Page 13 of Ryker

It took more energy than I had to finally open my eyes, and I quickly closed them again as the bright light pierced them.Wherever I was, that had been as painful as looking at the sun.

“Shit,” Ryker muttered.He released my hand and I heard him walk across the room, then I heard the flick of a switch.“Try again, sugar.I turned off the lights for you.”

I struggled but managed to open my eyes once more.It took me a minute to focus, then I realized I was in the hospital.Why was I here?And why did I hurt so much?My head throbbed as I fought to remember what had happened to me, my brain almost feeling like it had spikes being driven into it.How could I remember Ryker, but not remember why I was here?What the hell was wrong with me?

“Easy, baby,” he murmured, taking my hand once more.“You’ve been in a coma for the last two weeks.Take your time and don’t force yourself to do too much too soon.”

I licked my lips, my mouth dry as cotton, and he picked up a cup from a nearby table.He held a piece of ice up to my lips and I gratefully took it.It soothed my throat, and I moaned a little at how good it felt.When it had melted, I opened my mouth for another.After I’d had three, Ryker set the cup back down.

“Not too much, sugar,” he said.“I need to let someone know you’re awake.”

He pushed the call button on my bed, and a few minutes later a nurse bustled into the room.She smiled widely when she saw I was awake and came closer.

“It’s good to see you up,” the nurse said.“This guy has been so worried about you, and so has that hunky brother of yours.”

The way her eyes lit up when she mentioned my brother, I could tell she was smitten with Flicker, but then, most women were.He’d been compared to a Viking more times than I could count, and every female he spoke to nearly fell at his feet, just hoping he’d take her home.It had always amused me to watch them make fools of themselves over Flicker.Maybe if they knew he left the seat up, had dirty clothes piled all over his room, and barely knew how to boil water, they might not be so impressed.Not that I’d rat him out.

“She hasn’t spoken yet,” Ryker said, sounding a little worried.

“She will,” the nurse said.“Just give her a little time.I’m going to check your vital signs, Laken, and then I’ll page your doctor to let him know you’re awake.”

I barely paid any attention to the nurse as she did her thing, my gaze focused on Ryker.He was tense and watched the nurse like a hawk.How long had he been here?He’d said I’d been in a coma for two weeks, but why?I still didn’t remember anything that had led up to me being here, and it worried me.Was there something wrong with my brain?Was that why I’d been in a coma?What if it wasn’t reversible?Would I always have pieces missing of my memories?What if I couldn’t speak because of some sort of brain damage?

The nurse squeezed my hand.“Your blood pressure is a little high.Try to calm down, sweetie.You’re in good hands here, and I’ll let your doctor explain everything to you.”

I took a deep breath and tried to do as she said.When she left the room, Ryker sat in the chair by my bed again, and took my hand once more.His touch comforted me, and I slowly started to calm down again.I tried to squeeze his hand, but I felt so damn weak.

“You have a lot of people scared and worried about you,” he said.“They tried to kick me out, but I refused to leave.Security came, took one look at me, and turned right back around.”

I smiled a little at that.I could imagine that happening.Ryker was well over six feet of pure muscle, and I doubted any security guards were going to scare him into leaving.I wasn’t even sure the police could get him to budge unless a small army of them came in and took him by force.

“Were you going to tell me?”he asked softly.“About the baby?”

My vision darkened for a minute as my brain throbbed.The word baby triggered something, something I wasn’t sure I wanted to remember.Pain, sharp and unrelenting, hit me, and had I been standing, I’d have collapsed.It was suddenly like a dam broke, and I was flooded with memories, ones that I didn’t want.Ryker yelling at me, accusing me of getting pregnant on purpose, then me running.I gasped as I remembered the car hitting me, and then everything going dark as Flicker leaned over me.

I stared at him, not sure how I felt.He was here, and that had to mean something, but he’d been so angry, so accusatory.My hand trembled in his, and I felt my eyes tear up.He hadn’t wanted me, hadn’t even let me explain anything.He’d been furious, had lashed out at me.That he’d thought for one moment I’d gotten close to him for any reason other than I had found him attractive proved that he knew nothing about me, and had likely never cared at me at all.I’d figured I was just a one-night stand to him, with an encore, but the way he’d spoken to me only proved that was true.No one who cared about me could have said those things, could have thought for one minute I was underhanded and sneaky enough to try something like that.

“Hey,” he said, his voice softening.“It’s okay, Laken.You’re okay.”

“Baby,” I said, my voice scratchy and sounding like it hadn’t been used in forever.

“Yeah, we’re going to have a baby.I’m so sorry, Laken.I’m sorry I yelled at you, that I didn’t let you explain.I know you’re different from anyone I’ve ever met before, but in that moment, all I could think about were the women who wanted to trap me, those who just wanted to be connected to someone of consequence with Hades Abyss, or had wanted a military husband.I should have never compared you to them, but I did.When I realized you were part of the Dixie Reapers, even lived there with them, I guess something inside me snapped.”

I didn’t know what to think of what he was saying.He looked contrite, like he meant the words he was saying now, but could I believe him?My heart ached as I remember the look in his eyes as he’d spoken to me on the sidewalk, the look he’d had when he realized Flicker was my brother, that I was related to a Dixie Reaper.He’d looked betrayed, and I never would have done that to him.Even though we hadn’t spent much time together, I’d given him a piece of my heart during those encounters, and I’d wanted more from him.

“Laken, I didn’t mean any of those things,” he said.“That day, on the sidewalk… I wasn’t thinking clearly, and I can never say I’m sorry enough times.Before any of that happened, I’d thought of taking you with me when I leave.I wanted you.Still want you.And I want this baby.”

Pain spiked in my head, and I whimpered as my eyes slid shut.The pain went on and on, and I heard the machines start going nuts.There was shouting, but I couldn’t focus on any of it.Agony rolled over me in waves, making it hard to breathe.I gasped, and my body jerked as I fought against everything I was feeling.The voices grew louder and after a few minutes, the pain began to dull, and I felt sleep pulling me under again.I succumbed to the darkness, welcoming it and the relief it brought to me.The next time I opened my eyes, it was darker outside my window, and it wasn’t Ryker sitting with me but my brother.

Flicker smiled, looking tired and haggard.

“Hey, baby girl.”

“Ryker,” I croaked.

“They asked him to leave.Said it wasn’t good for you or the baby if he was going to upset you.”He bit his lip.“Actually, they kind of threw him out.It took three security guys and some off-duty cops who were here visiting someone to manhandle him out of her room and escort him from the hospital.He’s no longer allowed in the ICU, not even the waiting room.”

Was that what had happened?I must have looked confused because Flicker moved a little closer.

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