Page 12 of Morgue
“You want her comfortable. Right?”
I gave Stitches a wary look. I knew he was leading me into a trap. Could even see where he was leading. Still couldn’t help myself from answering. “Yes.”
“Good. Then we’ll leave her to take care of business. The women will bring in some more clothes for her and some electrolyte drink so she’s not so parched. She’ll take a shower and wash her hair and brush her teeth and all the other shit women do in the bathroom, then they will bring her to the common room for some food. You can meet her there.”
I wanted to protest, but knew Stitches was right. The woman had been through hell. The last thing she needed was a damaged, killer biker crowding her space. With a defeated sigh, I nodded and let Stitches lead me to the door. It was no surprise that Iris was already headed our way with an armload of necessities.
“Nyla and Pepper are with the other women. Winter and Serelda had Brick take them to get some more things for everyone. I thought Dorothy might want a few necessities.”
“Good,” Stitches said, still taking over because, apparently, I’d been reduced to caveman speak. “She’s awake and a little jumpy. Could use your delicate touch.” He smiled at the other woman.
“Yes,” I said, wanting to take an active role in Dorothy’s care. I needed everyone to know she was mine and that I could take care of her like she needed, but the truth was, I wasn’t sure I could. Oh, I could take care of her. I’d lock her up and never let anyone or anything touch her. But if there was one thing I’d learned from watching the other men find their old ladies, it was that women needed their freedom. I wasn’t altogether certain I was capable of giving Dorothy the kind of freedom the other women had.
Iris gave me a quizzical look. “Um, OK. She nervous about where she is?”
“You could say that,” Stitches continued, giving me a side-eye.
“Understandable, given where you guys found her. I’ll be careful with her.” She gave us a gentle smile before knocking on the door and waiting for Dorothy to answer. Stitches tried to tug me after him, but I wanted to wait. I wanted to hear her voice one more time before I left. “Dorothy? My name’s Iris. I’ve got some stuff for you. Clothes. Toiletries. Can I come in to give them to you? I’ve got some Gatorade and water. You can have either one you want.”
After a lengthy pause where I was sure Dorothy would refuse to answer, she finally spoke. “Come in.”
Those two little words nearly made me melt. And they weren’t even for me. They were for Iris. I wanted to sag in relief.
“Come on, Romeo,” Stitches said with a chuckle. “Common room. I’m gettin’ you a shot of Jack. Never seen a man who needed it more.”
Chapter Five
Dorothy
I’d never been so glad to be alone in my life. Not because I was scared or upset, though I admitted I wasn’t as comfortable being here now as I was minutes before, but I could feel the stupid catheter slipping out of me. Fuck my life, anyway.
No. Scratch that. I’d live through a little embarrassment now to be out of the nightmare I’d been in before I woke up in this place.
The second the door shut on Stitches and Morgue, the catheter slipped completely out and plopped to the floor. I nearly groaned in embarrassment as I felt a small trickle of urine running down my leg. Thank God it wasn’t much.
I picked up the catheter and bag it was attached to. What the fuck was I supposed to do with that? Thankfully, it wasn’t hard to figure out how to empty the bag into the toilet. I threw the rest of it into the trash before finding a cloth to wet and clean myself. Stitches was correct. I wanted a shower. A long, hot shower. I needed to scrub myself clean, though I suspected that might be impossible.
I’d just finished cleaning up when there was a knock at the door. At first, I didn’t answer. The shirt I was wearing covered everything, but did I really want to walk around bare-assed in a place with a bunch of strange men? That the line of thought led me to panic.
I took a deep breath just before the knock came again. “Dorothy? My name’s Iris. I’ve got some stuff for you. Clothes. Toiletries. Can I come in? I’ve got water, and some Gatorade, too.”
I tried to tell the other woman she could come in, but my throat was parched. I unlocked the door and opened it a crack.
“Hi, Dorothy.” The pretty, petite woman who peered in held an armload of clothes and other things. She didn’t look very old, but there was a keen, assessing look in her eyes. She was definitely sizing me up, but not in a creepy way. More like she was trying to figure out the best way to talk to me without frightening me. “I’m Iris. Can I come in?”
I nodded, pulsing the door back enough to unlock the chain and swallowing before I spoke. “Yeah. I’m sorry.”
She smiled kindly. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. The men here can be a handful, but they’re the best people I know. I brought you some toiletries as well as a couple changes of clothes. Shoes. If there’s anything else you need, I’ll be happy to get it for you.” She set her load on the couch. Then she picked up a moderately sized bag on top of the pile and handed it to me. “Shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel. Also got a new hairbrush and toothbrush and toothpaste. There’s also a razor if you need it. Still in the packages.” Then she picked up another, smaller bag. “New underwear and feminine products. Do you want me to go while you shower? I can come back if you prefer.”
“I, uh. I don’t… I don’t know.”
“Hmm. How about I leave you and come back in an hour. That way you can take your time. I’ll bring some burgers and potato salad if you want.”
“That sounds delicious.” I gave her a tight smile. It really did sound good. I just wasn’t sure how much or if I could eat. “I’m a little off-balance. It was bad choices that led me here. I’m afraid to do anything now. Afraid it’ll be a bad choice.”
“I think all the old ladies here could say the same thing.” She gave me an understanding smile. “You go on and clean up. If you need anything, I’m sure your bodyguard will be just outside. All you have to do is yell for him.”
“Bodyguard?” That made my heart speed up. “Am I a prisoner?”