Always Room for Cupcakes (17 page)

“I’m taking her,” Cade replied, shooting her a look that brokered no argument.

I saw her bite her tongue again and nod, then Cade started walking, still cradling me in his arms. When we reached his truck he kissed me sweetly on the forehead before placing me gently inside.

Beep … beep … beep…

“I swear if that beeping doesn’t stop I’m going to rip the plug out of the wall.”

I’d been in the hospital for what felt like days, but was actually only hours, and still I was ready to lose my mind.

I hated hospitals. Only went to them when I absolutely had to … Namely, when I gave birth to my children, and after being kidnapped by drug lords.

Still, I was ready to get out of this sterile room with its incessant beeping, out of this flimsy gown that barely covered my ass, and away from the prying fingers and sad eyes of everyone who entered my room.

“Just a little while longer,” Cade said, trying to hide his small smile unsuccessfully, which only increased my bad mood. “They want to make sure all of that shit is out of your system.”

I sighed, frustrated but resigned.

“I know … I’m just ready to go. I need a shower, my pajamas, and a very, very large glass of wine.”

I knew I sounded bitchy, but holding on to my anger and frustration was the only thing keeping me from falling apart. I was doing my best to focus on that, and keep the memories of what I’d been through,
what I’d done
, at bay.

“Lila,” Cade murmured, pulling me out of my head. “I still want you to come to my place. At least for a few days … Until you’re back on your feet.”

I was about to answer when the door burst open and my twins came dashing in, hurtling themselves onto my bed.

Eric walked in behind them, and I watched wordlessly as Cade slipped out, lifting his chin at Eric as he passed him.

Eric turned, eyes on Cade as the door closed behind him, before rotating back to me and the kids.

“You okay?” he asked, coming to stand next to the bed while our kids did their best to fuse themselves next to me.

“Yeah,” I lied, not wanting to scare Elena and Elin.

“Okay, guys, you know the nurse said you could only come in for a minute,” Eric said.

“What?” I asked, trying to get my arms around my babies, but without wrapping all of my IVs around them.

“Sorry, Lila, they aren’t even supposed to be allowed on this floor, but Bea pulled in a favor.”

“When can we come home?” Elena asked as her dad shifted her off the bed.

“I need you to stay with your dad a couple more days, okay, sweetheart? Then we’ll all be back together.”

Neither of my children looked happy at this news, but they didn’t whine or complain, they just let their father lead them out after giving me kisses and telling me they loved me.

Elin threw one last look over his shoulder and waved, then they were gone.

The very thin line I had on my control was threatening to snap, when the door opened again and Amy May came in. She was carrying an oversized purse and wearing sunglasses, and the way she was acting made me laugh in a time when I didn’t think I’d be able to.

“What the heck are you up to, girl?” I asked with a chuckle.

Amy May sidled up to the bed and slid her hand inside her purse, then leaned down and whispered as she tried to covertly hand me a cupcake.

“Salted caramel,” she whispered, then hurried back to the door to keep lookout.

“
Oh my God
! I love you,” I cried, then without wasting any time, I ate that cupcake like someone was about to take it from me. Because, seriously, if the nurse had come in and caught me, she would have.

Once I was licking the last bit of gooey deliciousness from my fingers, I looked at my best friend and said, “You’re a goddess.”

Amy May gave me a shaky smile and I demanded, “No, don’t do it. You just made me feel good for the first time in twenty-four hours, please don’t ruin it.”

“But…”

“
Please
…”

I watched Amy May take a deep, cleansing breath, then plaster on a fake smile.

“Better?”

“Much,” I said gratefully.

“Well, your Adonis outside said they’re about to let you go, so I guess I’ll skedaddle … I just wanted to see for myself that you’re okay.”

“I will be,” I assured her. “I just need a little time. But, Amy May? Thanks for coming … and for the cupcake.”

Amy May gave me a nod, and even though she was wearing sunglasses, I could tell she was about to break, so I didn’t say anything else as she pushed open the door and left me alone.

This time when the door opened, it was the nurse coming to discharge me. I did my best to stuff the empty cupcake wrapper under my butt, but when her gaze hit mine, an eyebrow raised, I knew I was busted.

I grinned sheepishly, then listened as she went over instructions for the next couple of days.

After she left and I was finally able to dress in the clothes Bea had brought by for me on her visit, I walked out of the bathroom to see Cade standing by the door.

“Where am I taking you?” he asked, his exhaustion apparent, making me wonder if he’d slept at all since Hector had snatched me outside of my apartment building.

“I’d like to come back to your place, if that’s still an option.”

Cade’s face cleared and I took his offered hand.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, darlin’.”

I made it all the way to Cade’s couch before I lost it.

We’d driven in relative silence, which meant my mind had the opportunity to wander, to remember.

I’d jumped down from his truck and walked to his front door with visions of Moose blurring my vision. I could actually feel the weight of the sledgehammer and hear his kneecap bust as I hit it with full force.

I sprawled on the couch, tears streaming down my face, as sobs began to rack my body. I felt the cold wetness of Rufus’s nose pushing on my arm, then I was being lifted as Cade sat on the couch and settled me in his lap.

His arms held me tight and I burrowed in, my nose in his throat as I bawled.

