Page 90 of Stag

“She’s not getting in the same one as that bitch,” I snapped at him, and he snorted.

“Pretty sure this one’s headed straight for a cop car, brother. Your lady okay?”

I leaned over to unlatch her seatbelt, and she practically fell against me, her trembling fingers locking around the edges of my cut.

“It’s okay, babe, I’ve got you.” I didn’t know if she could see my words, but I think I needed to say them anyway, for me, to know that I had this under control. That I could rescue her and keep her safe, even though I’d already failed her in the worst way.

“My… fault…” she murmured, holding on tight as I backed up and tugged her from the car with me. I kissed the top of her head and lifted her into my arms as soon as she was clear of the car. I couldn’t easily answer her without her seeing me, so I just focused on getting her to safety. There was an ambulance pulling up as I reached the road, but it had no flashing lights, and no markings, just the general look of an ambulance in size and shape. A vaguely familiar man hopped out of the back, trailed by a nurse in scrubs, and they guided me to sit down with her in my lap as the guy, who introduced himself as Jeffrey, started checking her over. The first thing he did though was to gently lift her chin until she looked at him.

“I’m Jeffrey, love. I’m a doctor, do you mind if I check you over?”

She smiled a little groggily at him and nodded.

“Yes? I’m not going to touch you anywhere untoward. I want to make sure nothing’s broken or dislocated, and I want to check you for concussion. Did you hit your head?”

Claudia paused, her breath hitching a little as her voice cracked.

“I don’t know. I don’t remember.”

Jeffrey pursed his lips and nodded, turning to murmur over his shoulder to his nurse, who headed over to where Marissa was being held back by Harley and Rocket, and screaming at them to release her. She didn’t look hurt, but looks could be deceiving. Either way, she wasn’t my priority, just Claudia was.

“Keep her away from us,” I yelled at them, and Jeffrey nodded, shining a light into Claudia’s eyes, one after the other.

“We’ve been briefed. That one’s coming nowhere near my ambulance unless your lady’s okay to go.”

“Your ambu… fuck it, I don’t care. Just tell me she’s okay, doc, please.” As long as she was okay, I could handle anything else. Just don’t let my lady be hurting physically as well as mentally, or emotionally. Her fucking sister had crossed the line. I had no idea how this had come about, but I knew it’d never fucking happen again. That bitch wasn’t getting within a mile of my old lady.

“I want a fucking restraining order. I want her kept away!”

Jeffrey was gently checking Claudia’s neck as he replied.

“Just a doctor, Stag. You’ll want to talk to the police about that. I hear there’s a friendly one on the way to help.”

Marissa fell silent suddenly, and I couldn’t help but take a look, because if they’d found a way to shut that mouth, I wanted to know how. Curiously, although she was now handcuffed by god only knows who, because I couldn’t see a cop anywhere, she was silent and rapt, staring at Danno as he spoke quietly to her. He had her chin in a firm grip, and whatever he was saying seemed to be sapping the rage out of her, calming her, and I wanted to know how the fucker was doing it.

“How the fuck…”

Jeffrey turned to look at them and chuckled. “He’s the woman whisperer, Stag. Don’t question it. He can dominate in a few words, and have them under his control.”

Dominate?

“Huh?”

He rolled his eyes as he gently tended to a cut on Claudia’s hand, possibly from the seatbelt.

“I know it’s not that simple, but if I had to guess, I’d say maybe that’s what she needs. Someone to take control and give her the peace of just doing as she’s told.”

“Whatever. Just make sure she stays the fuck away from Claudia. Well, and me. I’ve never hit a woman in my life, but she’s the first one I’ve wanted to.”

Jeffrey tutted at me. “Luckily your lovely lady can’t hear you saying that, brother. Take my advice, get her home, spend the next few days treating her like a fucking queen, and forget the sister. She just went far enough to get her put away somewhere for a while.”

“I’m sorry,” I suddenly heard from beside us, in a soft voice so contrite, I could have imagined it came from my own lady. I lifted my head to glare at a handcuffed Marissa, who stood before us with tears pouring down her cheeks, and Danno’s firm hand on her shoulder.

“Stag, can you make sure Claudia sees this? If she’s open to it?” Fuck, I didn’t want that, but maybe this’d help with her closure. It wasn’t my decision either way though, so I tapped her ear to get her to turn to me, and spoke clearly.

“Your sister wants to apologise. Do you want to see that?”

It was pointless to try and say more, because Claudia’s head swivelled immediately to find her sister, a sharp gasp leaving her that made me want to cover her eyes, just to protect her from whatever the bitch comes out with. She starts nice and turns nasty so fast.