Page 90 of Relentless (The Titans of Founder's Ridge 2)

Griff wraps his arms around me and gently pushes me back onto the bed. “She’s okay. They had to do surgery and take one of her kidneys, but she’ll make a full recovery.”

A nurse comes in to see why my machines are all angrily beeping. She kicks both the guys out and takes my vitals. She takes this time to talk to me as well, “The men who brought you in yesterday said you didn’t a rape kit done, but it’s not too late if you think you may have been sexually assaulted.”

“I wasn’t,” I answer quickly. “I don’t remember much in clear detail, but I know I wasn’t raped.”

“Okay, I just wanted to make sure you knew you had that option.” She enters something onto her mobile computer. “After this round of pain meds, I’ll have the on-call physician look you over and get you discharged.”

I thank her and get back in the bed. I figure I should doze for a little bit longer. As soon as I’m discharged, I’m going to straight to check on Lilith and Claire. I’m dozing when I hear the door open. I don’t immediately get up, assuming it’s Levi or Dad because I know the doctor would knock first.

“Ivy.”

My head whips around, and I take in the most unwelcome sight. My mother stands beside the bed, a cold look on her face. She’s wearing a ridiculous oversized hat and black sunglasses.

“Go away.” I roll and give her my back. “I have nothing to say to you, at least not until I take your ass to court for defamation.”

“That’s why I’m here.” She grabs my shoulder, digging her nails into me. “Tell your father and Frank I’ll stop giving interviews if they agree to pay me five million dollars.”

“Are you serious right now?” The fucking audacity of this worthless woman. “You’re going to extort money from Dad and Frank through me, while I’m laying beaten in a hospital bed?”

“Oh, please,” she sneers, “you’re fine. Stop being dramatic. It’s your fault I didn’t end up with a decent amount of alimony from Frank to begin with. If you hadn’t gone and bonded with him, we’d probably still be married.”

“Jennifer, get the fuck out.” Dad says as he walks into the room. “You have a lot of nerve walking in here like this after everything you’ve done this past week.”

I watch in horrified fascination as her face transforms from cold anger to worried sadness. “Parker,” she launches herself into his arms, “I just heard about Ivy and had to come check on her. Such a scary incident!” She sobs into his chest.

“Here you go, Jennifer.” Isaac hands her a manilla envelope.

“What’s this?” Her eyes light up with interest as she opens it and pulls out a stack of papers.

“You’ve been served,” Isaac smirks, “with an order of protection and a defamation lawsuit. We thought you might show up here at the hospital, so we made sure to have an extra copy of everything with us.”

She turns and glares at me.

“Better get moving,” Dad points to the door, “I called security when I heard you trying to extort money. You don’t want to be picked up for harassing Ivy and violating the judge’s orders.”

“This isn’t over,” she growls as she leaves the room.

I wait until I know she’s long gone before I speak. “I can’t believe she came here to do that. How’d she even know anyway?”

“I think the hospital probably called her last night. I was so worried that I gave them her name and number, obviously not thinking about the consequences.” Dad sits down beside me on the edge of the bed. “How are you feeling this morning, kiddo?”

“Everything is fuzzy. My head hurts, but I’m ready to be discharged. I want to check on Lilith and Claire. Make sure they’re both okay.”

“I am,” Claire says from the doorway. “Thanks to you.”

I open my arms for her, and she rushes to me for a hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” I check her over when she pulls away. Aside from bandages on her wrists she looks fine. “Just bandaged from the zip ties?”

“Yeah, I’ll be able to take them off in a day or two. Had to have a few stitches on my left wrist.”

Con and Victor walk in and both give me hugs and express their gratitude. Victor is especially effusive with me while Con sits quietly beside me. The doctor comes in to do his discharge evaluation, so everyone leaves. Con is the last to go, and before he leaves, he kisses my temple, right above the bruise, and whispers how sorry he is.

“No one will ever touch any of the three of you again. I swear on my life,” he says with the level of intensity only he can reach.

* * *

“Take me to Lilith,” I instruct Levi as he pushes me in the wheelchair the hospital staff insists I use until I go home.

“Of course,” he says walking me down the hall to the bank of elevators. “Are you okay, emotionally and mentally?”

---