Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Jax

“At least everything underneath is clear,” the ER Doctor turns the portable cart to face me and the large screen lights up with x-rays. He points to an area of my ribcage. “You have a fracture here, but the lungs and spleen are intact. It’s probably going to feel like you were trampled by a herd of elephants for a while with the looks of that bruise already forming, but it’s a clean break and will heal.”

“What’s the treatment for it?”

“Not much. We used to wrap patients in a rib belt, but a while back they did a study and found it didn’t provide any benefit. It’ll heal on its own, with plenty of rest and pain killers.” The doctor takes out his prescription pad. “Ice for twenty minutes of every hour when you’re awake for the next two days. I’m going to prescribe you a week of Vicodin to start out. Did you drive?” he asks Vince.

Vince nods.

“Good I’m going to give you a loading dose now to get you more comfortable and hopefully you can get some rest tonight.” The doctor looks over my face, turning it to the right and then the left, examining the lacerations. “Hate to see what the other guy looks like if you won.” He shakes his head. “You staying with him tonight?” again he addresses Vince, but this time I respond.

“I’m alone, but I’m fine,” my voice trails off, breathing hurts, but speaking is even worse.

“You’re fine now. Can’t always see everything on an x-ray though. If your breathing gets too shallow tonight could indicate a small puncture we can’t see. You shouldn’t be alone.” The Doctor looks at me and then Vince and back to me.

Vince speaks up. “He’ll stay with us tonight.”

“I’m…,” I begin to object but Vince talks right over me.

“We’re good. Suite has an extra bedroom.” I look at him uneasily and he smiles and teases. “We’ll make forts out of sheets and catch up for the shit we missed doing the first twenty years.”

***

I wake confused, looking around at the room I’m in, nothing looks familiar. The heavy drapes are drawn but I can still see the glimmer of sunshine peering in through the small gap pulling them closed left behind. I cough, pain shoots in my chest and I groan from the grueling ache in my ribs. Someone cracks open the bedroom door and peaks in, but says nothing.

“Who’s there?” I ask. Speaking increases the intensity of the pain and shortens each breath to the point where I feel like I’m drowning. It makes me gasp for air and I cough again.

“It’s Liv,” she whispers and opens the door wider. “I didn’t want to wake you.”

“I’m up.”

“Are you in pain?”

“Yeah. It feels like I was run over by a Mac Truck. And then it backed up and did it again.”

“You slept so long your pain meds probably wore off. I’ll get your pills and some water.”

“Wait.”

“What?”

“Where am I?”

“In the Penthouse suite.”

“I don’t remember getting up here last night.”

“You were pretty out of it. Vince said the Doctor gave you a double dose of meds before you left the hospital and you were out before you got back to the hotel. Took Vince, Nico, and Preach to get you up here.”

Shit. I don’t remember a thing. Last I remember, I was still sitting in the hospital with Vince and the doctor came in to tell me my rib was broken. Liv disappears and comes back a minute later with water and a pill. I sit up in the bed, the change in position is painful.

“Thanks.” I gulp down the water and the pill.

“What time is it?”

“Four.”

“In the afternoon?”

She giggles. “Yes, in the afternoon.”

“Where’s Vince?”

“He had to go down for some appearances and then to host the afternoon session.”

I sit up a bit straighter, wincing when my chest muscles flex, but pull the covers off of me. “I should go.”

“I think you should rest.”

“I will. But I’m going to go back to my room.”

“Ummm…,” she hesitates. “I brought all your stuff up here. Vince gave me your key card and I checked you out of your room.”

“Thanks. It’s about time I head back to D.C. anyway. I’m good. I can get around. But I appreciate everything.” I swing my legs to the side of the bed. Fuck, it hurts like hell when I move.

“I think you should stay,” Liv says. “For Vince’s benefit too.”

“Why for Vince?”

“He was pretty riled up last night. Nico had to talk him down from hunting down the guy you fought. He takes the sport very seriously and says guys like that set back the advances of getting it accepted as a legitimate sport by ten years.” She pauses. “Nico has to leave tonight. His wife is pregnant with their second child and they have a one year old. I’m surprised he even came.”

“Not sure I’m in any condition to stop Vince from doing anything.”

“Maybe not. But having you here is good for him too. He’ll never admit it, but he’s been curious about you since he found out you were related.”

I smile because I’ve felt the same way.

“Will you stay?”

“Yeah.” The truth is, I was only leaving because it seemed like the right thing to do. I have nowhere I need to be anyway. “Do you know where my phone is?”

“Sure, I’ll get it for you.”

Liv opens the curtains and brings me some fruit while I check my phone. There are hundreds of new texts. Brady, Marco, my father, business associates that saw the fight…but none from the one name I want to see flash on my phone. I didn’t jump into the ring with the foolish notion that winning would mean I’d win Lily back, but seeing her face in the arena last night I thought maybe, just maybe, there was a chance in hell. I toss the phone on the end table feeling rejected all over again.

“She didn’t call?” Liv asks reluctantly.

I shake my head no.

“I was on the other side of the arena with Vince during the fight, but Vince pointed out who she was. I watched her reactions as she watched the fight. She sat on the edge of her seat the entire time. Nervous. She was white as a ghost when Caden stomped you. I saw her run toward the cage. But then I lost her in the crowd. I think she still cares about you if that matters,” she offers trying to make me feel better, but it feels more like pity.

I attempt a smile, she’s sweet for trying to help. “Thanks, I’m going to take a shower.”

“Jax?”

I turn back.

“It’s her loss if she doesn’t forgive you, because you’re totally worth forgiving.”