CHAPTER NINETEEN
Ruby
I rattle around in the small space like a prisoner. The cold porcelain against my leg sends images and memories swirling around in my head.
Robbie’s angry face. His seething jaws. His fist flying through the air and slamming into my nose over and over. I remember the way the warm blood would begin to drip, even pour. Robbie wouldn’t stop until the river flowed. Bruises, cuts, and broken bones, none of it mattered. He wasn’t going to stop until he brought red.
My body shakes from the inside and it leaves my trembling legs feeling like warm jelly. The pain shoots through my temples like lighting and my heart beats, thumping hard at every pulse point.
With my chest burning from the shallow breaths, I struggle to unlock the stall door. I try to focus on the mirror in front of me, but it’s wavy and full of motion. I know what’s coming. I’m thankful that I don’t feel the hard thwack my head makes against the tile floor when I black out.
The next sensation I feel is shaking. A lot of shaking. A sound flutters and tries to penetrate my muffled ears.
“Hey. Hey, lady.”
It’s a voice. A woman’s voice. I ignore the pain and pry open my eyes. My eyelids are weighted and heavy. Light bulbs are strung up through the rafters and they blind me, causing me to wince. “Lady, are you ok?”
I swallow the bile in my dry throat and attempt to sit up and nod, but a queasy ripple quakes through my body and I drop back to the floor.
“Hello? Yes, there’s a woman passed out. Yes, she lost consciousness. The Lazy Lizard. No, it doesn’t look like she’s had much, if anything, to drink. No, I tried, but she fell back down. Yeah, I’ll stay with her. Ok, hurry.”
I can hear her, but she’s not talking to me. She’s on her phone. I struggle to tell her no, that I’m fine, but nothing comes out. I don’t immediately recall why I’m in the bathroom or at the bar until I make out shouting and loud crashing coming from the other room. I fight to remember.
Fear creeps into my chest as I try to find Robbie, but it’s only the woman.
“Just sit back, honey. It’s all gonna be ok. Help’s on the way.”
“But…”
She jerks her head and scrambles to the corner when someone busts through the door. Two men in uniform snake around my crumpled body. The lights are intense and burning my dry sticky eyes. “Hey, young lady. Can you tell me your name?”
I open my mouth and my speech is strangled and muted. “Ruby. Ruby Bonet.”
“Good, Ruby. Now, do you know where you are?”
I swallow and pinch my eyelids closed. A cold hand grips my wrist and uses two fingers to count my pulse.
“A. Bar?” My answer comes out a question.
He nods, and I spot the woman who’s now crouched down and biting her nails.
“I think she’s here with someone,” she says.
“Is that right, Ruby? Can you tell me who you came with? A name?”
“Kingston.” I force myself to sit up. My body feels like it’s weighted and tied down.
“You doing ok? How’s your head, Ruby?”
I skim my fingertips over the growing knot and I’m sure it’s already bruising. “Just the bump.”
“You’re not dizzy? Nauseous?”
I shake my head. “Not anymore.”
One man cranes his head and shines a blinding light in both my eyes. “Have you had anything to drink tonight, Ruby? Any alcohol?”
“No, nothing.”
“Any medications or conditions we need to know about?”
“No. Can I go now?”
One paramedic creases his forehead. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. We need to get you to the hospital, so a doctor can give you a once over, just to be on the safe side.”
I shake my head again, only harder this time. I push myself up off the floor. “I’m fine. See? I’m not going to the damn hospital. I have to find Kingston.”
“Ma’am, we really need you to come with us.”
“I’m not going.”
He shakes his head and huffs. “Well, I have to go on record stating we highly advise against refusing medical attention. But if you insist, I’ll need you to sign a consent form.”
“Fine. Who’s got a pen?”
“I’ll get the folder from the rig.” He leaves, but the second man hollers after him.
“Grab one of those officers while you’re out there!”
“Ok, that’s my cue to go.” The woman in the corner steps forward.
“Thank you for your help.”
She nods and offers a kind smile. “Anytime, doll. You had me worried for a bit there. Hope you’re up and around real soon.” She slips through the crack and vanishes.
