Page 82 of Defended By Bam
My brow raised.
“Okay, I’d still be pissed, but it wouldn’t have been as dramatic. Happy?”
“It’ll do. Love you, sis.”
“Love you, brother. Now go.”
Letting her go, I ran to the room Linny was resting in and flung the door open.
Shiv’s brow shot up and she turned around. “Rude. Can you knock?”
“Sorry,” I said as I walked to the bed, kneeling next to it and grabbing Linny’s hand.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“Her throat will be a little crackly for a few days but no permanent damage to her windpipe. Just don’t be yelling and have plenty of fluids. But you can eat whatever is comfortable.” She turned to me. “She needs to eat, so I expect you to be sure she does. Jackal and I need to get back to Georgia.”
“Thank you, doc.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll leave you two alone.”
Once the door closed, I pulled her hand to my face, kissing it before putting her palm to my cheek. “I love you so much. I’m so sorry, Linny.”
“Hey,” she said, pressing her hand to my cheek. “I’m okay.”
Looking her over, I knew that wasn’t true. “This never should have happened. I failed you.”
“He’s crazy. He would’ve found a way no matter what you did. This wasn't your fault,” she said. “Although I wish you had just told me you saw him.”
Sighing, I said, “I know I fucked up. I’m learning as we go, Linny. And I thought it was best to keep you in the dark. I didn’t want to scare you.”
“I figured. Or club business. Marshall said those other guys were your enemies.”
Nodding, I said, “Guess so. And it was club business. But you’re my Ol' Lady. From now on, I won’t hide things like that from you. But you never have to worry about him again. I know that for a fact. Don’t worry about the other guys. We already have plans for them.”
She stared at the ceiling and a tear rolled from her eye, down her temple. I reached over, wiping it away.
Her chest jerked as more tears came. “I just wish Ollie and Glenda…”
Leaning up so I could cup her cheek, I moved her face to look at me. “Hey, Ollie vowed to protect you, and he died trying to do just that. And Glenda’s tough. She’s struggling, but she’s fighting.”
Her eyes lit up. “She’s not dead?” Her lip trembled and her other hand went to my face. “I could have sworn–”
“She’s hanging in there. Leigh’s staying with her and keeping us updated.”
“Oh shit. If she wakes up, she may kill him,” she joked through her tears.
Leaning over, I pressed my lips to hers. “I love you, Linny. I’ll never let anyone hurt you again. I mean it.”
“Nobody can ever hurt me more than I love you, Bama.”
“And nobody can ever love anyone more than I love you, Linny.”
Epilogue
Sofie
My first day to school back after Mommy’s accident was hard. But it had been over a week, and Daddy drove me. It was cool I didn’t call him Bama anymore. And it made more sense. He did all the things I read about in books that daddies were supposed to do: he loved Mommy, he loved me, he gave Mommy lots of hugs and sometimes yucky kisses, and he took me fishing, swimming, and snuck me ice cream when Mommy wasn’t watching.
