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“How bad is it?” I croak groggily, looking at Tatum who is sitting on the side of my bed, my hand in his. “Do I look like Frankenstein?”
He chuckles. “Honey, you’re fuckin’ beautiful. Not a thing in the world could change that.”
“You’re not answering my question,” I murmur, “which is a little concerning.”
He glances around the room and then stands, walking over to my purse and opening it, pulling out my makeup mirror. He carries it over and hands it to me. “See for yourself.”
I take the mirror, terrified of what I’m going to see. Terrified of the damage that has been done to my face. I close my eyes and turn the mirror towards me, and then slowly open them. For a few seconds, I just stare at myself. My face is swollen, and I have one hell of a black eye, but the cuts from the glass aren’t as bad as I pictured in my head.
When he crushed my face into it, I thought I’d be forever damaged. It felt like a thousand tiny knives piercing my skin. I thought I’d never ever come out of it clean. But I can see now, it’s not so bad. Tatum paid for a plastic surgeon to do the clean-up, insisting he didn’t want any old doctor working on my face.
The surgeon did a great job.
There are probably five or six cuts that have stitches, the rest are small enough that they probably don’t need anything done, they’ll heal on their own. The cuts that are there, are mostly on my cheek with a few on the side of my face, but thankfully none near my eyes, nose or mouth. They’re deep, I can see that, but I can also see how incredibly clean he has stitched them.
“He assured me after six or so months, you’ll barely have any scarring. He said the face is incredible for healing, and the cuts were clean enough that you won’t have any long term damage. You’ll have purple scars for a while, but they’ll fade.”
“You paid for this?” I whisper, my voice scratchy.
“Of course I did. I wasn’t goin’ to let anyone stitch you up. You’re my girl, I look after you.”
I put the mirror down and look at him, whispering, “Thank you, Tatum.”
He sits on the side of the bed and takes my hand, “I’d do anything for you, Jo. Fuckin’ anything in this world. Seein’ you on that floor in Callie’s arms, bleeding, fuck...it scared the life out of me. I never want to experience something like that again.”
“I’m sorry I scared you.”
He shakes his head and leans forward, kissing my forehead. “Don’t be sorry.”
“How is Callie? Is she okay?”
“She’s shaken up. Tanner said she’s still sleeping, he gave her a sleeping tablet to help her. She was having trouble coping with the fact that she shot those men.”
“She saved my life,” I say, my heart aching for my friend. “If she didn’t do that, I’d be dead.”
Tatum takes my hand and squeezes it, “She just needs some time, then you can tell her that, and it’ll probably make everything feel better.”
“And the rest of it?” I dare to ask. “Is it...over?”
He nods, squeezing my hand again. “It’s over, honey. Alarick took care of everything. Callie will walk away clean, and those men are taken care of. You’re free. We’re free.”
“Chase?”
“He’s okay. Missing a few fingers, badly beaten, but he’s okay. He’s in here, too. I’ll go see him in a minute. He’s feelin’ pretty well over it, too.”
“I can imagine, poor thing. At least you got him out alive.”
“Yeah,” Tatum says, “yeah we did.”
“Do you think he’ll be okay, you know, mentally?”
Tatum shrugs. “Don’t know. I just know he’s been through a lot, and it’s going to take some time. He wants to stay here. He said he doesn’t want to go home. He’s done.”
“I don’t blame him,” I say, and then bite my lip as I contemplate asking Tatum if he would consider staying, too.
“What is it?” he asks, narrowing his eyes.
“I don’t want to go home either, Tatum. I like it here. I want to stay. But...being with you is so important to me.”
He grins and leans forward, cupping my face in his hands, “You didn’t think I was goin’ to leave you, did you? I’m staying here with you, Jo. Decided that the moment I saw you on that ground. Also after Alarick stepped in and saved my family, when he didn’t have to. It’s a good place, and they’re good people, and I’m done with the past. I need a new start. Why not here?”
“You’re staying?” I squeak happily.
“Fuck yeah I’m staying.”
Oh.
Thank you, lord.
~*~*~*~
I CLUTCH MY BEST FRIENDS hand as we all sit in Ethan’s room a few weeks later. Raven, the beautiful Raven, is by his side, hanging onto his arm and smiling at us all. She’s perfect for him. The kind of woman he deserves. He’s out of ICU and is recovering well. They said maybe another week, and he should be okay to go home.
