plead guilty.”
“Problem is Higgins is a fucking idiot.” Logan shakes his head. “You know damn well he’s going to say it wasn’t him and that it was his boys.”
“I’m confident we have plenty and we’ll start questioning his dancers and his staff. Someone is going to roll. Plus don’t forget, we have Sapphire.”
I’m sitting quietly listening to the banter going on around me while I stare at my man lying peacefully in his bed. A tear escapes me and I’m not sure if it’s because I’m happy he’s going to be okay or if it’s because I’m sad they’ve beat him so badly. I feel an arm slip around me. “Hey, I’m going down to the cafeteria. What can I get you to eat?” Miranda whispers.
I shrug. “Surprise me. I’m getting hungry, but I’m not starving.”
“Come on, Stone. You need to feed your wife and baby.” She grabs his hand and waddles toward the door.
The nurse comes in a few minutes later with my cot, scrubs, and some blankets. “I think it’s time your friends go home.”
“Stone and Miranda went to get me food from the cafeteria a few minutes ago. They should be back anytime.”
“That’s fine, but then it’s time to wrap it up. You’re exhausted and you both need your rest. He’s going to need you to be strong for him when he wakes and I can tell you haven’t slept.”
I chuckle. “It’s only been about thirty hours since I last slept.”
She shakes her head. “Fifteen minutes and you are all out!” She gives everyone a stern look.
“Nurse.” She turns back to me. “How did we end up with a private room?”
“Ask your friend.” She nods back toward Logan and exits the room.
My head whips around. “What did you do?”
He sighs. “They weren’t supposed to say anything. I wanted everyone to be able to comfortably visit with Slade. He’s done so much for all of us and has become a good friend of ours. When I heard he was hurt badly and was going to be here for a while, I made a substantial donation to the hospital in exchange for a single room.”
I run around the bed and give him a huge hug. “You are the sweetest man I know.”
The poor guy actually blushes. “Thank you, but it was nothing. This way I know you two are safe and we can come and go as we need to. We all want to be here for you guys.”
Miranda and Stone walk in with bags of food for me. “We didn’t know what you felt like, so we bought a bunch of fruit, crackers, and snacks. Anything we could find that wouldn’t go bad. I also bought you a yogurt for the protein, but you obviously need to eat that now.”
“Thanks, guys.” Miranda places the bag on the counter and eats her sandwich.
Just as she’s finishing up, the nurse comes in. “Time’s up. You can all come back tomorrow after ten.”
I say goodbye to my friends and family. When they’re all gone, she tells me she left some hygiene stuff for me in the bathroom to freshen up with. Sure enough, there’s a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and a small bottle of shampoo and conditioner. I’m not going to shower now, but that’ll be handy for the morning. I’ll shower when our friends come back so he doesn’t wake alone.
When I come out of the bathroom, my cot is all set up right next to Slade’s bed and she’s making a note on his chart. “What are the chances he’ll wake during the night?”
“It’s hard to say, sweetie. Everyone is different and he’s been through a lot. I suggest you get some sleep so you’re strong for him in the morning.”