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L iving with Saint quickly started to feel right to her, and found herself finally okay with having had to give up her place. It was starting to feel like home, and she had a feeling that had everything to do with the man she had fallen in love with. The only problem was that Saint hadn’t talked about the next steps between the two of them, and she could understand that since they had only been together for a few months now, but a part of her wanted to shout at him to stop being dense and to ask her to make their situation more permanent.
was doing dishes when she heard the front door open and close. It was so quiet, she thought that maybe Saint had gone out, but he wouldn’t do that without telling her.
“Saint,” she called, with no answer. “Saint, are you there?” asked. He walked into the kitchen and the look on his face had her worried. “What’s wrong?” Bruno turned the corner behind Saint, ordering him to put his hands in the air. He shoved Saint into the kitchen and that was when saw the gun that Bruno was pressing into Saint’s back.
“Don’t do this, Bruno,” almost whispered. “I’ll do whatever you want but leave Saint out of this.”
“He put himself in the middle of this when he showed up at my club and threatened me,” Bruno shouted. “So, he’ll be sticking around. I just can’t have him getting in our way while we talk.” Bruno cold-cocked Saint on the back of the head with the gun and he fell to the floor. started to go to him, and Bruno shouted for her to stop, pointing his gun at her.
“Now that your boyfriend is taking a little nap, how about you and I have a chat?” Bruno asked. She didn’t answer him because he wasn’t really asking her a question. had no choice in any of this because if she did, she’d tell Bruno to go fuck himself.
She looked over at Saint and back to him. “You didn’t have to knock him out,” she spat. “I told you that I would have done whatever you wanted if you just left Saint alone.”
“Really?” Bruno asked. “You didn’t seem very willing to do what I wanted the night I had to fire you. I guess your new boyfriend is generous and paying your way until you can find another club to strip in.” He didn’t have a clue what Saint did for her or what her future plans were.
“I’m not going to be stripping anymore,” she insisted.
“Well, I guess that my next question, for you to come back to the club, isn’t going to fly,” Bruno said. “But we can talk about all that later. For now, how about if you sit down in one of those chairs?” She looked at the kitchen chairs as though they somehow offended her. Maybe they did because she had a pretty good idea of what he was going to do to her if she followed his orders.
“What then?” asked.
“Well, I guess that’s up to me,” he said, “but I’m pretty sure you won’t like what I’ll do if you don’t sit the fuck down in one of those Goddamn chairs.” knew that he would make good on every promise he was making to her but not saying aloud.
She walked across the kitchen and sat down in the closest chair. Bruno tossed her a wad of rope and instructed how to tie herself up. When she didn’t tie her legs to the chair tight enough, he made her redo the restraints. When she finished with her legs, he talked her through wrapping the rope around her wrists and when he seemed satisfied with her progress, he took over for her, after setting the gun on the table. It was so close—just inches away from her grasp, but being tied up, she couldn’t get to it.
“You were a Girl Scout, weren’t you?” Bruno taunted, but wasn’t in the mood to share her past with the asshole.
“None of your fucking business,” she spat. He slapped her across the face, and she whimpered.
“Next time, I’ll use my fist instead of the palm of my hand. When I ask you a question, I expect an answer. Now, were you a Girl Scout?” He was asking her that question again to prove a point, not because he cared if she was in Scouts or not.
“Yes, I was in Girl Scouts,” she grumbled.
Bruno ran his hand down the cheek that he had just slapped. She could taste the bile in her mouth. Just his simple touch made her sick. “There now, was that so hard?”
“No,” she said through clenched teeth. didn’t want to play games with him anymore. She wished Bruno would just get on with whatever he had planned for her. “What’s the end plan, Bruno?”
“Again, that’s for me to know,” Bruno said. “You’ll find out soon enough, but for now, I’m going to need you to be quiet while I make a few calls. Can you do that?”
Her smile felt mean, and she knew that he could see her hatred for him in her eyes if he looked hard enough. “Sure,” she lied.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Bruno spat. “It’s also why I’ve come prepared.” He pulled a syringe out of his jacket pocket and held it in front of her. “You’re going to take a little nap for me, . Then, when you wake up again, we can have a little bit of fun.” She was sure that his idea of fun and hers were very different. also knew that she wasn’t going to like any of Bruno’s planned fun.
He pulled the cap from the needle and squirted some liquid from the tip. “What is that?” stuttered.
