Heartwood (34 page)

Tightening my grip, I set my teeth and dug in. My heart pounded in my temples, and every muscle in my body screamed, but I would not let him fall.

Hands, lights, shouting… when your world has become a blur of agony and fear it’s hard to keep your wits about you. I woke in a hospital bed, lying atop clean sheets with tubes running out of my arms. The pain, which had been debilitating, was blissfully absent. Coming awake, I reveled in the lack of physical torment. Then panic shot through me as my memory returned.

Gentle hands gripped my shoulders, holding me in place in the bed.

“Shh, honey.” My mother’s face looked drawn but she gave me a tentative smile. “It’s okay baby. I’m here.”

“Logan!”

“Logan is fine, sweetie.” Gesturing to the right she pointed to a double sized hospital basinet. Logan lay inside clutched tightly by his sister Eva. He had an IV sticking out of his hand and his entire forearm was taped I assumed to keep it in place. The two of them looked so peaceful and beautiful a sob escaped me. Mom turned around and enveloped me in a hug. Stroking my hair, she gently rocked me while I unleashed a torrent of my unshed tears.

“It’s okay, sweet girl, let it all out.” Mom said, and I clung to her like a scared child.

By the time I wound down, her shirt was sopping wet with tears and snot. Rising, she grabbed me a washcloth and towel to clean up with. Pulling tissues from a box near the table she had me blow my nose.

“God mom, I’m sorry. Your shirt...”

“Don’t you dare apologize, Honey. It is a small price to pay to hold you in my arms again. I was so worried...the nurses said you have bruises everywhere. And bites. They already took pictures for the police and did a rape kit.”

I wanted to scream. This news made me feel almost as violated as Draven had, but I understood they needed to prove what he’d done and what he hadn’t. I remembered Draven sinking his teeth into me twice during his little visits to my room for playtime. The fact that my mother knew this detail made me want to wretch. I wondered if Joe knew and I turned to her anxiously.

“Mom...where’s Joe?” The look on her face made my heart do flips in my chest. “What’s wrong?”

“Mollybelle, I need you to stay calm. The babies need you to be strong for them right now.” She was handling me. I didn’t need that. What I needed was answers.

“Mom,” I said in a voice far calmer than I felt. “What’s going on? Tell me, please.” The last word came out high and pleading. Mom took a deep breath, took my hand and held my gaze.

“Molly, he’s down getting an MRI done.” She saw the apprehension on my face and hurried on. “The doctors are concerned. The bullet grazed him near the temple and they just want to make sure the damage is superficial.”

My breathing was shallow. “Just a graze? But I saw him shot multiple times.”

“He was wearing a vest.” The doctor said, not looking up from my chart as he entered the room. “He has two fractured ribs. He dislocated his shoulder, busting down the door, we assume.”

I thought about the way Joe had slammed into Draven, and wasn’t entirely sure. Kicking my blankets off, I tried to stand. “I want to see him.”

“I’m sorry, that’s not possible now. The police have guards posted at his room.” The doctor replied, flipping casually through my chart. His dark almond eyes glanced up at me and did a double-take at my stunned expression.

Shock ran through me as I processed his last sentence. “Why?”

“Honey, he killed Draven.” My mom murmured, covering me back up.

“They’re pressing charges?” I flung my blanket aside and tried to climb out of bed. Mom gently eased me back onto the pillow.

“Not as such. From my understanding some details got leaked to the press and his family is raising holy hell. Officially, it’s for his protection during the investigation. But this is serious, Molly.”

I snapped. “I’m aware of that, mother. You know what else is serious? Kidnapping. Assault with a deadly weapon. Throwing my eight month old around like a rag doll!”

“Molly, please calm down.” My mom cautioned.

“I’m glad he’s dead.” I blurted, and the look I got from everyone in the room made me feel like a sane person in a crazy world.

Mom looked astounded. “Molly!”

I glared at her. My mom was a God fearing woman, but I didn’t care that I’d just disappointed her. I knew it was a hateful, despicable thing to say...but I didn’t take it back.

“Increase her drip.” The doctor whispered to the nurse who was taking my temperature. She nodded.

“No!” I heard the monitor beep in time with my racing heart. “If those assholes even think about charging Joe—”

“They won’t.” Joe’s dad piped in as he entered the room. His eyes were red rimmed and for the first since we’d become acquainted, he looked disheveled. “Put that out of your mind, Molly. That’s the least of your concerns, I promise you. Right now you just need to rest.”

