My eyes burn as I pry them open, they feel swollen and puffy. It takes me a few seconds for my memory to return, the men, the car, the pain. I remember how Derek left, and the reason I was attacked.

There's a warmth on my hand, I look down and Derek is there. His head is slumped awkwardly to the side as he sleeps, his legs spread as he overfills the small chair. His hand is on mine but anger rushes through me. I yank my arm as hard as I can without causing pain to blossom throughout my body. The action startles him awake and he looks at me with wide eyes, the slight smile on his face drops when he sees the fury on my face.

I realise it is in fact ironic that my anger is placed at Derek, when it took me 10 years to find any instance of anger towards my abusive ex, but I've to some degree found my worth and I won't settle for being dropped or played around with. Plus, because of my affiliation with this man, I got the living crap kicked out of me. So yes, I'm fucking livid.

"Bastard." I hiss at him and he grimaced before dropping down to his knees before me.

"I'm so sorry li-Elle. I'm going to call doc in to check on you, and then I will explain, I promise."

I roll my eyes and flick them away from him and down to my bruised arm and hand. One of my arms is bound up to my chest in a sling, the shoulder I dislocated clearly.

An older man walks in, glasses on his nose and a grey speckled beard on his face. He smiles at me before turfing Derek out of the room, he grumbles and sniffs as he leaves.

Then a thought enters my mind.

"Who undressed me?" I ask in a panicky

voice, picking at the soft coverlet on the duvet. I can't meet his eyes.

"A woman who lives here did it with a bit of help from me. She's called Doretha."

"D-did y-you..." my voice breaks off and I look back at the blankets again.

He frowns lowly before nodding his head. "No judgement her lass, anger at whatever caused it, sadness for you. But no judgement, it's all confidential here- like a real hospital."

I'm immediately grateful for this man, he reminds me in many ways of how my father was with me once. Unconditional kindness and understanding.

"And D-Doretha?"

"She won't say a word to anyone. You can trust her."

"Thank you..." I mumble under my breath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After he checks my shoulder and my pain level, he leaves me with the advice to kick Mouse out and get some sleep. I intend to follow that principle.

However, when the door reopens, there are two women standing there. One with an aura of stability in the way she enters the room, the darker haired woman of the two sisters, for the look to alike to be anything but, trails behind with a nervous disposition around her.

"Hi Elle, I'm Astrid, that's Doretha."

"Hello." I smile at them as wide as I can without flinching from my bruised face.

"Could you please explain to me where I am, and what's going on."

"Of course." Astrid smiles and sits on the corner of the bed as Doretha takes the chair.

"You're at the Viking Warriors motorcycle club, my husband is the president here. Your Mouse is third in command."

I swallow, understanding everything so far, so Mouse is important in all this?

"I-I just have to ask, you don't do anything i-illegal do you?"

Astrid chuckles lightly at me question.

"No God no, I'd never have married into all this had it been illegal. These bikers may all seem tough and fierce but they're teddy bears."

We all laugh at that, it feels incredible to just feel free, until the stabbing pain in my ribs starts and I yelp, clutching at my side.

Astrid and Doretha immediately stop laughing and Astrid clutches at my free hand.

"Elle, I'm so sorry about what happened to you, we all are truly. And my husband will make them pay."

I merely shrug, I've never taken a beating quite like this one before, but knocks and slaps were a common occurrence. Nothing I can't handle.

"When can I go home, please?"

I just want to go home and forget about this whole thing. Forget about Derek. However, I watch Doretha's face fall and Astrid's contort into a wince- I know I'm not leaving here for a while.

"Elle, you've been targeted as a vulnerable point to the club- to Mouse. You need to stay here for protection for the time being."

Sighing, I look down at the bed once again.

"Ok." I finally admonish, even though I want to go home, I don't want to go back there necessarily- I can still hear their laughter.

"But can I leave this room?"

Astrid beams at me, she sure is smiley as a person, but somehow not in that false of irritating way.

"Sure, I have a spare room you can stay in. If Mouse will let you that is." She chuckles as I frown in confusion.

"Why do you call him Mouse?"

"Oh Elle, only his other half gets to know his name. He's Mouse to us. Wait... did he tell you his real name?"

I nod slowly, processing what they're telling me. Doretha looks down at the ground, blushing slightly as Astrid claps her hands in excitement.

So he thinks I'm his other half? I ponder, the warmth that trickles through me with that thought slightly numb the bruising ache in my bones.

😊