Page 15 of Greedy Grizzly
But up until today, I hadn’t wanted to be claimed by anyone. Funny how things changed after a near-death experience.
“Don’t play this off like it’s not a big fucking deal, Lib.” Fear marred Grizzly’s face, and it hurt me deeply. This man had suffered tremendously during his youth. He’d escaped his torment after killing his foster parents, and lived on the streets, hiding from the authorities.
After the former president of KLMC, Matt Knight, had brought him into the fold, Matt had helped Grizz create a new identity. I knew everything Landon Graves had gone through because I’d been the only other person he’d confided in, besides Matt and Storm.
What Grizz and I shared, our bond, could never be broken.
“I’m sorry.” While I was happy to be alive, I saw how much my getting hurt had affected him. For a while now, I suspected he’d fallen in love with me but I had tried to ignore it.
Silly me had fought like hell to never belong to one man. I tried to pretend I didn’t notice the changes in Grizzly, or in me.
Now, I wasn’t sure I felt the same way about staying free and single for the rest of my life. It was amazing how a traumatic event like being shot and almost dying changed my perspective.
“No need to apologize, sweetheart. He’s just having a moment. Right, Grizz?” Toby said in an even tone.
“Yeah,” Grizzly grumbled. “Just try to rest. The doctor will return after supper.”
“Okay.” I laced my fingers with his, and put a hand on Toby’s arm. Then I closed my eyes and Bruno’s song filled the darkness in my mind.
I must’ve nodded off because the light outside had faded when I stirred and cracked my eyes open. Grizzly was still holding my hand, but Toby had left.
“Hey.” Grizzly leaned over and kissed my forehead. “Toby stepped out for coffee. Are you in any pain?”
“No.” I yawned and sensed someone else in the room. I turned my head and found Sugar at the foot of my bed.
“Hi, honey. I am so relieved you’re okay.” She rubbed my leg. “We were all worried, especially that guy.” She nodded at Grizzly.
“He’s a little overprotective.” What was I saying? There was nolittleabout his protectiveness. Grizzly took keeping me safe to a whole new level.
He growled with an unamused expression.
“I don’t think so. He cares very much for you.” Sugar smiled, but it didn’t reach the corners of her eyes as it usually did. Something was up and nobody seemed to want to bring me up to speed.
“I’m sensing a weird vibe from you two. In fact, the air has been tense since I came out of surgery. What’s going on?”
The door opened just then, and a female doctor entered with Toby trailing behind, white styrofoam cups in each of his hands. He gave one to Grizzly and one to Sugar.
“Libby, it’s good to see you awake. How are you feeling?” The brunette adjusted her green rimmed glasses as she studied me.The apples of her cheeks turned pink. Not surprising with such fair skin and two attractive men breathing the same air as her.
“I’ve been better.” What else could I say? I’d been shot for goodness’ sake. She of all people should know how I felt.
Curiosity was getting the better of me. I wanted to ask Grizzly what he’d told the medical staff. In a motorcycle club, we didn’t usually go to hospitals.
How severe had my injuries been if Patch couldn’t take care of me? The thought was frightening. I wiggled my toes, and I felt them. Thank, God! I wasn’t paralyzed.
“Well, you’ll make a full recovery,” the doctor told me.
“That’s a relief,” I replied, but she didn’t make me feel better. I might not be paralyzed, and that was very good, but I’d bet my life on something very bad had happened to me.
“But there are some things we need to talk about.” She glanced at Grizzly, then Toby, and then she turned toward Sugar behind her. “Perhaps in private.”
“No. They can stay.” Whatever she had to tell me sounded serious, and I wanted my closest friends with me when I heard I was going to die.
Strangely, I didn’t feel like I was going to meet my maker any time soon, but perhaps that was the point. I was so bad off that I felt nothing. Well, except for my toes.
“All right, then. During surgery, I had to remove your right ovary and fallopian tube, due to the damage by the bullet. With you being in your prime childbearing years, it—”
“Are you saying I can’t have children?” My heart seized, and I wasn’t sure why.
