Page 82 of Ride or Die

“Sure!” Tom grins, sitting up a little prouder.

Cole stands and holds his hand out and Billie takes it without even hesitating, allowing him to guide her over to the bed. Of course, she chooses the only pink marker she can find in thebunch before climbing up onto the bed next to her brother, and getting to work signing his cast with the utmost care and precision.

I pick up the billing paperwork and sit down, but before I can get to starting it, Cole takes a seat next to me, and I can feel his eyes on me. I glance at him to see his brows knitting together as he scans the papers.

“They have your details?” he asks, his voice a low murmur, full of concern.

“I was so panicked when I got here. I-I didn’t even stop to think. I… God, I don’t even have insurance,” I whisper, feeling tears prick my eyes again.

“Shh.” He hushes me softly. “It’s okay.”

Cole eases the paperwork from my trembling hands and, casting a fleeting glance at the kids, he leans in and presses a soft kiss to my cheek, lingering a moment as he whispers against my temple, “I got you, baby.”

I’m still half-swooning, half-trying to breathe from the feel of Cole’s lips on my skin before I even realize he appears to be going somewhere.

“Where are you going?” I ask him, confused. “The doctor should be here any minute.”

Cole smiles softly. “I’ll meet you guys out front.”

And then he’s gone, disappearing through the curtain and again, my uncertainty returns. Looking from my wringing hands, to the empty seat next to me, to Billie and Tommy giggling obliviously as Billie draws something on her brother’s cast, my heart is beating to a chaotic rhythm when the curtain is suddenly yanked open once more, the doctor from earlier standing there with a big smile.

“Sorry to keep you, Miss Turner.”

I clear my dry throat, standing to meet the man with a wavering smile.

“Tommy is free to go,” the doctor says, handing me a prescription. “Just fill this and have him take one with food when and if the pain becomes a little too much to handle.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” I offer the man a slightly more controlled smile, all while wondering where the hell Cole went to.

By the time I’ve managed to wrangle the kids and collect all of our things, I walk them out, down the corridor that leads to the waiting room. Billie plays nurse and helps her brother as he struggles, and I can’t help but smile at the two of them.

When the security doors glide open, I see Cole standing there, waiting for us, arms folded across his chest, casual grin curling his lips as he approaches, placing a gentle hand on Tommy’s shoulder.

“Y’all ready to go?”

I look around then, scanning the waiting room. “I have to give them the paperwork before we leave.” As I look back at Cole, it’s only then that I realize he no longer appears to have the paperwork he removed from my hands earlier. “Do you still have it?” I ask, panic flaring in my chest because what if they don’t let us leave?

Wrapping his arm around me, Cole pulls me in, his lips finding my temple again with another kiss as he murmurs, “All sorted, baby.”

I rear back, gaping up at him becausewhat?

“Don’t,” he says lowly, an unthreatening yet cautioning tone in his one-word warning like he just knows I’m on the verge of asking him a slew of questions, but can you blame me? I don’t know what the hospital was planning on charging me, but I know it was bound to be somewhere in the thousands of dollars that I don’t have.

“Cole.” I spear him with awhat the fucklook.

“Clara.” He meets me with adon’t even fucking think about itlook, lips twitching to take the edge of the threat and, with a sigh, I reluctantly relent.

“Hey?” Cole urges me closer so that I’m forced to look up at him. When I do, I see a startling uncertainty in his gaze as he searches my own. “Please, Clara. Just let me help you. Iwantto help you.”

And I want to accept the help. Ineedto accept the help. But it’s a lot. Too much. Swallowing around the lump in my throat, I tamp my doubts down with a nod and a slightly forced smile.

Cole tucks his finger under my chin, steadying me with a knowing look. “Accept the help,” he says on a whisper, his eyes boring into mine. “Remember?”

I nod again, softening a touch. “Thank you.”

And with a barely-there yet full of meaning kiss peppered to my lips, we turn and join Billie and Tommy by the doors.

By the time we get back to Summer, it’s almost nightfall and it’s only now that I realize just how exhausted I am. Worn through to the bone. Cole’s hand on my knee the entire drive has been like a tether, keeping me held together so as not to fall apart as the adrenalin I’ve been riddled with all day slowly begins to ebb.