Page 6 of Scorched King

Alarm shot through me. Bear took life quite literally and if he said he was going to wait and talk to my doctor for me, he meant it.

“No way. I’m not letting you waste your first day of freedom in weeks, babysitting me. I’m sure my time is coming soon.”

His scowl deepened. “Maybe you aren’t asking the right questions. And if your doctor isn’t giving you any answers then I’ll lean on him for you. We should go home together.”

“Don’t be silly. I’m sure he’ll have news about my release soon. I’ve been told I’ve made good progress. The last skin grafts supposedly made things a lot better.” It was difficult to keep the bitterness from my voice. Though I couldn’t see most of my scars without effort, I knew they were there, and they were disgusting.

“You know you’re beautiful no matter what,” he said, leaning down to kiss the top of my head, before he settled down on the bed next to me after I scooted over to give him the room he needed.

I hated to admit it, but I lapped up his praise like a greedy fool. There weren’t a lot of people in my life who had much to say about me. Yes, I had friends at the club, and their friendships meant the world to me. But it wasn’t quite the same.

Thoughts of JD filled my mind, as I fought against the sharp sting of tears at the backs of my eyes. I wouldn’t cry as long as Bear remained in my room, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want to. Part of my pain came at my own insistence by refusing to see the man, but I didn’t know what else to do. I’d made him stay away, partially because I didn’t want him to see me like this, but also didn’t trust myself not to say something stupid. Like admit I had feelings for him—again.

He’d made it very clear time and time again, that we were nothing but friends. What had happened between us before would never happen again. It wasn’t the first time he’d said those words, but there’d been something so final in his tone the last time that I’d finally taken it to heart.

JD Monroe didnotwant me around.

I was his employee and nothing else. And now that was gone too.

Gah! I inwardly groaned. If only I could keep him out of my head too.

So maybe the whole emotional damage thing I was using to stay here, wasn’t a total lie. I had issues I needed to face that I kept putting off, but I didn’t need some stranger to actually dig inside my head and pull those out. Those were my private companions. I liked them just as they were. Taking them away now would be too much. One day, when I was good and ready, I’d deal with them.

“I bet the club is planning a big party for your return,” I said, cringing at the wistful tone in my voice.

“Nah. I told them I didn’t want any fanfare. All I need is for life to get back to normal. Besides, I need to work. They can save the party for you, babe.”

The way he called me babe melted my heart. For such a big, scary looking man, he had a softness that had a way of making me feel comfortable with him. It was pretty awesome and I was going to miss him around here.

“I don’t need a party either,” I said quietly, laying my head on his shoulder and taking the comfort he so often offered.

“I don’t know about that. You and the girls sure made time for your margarita nights. Don’t you miss those?”

I sure as hell did. And if Patty or Meg thought they could get away with sneaking a blender and all the fixings into the hospital, we’d have been living it up this whole time.

Speaking of… I needed to give Patty a call. If anyone could help me find a place to go it would be her. Although I wasn’t sure I could trust her not to trick me back onto club property. Thatwoman was like a dog with a bone. When she had an idea in her head, she would not leave it alone.

And she stood at the front of the line of those who thought JD needed an old lady.

Rather than say all that and encourage Bear, I simply gave him a small nod instead. “Sure. But things aren’t the same. I’m not the same.”

“Not true,” he insisted, grabbing my hand and threading my fingers between his. “Well, maybe not exactly the same,” he quipped. “But I’d dare say better.” He rubbed his hand across the thin red scar on my cheek. “You’re still beautiful enough to stop traffic. But now you seem approachable.”

I laughed. “And I wasn’t before?”

“To some people, I guess. For me, you seemed untouchable. So far out of the realm that to spin in your orbit would be impossible.”

I sucked in a quiet breath. Was he saying what I thought he was saying? I almost cracked a joke about it but stopped myself. There was no way on earth I would hurt this man. He’d been my rock these last few weeks and for that I owed him everything.

There were whole days in my recent memories where I could remember nothing but the pain and Bear holding my hand through it all. Even though he must have been in as much pain as I was, having lost two fingers on his left hand, and suffered burns that mangled the rest of the arm with permanent scars.

“And you always seemed too scary to talk to,” I finally said, after an almost uncomfortably long silence. “But as it turns out, you aren’t scary at all.”

He barked a laugh. “I don’t know whether to thank you or admonish you. I’m supposed to be the scariest mother fucker in the MC. It’s my job.”

“Oh I’m sure you still are. But I know now there’s another side of you.”

He shook his head. “At least you didn’t call me a teddy bear. That would have been offensive.”

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