32. Code Pink

Chapter 32

Code Pink

G race

It'd been four days since I'd delivered JR, and time seemed to crawl. In the mornings, I'd walk down to visit him with Sabre's help. He'd send Wreck to sleep at the hotel across the street, then sit in the chair outside the NICU window. When I was almost ready to head back to my room, I'd raise my thumb and let Sabre know to call Pretty for the swap. We never left JR alone. None of us trusted Matt.

I was getting stronger by the day, and it was only a matter of time before the hospital told Stands to discharge me. Once the baby had been born, my blood pressure had slowly returned to normal. I could move around and walk. It was slow, but I could do it. I was still in pain. My body was sore, and if I moved wrong, I screamed in agony, but they told me that was normal and there was nothing further that they could do. I clenched my teeth, trying to breathe through the pain, but it didn't make it suck any less.

JR was the most beautiful baby I'd ever seen. A tiny miracle I could hardly believe was half my doing. He was small, but they weren't concerned that he wouldn't grow. They just couldn't give me an accurate date of when I could take him home. If I asked, they would just say that they would reevaluate every Friday. That wouldn't work with Matt constantly lingering, but we didn't want to tip them off that something was wrong. For now, Sabre was on JR's birth certificate, and no one had questioned me .

"Hey, Mommy. Look at you, up early," the NICU nurse said as she came to the door when she saw me waiting. Wreck had been sitting on the chair outside of the glass window.

"Hello. Am I too early?" The NICU had visiting hours, but since I was the only parent who had a baby in the room, they let me come and go as I pleased. I also think it helped that Sabre would slip them money at the end of their shifts.

"Nope, you're good. Come on in! He's been cooing up a storm this morning." She slid the door open further so that I could step through with my IV pole. "I think he missed you and has figured out your schedule."

"I missed him," I said, sighing. I waved to Wreck and squeezed Sabre's forearm before I let go of him and walked into the room. At first, the nurses had told us it was one person in the room at a time. I think they were afraid the brothers would bum rush the door, but that wasn't the case. Whomever was outside the window had their own chair across the hall. They would be out of the way, but they could see both directions of the hallway and into the window.

"I'll leave you be. Take your time, but if you need something, let me know." The nurse walked to the station at the back of the room as I settled into the padded chair and put the blue gloves on.

"Good morning, sunshine. Did you sleep well?" I whispered to him. It was quiet in the room, and I didn't want to disturb the peace. I liked to carry on a conversation with him, even though I had no clue what he would have said. "Did you dream of toy cars?" He cooed as if he could understand me. "You did. My smart boy. Bikes are going to consume your world, eventually," I chuckled.

Time slipped away as I stayed with him, chatting softly or simply watching him wiggle. I cherished every moment. It wasn't until there was an overabundance of movement at the back of the room that I realized something was happening.

"I think they might send me home, but I'll still be here every day to see you until you bust out of here," I whispered, tickling the bottoms of his feet lightly.

I watched as the nurse approached. Her expression confirmed my fears. "I hate to do this to you, but I have to send you back to your room. There are discharge papers in the system for you, and the charge nurse for the floor today wants to get started. She can't officially boot you though until Dr. Andrews gives you one last exam. Just let her blow hard. I already let your man know to call his brother."

I turned towards the window. Pretty was standing next to Sabre across the hall. I didn't know what they were talking about, but neither was smiling, and their hands were flailing around. "Thank you," I said to the NICU nurse, standing up from the chair and preparing to wheel myself back to the door. She held it open as I walked through, catching Pretty and Sabre's attention.

"Did he tell you that you're looking pretty good today?" Pretty smirked.

"Hospital gowns are the new black," I replied, smirking.

"What am I, chopped liver, pretty boy?" the nurse teased him.

Pretty kissed my cheek and turned to walk into the NICU. Visiting hours had officially started. "Nah, Nurse Needle, but I've got to keep up with my favorite ladies," he said with an innocent smile. The nurse chuckled and made a beeline for the nurse's station.

"I thought he had a thing for Wreck?" I asked Sabre, puzzled.

