Page 77 of Cross My Heart
Dex
MLM Tactical Group
Dexter: The doctors just took Lanie back to reset her shoulder, elbow, and thumb.
Preston: Fuck, man. Is she ok?
Dexter: She will be, they just gave her a heavy dose of pain meds. She won’t have use of her arm for a few weeks though, that’s if she doesn’t need surgery.
Trevor: Freaking hell.
Julia: Should I come down there?
Dexter: I’m not going to tell you not to, but I will tell you I’m afraid this is going to be the final straw for her. I think she is going to want to go home.
Julia: Her strength will surprise you. So will where she considers home these days. Call me when you have some news. For now, I’ll stay by the phone and give the two of you some time.
Trevor: Kids are all in bed. Tate is having a hard time sleeping, so I let him lie in Lanie’s bed. It made him feel better to be closer to her.
Dexter: Him and me both.
Preston: On the bright side, little man over here recorded the entire fiasco with the douche-canoe. He is our little hero, I can all but guarantee you won’t be having any more trouble from him or his son again, ever.
Julia: Tate might be my new hero.
Preston: Sorry, Trevor, looks like Jules here has a new “buddy”.
Julia: Watch your balls when I come down there, asshat.
Trevor: (Middle finger emoji)
* * *
Lanie
Opening my eyes,I immediately sense something is off. My head is fuzzy and feels heavy. I try to look around but everything is blurry. I don’t even attempt to raise my head as I take inventory of my body.
Instead of flashbacks from my attack, I hear Dex. I see Tate’s worried face. I hear Tate crying, and everything becomes clear. Even after everything that just happened, I’m not focused on Zachary, the attack, or even theSenator. All I’m focused on is this family. This family that is trying so hard to claim me as their own.
I can hear Dex and Trevor talking.
“Can you believe that bitch, Anna?” Trevor asks. “I can’t believe she left you for the Senator, the same Senator whose son was bullying Tate.”
“I know,” Dexter says, sounding sad, “she knew it was going on too, she just didn’t care.”
Preston chimes in, “At least now it makes sense why she was hitting you up for money though. He was afraid she would ruin his already tarnished image, and she was left with nothing. Could you imagine if the press found out he was with a woman who left her children and that his son was bullying the son she left behind? It’s a PR nightmare right out of the tabloids.”
I know I’m missing a lot, and I want to be caught up. I try desperately to open my eyes.
“Hey, Dex? I think she is waking up,” I hear Trevor say.
“Lanie? Sweetheart? Can you open your eyes?” Slowly and with great effort, I open them. I’m surrounded by all these big handsome men. I’m in Dexter’s room with the dark grey walls and light aqua curtains that I can see swaying from a breeze.
“Preston, can you get her some water, please?” Dex asks.
“You got it.” Preston jumps to get the water. If I wasn’t so confused, I would probably laugh. Preston isn’t someone who jumps to do anything.
“I’m okay,” I choke out, my throat unnaturally dry. “Where is Tate?” I ask, searching the room for him.
