Chapter 30
My heart is going to burst out of my body. Jesus, I can’t calm down. My boy is on a gurney, moaning in pain, and there’s nothing they can do for him until we get to the hospital.
“His blood pressure is good,” the EMT named Sandy says. “Good heart rate too. And I don’t think he has a concussion, because his pupils are the same and not dilated p>
I know she’s trying to calm me down, but until a doctor tells me that I can take him home, nothing is going to calm me down. My kid is in pain, and there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it.
Talk to him, Sandy mouths to me.
“Hey, kiddo, remember that time that we went to Disney World when you were ten p>
“You got sick after Space Mountain,” he says with a smirk.
“Are you seriously making fun of me for getting motion sick p>
“Duh.” He winces when we hit a bump. “It was cool that Gideon and Ryker met us there p>
They surprised us both the day after we got there, and the four of us had a whole week of rides, time at the pool, and all the park food in the world, and I’m pretty sure Ryker spent a mint on all the souvenirs that Aiden wanted. It was one of the few times over the past decade that I got to spend significant time with Ryker, and I soaked in every minute of it.
“Where are your Mickey ears?” I ask him.
“In my room at the ranch,” he says. “In the big house, not in the bunkhouse p>
I smile softly. “Aw, you still have them p>
He purses his lips. “Don’t tell anyone p>
“Hey, I still have my Little Mermaid ears,” I inform him. “They’re cool p>
Finally, I see the hospital come into view, and when we park, the back doors fling open, and the paramedics carefully pull Aiden out, trying not to jostle his shoulder.
“I’m here,” I hear Ryker call out as he runs from where he parked just about ten yards away, and then his hand is in mine as we walk right behind the gurney and EMTs.
“Take him to bay six,” someone calls out, and then suddenly we’re in a cramped room with curtains rather than walls in this small ER, and the medics, along with two nurses, gingerly move Aiden onto the bed.
Ryker pulls me against his chest, my back to his front, and wraps his arms around my shoulders. I soak in his strength, his warmth, as my emotions flutter all over the damn place. I want to scream at them to hurry up, but I don’t want them to hurt my kid, and I need to stay out of their way.
“He’s going to be okay,” Ryker murmurs into my ear. “See? He’s alert, and he’s answering questions p>
I nod, but there’s a huge lump in my throat, and I can’t answer him.
“Trust me, sweetheart, I’ve had my fair share of knocks on the head and injuries, and I’m telling you, he’s going to be fine p>
“Okay,” I whisper and squeeze his forearms against my chest.
We’re ushered out when they wheel in an x-ray machine, and then after we’ve waited about twenty minutes, a doctor roughly our age walks in. He’s in a white coat, and it reads “Dr. Ashby p>
“Well, I have good news,” the doctor says with a smile for Aiden. I’m clasping his good hand in mine. “The shoulder isn’t broken, but it is dislocated, and that means we have to reset it p>
“And that’s going to hurt like a bitch,” Aiden guesses.
Dr. Ashby’s lips twitch with humor. “Not gonna lie. It’s going to hurt. But we can give you meds p>
“Just do it,” Aiden says, shaking his head. “It feels weird, and I’d rather get it over with p>
“You don’t want to be here for this,” Ryker tells me and tries to pull me away, but I adamantly shake my head.
“I’m not leaving p>
“It’s okay, Aunt Wills,” Aiden says and squeezes my hand. “You should step out. I’m okay p>
“No p>
“I can also report,” the doctor continues, “that there is no concussion, and the ankle is just twisted. You have some scrapes that we’ll clean up for you, but you’ll be able to go home in about an hour p>
“Good,” Aiden says. “I have work to do p>
“No work for quite a while,” the doctor says. “You’ll need to keep that shoulder immobile for about six weeks while it heals p>
“No way p>
“Yes way,” Ryker says. “You’ll move into the ranch house with us p>
“Sonofa—” Aiden pouts, and I squeeze his hand.
“Hey, you’re fine, and that’s all that matters. If Sunflower had stomped on you—” My voice cracks, and I can’t complete the thought.
“Whoa, baby,” Ryker says and kisses my temple. “No going there. She didn’t, he’s going to be fine, and you can baby him for the rest of the summer p>
“Hey, Ry,” Aiden says, “we were talking about that time we all went to Disney World in the ambulance. Remember when Aunt Wills got sick after—Oh My God p>
The doctor took that opportunity to reset the shoulder, and I’m pretty sure Aiden just crushed my hand.
Ryker hisses behind me.
“That hurts so bad,” he whispers.
“You’ve had a dislocated shoulder p>
“Twice,” he confirms.
“You didn’t tell me p>
“No need to worry you, Trouble p>
“We are having a conversation when we get home, Captain p>
“Captain,” Dr. Ashby says with a nod. “I thought you looked familiar. You’re Ryker James p>
“Guilty p>
I feel Ry tense up. Normally he doesn’t mind talking with fans, but this isn’t a good time. Luckily, the doctor just nods and then goes about his business. At least he didn’t ask for an autograph.
Aiden wipes a tear from his cheek.
“It’s just a reaction to the pain,” he says, trying to talk all of us into believing that he wouldn’t cry.
“Of course it is.” I lean down and kiss his head. “I love you, buddy. I’m so sorry it hurts. We’ll take you home and get some good drugs in you, and you can rest p>
“Lame,” Aiden says, but he leans into my touch. There are moments when he’s still my little boy.
