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I check the time. It’s early. If I called now it would surely cause panic. I can’t bear the thought of not being able to answer their questions. Of confessing that she disappeared from my club, under my watch, when I was tasked with keeping her safe.
Texts from Don and Frost are negative. There’s been no sign of her. No leads.
The hours blend into a blur of medical updates, the constant hum of the hospital machinery, and hushed, frantic conversations with my brothers as they come and go and take turns sitting vigil at Dash’s bedside.
As the first light of dawn filters through the hospital windows, casting a soft glow on Dash’s still form, a sense of gratitude settles over me. The bond between us, forged in the crucible of combat, has endured the darkest of nights.
The hospital room becomes a haven of quiet reflection as I sit by Dash’s bedside, watching over him as he begins the slow journey towards recovery.
The darkened streets outside may still bear the scars of violence, and unanswered questions may linger like ghosts in the shadows. But for now, in the quiet sanctuary of the hospital room, there is a profound sense of gratitude. Gratitude for Dash’s survival, for the unyielding camaraderie of my brothers, and for the fragile peace that comes after the storm.
The ordeal has etched deeper lines on our faces, marking us with the scars of a night that tested the limits of our brotherhood. Yet, as Dash’s breathing steadies and the machines hum a reassuring melody, there’s a silent understanding thatemerges from the shadows – a shared resolve to face whatever challenges lie ahead. Starting with bringing Candy home.
And I know exactly who I need to call to do that.
CANDY
Jamie. My ex. Panty stealer and Rudolph defiler is my current cell mate. And by the looks of him, he’s done more to piss off our captors than I have.
But he’s obviously feeling better today because he’s being his usual annoying, whingey, demanding self.
I say today…I’ve no idea how time is passing down here. Infinitely slowly.
“Come on, Gracie, you know it makes sense,” he whines for what feels like the hundredth time. Is it bad that I wished they knocked his teeth out? It might have shut him up a little longer.
“Absolutely not, Jamie. You stay on your side of the cell and I’ll stay on mine.” I try to scramble away from him as he takes a pained step closer to me, wincing, but my back is already against the cold, damp stone wall. It’s seeping through my thin dress and making me shiver so violently my teeth keep chattering.
It’s better than the alternative though.
Being locked up with this guy is a nightmare. Not myworstnightmare, but a fucking nightmare none the less. I’m already longing for the mind-numbing solitude and loneliness I was feeling before his sorry ass was tossed in here with me.
“But everyone knows it’s the best way to keep warm. I don’t want to die of hypothermia!”
“I’m not sleeping with you, or even getting naked to cuddle. Keep your disease-ridden dick away from me! I mean it.”
The thing about Jamie is he flips on a coin. Always has. Probably due to too many drugs, but that’s no excuse. At the moment he’s so badly beaten that he hasn’t got it in him to turn nasty, but when his wheedling and whining fails to wear me down, I have no doubt that he’ll try to just take what he wants from me.
And things won’t be good when he does.
“How about a kiss at least? For old times’ sake. It’s Christmas. There might even be mistletoe in here.”
I snort at that. Get fucking real. “Jamie. I wouldn’t even kiss you under a general anaesthetic, never mind under fucking mistletoe. I’m being nice because you’re hurt,” I say, taking a deep breath and letting Candy from the streets out of her box once more before continuing, “but if you come anywhere near me, I will fucking end you.”
The loud clang of the metal bolt sliding open has me scrambling to my feet, and I don’t say a word when Jamie bolts over to me and grabs my arm. Maybe there is safety in numbers.
The door opens, and once again I’m blinded by the sudden bright light streaming in through the open doorway.
This time two masked figures step into the small cell, stealing all the air and making my fear spike.
One steps forward and roughly grabs Jamie, who doesn’t let go of my arm.
“Please!” he wails. “Don’t hurt me. I can’t take any more! Take her instead!”
Jesus Christ, I knew he was a worthless, cowardly piece of shit, but I never thought he’d be this bad.
My mind flits to my bosses, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that all five of them would take a bullet and a beating for me. Even Frost. And I’m nothing and no-one to them. Then there’s this guy, who professed to love me, who was just begging me to have sex with him to keep warm, who would rather see me hurt than take another punch himself. What a dick.
Squaring my shoulders, I prise Jamie’s fingernails out of my flesh and shake his arm off, shooting him a disgusted look. Our captors obviously disapprove of his cowardice too because one of them pulls back their fist and slams it into Jamie’s gut, causing him to double over in pain. Shuts him up though. The punching guy drags Jamie out of the cell, and the other turns to me, head cocked. The blank face mask makes me shiver as he studies me.
