Page 31 of Next Level (Royal Bastards MC: Oakland Chapter #1)

SAFE

I hear Ray talking as I begin to wake. “She’s going to be okay, Punkin. You heard the doctor.”

When I feel pain, I moan.

“Blossom?” I hear Ray’s voice.

I flutter my eyes open. It’s blurry at first, but then a couple of bodies start to form next to me. I keep blinking until it becomes clear.

Another moan escapes from me.

“Punkin, get the doctor.”

I try to speak. “Sam—”

Ray cuts me off. “Sam’s okay. Don’t try to speak. Just rest.”

“I’m here, Cherry. I’m here,” Sam says, grabbing my hand.

Oh, thank God, she’s all right.

“What happened?” I’m hoarse, but I want to know what happened after I blacked out.

“The man who stabbed you is dead. The other man is in custody,” Ray explains to me, caressing my head as he looks down at me.

Samantha’s face is puffy. “Cherry. You saved me,” she says, overwhelmed with emotion.

“Always,” I say, squeezing her hand.

Ray breathes, “Thank you,” and kisses my forehead.

I close my eyes, feeling the love from both of them.

Ray leans back. “Sunshine is on her way here with Dawg. Your parents—”

I turn my head, shocked. “My—”

“Yes, Blossom, we called your folks. They’ll be here tomorrow. I’ll pick them up and bring them here.”

Tears welled in my eyes. He called my parents. He actually thought about my parents and knew I’d want them here.

Samantha holds my hand, caressing it.

I close my eyes and relax. Everything is going to be okay. I’m okay.

Just then, a nurse waltzes through the door and greets us. Everyone says hello as she walks to the side of my bed, and Samantha moves out of her way.

“I’m Nurse Kimberly. How are you feeling, Ms. Jones?”

“Pain,” I squeak out.

“On a scale from one to ten. Ten being the worst, how is your pain?”

“Eleven,” not saying anything else.

“Okay, let me get you some pain medication. It’s almost time for your other medications as well.”

“Do you remember what happened, Ms. Jones?”

I look over at Samantha and Ray, both smiling at me. Ray isn’t giving me signs to be quiet, so I go with the truth.

“I was stabbed.”

“Yes, you were stabbed in your lower stomach. We had to remove your appendix and a portion of your small intestine.” She pauses, taking notes on something.

“Your recovery time after this type of surgery is usually around 6 to 8 weeks. The most important things to watch for are post-surgery complications, like infection, pain, and wound care.”

“When can I go home?”

“Depending on how well you start to heal, you should be out of here in a week or so. We need to make sure you don’t get an infection and the wound starts to heal properly.”

The nurse looks at Ray. “She’ll require assistance for the first week or two. She’ll need to move around, gently walking to prevent blood clots and constipation, with no heavy lifting.”

“She won’t be lifting a thing. She’ll be in good hands.”

“My parents—”

Ray jumps in, cutting me off. “Will be around to help too, but she’ll be staying at my house.”

“Ray.”

The nurse laughs. “Well, let me go get that pain medication while you two work that out.”

Ray and Samantha move back into position next to my bed.

“Blossom, if you think I’m letting you out of my sight, you’ve got another thing coming.”

“My parents will be here.”

“They can stay with us at my house. I have plenty of rooms. I don’t want you out of my sight. We don’t know what Garrett and George are capable of, and until we do, you and Sam are staying with me.”

Samantha beams. “Me too?”

“Yes, you both are going to be under my roof until all of this is figured out.”

I would feel safer with him, and it’s true, who knows what Garrett and George have planned?

“Do you think my parents are in danger?” I ask worried.

“Well, if they are, they’ll be at the compound with us, so they’ll be safe too. I’d rather everyone be on lockdown until everything is dealt with.”

“I just want to get out of here,” I breathe.

“I know, Blossom, I know,” Ray says softly.

I close my eyes, wishing it would be sooner.

The door swings open, and in comes Sunshine, but she doesn’t look sunny at all. Her eyes are puffy, like Samantha’s. She’s been crying. My first instinct is to ask what’s wrong, but then I catch myself. I’m the reason.

“Cherry. Oh, thank God you’re okay.” She rushes over just as Ray moves aside, letting her get close to me.

“I’m okay.” I try to be cheerful.

Ray moves over to Dawg, giving him a man hug.

They start whispering while Sunshine rambles on. I look over at Samantha, who’s starstruck, looking at Sunshine.

I laugh.

“Cherry.” Sunshine’s voice is stern. “Why are you laughing? This isn’t funny. You better stop or you’re going to be in more pain.”

I don’t know what she said, but I can’t help it. I have so many mixed emotions. My heart swells as I look around the room at everyone.

“Why are you laughing?” Sunshine asks again.

“It’s better than crying,” I explain.

Samantha giggles, and soon everyone has a smile on their face.

I look up at Sunshine. “It’s all going to be okay.” I squeeze her hand. “I’m okay.”

Both Samantha and Sunshine squeeze my hand.

The rest of the evening, people came and went from the room. Visiting me, telling me how thankful they are.

Some were thankful I’m okay.

Some were thankful I saved Samantha.

An Agent Tellez stopped by to get my statement of what I could remember. She is working on Samantha’s case, which is why she was nearby, lucky for me too. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened? Samantha and I could have been taken or worse, killed.

“What are you thinking about, Blossom?” Ray asks me from the chair he’s relaxing in next to me.

Everyone has gone home, but he refuses to leave. He has stayed true to his word and hasn’t left my side.

“Just about everyone who has visited me.”

Ray leans over, grabbing my hand. “Oh yeah.”

Emotions come over me, and I begin to tear up. “I was just thinking if Agent Tellez hadn’t been there, it could have been a lot worse.”

Ray is up out of his chair, leaning over the rail. He kisses my forehead and murmurs, “Don’t think about that. You both are safe, and I’m not going to let anything else happen to you.”

I reply instinctively, not thinking. “You can’t promise me or anyone that. Shit happens all the time. You can’t be everywhere.”

Ray leans back, looking me in the eye. “Blossom.” He pauses, reining in his emotions. “I can promise you that George and Garrett will never be a threat to you or anyone again.”

Tears fall down my cheeks. “How? He’s my family, and he hates me.”

Ray caresses my head, pushing ringlets behind my ear.

“Jane Cherry Blossom Jones.”

He states my full name, adding ‘Cherry,’ which makes me laugh.

“I do promise you. You’re mine now. I protect what’s mine.” Ray leans down to kiss me.

I swoon. “Okay.”

I am his!