"Yeah, I am not sure what's going on with those two, and I am trying hard not to pay attention." He stood from his chair and walked over, offering his arm.

"You only have a thing for me," I told him.

"I'm done playing games, mama. If you leave, I'll hunt you down and drag you back to my bed." He laughed as we walked back to my room.

"You make it sound like such a tragedy," I said, enjoying the light-hearted banter for a moment. "The nurse said they're going to discharge me today, and the charge nurse wants to start the process. That's why I have to go back to my room."

We walked a little further. "Pretty booked us a hotel room across the street, next to the room the brothers are sharing. We won't be far from the baby, so you can come and go as you please," Sabre said with a shrug. We both knew it wasn't a perfect solution, but it was the best we had for today .

"Are you leaving for the clubhouse tonight?" I asked, knowing he had responsibilities but hoping he'd stay. If he left, I'd do my best not to show my hurt.

"No, I'm here until we go home as a family. Count's running the club and keeping me updated. Everyone understands, so don't worry." He kissed the top of my head.

"Thank you," I whispered as we reached my door, feeling a sense of relief.

Sabre and I waited patiently for the discharge, but it seemed to never come. He tried his best to remain calm, but I could sense his agitation as he sat in the recliner next to my bed. His leg bounced repeatedly. He'd place his hand over his knee to calm it, but then he'd forget and rest his hand against the arm of the recliner, and his knee would start bouncing again.

I was no better. When we had walked into my room, Sabre had helped me lay in bed facing him, but every few seconds I would shift, pretending to find a comfortable spot. We tried to fill the silence with small talk, but as each minute passed, the tension in the room grew tighter.

The charge nurse had been in and out of the room, ignoring me each time. She would give me a hostile look, fiddle with the equipment, and then leave in a huff.

"I don't understand. They made such a big fuss about discharging me, but now we're just sitting here," I said to Sabre, frustrated. "I could have stayed with our baby, and Pretty wouldn't have had to arrive early. This is silly."

"I'm just as much in the dark as you are. I sent Stands a message, and she's on her way in. She's coming on shift anyway, so she said it wasn't a big deal to show up a little early. Stands didn't know you were being discharged today, but she said it was only a matter of time." I watched as Sabre ran his hand through his hair. "I didn't want to have to tell you, but they've given me no choice, and you'll be safer if you know. Do you remember the first time we walked down to the window?"

Apprehension poured over me as I tried to sit up in the bed.

"Hey, it's not about us. We're good." Sabre stood and approached the bed. He held my hand and rubbed his thumb over the top. "You pissed off the charge nurse when you told her you'd use your IV against her. She threw a fit, and Matt figured out which floor you were on. He took it upon himself to smooth it over with her."

"You mean he slept with her?" I asked. "He's done it before. It's just a little surprising that it doesn't hurt."

He chuckled and tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. "What Matt does outside of the baby doesn't affect you anymore. It doesn't hurt because you're mine, and I wouldn't do that shit to you. You need to be careful around her today. Supposedly, she's the one that told the NICU nurse you needed to come back to the room, but she's nowhere to be found."

"Do you think you should head to the nurse's station to check? They told me Stands would have to evaluate me before I got the boot, but this seems ridiculous. It's been three hours, and I don't even have clothes."

The charge nurse entered the room. She took one look at us, and her nose crinkled, as if we were beneath her. Sabre watched her as she moved around the room, hemming and hawing. I watched his face as the planes shifted with each thought that ran through his mind. I didn't want any trouble. Squeezing his hand, I waited until he looked down at me. We were on the same page, and the quicker she left, the better off we'd be.

"You'll need to leave," she said to Sabre.

"I am not fucking going anywhere," he told her.

"You'll need to leave so that I can prepare Mrs. Montgomery for discharge."

I had Sabre help me sit up in the bed, trying to distract both of them from fighting over who was more dominate. The nurse would win, and I had visions of the hospital security walking Sabre out in handcuffs.

The intercom in the room buzzed and then turned off. We each stared at the speaker in the wall, waiting for it to turn back on. "Code Pink, NICU." It buzzed again. "Code Pink, NICU. All staff need to man their stations." The charge nurse took off running.