His laugh was mean and meant to frighten her, but was sure that he couldn’t scare her any more than she already was. Bruno shoved the needle into her arm, and she winced, trying not to let him know that he was hurting her. He seemed to get off on punishing her for some imaginary wrong that she had done to him.
“You don’t need to know what’s in the syringe. Just take a little nap,” Bruno insisted. She looked over to where Saint still lay on the floor and sobbed. His face smashed against the floor was the last thing that she remembered seeing as she drifted off. She wanted to shout at Saint to wake up and keep his promise to keep her safe, but she couldn’t. couldn’t do anything but silently pray that Saint woke up soon because whatever Bruno had given her was enough to knock her out for some time.
* * *
woke when the sunshine filtered through the kitchen window. She tried to open her eyes, but every time she did, she immediately closed them. The light felt as though it physically hurt her. She was sure that her head felt worse every time she moved and some things like blinking felt excruciating.
“Welcome back,” Bruno said. “You were out for a while.”
“How long?” she asked. She tried to clear her throat and failed. It felt as though she had swallowed glass and her mouth was dry. “Can I have some water?” asked.
“We’ll get to that,” Bruno said.
She looked over at Saint and gasped. He was still lying on the floor, but now he was face up. “What did you do to him?” accused.
“Well, your boyfriend woke up and left me no choice but to help him to take another nap—this time, a bit longer. I gave him the same thing that I gave to you. He’ll be fine, but I couldn’t have him trying to take me down, and your boyfriend seems to have a one-track mind.”
Bruno pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and put one in his mouth, grabbing a lighter from the same pocket. “I’d rather that you don’t smoke in my home,” she said. He laughed at her again and lit his cigarette, tossing the pack and lighter back on the table.
“I think that you keep forgetting who is in charge, ,” he insisted. She did not doubt that Bruno was in charge. He was holding all the cards, but she planned on changing that soon enough.
watched Bruno pace the floor in front of her. He picked the gun up from the kitchen table and wondered why he was suddenly acting squirrelly. He was agitated and the gun in his hand worried her. He looked so out of control; she worried that he’d end up shooting one of them by accident.
“Why are you here, Bruno?” she stuttered. “You still haven’t told me.” had a pretty good idea as to why he was there, but she knew that if she could keep him talking, Saint might come to. She looked over at his lifeless body on the floor in the corner of the kitchen and sobbed. What if he never came to? What if Bruno had killed him? knew that thinking like that wouldn’t help her keep her head clear, and right now, that was exactly what she needed to deal with him.
“I’m sick of you telling me no,” he admitted.
“And you thought that you’d show up here, drug me and my boyfriend, and I’d magically tell you yes? That’s ridiculous, Bruno, even for you. Be better than that. If you leave now, I won’t tell anyone about what happened here. No one will ever have to know.” He seemed to be able to see right through her lies. She had no intention of just letting him go if he freed her. She’d fight like hell and Bruno seemed to know that.
“Well, that was the plan,” Bruno said. “I’d really like to do this the easy way. I’m tired and would like to get on with my day.”
“Maybe you should take one of your shots,” she offered. “You’ll get a good nap.” Bruno stood and she clenched her jaw, waiting for the pain that was going to follow his beating. He hadn’t ever hurt her before, but she had watched him hit a few of the other girls. Every time she tried to help them, Bruno threatened that she’d be next if she stuck her nose where it didn’t belong.
“Is that how this is going to work?” asked. “You’re just going to beat me up every time I say something that you don’t like.” She could see Saint stirring in the corner of the room, and knew that keeping Bruno’s attention wasn’t optional. She needed to buy Saint some time to come to. With any luck, he’d be able to use the fact that Bruno thought he was out for a while to his advantage.
“I think that you need to be taught a lesson, ,” he said. “Your mouth has always been an issue, and I let it slide because I liked you, but now, I see who you really are. Maybe a few beatings will teach you how to behave and keep your mouth shut. Or we can always give your pretty lips something to do. I’m betting that you give pretty good head.” The idea of putting any body part of Bruno’s in her mouth made her physically sick. She noticed that Saint’s eyes were open and staring at her. She was cloudy when she woke up, but he seemed hyper-focused and for just a second, she felt bad for what Saint was about to do to Bruno.
“Before you start teaching me a lesson, how about you tell me why you set my car on fire?” she asked.
Bruno laughed, “Honestly, I did you a favor. That hunk of junk was way past its prime.”
“It was my car, and whether you thought that it was junk or not wasn’t the point. You can’t just go around setting other people’s cars on fire,” she insisted. Scolding Bruno might not have been the best idea, but she knew that keeping him talking would distract him from everything that was about to happen around him.
