Page 13 of Blue-Eyed Jacks
I snatched the bag of clothes and glared at him.But maybe he needed a reminder of what I’d been through.“Do you have a gun?”
He nodded.“In the truck.”
“Too bad.I’d ask you for it right now, because, if another biker ever touches me again, I’ll shoot ‘em.”With that, I turned my leg so he could see the horrific blotchy green bruises on the inside of my thighs near my crotch.I didn’t give a shit if he could see the new underwear he’d bought or my pubes or anything.I needed him to get it through his head that he was not here to flirt with me.“That is courtesy of my fucking husband.Understand?”
The smile fell into an angry line.“Yeah.Hurry.I bribed the nurse on duty.”
Shit.I left the door to the bathroom slightly open so I could listen for trouble.“Do you think she’ll remember you?”
“She’ll remember.That’s why I didn’t give her a real name.”
I tugged a sweater over my head to cover my nipple points that graced the simple white t-shirt he’d bought.“She didn’t get suspicious?Ask for ID?”
“Bribed, Kate.Of course she’s suspicious.Let’s go.The hall is clear.”
The snow boots he brought were a size too big.But they’d have to work.
“Come on.”He tugged my hand with a squeeze.But then stopped me from moving.“Wait.”He twisted the wedding ring on my left hand.It pinched the skin under it.
“Ow.”
He dropped my hand.“Take it off.Leave it on the nightstand.Nothing from that world comes with, got it?”
“It’s stuck.”
“Spit on it.Hurry.”He kept an eye on the hallway.
I did.The ring slipped off with a little force.I set it right on the discharge paperwork I wasn’t going to take with me.I stuffed the medicine bag into the now almost empty shopping bag.“Ready.”
My heart rate picked up as he took my hand again.“Here.”He dug out a black knit cap.“Put it on and tuck all your hair into it while we’re in the elevator.When we get off, go left.Straight to the doors.I’ll go right.”
In the elevator, he pressed keys into my hand.“Black SUV, Ford.New York plates.”He described the location as I pocketed the keys and pulled the cap over my head.
He pulled off the gray coat and wrapped it around me.Then he took the shopping bag, and the doors opened.He went right, and I turned to the doors on the left.
Five minutes later, I found the fucking vehicle.There were seven black SUVs in that section alone.I was coughing hard and needed my inhaler.I started the car and turned on the heater.The driver’s door opened, and I screamed.It wasn’t loud, but triggered a harder coughing fit.
Jackson looked completely different.Somehow, he’d changed into an ugly Steelers jacket with a bright yellow scarf and hat.
“Move over.”
I bruised my leg climbing over the console.He dug under the seat and pulled out a Pennsylvania plate.“There it is.”
He was gone for only a moment to swap out the plate on the back of the car.Then we were on the move.He took the interstate north.I took it in stride, knowing if we were followed, going north wouldn’t lead them directly back to Jackson.
Hours later, we were heading east on 80.Once we passed Milton, I got worried.“We’re not going to Skilletsville?”
“Fuck no.”
Oh.
He fiddled with the radio.“What kind of music do you listen to?”
Anything but pop.But those words didn’t come out.Instead, I said, “I don’t.I hate music.”
“I beg your pardon?”
It was too long of a story to explain.“Can we please just be quiet?”