Finally, an hour later, after they’ve given him a full bag of fluids, cleaned his cuts and scrapes, wrapped the ankle, and put his arm in a sling, we can head home, armed with a few days’ worth of pain medicine so we don’t have to rush to the pharmacy. Ryker is careful to avoid bumps as he drives the truck, and it takes both of us to help Aiden inside and up the stairs, thanks to his twisted ankle.
“This sucks ass,” Aiden says as I help him lie down on his bed. “I have to go out to the bunkhouse and pack up my stuff p>
“That’ll be done for you,” Ry replies. “Just rest for today, buddy. Take a nap p>
“I think the medicine is making me sleepy,” he says. “But it’s hard to get comfortable p>
“I’ll adjust your pillows when needed,” I assure him and then kiss his head again, breathing him in. His hair is always so soft against my lips. “Nap for a while, and then I’ll bring up some food p>
“Okay p>
He’s asleep before we leave the room.
“Jesus, I’m tired,” I say as Ry and I walk down to the living room and curl up on the couch.
“If we never relive that, it’ll be too soon.” His lips are in my hair, brushing back and forth. “I have news about the other stuff, but if you’re too tired to talk about it, we can do it later p>
“No, I want to know. It’s killing me.” I lean back so I can see his face. “What’s going on p>
“It was all Andy,” he says and brushes a lock of my hair behind my ear. “He’s been arrested this morning on a bunch of charges p>
“And he didn’t send those pictures to anyone else p>
“As far as we know, no. He just wanted to get money out of me p>
I sigh and lean against him again. “I’m so sorry, Ry. You trusted him p>
“Yeah, well, I’m just glad it’s over. But I’m thinking about going to Seattle to check on the penthouse and talk with the attorneys and PR people in person p>
Panic shoots through me.
Jesus, I don’t want him to leave. I know I can do this alone. I’ve taken care of Aiden during illnesses and injuries by myself since he was little, and if I had to, I could do it now too. And I hate to ask for help.
I hate feeling like a burden to anyone. It was drilled into me as a kid, by the one woman who was supposed to love and protect me, that I was just that: a burden.
But I have Ryker now. And I really don’t want him to go to Seattle.
“No. Please don’t go, Ry p>
He scowls down at me in concern. “Hey, I won’t be gone long. Just a day or two, so I can check in with the authorities, my penthouse p>
“We need you here.” I don’t even care that I’m being needy as fuck and that I sound a little unhinged. I straddle his lap and wrap my arms around his neck, almost clinging to him. “I never ask you for anything, Ry, but I’m asking for this. You have the police, the team, and even Gid helping with the mess in Seattle, but Aiden and I need you here at the ranch. I know I’m asking a lot. I know. But if you leave right now, I’ll fall apart, and that’s your fault p>
God, I’m so close to tears. The adrenaline from dealing with Aiden has worn off, and now my emotions are all over the place, and I do not want him to leave me.
He lifts an eyebrow and runs his hand up and down my back. “Why is it my fault p>
“Because you made me love you and depend on you, and he’s hurt, Ry. Under literally any other circumstances, I would tell you to have a good trip. I would even offer to go with you, but Aiden p>
I feel a tear slip down my cheek, and he smooths it away with his thumb.
“I have done it by myself for all these years, and I can’t anymore. Not now that I know how fucking good it feels to do it with you, and if you go away for a few days, I might lose my mind p>
“Okay, take a breath. Deep breath for me, sweetheart p>
I do as he asks, and he breathes with me. I’m on the verge of a panic attack. His hands ghost up and down my back, and he’s soothing me with that deep, calm voice.
“That’s it. You’re doing great, baby. It’s been a shitty day, but Aiden is safe upstairs, and he’s fine p>
The tears keep coming. I held it together until Ryker said he wants to go to Seattle. And it would make sense for him to go. If I were in his shoes, I’d want to as well.
But I can’t deal with it right now.
“I hate sounding weak like this p>
“No. You don’t sound weak at all. I’m glad you’re asking for what you need.” He wraps his arms around me and hugs me to him, and I bury my face in his neck, clinging. “Always tell me what you need, baby. And if this is what you need, I’ll stay home. You’re right, everyone’s handling everything for me, and I can ask Mac to get eyes on the penthouse p>
“I’m sorry p>
“I don’t want you to be sorry.” He’s peppering my shoulder with kisses. “I like that you need me, and I’m happy to be here with both of you p>
“Today scared me p>
“I know. It scared me too. I’m usually the one getting injured, and I can take it. I don’t like it when it’s my family p>
His family.
Just when I think my heart can’t melt any more, he goes and says something like that.
“It’s been a rough week,” he adds, still hugging me close.
“I’m ready for boring now, please p>
He huffs out a laugh and tugs my face up so he can see me. “Me too. There will be press surrounding the Andy shit. There’s nothing I can do about it, but the team will help keep it to a minimum p>
I nod and kiss his chin. “It’ll die down after a while, and something else will be interesting p>
“That’s how it works,” he agrees as his dark eyes skim over my face. “Everything’s going to be okay, sweetheart. I promise p>
“I know. But please, stay here, okay? Even if it’s just for the next week or so, and then we can reevaluate p>
“That works.” His hand cups my cheek. “Whatever you need, Trouble. You’re the priority p>
I close my eyes and rest my forehead against his. “Thank you p>
“Always. I love you so much p>
“I love you too p>