Page 28 of Revived (Lucky Ones #1)

Chapter twenty

Sullivan Byrne

“ E lle, can we have the room?” Rowan asks, but he’s not really asking, he’s telling.

I grab her by the hand as I glare at him. “She’s staying.”

He nods, but the way his nostrils flare tells me he’s less than pleased. I can’t find it in myself to care, though. Elle looks uncomfortable but sits back down in the chair beside me. She wants to bolt, and I don’t blame her. At the same time I feel like shit and want her right here with me.

“Okay, want to explain to me why Mac had to tell us you were in the hospital? I thought there was a system in place if either of you got hurt?” His fists clench at his side, and I’m not completely sure that he wouldn’t throttle me right now if given the chance.

“That’s a question for Flynn. If I had to guess, my phone is probably still in the rig, so don’t look at me.”

I can feel a cough trying to force its way up, and I struggle to keep it down.

I definitely tweaked my ribs in the fall, and now they kill every time I cough.

Losing out I use my free arm to wrap around my middle as I cough.

Dammit, this fucking sucks, but that little girl got out of the fire with minimal damage, so I regret nothing.

Even as my esophagus burns and my lungs fight for clean air, I know I did the right thing .

“It’s too dangerous, Sullivan.” Rowan begins pacing the room. “If you would have– We didn’t know . We didn’t know how bad it was until we got here. We spent the entire trip down unsure if you were alive because your phone was at the station, but your necklace was here.” Anxiety pours off of him.

Flynn and I wear simple gold chains that we were given as teenagers that have small trackers in them just in case something happened to us and our phones were taken.

We always have them on, with the only exception being when I’m on duty, but even then I just put it in my basketball shorts that I wear under my gear.

I guess he was alerted that they were separated and checked.

“I’m sorry that you guys worried, but really Roe, what would you have had me do differently? Bring my phone into a live fire?” I raise an eyebrow in question.

“No, smartass. I would have you working a desk job, but if you must run into buildings that everyone else is running out of, I’d prefer that Clara and I be your next of kin.”

“That’s not happening, Roe. It doesn’t make sense logically.” I match his fierce gaze.

“No, you’re just trying to cut all of us off and forget we exist.” He yells in the otherwise quiet room.

“You’re going to draw attention. This isn’t the time or the place for this. You need to leave.” I don’t raise my voice, but I don’t back down either.

“I’m done with this conversation. We can talk when you’re home and being less fucking stubborn.” He storms out of the room like he’s trying to escape a fire. At least he doesn’t slam the door behind him.

“Well… that was intense.” Elle notes while playing with my fingers.

“Understatement of the year.” I laugh as softly as I can. “Can you come lay with me, baby girl?”

She smiles before shaking her head, “No can do, baby boy. ” Her voice dropping to try to imitate mine. “You need to lay there and rest so we can go home tomorrow.”

I can’t help but chuckle at how cute she is, “I’m not resting now. I can’t get comfortable and after the shit day I’ve had? I need you to make me feel better.”

She shakes her head with a smile, but she also climbs into the bed with me, and I adjust her until her ear is laying over my heart.

I know I wasn’t the only one scared today.

I press my lips to the top of her head and just breathe her in until her breathing evens out and my eyes get heavy.

Being in this hospital bed sucks. At the same time, it sucks a little less with her sleeping in my arms.

***

They kept me in the hospital for two days because of my oxygen levels, but Elle and I finally broke free this morning.

When we pulled up to my house, I’d never been more happy to see it.

My buddies from the station were standing on the porch while the Luckys were in the driveway when we pulled up.

The guys only stayed for about an hour to make sure we were good before leaving.

I’m lounging on the recliner in my living room while Elle is fussing over me when there’s a knock on my front door.

There goes my relaxation. I know it’s Rowan before he even pushes the door open.

What I don’t expect is Declan walking in behind him holding a beautiful vase of white lilies.

Why the hell did he bring flowers to my house ?

“Elle, these were left on your steps last night. Any idea who sent you flowers?” Declan asks as I look at Elle in question.

“Oh, those are from my Papa. He sends me flowers almost weekly. Was there a card?” She smiles brightly as she takes them from Declan and carries them into the kitchen.

