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“Sounds good.” I was ripe as fuck with nothing more than sponge baths.

“I’ll get a tech to come in and help.”

“I won’t need a tech.” I wagged my brows at the nurse. “I’ll have Jaymi wash my back.”

“You and Bullet. Scoundrels. And that’s not happening.” She smiled. “For liability reasons.”

“I’m a risk-taker.”

“Which is why you’re in the hospital.” She finished logging my vitals, then took the card with my breakfast selections with her. Oatmeal with fruit or an omelet with plain toast. I opted for the oatmeal because Jaymi would eat the fruit. I’d get Vega to sneak me in a breakfast burrito and a cup of black coffee.

“You shouldn’t give her a hard time.” Jaymi stretched.

“I’m trying to give you a hard time.” I scooted over and patted the bed.

She snorted, slid off the cot, and folded the blanket.

Not that I could do more than tease her. I was in a fuck ton of pain still. But if I bitched, they weren’t going to let me out of here, and I wanted to go home. I’d had a short phone conversation with Natalie. She wanted to know what happened. I told her the same thing I’d told the cops. I’d been jumped. Didn’t know who. Didn’t know what they wanted.

She’d called me a fucking liar. I told her I wasn’t going to be able to take Lili for a couple of weeks. Her tone changed, knowing I wouldn’t be around. Then I thanked her. I’d nearly gagged on the words like I gagged on the shit I’d coughed out of my lungs. But I had to play nice because I worried she was still racking up evidence to eventually use against me. I just had to appease her until the divorce was final and joint custody was established. Because Lili was asking for me, Nat and I agreed to tell her I’d wrecked the bike.

“We haven’t talked about Lili,” Jaymi said and sat next to me on the bed.

I shifted and flinched from the pain piercing my ribs. “Remind me never to break a rib.”

“Or get stabbed. Or use your body like an ashtray. Or a punching bag. Or a kick—”

“Got it,” I said.

“Don’t, Brett. Don’t pretend like this isn’t serious. They tried to kill you.”

“I never should’ve confronted Kodiak alone. He was my best friend. I trusted him, even when I knew I shouldn’t. It was my fault for going alone. Vega and Bullet should’ve been the brothers I trusted. I should’ve had them with me.”

She dipped her head. This was something I feared. I’d been down this road before, two wheels up, racing against the inevitable. Last time, I chose my club over my family.

“Baby, look at me.”

She lifted her gaze.

“If you want me out of the MC, it’s done.” For the first time, I had something really fucking good in my life. She was smart, beautiful, and mine. We were having a baby. This time I wasn’t fucking it up.

“It’s not about the MC,” she said. “I want you to be around for Lili, for me and our baby.” She exhaled long and slow. “Matti died in a car accident that was no one’s fault. That didn’t make losing them any easier.” She linked her fingers with mine. “Just be patient with me. I might hold on too tight.”

I slid my hand under her hair and guided her lips to mine. “Fuck, baby, hold on as tight as you want.”

Chapter Nineteen

Jaymi

Brett slept propped on a couple of pillows. His soft snores permeated the darkened room. I eased out of bed, careful not to wake him. He was getting better. The bruises were fading, and he’d been able to remove the bandage, but the broken ribs would need six weeks to mend.

No lifting and restricted movements were only part of his problem. He couldn’t work for Cory, and it was too soon to get behind the bar. When it came to no sex and no motorcycle, he was ready to go against the doctor’s orders. Actually, we had kind of broken the no sex rule.

I couldn’t say no when he used that dirty mouth to tell me my pussy would make him feel better. Then he’d gone down on me. I might be a teacher, but I still had a lot to learn. He’d been right. Sucking his dick had made me feel better, too. But I wasn’t going to risk him puncturing a lung because he didn’t really have a slow, gentle speed when he fucked me.

I slipped out of bed, padded into the bathroom, and started the shower. I’d taken an emergency week off so I could stay home, but Monday morning had come too quickly. I wasn’t ready to go back to work, but I also missed teaching. And I missed Lili.

After the shower, I pulled my hair into a ponytail and entered the adjoining walk-in closet. I loved seeing Brett’s jeans on the shelf and his T-shirts in the drawer. My space was beginning to carry the scent of leather and his cologne.