“Get it out,” Cade said against my hair, his hand doing those wonderful circles on my back again.

“I busted Moose’s kneecaps,” I wailed miserably.

“I know, darlin’, I’m sorry.”

“He begged me not to do it, and his screams …
God, Cade, his screams
… Before Hector shot him, Moose told me he was sorry…” I was rambling, but he told me to get it all out, so I was.

“He was sorry for pulling you so deep into shit that heavy,” Cade assured me.

I nodded against him.

“That shit was so crazy, Cade,” I said, pulling back so I could look at him. “While I was on it, it was like I didn’t care. Not about anything. They could tell me to do anything and I would have.”

Cade reached back, pushing his pelvis up off the couch so we both rose slightly, as he grabbed something. When we settled back down, he reached his hand out and said, “Here.”

I looked down at the white fabric, confused. Then, when it hit me what it was, I got a big grin on my face.

“You carry a handkerchief?”

Cade’s lip tipped up, his eyes roaming my face, and I knew I must look a huge snotty mess. I grabbed the hanky out of his hand and brought it to my face.

Once I, hopefully, looked a little less haggard I said, “Thanks,” then waved the hanky in front of him with an eyebrow raised.

“My mom says a gentleman always carries a handkerchief.”

If you would have asked me five minutes earlier if I had it in me to laugh, I would have said,
hell no
, but the serious look on Cade’s face when he said that sentence had me
rolling
.

I was leaning into him again, shaking in his arms, but this time it was because I was guffawing as I tried to speak.

“You, badass biker who lives in a cabin with his crotch-sniffing dog, doing what needs to be done and answering no questions …
You
carry a hanky?”

I was laughing so hard I didn’t notice he was annoyed until he said, “Keep up the jokes and I’ll bend you over and tan that ass.”

What?
That made me sit up and listen.

No longer laughing, I asked somewhat breathless, “
Really?”

“Jesus,” Cade replied, all signs of annoyance gone. “You’re a piece of work.”

“So, does that mean no spanking?” I asked with a straight face, then lost it when I started to giggle.

With a frustrated growl, Cade lifted me off his lap and put me on the couch next to him, then got up and walked into the kitchen.

“Uh-oh, Rufus, I think I made your daddy angry,” I joked, reaching out to pet Rufus’s ginormous head.

A few minutes later Cade turned on the TV, sat back down, and handed me a healthy goblet of wine.

“Figured you could drink that and relax, then do the shower and pajamas thing, unless you want to shower now…”

I looked from the beautiful red liquid to the beautiful man next to me, and replied, “I’ll relax first.”

He nodded and settled in, putting his arm over the back of the couch so I could scoot back and fit in the crook of his arm. When
The Heat
came on, he put the remote down and I curled my feet up under me, then we sunk back in the cushions and laughed while Melissa McCarthy gave Sandra Bullock a hard time.

Feeling loosey goosey after two goblets of wine and two hours of laughter, Cade helped me up to his loft. When we got to the top, he pushed me gently toward the shower and started to the bed.

“You aren’t going to join me?” I asked.

“Lila, you’ve been through a lot.”

“Yeah … that’s why I need you to wash my back,” I said coyly, starting to take my clothes off and hoping he wouldn’t reject me. After the ordeal I’d been through, I felt fragile, and really needed to know that he would comfort me, however I needed it.

Cade must have read what I was feeling on my face, because he crossed to me and turned on the shower, then helped me undress. I stepped into the steaming stream as I watched him take off his shirt, then his pants, and let his hair down, then join me and close the glass around us.

“C’mere,” he said, reaching for his shampoo and turning me so he could lather it in my hair. I placed my hands against the glass for support, moaning at how good it felt to have him massaging my scalp.

When he was done he turned me to rinse it out, then added conditioner. I peeked at the bottles, curious as to what brand he used, since his hair always looked so lush, then closed my eyes again and enjoyed the pampering.

Other than his hands cleaning my body, the shower was PG-13, but once we were done I felt a thousand times better.

He wrapped me in a fluffy towel, his hands moving vigorously as he dried me off. When he was finished, I curled into him and said, “Thanks … Really, for everything, Cade. For coming after me, taking care of me, making me laugh.” I tipped my head back and looked up at his gorgeous dark eyes and admitted, “I don’t know how I would have got through all this without you.”

I reached up to kiss him. Softly, slowly, thoroughly. My head tilted and his large hand came up to cup the back of my head. The towel fell to the floor and I pressed my naked body against his.

“Lila,” Cade said in warning, and I knew he was worried it was too soon.

The desire coursing through me reminded me I was alive and well, and that was exactly what I needed, so I looked him in the eyes and pleaded, “I need this. I need you.”

Saying no more, Cade swept me up off my feet and carried me to his big comfy bed, laying me on the bed as if I was delicate, precious, before covering me with his strength.

When he slid inside me, staring into my eyes as his finger gently traced my lips, my eyes filled with tears. It was beautiful,
he
was beautiful, and I felt myself falling for this sexy, dangerous man, who offered me comfort and safety in a way no one else in my life ever had.

We didn’t rush, instead relishing the feeling of being joined. Loving every movement, every sigh, every touch.

Reveling in the fact that we were alive.