“Who was in the car?” she asked.
“Well, that’s a bit of a funny story,” Bruno said. He would think that finding a burnt body in her car would be a funny story. “You see, Erica caught me tossing gasoline on your car and when she tried to stop me from lighting the match, I pushed her, and she fell and hit her head.”
“Oh, God,” breathed. Erica was one of the girls down at the club. had always suspected that she was underage but never asked the girl. Sometimes it was best for her to stay out of the other girls’ business. She’d worry less about them if she did.
“If it makes you feel any better, she died instantly when her head hit the pavement. She left me with no other option than to put her into the car and set it on fire.”
“She was just a kid,” spat. “You killed her and now, her family might never know what happened to their daughter.”
“You’re right because I erased all the video footage from the parking lot and destroyed her personal belongings. And now, I’m going to get rid of the only other person who knows the story. No one will remember Erica or you, .” He raised his gun and pointed it right at her chest. The time for talking was over, and if Saint didn’t get up off the floor, they’d both be dead in just minutes. She shot Saint a pleading look and Bruno laughed at her.
“He can’t save you now, honey,” Bruno taunted, “he’ll be out for hours. I’m just upset that your boyfriend won’t show me the same fear that you just did since I plan on finishing him off after I’m done with you.”
“I wouldn’t show you fear anyway, asshole,” Saint insisted. He stood from the floor and tackled Bruno, wrapping his arms around Bruno’s knees. The gun went off and for a split second, was sure that Saint had been shot. But, when he grabbed the gun away from her former boss and stood from the floor, she saw no blood, or any sign of a gunshot wound.
“Are you okay?” asked Saint. “Where did he hit you?”
“I wasn’t hit, honey,” Saint said.
“Is he dead then?” she asked.
“Nope, just knocked out.” Saint put the gun on the kitchen table and turned to look over. “Shit,” he grumbled, quickly untying the ropes that bound her. “You’re hit, honey.”
“No,” she insisted. “I’m not.” looked down her body and found her shirt bloody around her abdomen. “I don’t feel it. Maybe he didn’t hit me. Maybe that’s old blood.” She knew that it was just wishful thinking on her part. The blood spot on her shirt was growing and Saint grabbed a few dish towels and held it to her wound. winced in pain, suddenly feeling where she had been shot.
“Is it bad?” she asked.
Saint lifted her shirt, and she could tell by the look on his face that it wasn’t good. “No, you’re going to be fine,” he insisted. “Hold these towels to your wound and I’m going to call for help.” nodded, taking the towels from him and pressing them to her abdomen.
Saint quickly called the cops and used the rope that had bound her to the chair to tie Bruno up. He took the blood-soaked towels from her and pressed them tighter to her stomach. “Sorry, honey, but I have to keep pressure on this, or you’ll bleed out before the ambulance gets here.”
“Will you stay with me?” asked. She was suddenly exhausted and all she wanted to do was sleep.
“Keep your eyes open, baby,” Saint insisted. “You need to stay awake for me.” She tried to smile, and nod, but wasn’t sure if she did or not. All she could think about was closing her eyes for just a few minutes and catching some sleep. It had been a long day, and all she wanted was some rest.
“I just need a nap,” she insisted.
“Nope,” Saint said, “no naps. Do you hear me, ? You need to keep those eyes open, beautiful.”
“I like it when you call me that,” she whispered. “You make me feel that way.”
“Good, because I plan on calling you that for a damn long time, honey. I just need you to keep your eyes open.”
could hear the sirens in the distance, and she knew that the ambulance was almost to the house. She just hoped that they would make it on time because, despite her best efforts to do as Saint ordered, she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open.
“Hello,” someone called as she started to drift off.
“We’re in here,” Saint shouted, “please, hurry. She’s lost a lot of blood and she’s trying to fall asleep.” She wanted to tell him not to worry about her, but the words wouldn’t come out of her mouth. As she let the darkness consume her, she knew that leaving Saint wasn’t an option, but she had no choice.
“Please stay with me, ,” Saint begged. “I love you.” She wanted to give him the words back, but she couldn’t. She let sleep take her and just hoped like hell that she’d wake up at some point to tell Saint that she loved him too.
* * *
could hear voices, and she wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. Her world was still dark, and she wondered if that was because she was sleeping or if she was dead. “When will she wake up?” a woman asked. She had an Irish accent and for a second, wondered if it was Banshee.
