“Um . . . yes. Yes, sir. My ex-husband.”
“Right. I’m going to let you go home later this afternoon. I was assured by your roommate, Ms. Roberts, that you will be monitored and she will return you to the emergency room with any signs of concern. She has the list of what to watch out for. You need to keep your head dry for the next forty-eight hours. After washing your hair, dry as best as you can. Your back needs ointment applied every six hours. Keep the open wounds covered and watch for signs of infection. I’ve given her all the prescriptions for your home care. Antibiotics, as well as some pain medication. Do you have any questions?” Obviously Grandpa doesn’t specialize in bedside cheer.
“No, sir.”
“Ms. Roberts has already signed all of your discharge paperwork. Try to be more careful in the future, Ms. West.” That earns a low growl from Axel. I squeeze his hand to make sure he keeps his mouth shut.
Five hours later, I am being wheeled out to the entrance and loaded up into Axel’s monster truck. Dee has already left with Beck and Greg to go get my medication filled. Maddox and Coop climb into the back and we head off, away from the disgusting smell of death.
A few minutes down the road, I realize we aren’t headed in the right direction of my house. “Axel, where are you going?” I roll my head to the side with the help of the backrest and look over at him with my one good eye.
“My house,” he replies as calm as can be.
“I don’t want to fight with you, Ax. Please take me home. Dee can take care of me just fine.”
“Not taking you back there, Princess. Not until I know that fucker is no threat.”
“Take me home, Ax. Please. Just take me home.” Tears start to prickle against my lids. If I had the energy, I would probably be throwing my attitude all over the cab of his truck.
“No.” That’s all I get in return.
“Axel. Take me home. Now.”
“Izzy, get me now, that motherfucker walked up to your door. Walked right up. There were three trucks in the driveway, not to mention Maddox’s bike right up against the walkway. He walked right up to your door like there wasn’t a problem in his life, attacked you right under our noses.” He is gripping the steering wheel so tight I start to worry he might snap it right off. “I will not send you back into a house that he has no fear of strolling right up to and risk him put his hands on you again. No, not fucking happening.” He looks over at me and his eyes are blazing, his nostrils are flaring, and I can see the blood pounding through his veins. He looks like a rabid beast. “Never again will I allow you to be harmed when I can do something about it, so pitch your fit another time.”
“Please . . .”
That earns me another harsh snap of his neck and death glare. “NO!” he booms.
I sigh deeply. “Maddox?”
“Yeah, girl?” His grumbled response comes from behind me.
“Take me with you, please?”
He pauses for a second and I can feel the vibes coming off Axel go from pissed to nuclear. “Yeah, girl.”
“Thanks, Mad.”
“Fuck!” Axel bites out, slamming his fist against the wheel. “We will have words later, Locke.”
Other than Coop’s soft laughter, the rest of the ride back to Axel’s is passed in tense silence.
CHAPTER 13
I’ve been at Maddox’s apartment for two days now. When we first got here, he set me up in the guest room and spent the night watching stupid reality TV with me. He helps me keep my wounds clean and dressed and makes sure I take my medication when needed. Surprisingly, he is a great nurse. What I hadn’t expected was the late-night screaming waking me up from his room. I know he has demons, but I didn’t realize they were this bad. It was almost like we have an unspoken pact not to speak of his late-night terror.
Axel has been a daily guest as well. He isn’t happy about losing control of the situation, but I’m not sure I can handle being in his space for so long. Coop and Beck left to drive back to Bakersville and check on Brandon’s whereabouts. We get a call early this morning from the detectives on my case; Brandon has an alibi. His girlfriend says that he spent the weekend at her house, in her bed. There isn’t much more they can do since he has a witness backing up his story. I have to admit, at this point, I don’t feel safe going back home but I know my welcome is becoming an issue with Maddox. It isn’t that he doesn’t want me here but that he fears my being here.
I can’t understand his fear. He lives in a secure apartment complex, doorman at the entrance and a security system that would put the pentagon to shame. His house is probably the safest place for me to be. No, his fear seems to be related to whatever demons plague him at night. Demons he doesn’t want anyone to know about.
We sit down for dinner on night two when I decide to ask him.