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By the time we got back to the clubhouse, my adrenaline had long since worn off, and I was exhausted. I was craving a hot shower and my bed.
My muscles popped as I swung my leg over my bike, and my shoulders ached as I reached up to unbuckle the strap holding my helmet in place.
“I think I’m getting too old for this shit,” I grunted as I fell into step beside Vern.
Vern chuckled. “I don’t think you’re the only one feeling the ache.” He nodded his head in the direction of Ink, who was walking in front of us beside Joey. “Pretty sure his arms and shoulders are hurting from swinging that baseball bat around.”
I snorted. “I for sure, at one point, thought he was going to smack that boy’s head right off his shoulders.”
Vern barked out a laugh before we walked into the clubhouse. He clapped a hand to my shoulder before departing, heading toward his own room down the back hall. I headed up the stairs, keeping my steps light and quiet so I wouldn’t disturb anyone sleeping. It was late as fuck—honestly almost time for dawn to break over the horizon and light the world up.
Cannon was asleep when I walked into the room, her lips parted the slightest bit. Her chest rose and fell in even breaths, soothing me in a way nothing else could. To know she was alive and safe within the walls of my room was something I could never be grateful enough for. She was resting on her back, propped up against the pillows a bit so she would be a little more comfortable.
Unable to help myself, I walked over and gently ran my hand over her hair before leaning down to gently press my lips to hers. She didn’t even stir, her pain medication keeping her out of it. Hopefully, it also meant she wasn’t in any pain—or at least, very little—while she slept. She needed all the rest she could get if she was ever going to get better and heal completely.
I toed my boots off by the bed before padding to the bathroom. I didn’t turn on the light until after the door was shut just in case it disturbed her. After stripping out of my clothes, I turned the shower on and brushed my teeth while the water heated. I knew I wasn’t going to be fucked to do it once I got out of the shower. That hot water was going to make me sleepy as hell.
When the hot water from the shower hit my back, all I wanted to do was sink to the floor and just let it beat down on me. Hell, maybe even just fall asleep under the spray of water. It was so fucking warm, and it was easing the ache in my muscles.
Yawning, I forced myself to wash my hair and bathe quickly. I needed rest, and Joey had already assured us he wasn’t calling church until everyone was awake on their own. We needed the fucking rest. The events of the past few days had been taxing on not just my body, but my mind, too. I was sure everyone else felt the same. Especially Ink. Lord fucking knew he’d gone through enough when it came to losing Jessie.
After toweling off, I turned the light off and slipped out of the bathroom, heading to bed. Cannon was still asleep, so I eased under the blankets next to her, being very careful not to jostle her. I closed my eyes and rested my hand over hers on the mattress, slowly linking my fingers through hers.
She mumbled my name in her sleep, and I smiled, rubbing my thumb over her engagement ring.
Soon, I would replace that ring with her wedding band. And I couldn’t fucking wait.
* * *
“Whiler.”Someone gently shook me before a groan of pain reached my ears, followed by a muttered, “Fuck.”
I ripped open my eyes, jerking into a sitting position. Cannon’s face was twisted into a grimace of pain. “Shit, baby,” I rasped, my voice husky with sleep, my eyes still blurry. I rubbed at them. “Let me get you some pain meds.”
“Bathroom first,” she pleaded. I didn’t like it, but she knew what she needed. I trusted her judgment.
I lifted her from the bed so she wouldn’t have to try to use her crutches and carried her to the bathroom, setting her on the toilet. Leaning against the wall, I waited for her to do what she needed, and then I helped her wash her hands before carrying her back to bed. Within the next minute, she was swallowing her pain medicine.
“I need to get you something to eat,” I told her, yawning as I did so. She couldn’t take those pain pills on an empty stomach. It would make her sick and extremely light-headed. “I’ll be right back.”
“Bring coffee please.”
I grinned at her. “You got it, baby.”
I tugged on a pair of jeans and a plain t-shirt before jogging down the stairs. Joey looked up from the bar, looking as tired as I felt. “Oh, good, you’re up,” he grunted.
Wasn’t ready to be up, but yeah, whatever. Guessed I was up for the day since Joey caught me. “Give me five minutes,” I told him, “and I’ll be in the chapel.”
He nodded and slid off his bar stool, calling for church in five. I slipped into the kitchen and quickly made Cannon a bowl of oatmeal, adding a fuck ton of brown sugar, cinnamon, and cane sugar, before taking it up the stairs to her with a fresh cup of coffee.
“Oh, that smells so good,” she groaned as I handed her the bowl.
I pressed my lips to the top of her head, setting her coffee on the nightstand closest to her. “I need to head down for church, but I’ll send one of the girls up here to sit with you until I can get back.” I grabbed the remote to the TV and set it beside her. “If you need anything, yell.” Turning, I bent to grab my shoes.
“Whiler,” I paused in reaching for my boots, looking over my shoulder at her, “stop worrying so much. I’m going to be okay. The pain medicine is already kicking in.”
I sighed, frowning at her. She still looked like death rolled over. It was going to take me a while to stop worrying so much about her. “I’m going to worry regardless, baby.”
A soft smile tilted her lips. “I know, but try not to worry as much as you are.”