“I don’t know,” a man said, “they won’t tell me anything.” would know that voice anywhere. It was Saint and that had to mean that she was still alive. She tried to open her eyes but couldn’t seem to muster the energy to do so.
“I’ve called her parents, and they will be here in the morning. Her dad can’t drive in the dark and her mother doesn’t have her license anymore,” Banshee said. “I offered to pick them up, but they said they needed some sleep. The cops talked to them and told them what happened. I’m betting they didn’t leave out the part about dancing for that slime ball at his club.”
“Shit,” Saint grumbled. “ isn’t going to like that they know what she did for a living.”
“No,” muttered.
“, honey, wake up,” Banshee breathed. shook her head, and Saint chuckled.
“She’s hard to wake up in general. I have to bribe her with coffee. I’m sure that with all the drugs in her system, she’ll need to sleep for a while.”
opened her eyes to find Banshee and Saint standing over her bed. Monitors were beeping and tubes were everywhere. She tried to sit up a little bit and cried out in pain. “Just lay back,” Banshee said. “I’ll go fetch the doctor.” Saint thanked her and watched as she left the room.
“How are you feeling?” Saint asked.
“Like I got run over by a truck,” she whispered, her throat feeling dry. “Can I get some water?” Saint handed her a glass of water and told her to sip it. She did as ordered and handed it back to him.
“How long have I been out?” asked.
“Since yesterday,” Saint said. “They got the bullet out and stopped the bleeding, but you lost your spleen.”
“Did I need my spleen?” she asked.
“Apparently not, but you are going to be stuck here for the better part of a week,” Saint said. groaned and he laughed. She never thought that she’d hear his laugh again, and she didn’t plan on ever taking it for granted in the future.
“I love you too,” breathed. Saint looked at her as though she had lost her mind and she remembered that he had said that to her yesterday, as she was falling asleep. “Just before I fell asleep, you told me that you love me. I wanted to say it back, but I didn’t get the chance, so I’m saying it now.”
“Marry me,” he whispered, taking her completely off guard.
“What?” asked. “We haven’t discussed the future,” she reminded, “and now, you’re asking me to marry you?”
“I am,” he said. “Almost losing you made me realize how much I love you. I don’t want to live another day without you being my wife,” he said. “So, when you get out of here, how about if you marry me?”
She didn’t have to think about his proposal. wanted to be his wife more than anything. “I’d marry you right now if we could figure out how to swing it.” When Saint smiled down at her, knew that he was planning something already. “What are you thinking?” hesitantly asked.
“Well, I’m thinking that Savage can legally marry people, and I have a good friend who works down at the courthouse and can get us a marriage certificate and notarize it himself. We can get married right here in this room. Did you really mean it when you said that you’d marry me today, honey?” Saint asked.
“Yep,” said. “I don’t have a dress, and I’m sure that I look a mess, but I’d marry you anyway,” she said.
“You don’t look a mess,” he insisted, “you look beautiful.”
“You have to say that, Saint. I’m about to be your wife and can make your life miserable if not,” she teased.
“Well, I wouldn’t want that.” He kissed her forehead, “You get some sleep, and I’ll get everything together. Does about six tonight work for you?” Saint asked.
“I’ve always wanted an evening wedding,” she joked. “How romantic.”
He chuckled and gently kissed her lips. “You’re going to be a handful, aren’t you?” Saint asked.
“I never claimed that I wouldn’t be,” teased. She watched as Saint left, and she already missed him. couldn’t believe that he was going to be all hers in just a few short hours. Resting wasn’t an option, because she needed to get ready, and she knew just the girls to help her do it.
* * *
Vixen, Phoenix, and Sprit brought everything that she requested and were working on her makeup and hair when a nurse came into the room. “What are you all doing in here?” she asked.
“We’re getting ready to get hitched tonight at six,” Vixen said.
“She can’t get married,” the nurse insisted. “She just had surgery.”
“I’m aware,” said, “but it’s all set up. I’m going to be married right here, in this bed,” she said. She stared at the nurse as if daring her to say that she couldn’t.
“Has this been approved by the head nurse?” she asked.
“Actually, it has been approved by Joan and she’s even coming to the ceremony,” said. “There is always room for one more. Would you like to join us?” The nurse’s sour expression seemed to instantly change as she smiled and nodded.
“I’d love to,” she said. “I just need to get your vitals, and then, I’ll get out of your hair. If you need anything just push the red button to call the nurse’s station.”
“Thank you,” said. “Can I also ask you one more favor?”
