Page 80 of Last Chance Seduction
“You get nearly stabbed and suddenly you’re all grouchy?I mean really.”
“Would you like me to kick him out of the room?”Mercy asked from the other side of the bed, her voice soft.
Dash immediately put his feet on the ground and sat up straighter.“Sorry, Mercy.”
My lips twitched, but it was Brooklyn who spoke up next.“Oh, I like this.All you have to do to get Dash to not be an asshole is to ask a woman he respects to tell him sweetly what to do.”
“Excuse me, I love women.I’m great with women.”
“I can’t believe you just said that with a straight face,” Mercy said deadpan, and I snorted.
“You think I’m going to be able to get out of the hospital soon?It’s not like they have to keep me overnight, right?”I asked as I looked down at my newly bandaged arm.
Between the time the cops had come and now, a few hours had passed.We had gone through our statements and made sure that Mr.Darcy was safe with a neighbor.A neighbor who’d come over with the others to make sure Mercy was safe.And the surprise on her face that others had been there to help would forever be in my memory.
Mercy wasn’t alone.
And I’d do all in my power to make sure she remembered that.
Now Mr.Darcy was safe instead of being at the house alone—now a new crime scene.Of course after getting to the hospital, getting through all the red tape, authority issues, and stitches, we were all exhausted.
“Thankfully you don’t have to stay overnight,” my mom said as she walked into the room.“Although, the fact that I’m starting to recognize some of the nurses and staff here because of you and your cousins is truly beginning to worry me.”
“You say that as if our generation didn’t spend our time in various hospitals around the state.”Dad wrapped his arm around Mom’s shoulder and kissed her temple.
She just rolled her eyes.“Please don’t scare me like that again.Either one of you.”Mom went around the bed and instead of comforting me, she cupped Mercy’s face in her hands.“I realize you didn’t have to have stitches, and you don’t have a concussion, but you’re still going to have to let us take care of you.I’m sorry, you’re family now.And I don’t take no for an answer.”
I nearly opened my mouth to tell my mom to back off, but when my dad glared at me, I sat back.
Mercy however, just leaned into my mom’s hold.That, more than anything, told me I’d be able to sleep at some point.Because if she could lean on my mom, the image of her bleeding on the floor wouldn’t be the only thing on my mind.
The love of my life smiled softly up at my mom.“After the day we’ve had, I’m okay with you guys taking care of me.I kind of miss the whole mom thing.”
If possible, my mom smiled even brighter.
“Well, you’re stuck with us now.And if I can’t step up to the plate, one of my various sisters-in-law will.”She kissed Mercy’s temple, and then gently touched underneath her eye.“You’re going to end up with a black eye there.”
“I know.I’m not looking forward to the array of colors.”Mercy cringed.“However, I think the other guy is worse.Which I can’t believe I get to say that.I thought I only got to narrate things like that.”
“Please don’t remind me that you had to fight for yourself,” I growled.
“Excuse me,” Mercy snapped, though her eyes were filled with worry.“You are the one who took down two guys.I only took down the one.And Mr.Darcy helped.”
Dash leaned forward, reminding me that he and Brooklyn were in the room.“You know it took me a really long time to remember that Mr.Darcy was your cat and not the guy with the hand flex in that one movie.”
“Oh my god, the hand flex is the best thing that’s ever happened in cin-e-ma,” Brooklyn said as she clapped her hands with each syllable.Mercy, however, rubbed her temple, and Brooklyn winced.“Sorry.I’ll be quiet.”
Mom rolled her eyes like she had when we’d all be children.“You should all give them time to rest.Honestly, I’m surprised that Mercy isn’t admitted now.”
“I’m checked out,” Mercy put in.“Now we’re just waiting for the paperwork for Lex, and we can go home.”She scowled.“Well,Lexcan go home.I have blood on my carpet.”
“We’ll take care of it,” my dad said, his voice low.“Between our two companies, we’ve got it down.Hell, I think Reece is already talking with the authorities to see when he can get in there.He’s had experience with this sort of thing.”
Mercy glanced at me, and I shook my head.
“Not my story to tell.”
“I have so many questions.”She rubbed her temples and I reached out to grab her hand, running my thumb along her palm.“But mostly I want to know if Justin is going to get in trouble for any of this?”she asked, her teeth digging into her lower lip.I squeezed her hand, annoyed I was still on the damn hospital bed.My stitches were in and we were allowed to go home—I just needed the damn paperwork.
