Page 20 of His to Claim (The Rowdy Johnson Brothers)
TWENTY-THREE
MAEVE
I lift my head off the pillow and blink open my eyes, praying everything we just went through was all a dream. I take that back. Ihopeit was all a nightmare but judging from the crinkle of the bed beneath my body, the blaring lights, and a beeping noise, I’m guessing it’s all reality. One date with the turd-eating dumbass fuckface Clayton, and this is what I get. The dude isn’t even that good-looking. All I wanted to do was fill a void, and obviously, I abandoned ship when I got the major ick from him. He tried to wreck my whole world, JW’s world, our family’s world, and now it’s over.
“Joseph.” When I turn my head, the twinge in my neck sharpens, and my hand moves to where I feel the tightness.
“Baby girl, don’t touch it.” JW is out of his seat and next to me in a split second. His handcups my cheek, forehead meeting mine as he proceeds to keep a watchful eye over me. He stays silent, so I follow his lead. The last thing I remember before passing out was watching JW struggle to get out of his hold to come for me. The stranglehold Clayton had on me didn’t allow me to breathe very easily, and when I struggled to get away, I fainted. Of course, because that douchebag cunt cake didn’t give a fuck about anyone but himself and getting away. My neck was his knife’s fated mate. I have no idea how bad it is, and since JW doesn’t seem intent to let me touch, I’m sure looking will be out of the question, too.
“How long was I out? How bad is it? What happened?” I ask rapid-fire questions. Maybe looking at it is a bad idea.
“Long enough to transport you. You woke up for a minute, but you conked back out. Scared me to death. The paramedics said it's normal after a traumatic event. When we got here, the doctor said it’d be better for you to sleep through the stitches than for you to be awake. You were lucky, so damn lucky. An inch lower, and you’d have bled out. Swear to fuck I thought I was losing you when I just found you.” His nose slides along mine. There’s no denying he’s upset, probably more so than I am; it comes with the territory. JW’s protective through and through in every sense of the word. He’ll do whatever it takes tokeep the pain away from me. Even if that means allowing himself to be handcuffed by a madman.
“You can’t get rid of me that easily. I’m in it for the long haul.” I raise my hand, needing to feel more of him, but he stops me from moving so much as an inch.
“As for how it looks, you can see it later. Right now, it doesn’t matter.” I start to respond, because while he may not care about a gash that results in an everlasting scar, I do, but JW doesn’t let me interrupt. “Baby girl, do not go there. The doctor who stitched you up did a damn good job. If there’s a reminder that you don’t want, we’ll talk to a plastic surgeon. As long as you’re here and healthy.” He doesn’t usually fill the void with words because he’s more of an action speaks louder than words type of man, but it seems today is different. “Maeve, you’re never leaving me. You’re the air I breathe, my sunshine during the dark, and I’m going to love you with all I’ve got until there’s nothing left.”
I lift my mouth to his, grazing my lips along his. Words have lost me. The emotions of the day and his declaration… god, his declaration. It’s everything I didn’t know I needed to hear.
“I love you, Joseph, so much. I don’t have the sweet words you gave me, but give me a few minutes to gather my thoughts, and I’ll come up with something better,” I murmur against his lips. His tongue slides inside, entwining with mine ashe holds me up by the nape of my neck so I don’t have to strain while he thoroughly kisses me.
“You don’t have to tell me anything. The sweetJosephs I never thought I’d want to hear, the way you call me daddy hitting me right in the dick, how you yield to me in and out of the bedroom. I could go on and fucking on. Mae, you were made for me, and I was made for you.” Tears stream down my cheeks. There’s no holding my emotions back. He’ll have to deal with my crying jag. It’s partly his fault anyway for being so sweet.
“Joseph.” He wipes my tears, attempting to move away from me, but I shake my head.
“That right there. Love how you say my name. Though, gotta tell you, the idea of spanking you until you can’t sit and withholding your orgasms for a damn long time, is definitely on my radar,” he says in a way I know he’s standing on business.
“Promises, promises.” His fingers entwine with mine, and he pulls my hand up to his lips and kisses my knuckles.
“That’s a guarantee. I’m not going anywhere, not fucking ever. I figure we’ve got about ten minutes before your parents and my parents arrive. Everyone else can wait until we get home.”
I nod for him to sit down next to me; he hesitates for a moment. The minute his ass meets the hospital bed, I scoot over. The emotionaloverload from today takes hold of me, and I’m yawning before I know it.
“Will you lie with me, just for a little while?” There’s no telling how long I’ll have to stay in the hospital.
“Yeah, Mae. I’ll lie down with you.” JW’s big body moves until he’s beside me, being careful the entire time. I move over as far as the bed allows. My wound is on the left side of my neck, so I shift to my right side, and when he settles in beside me, we’re facing one another.
“In case I haven’t told you lately, thank you.”
“Don’t gotta thank me, baby girl. I think you get I’d do anything for you.” He waits for my response.
“I know that, but I’m still going to thank you. You deserve that much.” Trying to hold my emotions back is getting harder and harder.
“Appreciate it, Mae, but it’s not needed. Now, how about you close your eyes for a bit? Hopefully, the doctor will come in soon. He’ll release you, and we’ll go home,” JW says exactly what I need to hear.
“Yeah, that sounds really good.” My eyes close, sleep pulling me under again. Everything must be catching up with me. I’m not sure I’ve ever slept as much as I have recently, but with JW, the outside world fades away. He’s here with me, and that’s all that matters.
TWENTY-FOUR
JW
Being home with Maeve has never felt better than after a day like today. I sent out a massive group text, much to Maeve’s annoyance, asking everyone to give us a few hours. She needed a shower, food, and to decompress. The only reason they weren’t at the hospital with us in the first place is because Fletcher cleared them out, and the small emergency room we were in wouldn’t have held our large group. Mae complained the entire way through discharge saying she’d be fine, yet the minute we were loaded up in my truck, she conked out again. She slept the entire ride home, barely waking up when I carried her through the house, and only when she felt the bed beneath her did she dart upwards.
We showered together. I was mindful of her bandage while I washed her body and hair.When she attempted to return the favor, I had to shut it down. Fuck, I hated telling her no, as did my dick, but there was no way we’d be doing anything until she had a full night's sleep, some food, and I knew she was on the other side of this ordeal.
“There’s something about a grilled cheese sandwich and chicken noodle soup.” Mom had come over before we even made it home to set a CrockPot on simmer, noodles in the fridge, and thick pieces of bread with cheese next to it.
“Tomato soup is better.”