Craving Talon (22 page)

“How do you know…”

“Don’t even fucking start with me on that. I know because she fucking knows. She was there, she saw him. She fucking knows who attacked her. That dipshit isn’t exactly unremarkable, he fucking gave us all the creeps before this happened.”
 

“Alright, we’ll make some arrangements.”
 

“Do not tell them until after the investigation is complete and that asshole is arrested. So help me god, Seth, if you fucking ruin our chances of catching this guy…”
 

“Relax, we’ll work on it here on our end, set up someone else to play in their place for New Orleans and then go with it from there. Keep me posted on what’s happening there.”
 

“Be prepared, we might not make New Orleans. I won’t leave her here.”
 

“One step at a time, Talon.”
 

“Yeah, okay.”
 

Seth and I hang up. I start pacing again, relaying my conversation to the guys.
 

“I’m a fucking dick, but that asshole puts me to shame. I’d never, not in a million fucking years do what he did,” Dex says. He’s pretty upset about what happened.
 

“I know, man,” I tell him.
 

“I can’t believe they’d be cocky enough to show up in New Orleans,” Peacock says.
 

“Here’s the thing, I don’t think this is the first time he’s done something like this. I’d imagine that he’s gotten away with it before, so he assumes he’ll get away with it again. Only he chose Addison verses some random groupie chick,” Kyle says. He has a fucking point.
 

“If the band doesn’t know, they will move on to New Orleans. It’s just a matter of when they show up.”

About an hour later Mills is on the phone, but no one can make out what he’s talking about or who he’s even talking to. At one point his eyes meet mine. “Okay, thanks.”
 

“Well?”
 

“Three things. One, they’re looking into Eddie’s past. They’ve found several incidents in different states where he’s been wanted for questioning for assault. In most cases, based on his alibis with the band, they’ve let him walk.”
 

“Fuck!”
 

“Second thing, there is a witness at the bar, though they weren’t in the bathroom at the time of the attack, they saw Eddie go into the bathroom, then emerge some time later. When he came out, he had a series of scratches on his neck. With the situation being as it was, at the time, they didn’t think anything of it. But now, they’re questioning this witness and the time frame fits with ours.”
 

“Okay, that’s,” I swallow hard, “that’s good. And what about the third thing?”
 

“They’ve pulled over the bus.”
 

“Thank fuck!” I shout and Kyle is there next to me, he wraps his arms around me. I hug him back like my life depends on it. One asshat drummer about to be arrested, and now all we need is Addison to come back to us.
 

“The cops are going to need a full statement from her when she’s well enough to talk to them.”

Jesus, how many times is she going to have to relive this nightmare? I don’t even want to know the answer to that question. Regardless, I wont let her relive it by herself, if anything, she needs us more now then ever before. But right now my hope is that this douche is pansy ass enough to confesses to what he’s done, leaving Addison out of it.

“Let’s get hotel rooms set up,” Kyle says to Mills. “We need to stay here until she can leave, either the hospital or the state.”
 

Mills gives him a small smile. “It’s already taken care of. We’re ready to take those who want to go now. Those who want to stay, of course can stay here.”
 

“You guys go, get some sleep,” I tell Peacock, Mouse and Dex.
 

“Hell no! We stay ‘til we know she’s okay or she leaves. She’s a part of us and we never leave one of our own behind,” Dex declares. Mouse and Peacock agree. I, on the other hand, go back to pacing.
 

Finally, after another two hours, it’s sometime in the morning now, a doctor comes into the room. We all shuffle quickly to stand near her, probably scaring the hell out of her. We’re not small men. “Who’s Talon?”
 

“That’d be me.” I step forward.
 

“She’s asking for you, and Kyle?”
 

“That’s me,” Kyle says.
 

“Follow me.”
 

Kyle and I look around the room, everyone nods and we follow after the doctor. “She’s going to be fine,” the doctor says once we’re some distance away. “She’s got a laceration on her forehead, and a bruised cheek, but other than that, she’s alright. We’re still waiting for tox results on the drug that was in her system. However, it’s effects are fading fast but when I try to ask her about what happened, she says she can’t remember. I’m assuming you guys know more than I do.” The doctor looks from Kyle to me.
 

“We just know that she was attacked, we know who, and the police, I’m assuming, have arrested him by now,” Kyle says. I’m too freaked out to talk, barely able to comprehend the conversation. All I heard is that she’ll be fine.

“We’re working on her discharge papers. Normally we’re required to wait for the cops to show up, but we’ve been informed that it’s okay to let her go.”
 

“Our security team is working with the police. They’ll be able to find us when they’re available to question her. Besides, I don’t think any of us would let her be questioned now anyway,” Kyle tells the doctor who nods in understanding.
 

She comes to a halt and we stop with her. “Under the circumstances, she’s a pretty brave woman. Take good care of her,” the doctor says. “She right behind that curtain.” She points to the curtain ahead of us.
 

Kyle pulls back the curtain, and I get an eye full of her in the hospital bed and my heart breaks. “Hey, big man,” she says with a smile. Then she turns to Kyle. “How’s my cowboy?”
 

