RYDER (Slater Brothers 4)(74)

“On the way!”

I felt myself being pulled away from everything, and damn if it didn’t feel good not to feel anything.

“Stay with me, Branna. Be strong.”

Be strong.




Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

That’s what woke me up. Not a loud piercing sound, just a steady beeping that would more than likely grate on my nerves if I had to endure listening to it for a long period of time.

What the hell was beeping?

It wasn’t my phone alarm, I knew that much. I mentally groaned when I realised I was going to have to get up and go find the source of the unholy noise so I could put a stop to it. I quickly found that idea was out the window when I adjusted my body slightly, and tenderness caused me to whimper.

“Branna?” a familiar voice said at the same time a hand clasped mine. “It’s Damien. I’m here, and you’re okay.”

Why is Damien in my bedroom?

I squeezed his hand, but the action was weakly executed. When I opened my eyes, it took a couple of blinks for anything to come into focus, but when I could see clearly, my little brother’s face was leaning over me.

“Hey,” he breathed, and if I didn’t know any better, I would think he had tears in his eyes.

Why does he have tears in his eyes? I wondered. Did I forget to make him breakfast again?

“Dame—” I cut myself off when a pain in my throat caused my voice to sound raspy, and feel like sandpaper.

“Open up,” Damien urged. “I have water.”

I opened my mouth and gulped down the water offered to me. It felt like liquid heaven sliding down my throat. It hurt a little swallowing, but the ache wasn’t as bad as before.

“Thanks,” I said and cleared my throat.

I focused on Damien once more, and when I flicked my eyes beyond him, I took in my surroundings that were most definitely not my bedroom.

“What the hell?” I breathed. “Where am I?”

“The hospital,” Damien said as he made himself my prime view. “You were brought here a few hours ago. We’re all here; everyone is just down the hallway with the doctor. They all wanted to hear what he had to say, but I wanted to stay here with you in case you woke up, and you did. I’m so f*cking happy you did, Mama Bear.”

Damien did cry then.

“Dame,” I said, panicked. “Don’t cry, honey. I’m okay.”

I had no idea what happened, but I was awake and I was talking so that must have meant I was okay. Or would be okay.

“Before they cleaned you up you had so much blood on you, we didn’t know if—”

“Damien,” I cut him off. “What happened to me?”

I felt a bit of pain, but mostly my body felt like it was floating on a cloud.

“Don’t you remember?” he asked, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. I shook my head and he continued, “Big Phil took you to lure Kane to his apartment.”

As soon as he said the name Big Phil, I remembered everything. Everything I felt, every word I spoke and heard, and everything I saw.

Kane.

“Kane,” I said then quickly lowered my voice. “Is he okay?”

Damien nodded. “He’s perfect, not a hair out of place.”

The relief that hit me caused my eyes to well up.

“It’s okay,” Damien crooned. “It’s all over. He’s gone and is never coming back.”

The image of the blade used to hurt me sticking out of Big Phil’s chest was once I’d never forget.

“I’m glad it’s over,” I whispered..

“Me too.”

I inhaled a deep breath. “I’m so tired, me eyes hurt to keep open.”

“Get your rest, the doctor mentioned to Ryder before they left the room that you’d need plenty of it.”

Ryder.

I lazily blinked as my eyelids became heavier.

“Where is he?”

“With the doctor,” Damien answered. “Everyone else is too.”

I nodded.

“He wanted to go and get you himself,” he quickly added. “But if he did that then he wouldn’t be able to finally be done with the Feds.”

The who?

I furrowed my brows. “What are you talkin’ about?”

“You know the thing Ryder and my brothers kept from us?” he asked, lifting his arm so he could scratch his neck.

I managed a nod.

“Yeah, well, let’s just say it’s a f*cking shit storm.”

I felt my eyelids droop.

“Can’t be any worse than what’s happenin’ here,” I mumbled.

“It’s just as bad,” Damien grunted.

That wasn’t good.

“Tell me about it when I wake up.”

My eyes closed just as my sister’s voice could be heard, my friends, too.

“Oh, my God!” Bronagh cried. “Is she dead? She looks worse!”

“No,” Damien replied instantly. “She was just talking to me. She’s really weak from blood loss, and the nurse came in after you left to talk with the doctor and upped her morphine to manage her pain. With that combination it’s no wonder she’s out. I’m surprised she woke up so soon in the first place.”