Page 92 of Retaliation

“Nina, this is Scorpion,” she introduced him, then turned to Nina and Demi. “And this is my crazy best friend, Nina, and her kid sister, Demi.” She glanced at each of them, unable to gesture due to his continued hold on her hand.

After a moment’s hesitation, he released her hand to shake Nina’s for the introduction. Despite his bruised and blood-covered knuckles, Nina grasped his hand and shook it. He remained silent as she greeted him curtly, “Nice to finally meet you.” before she turned her attention to Poison again.

“Now, are you going to tell me what happened or not?” Nina’s hands rested on her hips, her expression serious.

He hid behind his smile as he held his breath, waiting for Poison to answer. Would she tell her what happened?

“Nope, I’m not.” Poison’s smile conveyed her defiance, a signal Nina seemed to recognize all too well, the rolling of her eyes making it obvious.

“I just want to get out of this place.” Poison attempted to sit up, but Nina’s stern look halted her in her tracks.

“Let’s first hear what Nick says, and then, maybe, you can go home.”

His voice cut through the tension, startling Poison, and he regretted not lowering his tone. Had she forgotten he was in the room with them? It was the first time he’d spoken since Nina and Demi arrived.

“You can’t leave yet,” he exclaimed, struggling to keep his emotions from his voice.

He couldn’t believe that she wanted to leave already. She had just gotten out of surgery, stared death in the eyes, and had won, and here she was trying to get out of bed.

“Poison has this irrational fear of hospitals. Believes she’s better off licking her wounds at home,” Nina’s explanation came just as Nick knocked on the door.

Before Nick could enter, Poison pleaded with him, her desperation evident. “Please tell me I can go home now?”

Her attempt at a puppy-dog face was almost comical, but Phillip could sense her genuine desire to leave despite her injuries and the surgery she had just undergone.

He understood how she felt. He despised hospitals, the sterile smell, the prying questions—it all grated on his nerves. Thank fuck for their in-house medical staff, or he might just have found a way to get out of the life.

Nick’s sympathetic smile did little to ease the frustration on Poison’s face.

“First thing tomorrow morning,” he promised.

Poison pouted like a little brat, and Phillip couldn’t hide his smile.

“Aww! You know how much I hate this place, Nick!” she moaned, and Nick chuckled.

“It’s just to make sure you’re one hundred percent okay, that there isn’t any more internal bleeding,” Nick reassured her, his demeanor paternal.

Phillip couldn’t help but feel a pang of gratitude for Nick’s and Nina’s care. That they took it upon themselves to keep her safe was something he found himself being jealous of.

“Fine,” she grumbled, shooting a glance at him, who openly grinned at her display of resistance.

For a fleeting moment, he sensed her distraction, her thoughts drifting away from their surroundings. What was she thinking? Did she regret getting involved with him and the mess that he was?

“Well, that’s great news!” Nina’s voice sliced through the severity, pulling his attention back to the present.

“Sorry, I can’t stay any longer, but I have to get little

Miss Stow-Away back to bed.” Nina’s grip tightened on Demi’s hand, annoyance in her voice. “She heard me on the phone with Nick and decided to sneak out on the back seat of the car. Leaving the babysitter to sit the house.”

Poison’s pride in Demi’s mischief was obvious, a small smile gracing her lips as she praised her.

“That’s my Dem,” she said warmly, her gaze softening as she looked at the little girl.

Nina’s expression remained stern. “Get some rest,” she instructed, giving Poison’s uninjured ankle a gentle squeeze.

“I will. Thanks for checking up on me, Neen. Means a lot,” Poison responded, gratitude flickering in her eyes.

Demi approached her cautiously, offering a hesitant hug before bidding her goodbye.

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