“Hello, gorgeous, looks like I get the honor of getting you out of this place,” I say with a sideways smile in her direction.
“Am I truly ready to be discharged? I still don’t feel well,” she sighs. “I mean, I want to get the hell out of here as much as the next person, but am I truly ready? And what about the baby, is the baby going to be okay?”
I stiffen at the baby talk. Mer is amazing, and she is growing another human inside her. She’s so young and she’s mine…well, not mine alone, but MINE, and she has this life within her.
“The guys and I have set up a safe house to take you to, babe,” I say as I move to the bed and sit down on the foot of it. “I’m going to take you there where a private nurse can look after you and we know for sure you’re protected. Even here at the hospital you’re a sitting duck. All it would take was for one of those pricks to call about you here and they would know where to come and finish the job, and Grizzly, Dart, and I will be damned if we ever allow that to happen.”
“You guys really are too good to me, I don’t deserve it after keeping so much from you,” she says as she puts her hand on her belly.
I can’t believe I didn’t notice the changes in her body before now. She isn’t huge by any means, but her belly is slightly swollen and her breasts are definitely bigger. She’s softer, curvier, and my dick twitches at the thought of getting my hands on her body again.
“Let us do this for you and the baby, and we’ll figure out the rest later. Harlow and Addy are worried sick about you, and they can’t wait to see you,” I grumble.
“They’re mad at me too. I mean, I am with Harlow’s dad, and Addy is upset I kept this all from her.” She begins to cry all over again. “I hope they can forgive me. I hope you all can too.”
I slide over and wrap my arm around her. She cries into my shoulder, and her little body shakes with every sob. She has never cried this much around me, and while it makes me feral, like a lion ready to rip the head off its prey, it softens me a bit too.
“Come on, let’s get you out of here. We all forgive you and will work through this, but we have to get you out of this place to protect you.” I stand up and grab the wheelchair I have stashed just outside the door.
I roll the wheelchair into the room. She’s already moved to the edge of the bed, though the way she moves, it looks like she still isn’t doing great.
“We have an ultrasound machine at the safe house as well so the nurse can check on the baby from time to time if you want her to,” I offer as I help her into the chair and aim her for the door.
“I can’t believe you guys are so perfect and good to me,” Meredith says as she looks up at me. “I don’t deserve any of you.”
“You deserve the world,” I say with a smile as I push her out the door and to the nurse’s desk.
I watch as they have her sign the appropriate discharge paperwork. She smiles up at me again once she’s done, and I wonder how long it will be before that smile doesn’t look so strained.
“Her medication has been called into the pharmacy downstairs, you may want to pick it up on your way through,” the nurse says to me with her own smile. “The private care nurse will be at the discussed location with the equipment this afternoon. If you need us for any reason, don’t hesitate to call,” she says, and I can’t help but think she looks worried.
The nurse is the only person who has been filled in on what’s going on and where Meredith is heading after discharge. I just hope we haven’t trusted the wrong person, but she seems harmless enough.
In no time, I have Meredith outside where we’re both staring at my bike. I realize I didn’t think this through.
“I can call and get you a car,” is all I say as I fish for my cell.
“No, it’s okay, you can drive easy right?” she asks, but I can’t help but note the wince she’s giving me.
I nod as I get onto my bike and ease her up into a straddle position against my chest. I know this isn’t how this is supposed to go, but this is the only way I can think of to protect her the way she needs to be protected. Leaving the wheelchair, I reach my arms around her and take the bars as she wraps her arms around me and places her head on my chest. I start my bike and slowly ease us out of the parking spot.
Once we’re out by the road, I take off, hoping like hell I can be gentle enough. I wish she had leather on to protect her better. This just makes me want to protect her even more.
In no time, we pull up to the safe house. It’s just outside of the city and off the beaten path enough that it should be safe from prying eyes or anything having to do with Meredith’s father. That bastard would be sadly mistaken to show up here.
I’m happy to see Grizzly and Dart already waiting in the drive when we pull up. They help me get her off my bike as we all four ease her into the house.
“You stayin’ with her for a while, Trap?” Grizzly asks as we ease her down on the couch that has been set up already for her.
“Yeah, I have this watch. Are our guys already planted on the property?” I ask, looking between Grizzly and Dart.
“Yeah,” Dart says with a nod. “We have guys coming around the clock and one of us will come and relieve you tonight.”
“Where are you two going?” Meredith asks, but her voice sounds weak. She’s clearly exhausted.
Grizzly sits on the coffee table in the spot where there aren’t any meds, prenatal vitamins, and activity books. Meredith notices the piles on the table…all things to keep her well and entertained. She smiles to see the trouble we’ve gone to for her.
“There are two prospects outside,” Grizzly says softly as I watch him take her hand. My heart lurches at seeing them touch, but not in the way it once would have. “I have to go prepare the club for what might come. More women are missing, and we obviously have a fight coming. The when and where of it all is what has us all by the balls.”