“Fine,” I say, feeling my burst of energy fading as fast as the light of day. He walks away, and I manage to grab some clean clothes out of the drawers in my room.
Gosh, I’m so tired. I need to sit down. Just for a minute.
My arms and legs turn to rubber, and the longer I sit, my back begins to ache. Maybe I’ll lie back and stretch out. Just for a minute.
I smile as my head hits the soft mattress. When Mila comes home, everything will be ready for her. She deserves that and so much more.
I rub my eyes, struggling to keep them open. Maybe I will close them. Just for a minute.
Just one little minute.
Chapter Eleven
Rage
Mila is quiet in her car seat behind me. “It’s okay, sweetie. We’re going home now. No more hospitals,” I tell her.
I probably should have called Serenity to warn her that we’re on our way, but the twins were headed out there. I assume she already knows.
I’m not sure how this is going to work with my friends being there. Mila seems scared of men. They said they didn’t find any evidence of sexual trauma, so I’m trying not to make too much of it. I pray the so-called experts are right.
She’s chewing on her shirt sleeve, watching the world go by outside. I can’t imagine how frightened she must be.
I’m kicking myself for not getting her room painted and set up. Like I told Serenity, I didn’t think it would happen. I always heldhope, but that was as far as I could let myself go in the vision. I had to stay grounded for both of us.
At least the run last night went smoothly. My brothers are the best. The Omaha Chapter arrived and between their guys and mine, Jameson should be happy as fuck.
I look in the mirror again, and Mila’s little chin bobs to her chest. She rubs her eyes sleepily. She’s been so tired it breaks my heart, but I’m going to get her healthy again.
When I pull into the garage, I breathe a sigh of relief.
Mila is home.
She fell asleep when we were on the last stretch, so I carefully unbuckle her, hoping not to wake her. I’m not really sure what I’m doing here. I’ve never had to take care of a kid. But what I do know is that if I had just fallen asleep and someone woke me up five minutes later, I’d be pissed.
Mila’s head rests on my shoulder, and she snuggles against me. It warms my heart. If she was awake, it would be a different story. She’s unsure of me, and I don’t blame her. She doesn’t remember me.
I place my finger over my mouth when I walk in. Cole, Carson, and Cub are sitting at the kitchen table eating. Shit, where am I going to lay her down until I get her room set up?
Cole hops up and waves for me to follow him down the hall. He pushes the door open and steps aside. Mila’s room is finished. Cole rushes around me and moves a stuffed giraffe out of the way before pulling the blankets to the end of the tiniest bed I’ve ever seen.
Gently, I place her on it and cover her up. She did manage to get a few chicken nuggets down at the hospital, so she shouldn’t be hungry till morning. If she wakes up in the middle of the night, I can always make something for her then.
Cole goes back out to the kitchen while I take a minute to look around Mila’s room. I can’t believe the club got all of this for me… for her. I kiss the tip of my fingers and place them against her forehead before walking out.
I head out to the kitchen, and Carson hands me a plate. “Welcome home, brother.”
“Thanks, guys. This transition is going much better than I imagined. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for my sister and me. On top of handling the shipment Omaha brought in, you fuckers even painted. You’ve been busy.”
Cub leans back in his chair and stretches. “It only took the club a few hours to have everything gathered that a three-year-old could need. Some of the ol' ladies are crazy good shoppers, but none of us can take credit for painting or setting up her room.”
I look at my brothers, and they all offer me the cheesiest fucking smiles I’ve ever seen. I’d knock them off their faces if I wasn’t so damned relieved to be home.
“It was your ol' lady,” he says smugly.
It’s now that I remember Serenity is here, or at least she’s supposed to be. “Where is she?”
Cub stands. “Follow me.”