I turn my attention back to the medic. “What’s the cop for?”
“We need a witness for the refusal form.”
My haggard breathing is returning to normal and my heart rate steadies. It takes longer than I care to admit to shake Robbie from my thoughts and to remember that I’m safe.
Kingston. I’m with him now. Ready to claim what’s mine. My freedom. My happiness. He can’t hurt me anymore.
“How’d you know there was an officer out there?”
The young man can’t be much older than myself. “Oh, honey. There’s a whole mess of badges out there. They heard the call for an EMT come across the radio. Someone mentioned a bar brawl and that’s all it took. They were pulling up before we were. I wouldn’t doubt it if the intake over at the jail was busting at the seams with local drunks. Your night may have sucked, but it coulda been a hell of a lot worse.”
Tiny beads of sweat freckle my forehead. The burning taste of bitter vomit sears my throat and I have to fight off the urge to throw up. “I have to go.” I barrel into the narrow hallway and run right into the blood red spinal board leaning against the wall.
Fuck.
I’m thankful I’m not strapped down to that thing right now.
“Not before signing the form. Sorry, ma’am.”
I roll my eyes. My insides cringe and make my full body tingle, giving me grueling chills. “What the hell is taking so long?”
As if on cue, the second paramedic skirts the corner and he’s being followed by a short, beady eyed man wearing a blue and black uniform, with yellow stripes running the length of his pants. His clothes appear to be at least two sizes too big, making the gold badge hang loosely from his chest, pulling down the left side of his shirt.
“Let’s get this thing moving along. I got a shit ton of work waiting on me back at the station. God damn full moons. Tonight’s been one for the crazy books.” He distorts his mouth into what I can only guess is his usual scowl. “Well, you must be the little lady all the fuss is about. From what I hear, you don’t wanna go get checked out by a doc.”
“No, sir. I feel fine. It was probably just low blood sugar or something.” He squints, and it makes his face resemble a shrunken head. He scans me from top to bottom. “Yeah, ok.” He reaches for the clipboard and scrawls his name across the bottom before passing it off to me. Adrenaline pumps through my frenzied blood stream. The fight is over, and Kingston is going to come looking for me. He can’t be met by the cops.
“Can I go now?” I ask the medic who’s signing the third blank. He glances over at the cop and waits for his approval, which comes in the form of a chubby nod.
“Yes, ma’am. Just remember, if the pain gets worse or you get dizzy or have any blurry vision, you go straight to the emergency room. This is nothing to play around with, honey. Even a headache. Try not to be alone just in case you lose consciousness again.”
“Yeah, thanks.” I storm into the main room and expect to find the boys. Hoping to see Kingston waiting on me. Instead, I’m met with an empty room. Two servers are busy clearing trash while the man behind the bar mops. His gaze lands on me.
“Hey, you Ruby?”
I don’t know who to trust. I decide not to answer, but then the man strolls behind the counter.
“Your boy left these for ya.” He holds a set of keys in the air.
Kingston left me the keys to the truck. He promised to take care of me, and he’s proving himself right at every turn.
“Thanks. These’ll make it a little easier to go find the guys.”
He stops cleaning and wrinkles his face. “It ain’t that hard, Cher. Their asses are warming metal bunks over at the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Department.”
My blood freezes. “They were arrested?”
“Yep. And wasn’t me either who called it in. The ambulance tipped ‘em off.”
It’s my fault. I did this.
“You think they’re in there locked up with the Laissards?”
The bartender smirks. “I doubt that. The entire brood was let off with a warning. They’ll be here pulling the same shit again tomorrow night.”
“But, if they weren’t arrested that means they’re just out there somewhere. Shit, I gotta get over there and bail them out. I’m sure I can find a twenty-four-seven bondsman.”
“Ain’t gonna happen. Judge won’t be in at this hour. They could wake him, but only if they want to and there ain’t no way they’re gonna want to tonight.” He stops and makes solid eye contact. “Seriously, though, you be careful out there.”
I’m on my own until morning and the pack is lurking, and no doubt, hungry.
I’m left with only one option.