Home.
Away from all of us, which is the worst feeling in the world. Still, he deserves to be happy and back there is where he’s happy. Who are we to stop him? Tatum and I made the choice to stay, and Tanner decided he was going to give it a go, too. They’re handing management of the garage over to Garrett and they’re going to open another one here. Branch out and give it a try.
It’s super exciting.
I’m helping Tatum with some of the money Patrick left me, to get his business off the ground. He’s going to work with Alarick to gain customers, and some of the bikers are going to work in the shop. It’s a win win for everyone, really. Chase is going to work for him, also. A new start for everyone. We’ve all decided to leave the past right where it belongs.
Callie is thrilled knowing she doesn’t have to go home, and Tanner is glad to catch a break from the world he has been smothered in for so long. It feels good, exactly how it should. They’re happy, for now, and they deserve to be. More than any of us, they deserve to be.
I want the very best for my friend, and she’s finally got it.
“You must be sick of these four walls?” I say to Ethan, smiling as Raven rolls her eyes dramatically, indicating that she’s probably been hearing about it for a while.
“You have no idea,” Ethan mutters.
“Just think,” Callie says, “when you’re gone, you won’t get to look at us every day, and that’s going to suck.”
Ethan chuckles, “Yeah, that’s definitely going to suck. Seeing you bunch all staring at me for hours a day.”
Callie laughs. “I’m just glad you’re okay, Ethan.”
“Me, too.”
Their friendship has blossomed again. Everything is perfect.
Perfect.
We finish up with Ethan and head out, we’re all going for some lunch and then we’ll head out to a bar for a few drinks to enjoy our new life together. A decision that feels so very right.
“Hey,” Callie says, tugging my arm as we walk down the hall. “Can we talk?”
I stop and turn to face her. The two men stop, too, but Callie waves them on and says we’ll meet them in the car in a moment. They keep walking and I look to Callie, confused. “What is it?” I ask her, narrowing my eyes.
“A few things. First one, the least important but definitely important...Tanner told his parents about us.”
“He did?” I squeal, eyes wide. “Holy shit, how did that go for you? After last time?”
She purses her lips. “I mean, they were a bit shocked but they’ve had a few years to process and have heard the truth from Chase now, so they’re a bit more understanding. It’ll probably take time, and it’s going to be weird for a while, but at least it’s not a hate blow up.”
I smile at her, squeezing her arms, “I’m so happy for you both. I really am. They’ll come around. It might take some time, but it’ll happen.”
She beams, “Yeah, I really think it will.”
“What’s the other part?”
“Oh,” she grins, “I’m pregnant.”
“What?” I scream, so loudly a nurse stops in the hall and scowls at me, reminding me that I’m in a hospital and not outside.
I whisper a sorry to her, and then grab Callie, shaking her a little. “When did this happen? Why wasn’t I there when you peed on a stick? What the hell, Callie? Tell me everything, right now!”
“I only found out this morning. I was a bit late for my period, but I just didn’t feel right. Tanner and I had unprotected sex a few weeks ago and I thought surely not...but I took a test anyway and well...it was positive.”
“Have you told him?” I ask her eyes wide.
She nods, smiling. “He was so happy, you have no idea.”
“Oh my god. Oh, this is the best news ever. I’m going to be an aunty! An aunty! I can’t breathe, this is fabulous!”
She laughs and hugs me, and I squeeze her so tightly I feel like we might just explode. This is everything she deserves and more. She has been through so much, this is like the light in a really really broken tunnel.
I’m so happy for her.
“It’s still early yet,” she laughs, stepping back, “but I’m keeping everything crossed. I didn’t think I wanted kids, you know with everything, but this feels...right.”
“You’re going to make the best mom. Congratulations honey, you deserve this and so much more.”
Her cheeks are pink with happiness and I couldn’t be prouder of her in this moment.
“I love you, Jo,” she whispers. “Thank you for everything you have ever given me. You’re the best friend a girl could ask for.”
“Dammit,” I say, my eyes burning with unshed tears. “You’ll make me cry.”
She smiles, and takes my hand, walking with me down the hall.
“Oh Callie?” I say as we walk.
“Mmm?”
“I love you, too.”