"Fuck," Sabre said, looking around at the posters on the wall. "I don't know what a Code Pink is."

"It doesn't matter. Our baby is the only baby on this floor. Go check on him." I was panicking. There were feet running down the hallway towards the window, and all I could think about was JR. It would take me too long to get out of bed and follow them. "Please, go."

He dropped a kiss on my forehead and ran out of the room. I twisted the sheet between my fingers. I was eager for any bit of news, and I kept staring at the speaker in the wall. Smoothing out the sheet, I twisted it again. I needed to know what was going on, but I didn't want to be in anyone's way.

"Did you know that a Code Pink is for a baby abduction?" Matt walked through my hospital door. "Your boyfriend is down at the window with his brother, trying to figure it out. How could you have picked someone so dumb?"

"I picked you, so that should say something." I was livid, wondering if this had been an elaborate ruse. JR was healthy for his size, but fear consumed me that he would take a turn for the worse. I thought about begging Sabre to buy an incubator so that we could take him now. He would be much safer at the clubhouse.

"Don't worry, wife. Our child is still in his incubator. It doesn't take much to excite people around here. All you have to do is hire some big, scary Mexican to stop in front of a window for a second." Matt leaned against the table at the front of the room, facing the bed.

I'd had enough with the games, and the words were leaving my lips faster than my brain could keep up. "I despise you. You can say whatever you want about me and our marriage, but he'll never be your son. God willing, he'll never even know you existed. My son doesn't even have your last name. His surname is the same as the two men down the hall who would give their lives for him. When have you ever done something that wasn't for your own gain?"

"I raised your social status and kept you in the life you've become accustomed to, and this is the thanks I get. Did you forget you were begging me for more? To fuck you with abandon? Telling me how you much you loved me? Oh, how the mighty fall." He crossed his legs and placed his hands on the table .

"You wanted a trophy, Matt, and I was dumb enough to think that's what love was." Staring at him now, I realized that no matter what I would have done, it would have never been enough. I would have worked myself into a frenzy trying to fit into his perfect mold when it wasn't my issue. It was his. "My only regret is that I've waited this long to see what's always been there. You're a snake, and you're never going to be a better person. There's too much blood on your hands, and you've sold your soul to the highest paying devil. They're going to catch up with you, and I hope they pay you back in nothing but the pain you've caused. Sooner rather than later." I gripped the sheets tightly in my fists. "When you're out of our lives, I will never think about you again. Your name will never pass my lips, and I'll legally change my last name to my son's."

Matt stood straight up and rushed to the side of the bed. He placed his hand on my neck and forced me backwards, squeezing to cut off my air. I balled my fists and tried to fight back, but it was a futile effort. I took shallow breaths, but I was too weak to cause any damage. The only thing keeping me focused was the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

"Do you really think the biker wants used goods? You come with baggage." He laughed. "You're probably still tight from the kegels, but the rest of you isn't looking too hot. Flabby skin is not sexy on anyone. It's what people are going to make fun of as you're pushing the stroller. 'Look at her. She used to be hot until she had a baby. Now, it's just sad.' You think he's going to fuck you? Nah, he's going to use you and fuck anything that moves. Like I did."

I gripped his hand, trying to loosen it from my neck. I struggled with the words but managed to release them in large, breathy clouds. "You know, I am tired of you calling him a biker. Every time my son calls him Daddy, I am going to laugh, knowing you're watching from the depths of hell. I hope it burns."

He squeezed my neck harder, causing me to gasp for air. "If you have any hope of keeping him, get some pointers from the club girls. You're boring in bed." Matt used his other hand to smack me across my cheek. "If I am going to hell, I am taking your boyfriend with me. No one will want you, and your son will be with the cartel. They'll make him a sicario at four."

He let go of me and walked out the door. I hadn't told him, but I'd wanted to thank him for being so awful. It only made me appreciate Sabre more. At thirty, I could honestly say I knew what love looked and felt like, and it was because of the biker down the hall. Matt had only approached me because of his scheme. He wouldn't get another chance after today. My resolve steeled further. I would protect my son from this monster, no matter the cost.