Chapter 25

25

Piston – One Week Later

“You look like shit,” a voice says in the doorway, and I take my eyes off my unconscious wife, connecting them with Cassidy’s hazel ones.

I huff. “Aren’t doctors supposed to be, oh, I don’t know, consoling, sympathetic?”

She smirks and walks my way, handing me a cup of coffee, and I smile at her until she states, “I’ve known your ass since you were fifteen and your brother started working out in my father’s gym. I know consoling and sympathy do jack with you.”

I chuckle, knowing she’s right.

The woman has sent in other doctors, and barely spoken to me since last week, and honestly, it’s pissed me off. She knows Nat; she knows what we were going through, fuck, she slapped the back of my head and told me to claim her before someone else did, and yet, she stayed clear this past week.

“It’s been five years, Cass…. You couldn’t even keep in contact with Perrie?” I ask, finally pleased she’s come to face the fucking music for disappearing.

She flinches and takes a seat next to me, looking toward my wife. I follow her gaze to look at Nat, my heart in my throat.

Her face is bruised as shit, but she’s breathing on her own, which Cass said is good, but she hasn’t woken. Though tests are saying she’s still pregnant, we won’t know if the baby has survived until she hits the seven-week mark, and we can see if the heart is beating, that is if she doesn’t miscarry beforehand.

Fuck, I honestly thought she was on the pill or something, or well, to be fair, I didn’t give a shit if she was or not. We weren’t careful, and since we reconnected, I haven’t used a condom once, unlike I had over the years.

Maybe, deep down, I wanted it to happen, but if she loses this baby as well, it’ll destroy her.

Cassidy sighs and whispers, “He threatened to kill me, Eli, the man I gave my heart to threatened me…. I couldn’t risk Perrie or my mom, even if she is delusional.”

I hum. “Yeah, sure, let’s call her delusional instead of the cunt she is.”

Cass chuckles but doesn’t deny it.

She is quiet for a moment before she moves. I look and watch as she bends down to my girl, eyeing me as she says, “Hey, Natty. A few years ago, Perrie messaged me, hoping I'd reply, which of course I didn't…. Remember when a tub of glue and glitter fell on your head, and you thought it was your clumsiness, then a picture ended up going around college?” My eyes widen. I shake my head. Still, Cass grins. “Your husband orchestrated the whole thing because you denied him an orgasm after he pissed you off, him claiming he could have any girl he wanted but he chose you.”

I groan. “Fuck’s sake, Cass, seriously?”

I didn’t even mean the words. Nat had been ignoring me, and I knew it was because she had a big test, but I was horny, and I wanted her fucking attention.

That should have been an eye-opener then, to be honest.

Cass sighs. “Honestly, I was hoping it would wake her up.”

I furrow my brows, lean forward, and ask, “What do you mean?”

She smiles slightly, grabs Nat’s chart, and then admits, “Medically speaking, she shouldn’t be in her coma. She’s breathing independently, her oxygen levels look good, and she has brain activity, proving we got her back each time quickly enough. It’s like she doesn’t want to wake up, like she's scared of reality….”

I swallow hard and look at my wife, but I ask Cass, “What do I do then? To help her wake up?”

“Talk to her.” I look at Cass, and she grins. “Admit your deepest, darkest secrets, make her mad or something. Just speak to her, Eli.” I nod as the door opens, and we both look as Steal walks in. Cassidy tenses but gives me a tight smile and says, “I’ll come check on her later, as soon as the bad smell is gone.”

I snort and raise a brow at her, but she doesn’t say anything else. She signs the chart and places it back at the end of the bed, and goes to walk out.

“Cassidy,” Steal says and places his hand on her shoulder to stop her. Suddenly, he’s standing next to her one moment, and then flat on his back on the floor the next. I have to bite my bottom lip to stop the laughter.

“Don’t ever touch me again. Why don’t you go back to your girlfriend, Steal, you know, the patch chaser you accused me of being, listening to her instead of asking me what exactly happened in that kitchen,” she sneers, then leaves.

I lean round the bed as he lays on the floor in shock, and I say, “Well, first things first,” he looks at me, “Cass has kept up with her training, so her dad will be proud.” Steal scoffs and then chuckles when I state, “Secondly, my wife’s going to have my balls for not filming that shit; we may have to re-do it.”

“Why in the fuck are you on the floor, Prez?” Acid asks, and I look to the door to see him and Anchor looking at the man, confusion on their faces.

“He touched Cassidy’s shoulder,” I report.

Anchor flat-out laughs while Acid grins with pride, making me laugh.

The woman is thirty years old, and he looks like the proud older brother, even though he’s only twenty-six.

Groaning, Steal stands, brushing off his cut as his eyes go to my wife.

“Why is she still asleep? I don’t get it,” he mumbles.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair, and explain, “Cass thinks she doesn’t want to wake up. Medically, nothing is keeping her in the coma. Cass said I need to tell her my deepest, darkest secrets to get her to wake up, after telling Nat I was the one who dumped glue and glitter over her head, and posted the picture around the school.”

Acid grins. “Have you told her about the pie incident yet?”

My eyes widen, and I snap, “No, and we’re not going to, either. My girl obviously just needs some time, and I won’t put my balls on the chopping block just to get her to wake up, especially with the pie incident….”

“What pie incident?” Perrie asks as she walks into the room, looks around, and then purposely avoids my brother.

Acid looks at her with longing as he explains, “Eight cherry cream pies fell off the shelf and onto Nat in the cafeteria. She thought she must have banged into it, but the idiot here thought it would be funny to shake the shelf, not thinking they’d all fall. He wanted to make her jump.”

