Page 43 of Chill

“Your fiancé and son haven’t left your side,” she cooed as she began checking my monitors.

“My fiancé?”

The nurse missed the question in my voice and thought I was laying claim to Chill.

“Oh, everyone’s half in love with him. You’re a very lucky woman,” she said. “Your vitals are fine. The doctor will be along shortly.”

I waited until she left and stared at Chill.

“Your next of kin is Gerard still. I had to do something,” he explained.

“What a slut I am. Divorced only a few days and engaged already.”

Cassian rolled his eyes as Chill shrugged.

“We need to figure out what to tell Zion and Poet,” Cassian said as an awkward silence fell.

“Car accident. They’ve not seen the new one, so it will explain that too,” I replied. “And the old one was a massive death trap. Airbags explain everything in terms they can understand.”

“That would work,” Cassian agreed.

“Did anyone find a key?” I gasped, suddenly remembering why I’d been at the storage lockers. Gerard would easily destroy what was inside that locker without a second thought.

“Yes. It’s here, and I’m going to get prospects to remove everything from it. Was there a lot in there?” Chill finally spoke.

“Yes. Mr Lyons had saved most of the kid’s belongings. Their electronics and clothing weren’t there, but everything else was. All Poet’s books and teddies, Zion’s car collection. Your baseball memorabilia and model planes,” I murmured to Cassian.

Tears welled in his eyes. “Guess we owe Mr Lyons thanks.”

“Yeah. If your dad had known, he’d have fired him. We need to refund the cost of the locker to Mr Lyons,” I stated. “Where are you going to store our stuff?” I turned to Chill.

“At one of the houses in Merritt. We’re moving you into the closest one to the club. It’s a nice place—twin homes we knocked into a larger building. You’re right on top of Main Street. My house only has bare bones as it’s being restored, or I’d have offered you that,” Chill stated.

“I’m uncomfortable with Mom being so far away from help,” Cassian said.

“What do you want?” Chill asked.

“You’ve got a few days before Mom is released. Get the builders to concentrate on bedrooms for her, Poet and Zion, and maybe the living room,” Cassian demanded.

I opened my mouth to argue, but Cassian continued. “I trusted you, and you failed. Don’t fuck up this time.”

Chill didn’t argue but nodded in agreement.

Didn’t I get a say?

Chapter Nine.

Meadow

Two days later, I was released after I caught a fever that spiked for twenty-four hours before calming down. Meanwhile, Nanci had visited with Amy and Daisy-Duke, and they’d assured me the kids were fine. That made it three days since I’d seen Poet and Zion, and that hurt. I needed my babies.

The police kept me updated, but Gerard and then Judy had both disappeared.

Turns out Judy didn’t go far. As I left the hospital with Chill and Cassian beside me, while a nurse pushed me out, I was stopped in my tracks.

Cassian let out a low growl as Judy wrung her hands pathetically.

“Meadow!” she cried.