Page 139 of Shattered Pieces

“We’ve only heard the short version. I’m trying to keep her from talking too much. He strangled her and fired shots at her. We’re icing her throat every hour to try and stop it from swelling,” I murmured, his fingers slowly reaching out to brush hair from her neck to get a better look. “How did you know something happened?”

“Matteo found out she was here and was raging about it. Skeet mentioned they’d had it out this morning so she’d probably run to you to complain about it,” he answered, raking a hand through his hair. “I have to be back by four. Do the guys know? She’s only been home a day, and Josie will know exactly who did it.”

“I’d suggest she crashes elsewhere this week. Josie will drag cops into it.”

“I can figure something out so she can stay at mine,” he said firmly, but Marco snorted quietly as he dropped back into the recliner.

“You won’t let her sleep in Sasha’s bed. You won’t even sleep in it yourself, man. She can’t live on the couch beside you for a week.”

“The only other option is Jensen’s place, but Josie’s likely to find out about it. As much as Jensen controls the staff, if they’re called off work for a week, the butler guy will probably call Josie with concerns. They communicate about the boys often, apparently,” Diesel huffed, giving me a desperate look. “Can she stay with one of you?”

“You really want her snuggled up in my bed for a week?” I joked, his eyes narrowing.

“You can sleep on the couch.”

“If she wants snuggles⁠—”

“Then fucking snuggle her, it’s not hard,” he hissed, sitting on the floor to watch her.

“I’m fine with her here. Mark and I can take shifts being here so she’s not alone. It also means if she wants to go out, she has backup all the time too. The guys won’t agree to it, and I honestly doubt Rory will either. She hates me for the whole tracker thing,” I winced, picking some dry wall out of her hair as my finger brushed it.

“She doesn’t hate you guys, she just doesn’t trust you,” he murmured, making me frown.

“Huh?”

“She wouldn’t have come to you today if she hated you. You might have broken her trust, but it’s obvious that part of her still feels safe coming to you for help. She knew she couldn’t go to the Shed to me, so she came here.” His eyes softened as she stirred, her eyes flicking open. “Hey, baby.”

“What are you doing here?” she asked. Well, I was pretty sure that was what she said. Her voice sounded rough. He grabbed her drink and handed it to her as she sat up, rubbing her eyes. “What time is it?”

“Close to two. I need to be back by four, I just wanted to check on you.”

She glanced at me like I’d called him, and as much as I was enjoying being curled up with her, I moved so Diesel could sit with her while I grabbed my cigarettes.

I’d avoided smoking inside since she got here, not wanting to make her cough, so I motioned for Marco to follow me and give them a few minutes alone.

“You’re seriously going to have her stay here? She’s bruised, not dying,” Marco grumbled once we’d closed the door.

“We can’t have Josie bringing cops in right now. This is smarter for everyone,” I reminded him, lighting my cigarette.

“What if she thinks she’s missing and sends them here looking for her?”

“I’ll tell Josie she’s with me if I have to. I can say she’s not coping being back on the outside just yet so I’m keeping her busy with me. Josie trusts me.”

“And the guys? Ty might be okay with it, but there’s no way Lukas and Jensen will be,” he pointed out, smoking and eyeing our surroundings.

“I’ll handle it. If you can manage the warehouse for me, it’s easy. I’ll come in when I have to, and I’ll try to see if Diesel’s free when we both need to be there so she’s not alone. Skeet could show up and take her out while she’s alone otherwise.”

“I don’t think he will or he would’ve done it today. If he really wanted her dead, she would be,” he answered, peeking in the window to try and see Rory.

“I’m not risking it. It gives me plenty of groveling time with her too,” I hummed, trying to think of ways to convince her to forgive me. The door opened and Rory poked her head out, a cigarette in hand. “Babe, you’ll wreck your throat.”

“I haven’t had one for hours,” she argued, lighting it up and choking to death on it like I’d expected, Diesel’s sigh from inside the house telling me he’d warned her too.

She was gasping like she couldn’t breathe, so I flicked my cigarette butt onto the lawn and took hers from her to flick aside too, steering her back inside to get her some water.

“Sit, drink that, and I’ll get you more ice packs,” I said patiently, wanting to tell her I’d told her so but thinking better of it. That was one way to ensure she left and didn’t come back.

She sipped the water and tried not to drown in it while I grabbed the ice, and I returned to sit beside her, holding the ice out to her throat. Thankfully, she let me hold it, and Diesel winced.