“Oh, I made her jump alright,” I mumble as I remember the shocked look on her face as she slipped and fell on her fucking ass after jumping a few feet in the air.

Perrie smiles a little, a twinkle in her eyes, and slowly walks around the bed, eyeing my wife, making me frown with confusion as she asks, “So, I’m guessing you're trying to get her to wake by pissing her off?”

I raise a brow. “Cass suggested it….”

Perrie hums. “That’s good.” She smirks. We watch as she bends down near my wife’s ear and looks at me, asking, “Hey, Piston, did you know Nat got a tattoo four years ago?”

My mouth parts in shock, “What, no, I would have?—”

She cuts me off, “It’s on her inner thigh, got it done by a competitor tattoo shop just so you wouldn’t find out, and guess whose name it is….” She looks down. “Come on, Nat. Wake up before I tell all of your dirty secrets….”

I grin wide while Acid, Steal, and Anchor chuckle.

“No, not going to open your eyes. Alright then…. Piston, she got ‘Piston’ tattooed on her inner thigh because she said no guy is ever allowed between them.”

“Is that so?” I ask, eyeing my wife’s prone body. I am willing her to open her eyes, but I also want to hear more….

“Mmhmm,” Perrie confirms, “she is also the one who sent your dick pic to all the girls on campus after she realized you are the one who sent the picture of her with the glitter and glue incident and, really Piston, you didn’t even hide your number when you sent it to me.” My mouth drops open, the men laughing their asses off as Perrie looks at my wife. “Come on, Nat, I have so much more, like the video you have of you and Piston having sex, the video you saved on your phone and used to get off to when he decided to withhold your orgasms for nearly three years….”

Motherfucker!

“Oh, fuck Nat, I’d wake if I was you….” Anchor cackles.

I tilt my head. “What else has my wife done, Perrie?”

She grins wickedly. “How about carving her name in your tank after the fifth orgasm you withheld, and then made a profile on a dating website, ensuring everyone knew you liked it up the ass?”

You have got to be kidding me….

“Well, that explains the several men that showed up at the club last year, looking for Piston’s Pistol,” Steal mumbles, and I slump back in my seat.

Fucking hell….

Perrie sighs when my girl doesn’t even stir. She looks at me, and then back at Nat, the wheels turning in her head.

“Okay, Natalie, if that’s not going to wake you up, let’s switch it up a little, shall we? We all know how much of a momma bear you become where your little brother is concerned….” All three of us men freeze, and I open my mouth to tell Perrie to stop, but she speaks louder and says, “How about I tell you your husband is teaching your baby brother to ride a dirt bike? The scrapes on his side weren’t from falling off the jungle gym at the playground; he fell off the bike.”

My mouth drops open, and I stand, snapping, “Hey!”

She winces and shrugs, continuing, "Also, the stitches Cooper needed, Piston and Acid were teaching him how to throw knives at the dartboard." She looks at me. "The kid likes to talk when I give him milkshakes at the diner.”

Acid’s eyes widen. “Tinker, don’t fucking bring me into this, I’ve seen Nat attack people, she fucking headbutt’s them, for fuck’s sake….”

Perrie rolls her eyes at him, and continues, “And just last week, Anchor let him behind the wheel of his truck while Steal filmed it.”

Anchor’s eyes widen, and he takes a small step back while Steal’s face goes pale, making me snort before I sigh.

Still Natalie doesn’t move.

Perrie shakes her head and sits on the edge of the bed, grabbing Nat’s hand, then whispers, “Okay, my friend, I get it; you don’t want to wake up. I know you are scared, and things are hard, but you have a family that needs you, Natty. Holly isn’t doing so well. Piston looks ready to fall apart, and Cooper, he needs you. Christy took him, Nat. She took him from camp and crashed her car, nearly killing him. He has a cast on his arm and a bruised face. He needs his sister, Natalie. He needs you….”

I stand as the machines start to beep, and Perrie gasps, looking down at their joined hands. The door to the room opens, and Cassidy rushes in.

Perrie moves out of the way, Acid wrapping his arm around her waist, his hold tightening when she tries to move away from him. Cass presses a few buttons on the machine, and then grabs her penlight, gently lifting my girl’s eyelids and examining Nat’s pupils.

“Natty, can you hear me, sweetheart? It’s Cass,” she says. “Come on, Natalie, open your eyes for me….”

I hold my breath as Natalie’s hand moves a little as Cassidy pokes her, checking her vitals.

“Come on, sweetheart. Don’t you want to wake up and have a go at me for leaving without saying goodbye?” she continues, and I bite my bottom lip. I watch with absolute relief as my girl’s eyes flutter before they open, and she takes in her surroundings. Then she looks at Cassidy, who smiles wide at her, “Well, hello there, old friend.”

Natalie coughs, then croaks, “You-you bitch….”

Cassidy giggles, a few tears falling. “That I am, but this bitch so goddamn happy to see you awake. Now, before tearing me a new one, answer me. What’s your name?”

Natalie takes a deep breath. “Natalie….”

Cassidy nods. “And who’s ass are you going to kick?”

She takes another deep breath, “M-My husband’s f-for all the-the tricks he-he pulled, and-and Anchor for-for letting my-my brother drive, and Acid f-for the knives….” She turns her head toward Perrie, who lets out a sob. Then, Natalie turns her head my way, her gorgeous, deep blue eyes connecting with mine.

I shake my head and stumble over to her before bending over, placing my head in the crook of her neck, and breathing her in as her hand grips my hair. My whole body relaxes.

“Fuck,” I croak, and her hand grips me tighter.

She’s awake, she’s back….

Now I just have to tell her about the baby, a baby she still may lose.