Page 12 of Rebel

Her eyes get big and when I shift it makes total sense, as her eyes are glued to Shadow. Everyone waits for it but, damn, Nurse Maria shocks everyone.

“I gotta tell you, that is fucking awesome, pardon my French. Would it be okay to take a closer look? Don’t want to invade your private space.”

Shadow looks confused for a second or two then grins huge.

“Sure, Maria, look all you want.”

Maria walks toward Shadow then starts leaning to the right then the left, back and forth, inspecting the full tattoo on our enforcer’s face. When she stands back, she looks ecstatic.

“Where did you get that work done? I’ve been wanting one, but didn’t really know anyone in the area. My nephew does it out West but that’s not going to happen. I love that tattoo and it fits you somehow, and I don’t even know you. Like I shared, I’m Maria. You are?”

As Shadow introduces herself, the room relaxes. I close my eyes and just listen to the conversations start back up, along with the laughter. These people dropped everything to be here for me. Oh shit, my eyes pop open and I ask loudly.

“How’s Kon?”

The room instantly goes so quiet, I swear if someone dropped a pin, I’d hear it. I’m watching their faces for some kind of reaction when Panther makes his way to my bedside.

“Heartbreaker, thanks to your quick thinking, he’s in the hospital but is going to be fine. They are checking his pump because Konstantin told his dad and his endocrinologist thathe didn’t receive any warnings from the pump. So they are not taking any chances. I know Rebel is with them so maybe once you’re checked out by Maria, we can get you up to see him. That kid is something else, even stood up for that principal lady, after all the woman did today. Told his dad he shouldn’t have gotten involved and maybe he could have spoken to the principal in her office. She’s been suspended until an investigation can be done. Atlas has to be a proud dad. I hear his other two boys are just as great.”

“Thanks, Panther, takes a load off my mind. I was worried I did something wrong and messed Kon up. And if they allow it, I’d love to go up there and see with my own eyes he’s okay. Again, appreciate the peace of mind.”

Maria walks around Panther and announces everyone out. Then she does her work, and damn, is she good. Stats, questions about how I feel, and what exactly happened. Told me she’ll report to the physician on duty and they will decide if I stay or go. I let her know I’d rather go home and she said she’d tell them that too. She saved the best for last and it made my evening.

“I heard Shadow’s husband telling you about that young man. Dr. Giannopoulos is one of our favorite physicians on staff. I’ll get a wheelchair so you can go up there and make sure young Giannopoulos is okay. I’ll give you no more than forty-five minutes though. And no exerting yourself. Do I make myself clear?”

Nodding, I reach for her hand and squeeze it.

“Thank you so much, Maria, it means the world to me. I’m beyond worried about the kid, so seeing him will help to put my mind at ease. Can I go now?”

She laughs, gives my hand a squeeze, then stands up and walks out the door. Everyone starts to pour back in immediately. Before I can answer the hundred questions thrown my way, she’sback with the wheelchair. She claps her hands to get everyone’s attention.

“Okay, this is how this is going to work. I can’t say they will let all of you up there but that’s their decision, not mine. This young lady needs to be back in no more than forty-five minutes. If she’s not, I’m calling security about a gang of troublemakers. Got it?”

As everyone chuckles, I’m already swinging my legs over the bed. I wait as the IV is moved to the smaller pole on the wheelchair, then Maria helps me up and into the chair. Squirt steps up and giggles.

“I’ll push your wheelchair there, grandma, just hang on tightly.”

With that, she takes off like a bat out of hell. The force has my hair slightly blowing back and it actually feels good on my skin. I’ve hated hospitals since my last overdose when I flatlined. I do everything and anything I can to stay the hell out of these places. Though this is a nice hospital and Maria is great, still don’t like them. We’re waiting for the elevator to arrive, when I hear Noodles challenge the other men to see who could make it to the floor first using the stairs. Like a group of boys, they all take off for the stairs when a nurse walking by tells them this is a hospital not a school gym. They immediately shut up but continue to the stairs. At that moment the doors slide open and all of us women and Presley, who stayed back with Squirt, get in. I’m feeling anxious and not sure if it’s from Kon’s situation, that bitch of a principal, passing out and being brought to the hospital, or that slight need I’m having for something I swore I’d never do again because if I do, my club will take my kutte and my ink then kick me to the curb. I can’t lose these women; they are my lifeline. So deep in thought my head jerks up as Squirt takes off toward the room we were told we’d find my answers in. Arriving at a door that’s shut, I lean forward and softly knock. I hear a muffled,“come on in,” and Presley pushes the door open. As Squirt wheels me in, I see the rest of the prospects Dani, Dottie, and Kitty, along with Wildcat and Dr. Malcolm, and finally Rebel. When she sees me, she jumps off the bed and rushes toward me, bending down and hugging me. When I look up, I see Taz and Enforcer in the corner before my eyes stop on Kon. His eyes are on me and it hits me, he looks beyond exhausted. The poor kid. When he spreads his arms open wide, I immediately stand up, grab the IV bag, and walk toward the bed. I lean over and he closes his arms, holding me tightly. I can feel his body trembling so I tell him to hush and not upset himself. That makes him even more emotional, so I lean back and put my hand to his cheek. His eyes go wide at my touch and that’s when I understand his feelings. Probably besides family, he and his brothers don’t have many women in their lives. Boys need a mom or mom figure around them. Damn his mother to the bottoms of hell. I wipe a tear then another away, as I notice my club sisters start to move toward the door. That’s when this kid breaks my heart and my heart falls in love. The love of a mom and son, even though he’s not mine and never will be.

“Heartbreaker, I’ve been waiting. Are you okay? ’Cause everyone kept telling me all was good. I fought falling asleep because shit, Rebel, come here too, please.”

He waits until Rebel goes on his other side, sitting on the bed—which doesn’t have a lot of room—so I pull the chair up close, never letting his hand go. Rebel grabs his other one, which cause more tears to fall down.

“I wanted to thank both of you from the bottom of my heart. Besides my yia-yia, or as you say here in the States, grandma, aunts, and a few close family friends, I’ve never had a woman who really don’t know me go to the lengths both of you have. Being a kid with type 1 diabetes, I’ve gotten used to hospitals and doctors and have seen the worst of people. I’m grateful to seethe best in two people I don’t know. Don’t take what I said as I’m saying my dad ain’t great because the three of us are beyond blessed with him as our parent. One day, I’ll tell you about the bitch who gave birth to us. I’ll never forget what you ladies did for me, and maybe one day I can be there for you.”

With that, he drops his head. I look at Rebel and she nods, so the two of us lean over as close as we can get and hug on Kon. Not sure who’s crying harder when I hear three voices at the same time. Atlas and two young men.

“Dad, is Konstantin okay?”

“Why are those two women hugging on him?”

“What the hell is going on in here? Rebel, hey feisty, is my boy okay?”

With that I hear Kon chuckling at first then he lets out a kind of a hoot.

“Look, Dad, in less than an hour I have two of the hottest biker chicks, not only in my bed but hanging on tightly to me. Better wake up, father of mine, or this redhead on my left is going to find someone who is willing to do the work. This redhead on my right will need my permission before she lets anyone catch her. She deserves only the very best man out there. Since you’re hanging your star on Rebel and I’m just too damn young for her, I’ll take on the job and make sure I vet and approve all her male suitors. That’s what you old folks call it, right? Looking at her, shouldn’t take too long before some muscle-bound moron wins her heart, which will surely break mine.”

That has every single person let out a relieved chuckle or giggle. With that right there, my anxiety disappears and my heart has a new person to love. Well, actually three because got to include Kon’s two younger brothers.

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