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“Here,” I muttered.
“Open your eyes, darling girl,” Grandmother demanded, and I furiously wondered what she thought I was trying to do.
“Hard,” I whispered.
“Life is hard, darling, but open those eyes,” Grandmother demanded. Mulishly, I set my lips into a pout and struggled to open my eyes. Grandmother would simply keep on at me until I complied with her demand. My eyes flew open, and I saw three concerned gazes staring back at me.
“Stay awake,” Bear begged, and I glanced at him.
“Angry,” I said, running my tongue around my mouth; I was so dry. Grandmother held a glass with a straw towards my mouth, and I drank gratefully.
“No, I’m not angry, honey,” Bear demurred, stroking my hair. I felt like crap. My body hurt, my mouth felt like an ashtray, and I stunk.
“Dirty,” I muttered.
“Never,” Kelly replied.
“No, me, I’m smelly,” I insisted, and Grandmother picked up her handbag and pulled out a bottle of Chanel number 5. She sprayed it on me and sat back.
“Better darling?” Grandmother asked as I sniffed. Well, the smell remained but hidden.
“Bear, I need a shower,” I replied. Grandmother shook her head.
“When the doctor says you can, fine. Until then, remain in the bed,” Grandmother replied. I sent Bear a fleeting glance as red crept up my cheeks, and Bear realised what was bothering me.
“You don’t smell that bad, honey,” Bear said gallantly. I snorted in disagreement.
“Where are they?” I asked in fear. Those horrible men.
“They’re gone,” Kelly said, stepping forward and holding my feet. I winced in pain and saw they were bandaged up.
“Where? Do the police have them?” I asked. The fear was not residing.
“No, but they’re gone from your life,” Bear said firmly. I didn’t understand what he was saying, and I stared at Bear in horror.
“No, they ran away? No justice for what they did?”
“Oh, there’ll be justice. But they won’t ever touch you again, Thalia,” Bear said with a quick glance at Grandmother. Her lips pursed.
“But they’re out there, walking free!” I cried. Bear squeezed my hand.
“No baby, no, trust me, they aren’t free and won’t ever breathe your air again,” Bear reassured me. But I wasn’t reassured. Grandmother sat forward.
“Darling, I think what your young man is trying to say is that those men will face justice, and a justice the courts won’t mete out. A justice more tailored to what they did to you. Locked in a cell isn’t punishment for those animals,” Grandmother spat fiercely. I struggled to understand what Grandmother was saying, and staring at the stern faces in front of me, I finally caught on.
“Oh, no. I don’t want Hellfire to do that,” I said, grasping that Bear meant to kill the two men.
“No issue here,” Bear muttered, his eyes holding mine.
“Please, I don’t….” I said loudly and broke off, and dropped my voice to a whisper, “want blood on your hands.” Bear grinned, and it was a nasty grin.
“Won’t be the first time and won’t be the last. Hellfire’s sending a message. Hellfire’s women are off-limits.”
“No, Bear,” I said, and Kelly shook his head.
“Thal, Bear has the right in Hellfire’s world to take vengeance. Thalia, you have to let him,” Kelly said quietly. No, this wasn’t right. Bear had suffered enough with Ellie’s death, and I didn’t want two more deaths haunting him.
“But you can’t do this,” I whispered. Bear’s face shuttered, and I felt him close me out.