“James.” I croaked, feeling my stomach twist in knots at the sight of him. I vaguely remembered him being at the house when help arrived. I had a flash of him picking Logan up off the chair that Draven had discarded him in, and I wasn’t sure, but I thought James may have wrapped his jacket around my shoulders and led me out into the rainy night. “How’s Joe?”

“He’s hurting, but that’s what you get when you knock down a steel door with nothing but your shoulder and adrenaline. And getting shot at close range, Kevlar or not is going to leave a mark.”

I tried to nod, but I couldn’t lift my head from the pillow. “How’s his head?”

“He’ll probably have a scar, but I told him it gives him character.” He smiled good-naturedly. “We’ll know more, later, but he’s awake and alert.”

The confidence in his voice placated me. I leaned back and then raised a hand to my face.

“Why do I have a bandage over my eye?” I felt sleepier, and assumed the nurse had already snuck something into my IV.

“You had surgery on your eye a couple of hours ago. Don’t you remember?’ James looked concerned, and in that moment he looked so much like Joe that I nearly sobbed.

“It’s alright.” The doctor interjected, speaking more to him than me. “She’s been sedated since they brought her in. One might not remember much. It’s normal.”

“What’d he do to my eye?” Remembering the shadows across my vision, I wasn’t sure I really wanted to know.

“You had a detached retina. The surgeon repaired it.” The doctor replied.

“I’m sorry. She already has two visitors.” I heard the nurse tell someone at the door.

“It’s fine. I’ll leave so he can come in.” Joe’s dad said, glancing over at the twins. His eyes met mine and I was startled to see how emotional he was. “It’s good to have you back, Molly.”

I opened my mouth, but I couldn’t find any words. I nodded at him. As he left the room, I looked back at my mom. “I’m tired.”

“Sleep, honey.” She demanded, and I felt a hand grip mine. I turned my head without lifting it off the pillow. Mac loomed over me on the right side of the bed. He looked like absolute hell, all scruffy with bags under his eyes. It suddenly struck me how much he looked like Daddy, and I was worried about him.

“Good to see you, short shit.” He tried to play it light, but his eyes told a different story.

“Mac.” I sniffed, suddenly feeling weepy. He looked taken aback by my reaction, but didn’t say anything to tease me about it.

“Mason and Robin are here. They’re in the waiting room with Robbie and Tamryn. Tamryn’s pretty shaken up, but she wants to come back and see you.” He gently hugged me and held me for a moment. His eyes traveled over my wounded face. I saw violent anger flicker across his face, but he seemed to shrug it away. “I should have taken care of that asshole when I first heard he put a hand on you.”

“Malcom Thaddius Hildebrandt.” Mom’s voice never rose above a conversational tone but Mac stiffened. “That’s enough. I’m sure she appreciates the sentiment, but she doesn’t need you getting her all riled up.”

“Okay, Mom.” Looking back at me he winked conspiratorially and squeezed my hand. Too tired to do anything more, I smirked with the side of my mouth that still functioned properly.

“Molly.” The nurse stepped forward and blushed as she gave Mac a sideways glance. “The pediatrician would like to take some X-rays of Logan and examine him again.”

“Again?” I asked, feeling mentally sluggish. “What’s wrong with him?”

“He was a little dehydrated and he had the start of a rash on his bottom but other than that he appeared uninjured. I understand you told the paramedics he was thrown?”

“Yes.” It surprised me that I’d had conversations of which I had no recollection. I recalled the image of Draven flinging Logan aside and I shuddered. Mac exhaled loudly and didn’t let go of my hand.

“They’d like to check him to be sure he doesn’t have any hidden injuries.” The nurse went on.

“I’m going with him.” I replied, trying to get up for a second time.

“That’s out of the question.” The doctor replied, his dark eyes narrowing at me.

“You’re not taking my baby anywhere without me. No one is.” I barked and Mac put a hand on my shoulder.

“I’ll go with him, kid. Let these people do their jobs.” His level delivery took all of the fight out of me.

“Don’t you dare let him out of your sight, Mac.” I meant it to sound forceful, but it was more of a mumble. I felt like my functioning eyelid weighed ten tons.

“Not a fucking chance.” Mac replied, and then my world went dark.