Page 6 of Brake's Intent

“I’m sorry,” I breathe, needing to say the words, no matter how much they hurt.

Brake bends at the waist and braces a hand on the pillow by my head, leaning over Lawson to get to me. “Don’t talk right now. We’ll discuss things later. Just worry about you.”

I nod, tears pricking my eyes, and Brake reaches out to swipe them away when they spill over.

“All right, guys, get out for a few minutes so I can assess my patient,” Angelina commands, entering the room.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Brake declares.

“You are,” Angelina snaps. “I’ve got to make sure my patient is okay, and I need you out of the room while I do that. I’ll let you back in soon enough.”

“Come on, Jax, we’ll wait right outside,” Lawson states, straightening and taking Brake’s hand to pull him out of the room.

Brake doesn’t go easily, but he does go. “We’ll be right outside if you need anything,” he rasps.

I nod, knowing he’s talking to me.

When the door closes behind them, Angelina sighs. “I swear, Brake has been going out of his mind since you were taken, Faye,” she says, moving to the right side of the bed. I meet her gaze as she starts setting things up on the nightstand. “They’re the men you were telling me about? The ones you wish you didn’t have to leave behind?”

I nod briskly and swallow past the pain in my throat. I hadn’t told her names, but I’d told her about them and how they were both the loves of my life and yet I couldn’t have them.

“I figured as much with the way they’ve been trying to find you. And here you are.” Angelina gives me a small smile. “Everything happens for a reason, and it always works out the way it’s supposed to be. I’ve learned that fate has a funny way of ensuring you always end up where you’re meant to be.” She then goes on to tell me about what she went through years ago and what happened when she found her way back here while treating and assessing my body. Now, she’s happy with the man she adores and has not just their son but also a little girl.

“They did some serious damage to your throat didn’t they?”

I nod and croak, “Shawna used a belt.”

“Shawna did all this?” she asks, her eyes widening in surprise, and again I nod. “That bitch needs her ass kicked and then taken out. I swear, I’m so damn tempted to call Pitch Black’s sister and have Raven, Victoria, or Harlow come out here. Then again, I want my own chance at the bitch. And I know for a fact Lyrica wants a go at her as well.”

Raven? Victoria? Harlow? Why would she want to call them?

“So, before I go out there and get those two men, I’m going to ask, did anything else happen to you while they had you?”

I shake my head sideways in response.

“Okay, that’s good,” she says, nodding. “I’m going to put you on some antibiotics for the time being, and we’re going to have to get you into the doctor’s office for an X-ray on that throat, I think. I want to make sure there’s no permanent damage done. But for now, I want you to rest as much as possible and not speak if you don’t have to.”

I give her a small smile in gratitude, appreciating her taking care of me.

“I’ll also get Lawson or Brake to bring you some broth. You look like you haven’t eaten in days.”

I haven’t.

Angelina packs her stuff back up and meets my gaze. “Before I let them in here, do you want help getting a shower?”

“Yes,” I answer, more than ready to take a shower and feel clean. To get the touch of Shawna’s hands and breath off me.

“Right, then let’s get that done, and I’ll put some ointment on the wounds after.”

Together, we slowly make it to the attached bathroom, and I’m grateful for this. I avoid the mirror, step directly into the tub, and turn the water on as hot as it’ll go. I take my time in letting the spray wash over me and lather the soap Brake has in here along my skin. If my feet didn’t throb, I’m sure I’d stay in the shower longer, but the pain forces me to make it short.

I turn the water off and climb out with the help of Angelina, wrapping a towel around my body while she takes another towel and dries my hair the best she can.

“Come on, let’s get you a shirt and put you in bed.”

I nod and follow her out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. I come to a stop at the sight of both Brake and Lawson standing in the room. Brake’s body is turned to a dresser that he’s got open and he’s pulling out a shirt.

“I should have known you’d be in here,” Angelina grumbles and shakes her head.

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