“Boo? When did he start sending you flowers?” I question. I’ve never noticed them.

“He’s been doing it for years. Sometimes I’ll get home and someone will have brought them inside for me. I always assumed it was you, but it must have been one of the other guys.”

Since my house is open concept, I can see her standing at the island in my kitchen as she smiles at the flowers, but something prickles at the edges of my brain.

I need to text the guys and figure out who’s bringing the flowers in for her.

Rowan and Declan sit on the couch, which brings my attention away from her and back to them.

“How can I help you, gentlemen?” I ask, clearing my throat. It still burns, and my body’s still sore, but we might as well get this shit out of the way so I can be alone with Elle again.

“We think you guys should move back to Corey Heights.” Declan rips off the bandaid in full Declan form.

“Have you lost your goddamn mind?” I shoot up in my chair, which causes my body to feel like it’s ripping apart. Unintentionally, I groan in protest and relax back.

The third day after an accident is always the worst for some reason.

I act like it’s no big deal, but I fell onto an oxygen tank and my side from over ten feet high.

It’s a miracle that I didn’t shatter my vertebrae or break my damn neck.

My entire left side is bruised. I’m thankful I can’t see my back because I know it’s purple.

I’m out of work until I’m cleared by my doctor.

If I had to guess, that would probably only be a week or two until I stop hurting as much.

“Calm down, Sullivan.” Rowan acts like he’s talking to the sixteen year old version of me instead of the twenty-six year old.

“Don’t talk to me like that, Roe .” I practically spit the name. “I’m an adult who was told I could make my own decisions when I was eighteen. Was I not?” I lift my brow and wait for them to answer.

Rowan is sitting on the edge of the couch with his forearms resting on his thighs.

Typically he’s in a custom suit, as expected of him by his line of work, but now?

Hours away from Jersey with no wandering eyes in sight?

He has on a pair of medium wash jeans and a light gray henley.

His medium green eyes staring me down like they always have.

Even with our Da alive, he was always a father figure.

Declan, on the other hand, lounges back against the couch in a pair of gray athletic shorts and a navy CHFD hoodie. He wears the most obnoxious pair of burnt orange slip on shoe things, and where Rowan is more uptight, Dec is more laid back.

“You’re right. No one is saying that you have to do anything. We’re saying we think you should. Instead of jumping to a ‘no’ can we just think about it for a minute?” Of course Mr. Voice of Reason has to jump in.

Elle comes in and sits on the ground in front of me before leaning back on my legs. Normally, she’d come sit in my lap, but now she knows how tender my back is so she avoids it. I can barely get her to lay her head on my chest in bed right now.

“Okay, I know you guys have an entire presentation for me. Lay it on me.”

I’ll give them the floor to present their case, but I’m not going anywhere. I love my job too much, and I’m not leaving Elle, Flynn, or the guys. Over my dead body.

Rowan releases a heavy exhale as if he’s over my shit already. Jokes on him, I haven’t even started my shit yet. “Will it make a difference? Your body language screams let me see the kids then get the hell back to Jersey.”

I mean, he’s not wrong.

“It won’t. I won’t leave my life that I have here.

Look, I’m sorry that I scared you guys. I’d be scared if I were you too.

Flynn gets the shit beat out of him with knives attached to his feet, and I run into danger every other day.

I get it, we aren’t making it easy for you guys.

In saying that, we need you guys to remember that we’re twenty-six years old.

We are adults with fully developed frontal lobes.

We’re capable of making our own decisions.

This is where we want to be, and this is the life we want.

You guys have to get on board with that.

Not to mention how absolutely dangerous it is for us to be back in Jersey.

We left for a reason, and if you think you can get Flynn back somewhere that’s covered with the memory of Annie, you’re insane.

You don’t have to like our decisions, but you do have to respect it.

” I look both of them in the eyes before adding, “you also will not be speaking to Flynn about this. I’m confident that I speak for both of us.

If either of you bring this bullshit to him, I will find a boxing ring we can bring it to. ”

I’m one of six boys. Obviously we fight out our issues.