Page 7 of Battling Aries

I find it hard to be able to narrow my eyes, let alone keep them open. The pain I’m feeling grows more intense by the minute. I just want to curl up and sleep, but I can’t, I have to stand my ground. “No, I won’t, Aries, and you can’t make me.”

Aries moves even closer, the tension radiating off him stifling. He leans in and gets nearly nose-to-nose with me. “Don’t push this, Rory. You do as what is necessary. The only reason you’re even here is because of Cordy. Otherwise, you’d be out on your ass. But you seem to have blinded my sister’s judgment of you, and because of her, you’ll do what Mace says. Get better for her. You’ll also tell my brothers what the fuck you’ve now dragged Cordy and us into.”

I swallow back my smart remark about how I don’t have to tell him or anyone jack. Aries is right. His sister was dragged into this because of me. But I never intended for her to be. I just wanted to escape the pain and the misery of my life. I lost enough as it is. I didn’t want to lose more.

“Whatever,” I finally manage to blurt out and fall back against the gurney, turning away from Aries so as not to see his face. I didn’t like seeing the hatred in his gaze, or hearing the furious rage in his voice. I know he hates me now. I hate myself for what I did to him. It was the only way to protect him, though. I didn’t want him to be hurt. I hadn’t wanted to lose him altogether. The only way I was able to do it was knowing that though he would hate me forever, he’d at least still be alive.

There’s no missing his movements when his hand comes to my chin and gently forces me to meet his gaze once again.

“Lose the attitude, Scamp,” he orders. His voice harsh, eyes glaring, but him using that one word kills a part of me inside. Mainly because he’s always called me that. I was his scamp, and he was my heart. It might not have made sense to anyone else, however, they didn’t matter.

“Don’t call me that,” I mutter and jerk my chin from his grasp, looking away from him again. “And don’t tell me what to do.”

Okay, so it might be childish to say something so stupid, but still it had to be said. I’m sick of people telling me what to do. Of treating me like I can’t do something for myself.

“Aries, let her rest,” Mace states, cutting through the tension.

I feel him move away rather than see him. It’s like the air suddenly thins back out.

“Make sure to let me know when your parents get here. I’ll be here to make sure she lets them assess the damage done.”

“No, you won’t,” I snap, twisting again to him. “You’re going to stay away from me, Aries, and I mean it.”

Aries stalks back to me, fingers curling around the side of my neck in the way he used to, and he gets in my face all over again. “You don’t get a say in this matter, Rory. The moment you told Cordy to bring you to me made you mine. My property. Mine to decide what to do with. You’ll do as I say, or I swear to God, woman, I’ll put you over my knee. Fight me on it, I dare you. Trust me when I say it’s a battle you won’t fuckin’ win.”

Releasing my neck, Aries jerks away and stalks out of the room completely. The men who stayed silent the entire time follow him, closing the door behind them. I’m left alone with only Mace.

“Don’t think I’ve ever seen my brother act that way around anyone. He’s usually cool-headed and easygoing,” Mace states.

“Well, I guess I just bring it out in him.” I shrug and close my eyes. “If you’re going to be in here, then can you at least give me something for the pain? None of the heavy meds, please.”

“I can do that,” Mace says, and I hear him moving around the room. “If you need anything stronger, let me know. Someone will let Cordelia know, and she’ll probably come in and sit with you.”

“No,” I nearly shout. “I just want to be alone.” My eyes pop open, and I meet his. “Honestly, I just want to lay in a normal bed without being bothered and rest. All I need is to rest, andmy body will be fine. Trust me, I know what I can and can’t handle. Just some regular old Motrin and Tylenol will do me some good.”

Mace stares at me momentarily, not saying anything before nodding. “I’ll get you moved into another room, but I doubt you’ll be able to keep Cordy or even Aries from coming in there.”

“Great.” I huff and roll my eyes to the ceiling.

There’s no way I could be a bitch to Cordy. Not in a million years. She’s my best friend and the reason I’m still alive. If she hadn’t been able to get us both away from Roger’s men, I’d be dead. Or back with Roger and wishing I were dead.

I’ve no doubt that if Roger gets his hands on me again, he’ll make me beg for death and refuse to allow me to die.

CHAPTER 4

RORY

“I’m so, so, so sorry,” Cordy cries, flinging herself onto the queen-sized bed next to me, jostling me painfully in doing so.

I fight wincing to keep her from knowing her action hurt me.

“I’m okay, Cordy,” I tell her, shifting on the bed to face her, ignoring the sharp pang in my ribs.

Earlier, Mace showed me to the room I’m now in. It was bare of anything except a TV, dresser, and bed. He’d gotten me a T-shirt from somewhere with the Devil’s Riot MC logo on the front. It was huge and dwarfed me.

“You had me freaking way the hell out, chickadee.” She huffs, swiping at her tears. “I thought you were going to die.”

“I’m not going to die. Seriously, I’m fine just banged up.” Okay, so maybe I’m a little more than just banged up. Every part of my body is still throbbing painfully. I was tempted to ask Mace to give me something stronger. I even refused the sedative, and he let me, under protest, that is. The big guy seemed like a softy, but I could see in his eyes he was anything but. When I told him I could walk to the room he was putting me in, he’d threatened to call Aries and tell him I wasn’t listening. So, thebig guy carried me to the room, leaving me only when I was situated and promised I wouldn’t leave the bed.

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