Page 93 of Caged

“I was scared stupid,” Jamie admitted, giving me a grin.

“I didn’t realize there was a difference.” Jack laughed. “My bad.”

“Of course there is,” Jamie fired back. “How scared were you?”

“In keeping with the alliteration, shitless,” Jack answered.

For the first time in four days I laughed. It felt wrong, given the circumstances, but it was exactly what I needed.

Only it hurt.

“You told Ma I’m okay, right?” I asked.

“Yes, but you know how she is. She won’t believe me until she sees you,” Dad answered.

“That won’t help convince her,” I said with a half laugh. One look at my face, and she’d freak out. I didn’t need a mirror to know I looked like I was used as a human punching bag.BecauseI had been. I could feel the cuts and bruises, and would bet there wasn’t more than an inch on my face that wasn’t black and blue, or scabbed over.

“Probably not,” Jack agreed.

I must have dozed off, because I awoke to my heart punching against my ribs as visions of Cate slumping forward, blood spilling from her body, ran through my mind.

Ialmost lost her.

“Jay, are you alright?” Dad asked, as my brothers stepped closer to my bed.

“Yeah,” I paused, “I am.”At least I think I am.

”Your heart is racing and you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Jamie said, shifting his focus to my EKG monitor.

I gave a shaky laugh, “I’m fine.” I had just enough time to take a few steadying breaths before someone knocked.

When I nodded, Jamie let them in.

My mom rushed to my side and pulled me into a bone-crushing hug.

When I grunted, she apologized.

She pulled back and wiped tears from her bloodshot eyes. “I’m sorry.” She held my face in her hands. “I’m just so grateful you’re alive.”

“What made you think I wouldn’t be?”

“You were gone for four days, and your truck was burned to a crisp.”

I groaned. My truck.Not that it mattered much in the moment.

“As you can see, I’m fine.”Thank God, I can talk again.“Don’t let the cuts and bruises scare you.”

Ma sat on the edge of the bed and held my hand. Poor Ma. She hadn’t had a break since high school, when she fell in love with my dad, a Marine. He hadn’t chosen safe careers; the Marines, law enforcement, PI, and neither had their kids.As a corpsman in the Navy, Madi’s career was the safest, but it wasn’t without risks.

I couldn’t imagine how hard it’d be, sitting at home, waiting helplessly, when someone you loved was in danger.

Yes I could. It was how I’d felt waiting to hear if Cate had made it out of surgery. I squeezed my mom’s hand. “I’m okay. I promise.”

Everyone seemed to know I wasn’t in the mood for small talk, so the room was quiet except for the beeping of my machines.

When Dad left to check on Cate, I didn’t let him fully reenter the room before asking, “How is she? Can I see her?”

“She’s doing well. The nurses are moving her to her room shortly.”

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