Page 80 of Lexi, Property of Rhyder

Please, sir, you need to lie down back down, you can’t get up.

“Like fuck I can’t. I’ve had enough lying down like I’m dead. I am sick of eating this crap. Do you hear me? I’m leaving,” I shout back to the nurse on duty.

I stand in a hospital gown the hospital made me wear. I’ve been here for over three weeks, mostly spent in ICU.

Three fucking weeks of damn hell.

Telling me what to eat, what drugs to take, and continually taking my vitals.

I was shot in the chest, the hit causing my lung to collapse. I bled out, needed a blood transfusion, but the doctor tells me it’s a miracle I survived. They say I will heal completely, but, in the meantime, I need to take it easy and quit smoking.

I expected to see Lexi every day right here by my side, but other than the first night, she hasn’t returned. Every time I ask for her, my brothers change the subject.

Prez told me he got her home, her parents were ecstatic, and it was all over the news that she survived. I understand she’s been through a lot and is probably dealing with her own shit, but why she’s not coming to visit, I have no fucking clue. I need to know where she’s been and if she’s okay. Lexi’s not answering my calls, and it’s damn well killing me.

I pull the plastic tubes from my arm and nose, and the nurse runs over to me. “Sir, you must listen… you need to get back in bed.”

“You can’t keep me here,” I growl. I remove the gown I’m wearing and stand there butt naked.

The nurse blushes and turns away. “Sir, put that gown back on.”

I smirk. “Not on my fuckin’ watch.” There’s a bag Torch brought me a couple of days ago with some personal belongings, so I find a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. I quickly change and pull on my boots. Feeling a little lightheaded, I take a seat on the bed and shut my eyes to stop the sensation.

“Sir, you’re still weak. You must listen to me, you need to rest.”

I breathe in and out, saying, “I’ll be fine.” I stand, grab my cut off the back of the chair and my bag. My chest aches where the bandage is covering my wound, but I don’t let it get to me. If I make a fuss, then she won’t let me go. Not that she could stop me anyway, she’s such a small little thing.

Grabbing my cell off the table, I wink at the nurse as I storm out of there. Once in the hallway, I come face to face with Torch, who’s bringing some food in a takeout bag. “Man, what you doin’? You got the all-clear to leave?”

“Nope. But I’m gettin’ the fuck out of here. I’m going home.”

“You can’t be serious. Do you get you nearly died, brother?”

I grab the food off Torch and throw my bag at him. He catches it before it lands on the floor. Removing a burger, I continue to walk out of the hospital, taking a giant bite out of it in the process. Once outside, I inhale fresh air into my lungs.

Torch stands beside me.

“How’d you get here?”

“Luke’s bike. Why?” he asks, nodding to the left.

“Give me the keys.”

“No, fucking, way,” Torch says while dropping the bag. “You ain’t driving. Are you fuckin’ crazy?”

“Yeah, maybe I am, but I’m still ridin’ the bike. I need to catch the first flight out of here and see Lexi.”

“How the fuck am I gonna get back to the motel?”

I shrug my shoulders. “Grab a cab. Now give me the keys.”

Torch stands there for a while, looking between Luke’s bike and me. “Don’t know about this, brother, why don’t you wait for us to all fly out together?”

“Not happenin’. I need to leave now and see Lexi.”

Sighing, Torch pulls his keys out and hangs them in front of me.

I snatch them from his hand, not giving him a chance to think twice about it. I hand the burger back to him and say, “Thanks, brother. I owe you one.” I take out my wallet and keys from my bag then hand it back to Torch. “Take my bag with you. The bike will be left at the airport for Luke.” I storm over to the bike, straddle it, and start the engine kicking the kickstand up.

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