“What happened to not telling me what to do? You’re not Mom, Jackie.” Nicole sounded just as angry, and I crossed my arms over my chest as my mind focused on my hearing. I could barely see, anyway. Not even the throbbing pain could blur their fighting. “I called you here to check on the stitches on his leg, okay, not to fucking bitch at me about my choice!”
“Like fuck am I gonna let you go through this, Nicole! I may not be Mom, but apparently, I’m the only one available to talk your ass off the fucking cliff! How can you think you should still associate with him after gang on gang violence that almost killed him!”
“It’s not a gang. It’s a club! There’s a difference!” My face flared in pain as a smile twitched my cheek, and there was a short silence before a fwop of a towel being thrown sounded. “Get out if you don’t like it! I’ll figure it out myself! The only thing you’ve ever done is tell me to stand up for myself. Well, Jackie, this is me! Standing up for myself! I will not let you treat me this way!”
Nicole shouted with all the authority of a pissed-off chihuahua, but it was music to my ears as it echoed. Caught in the dense atmosphere, her outburst hung heavy, and I crossed my arms gingerly over my chest. Behind my swollen eyes, I could almost see her fuming steam, glaring at her sister, and her sister glaring back. They were polar opposites, and some of the weight eased off my chest when a shrill grunt of frustration sounded.
“Fine! But don’t come crying to me when he breaks up with you for your own good! Damnit, Nicole! I’m gonna kick you in the shin, damnit!” The atmosphere changed noticeably, the tension no longer rippling against my cheek, and Jackie groaned softly. “You piss me off sometimes. You know that? Why you gotta be so stubborn all of a sudden?”
“Because he makes me happy, and this is the one thing I won’t let someone else’s feelings screw up for me.” So softly, Nicole replied, and the earnestness in her tone was touching. Clutching my chest, I managed a somewhat deep breath as all the pain vanished. I shouldn’t be eavesdropping, but Nicole wasn’t gonna care. If anything, she’ll be relieved she doesn’t have to say it again.
“Are you in love with him?” My heart almost stopped beating as I waited, my lungs screeching for fresh air. The silence seemed to go on forever, and I gulped down the tightness in my throat.
“Bruiser makes me happy. That’s all. As long as we keep making each other happy, I don’t think ‘love’ is an appropriate label. He has my back, Jackie. He won’t let me get involved. It was hard enough to convince him to stay here when he woke up. Please, okay? Just go take a look at him really quick. I stare at it so much I think I might be imagining it’s turning yellow.” And back to the pain. It really fucking hurts to hear the concern in Nicole’s tone. Glancing down at my leg blearily, I rubbed the edges of the line of stitches up my thigh. It definitely wasn’t yellowish, leaking, or fiery.
“Well, I don’t condone this at all, Nicole, but I will because he’s hurt and needs help. But I don’t like it.” I slumped against the wall, tearing my eyes off my battered, abused body, and Jackie stopped short when she saw me. Her eyes widened, and she jumped back a bit, but I didn’t care how she saw me. Nicole popped her head around the corner, concern drenching her expression when she saw me standing.
“You! Get back in bed!” Nicole rushed the few feet to me, and I wrapped an arm around her. Her mouth formed a perfect ‘o’, her face tinging red up to her ears. Pressing my forehead against hers, I leaned heavily against the wall to stop myself from falling on top of her. “Bruiser?”
“Once I handle this, quit your job and come down to Margot with me.” Her breath hitched loudly, sucking in hot air from my chin at my murmur. “You can do your art full time. We can fuck whenever we want. I’ll take you for rides on my bike . . . come with me, baby.”
“O-oh . . . let’s talk about it when you’re not out of it, okay?” I couldn’t deny that logic, and I grunted lowly in acknowledgment. Nicole slipped under my arm to help me, and I savored her softness even as her sister’s glare burned holes into my back. “You feelin’ okay?”
“Yeah. Anyone call?” I braced my hand on the wall to pant and catch my breath; words had never been so difficult to utter. Reaching to prod my swollen eye, I winced as pain shot down my jaw and neck. Jackie’s glare softened against my back when I tensed, hissing a breath, but I couldn’t give a shit about her opinion on a good day, and this certainly wasn’t a good day.
“Cole called a little while ago to let me know he got to the hotel. Um, also your little cousin called. He’s not doin’ okay.” Her voice wavered, drawing my attention, and I scowled darkly into space. “He was really upset. I don’t know why Cole gave him my number, but he just yelled a lot and then hung up on me before I could say anything.”
“Little shit. Fuck him.” My frustrated sigh morphed into a groan as I clutched my side, and I sniffed harshly through my clogged nose. Mucus clung to the back of my throat, making it hard to breathe, and I pushed Nicole