Both Kyle and I move to sit on either side of her bed and grab for her hands. Neither Kyle nor I say anything. I just bring her hand to my mouth, inhaling deeply, pulling in her beautiful vanilla scent. I kiss the back of her hand. She moves her hand to cup my cheek and I lean into it. Her thumb strokes my cheek as she wipes away a tear. “Don’t cry. Please. I’m okay. Honest.” I look at her and she smiles. “I have a bump on the head, and a bruised cheek. That’s all.” She sits up in bed, coming very close to us. “Nothing happened,” she breathes. “He pushed me against the wall, then the next thing I remember is that we were here. Nothing happened,” she breathes in earnest.
 

Kyle and I both physically relax at her words. “Thank god,” Kyle breathes. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
 

“I’m a little shaken up, my head is still foggy, I am very tired, and I have a small cut on my forehead. All things considered, this could have been much worse. I’m ready to go back to the bus and get out of here.”
 

Kyle and I both let out small laughs.
 

“We have to stay for a day or two. You need to talk to the police. Tell them anything you can.”
 

“It was him, that drummer.”
 

Both Kyle and I exchange looks. “You remember that?”
 

“Until he knocked my head into the wall, I was still conscious of mind. My body quit working, making it impossible for me to fight back. After that, I remember waking up here a little while ago. That’s all, but it was him. I saw him briefly in the mirror before he shoved me into the bathroom stall.”
 

“That’s all you’re going to need to tell the cops,” Kyle says.
 

“That’s all I can tell them.” She shrugs.
 

About thirty minutes later, Addison has her discharge papers in hand and a pair of pale green scrubs that are a couple of sizes too big for her to change into. Kyle and I leave her to change and I head back down the hall to find the guys while Kyle waits for Addison. When I reach the guys, they all rush at me. I smile. “She’s alright. She changing now and we can take her home. She has a cut to the head and a bruised cheek, but that’s it.” I look at everyone, emphasizing that really is all.
 

“Thank god,” Someone says. “I’m so happy she’s alright.”
 

Before I can return to her room, Kyle and Addison join us in the waiting room. Everyone crowds around her, checking to make sure she’s okay. I go to stand next to Kyle and wrap my arm around his back; I need a support system right now because I don’t quite know how to handle all this. But it makes me certain of one thing. I really am in love with her.

I still feel woozy, but I’m feeling much better. Talking to the guys, both the band and the security guys helps take my mind off of what happened. I look past the group and see Rusty standing off to the side. Why isn’t he over here with us? “Excuse me, guys,” I say and they all nod.
 

I squeeze between two of them, I’m not paying attention to who, and walk toward Rusty. I can see him visibly tense as I draw closer to him. “Please, relax,” I tell him.
 

“I failed you,” he says so sad that my heart breaks.
 

“You didn’t fail me, Rusty. This is not your fault. You did everything right, you did nothing wrong, he just knew how to get around you. Please do not beat yourself up for this.” I put my hand on his bicep. “I’m okay. It’s a small cut and a bruise. Nothing else.” His eyes widen in shock. “He didn’t rape me, something stopped him, I’m assuming it was you or one of the guys, so in a way you saved me. So please, be happy that I’m okay and know that I will be far more careful in the future.”
 

“I’m never leaving your side,” he says, sadness is still in his eyes.
 

I smile. “I would expect nothing less. Come here,” I say, wrapping my arms around his waist, giving him a hug. “All is forgiven.”
 

“You’re too kind.”

“No, I speak the truth. Now let’s get out of here.”
 

He nods and we walk back toward the group, to a group of men with smiles on their faces as Rusty joins the party. Kyle and Talon come over to me. Talon leans down to my ear and whispers, “Everything okay?”
 

“Everything’s great,” I whisper back, releasing Rusty and wrapping my arms around the necks of my two men. “Now, take me home.”
 

“Yes ma’am,” Talon teases. “Let’s go, guys.”
 

We all head toward the entrance of the hospital. Me, Talon and Kyle are in the middle of one big circle. Protected.
 

We pull up in front of a hotel and I turn to Kyle in confusion. “Why are we here?” I ask him.
 

“Because the police still need to interview you. Once that’s done, we’ll get back on the road.”
 

I pout. “I want to go to New Orleans.”
 

I hear Talon laugh. “Angel, we will get to New Orleans in good time. For now, it’s all about sleeping. You need to rest.”
 

“I can do that on the bus.”
 

“I know, angel, but please, humor us. You’ve been through so much. Let’s just get you upstairs into a hot bath and a warm bed.”
 

“Okay, but I just want to put it behind me, move on.”
 

“Baby girl, we want that for you too, but right now I honestly think you’re in shock.”
 

“No, Kyle, I’m not. I’m not trying to brush it off, but the only thing that truly happened is that I got knocked in the head. I don’t remember anything else, thank god, and it’s just, I don’t know, I don’t know how to explain it but I just feel like I got into a fight with someone. Wouldn’t be the first time and I doubt it will be the last. The only problem I am having with this whole situation is that I was completely helpless.”
 

“What do you mean, angel?”