“Of course,” the nurse agreed.
“I overheard that my parents were notified about me being in here, and I’d like to make sure that they won’t be admitted to see me. I don’t feel like they have my best interest at heart, and it would upset me to have them here.”
“I can let hospital security know that they are not permitted entrance. I’ll be back in a few minutes to get their names and information to give to security.” She quickly took ’s vitals and left the room. Her friends were so quiet, but was sure that had everything to do with the fact that she had just barred her mom and dad from seeing her.
“Okay, let’s have it,” said.
“Are you sure that was the right thing to do?” Phoenix asked.
“Yes,” breathed. “The cops told my parents what I did for a living, and they couldn’t be bothered to rush over here. I’m done worrying about their opinion of my life. I’m going to marry the man I love, and I don’t need their disapproval hanging over us like a storm cloud.”
“I get it,” Sprite said, “and whatever you decide about your parents, we have your back.” Her friends all nodded.
“Thanks, guys,” she whispered.
“There, all done,” Vixen said, standing back to admire her work.
“Not bad at all,” Sprite teased.
“We asked the head nurse if we could change you into a white dress that we brought along, but she said that wouldn’t be safe to do with all your tubes and junk. But it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, you’re going to be a beautiful bride and Saint is so lucky to have you.”
“You’re right, he is lucky to have me,” joked. Saint walked through the door at that exact moment, making the girls laugh. held her side as she tried to giggle, but God it was painful.
“I take it that you four were talking about me?” Saint grumbled.
“Yep, and your timing is perfect,” insisted. Saint was followed into the small room by Banshee and her husband, Cian, Dare, and the rest of the guys. Last, Savage walked in with the two nurses she had invited on his arm. That man could send any woman into a frenzy. It didn’t matter that he was married to Bowie and Dallas.
“Ready to get married?” Saint asked. She looked him over, noticing that he had gone home to shower and change into a suit, and she suddenly felt underdressed.
“I’m sorry that I can’t change into a dress,” she whispered to him. “I can’t chance pulling my tubes out.”
“I don’t give a shit what you’re wearing, honey. All I want is for you to be my wife.” He leaned down to kiss her lips, and she smiled up at him.
“Well, then, I’m ready to marry you,” she agreed.
Saint sat down on the bed next to her, holding her hand in his. Savage took that as his cue to start the short ceremony. By the end of their vows, everyone in the room was crying, including Saint and even Savage. couldn’t have asked for a more perfect wedding, even if she wasn’t wearing a white dress, she’d remember this day for the rest of her life.
“You may kiss the bride,” Savage said.
“Gently,” the nurses said in unison, making them all laugh.
“Love you,” she whispered to Saint as he dipped his head to gently kiss her.
“Love you too, wife,” he said. “Oh, and when we get the doctor’s okay, I’m planning a real honeymoon for us. How do you feel about someplace tropical?” Saint asked.
“I feel like I need to hurry up and heal,” teased. He dipped his head to kiss her again and Dare groaned.
“Give it a break, man,” Dare mumbled. Savage signed the marriage certificate that Saint’s friend hand-delivered to Savage Hell for him.
Savage handed the certificate to Saint and turned around to the rest of the group. “Okay, everyone out. Let’s give the happy couple some privacy—if that’s all right with you ladies,” he said to the nurses. They both looked up at him with hearts in their eyes and nodded. couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the nurses as they all filed out of her room.
“Happy?” Saint asked as the door closed behind the crowd of people filing out of the room.
“Very,” she said, “are you happy?”
“Very,” Saint said. “I never thought that I would ever settle down—until I found you. I fell hard for you, and had the cast to prove it for a while,” he teased.
“Yeah, yeah,” grumbled. “You never told me what happened to Bruno,” she said.
“He’s behind bars and will stay there for the rest of his life. He confessed to killing Erica and setting your car on fire. He also is facing charges of raping some of the girls that worked at the club. You won’t ever have to deal with him again,” Saint promised. “You’ll finally have your happily ever after.”
She knew that was true—and it was all because of the man sitting next to her on the hospital bed. “Thanks for being my knight in shining armor,” she said.
“Any time,” he agreed, “but for the record, honey, you are no damsel in distress.” could see that now. She was stronger for going through everything these past few months, and with Saint by her side, she’d be able to handle anything that life could possibly toss her way. They were a team now, and she wouldn’t change that for anything.
The End
What’s coming next from K.L. Ramsey? You won’t want to miss Rebel (Royal Harlots MC book 7) is coming in 2025!