Chapter 64: Guards
*Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t. – Rikki Rogers*
Neo parked his bike and went inside the hospital. It didn’t take him long to make his way to the CCU ward. As he approached, he received a text from Reese telling him that Jolene had been moved to a regular room. He muttered under his breath as a second text popped up with the new room number.
Quickly he headed for the stairs and called Shelby.
“Hey, boss man, Reese just called and said that Jolene was moved. When I told him you were on your way there, he said he’d text you.”
“He did. Did you-.”
“Already sent updates. And the termites are gone, but so is your foundation.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“Four more weeks. You should be home just after the new year.”
“Great.” He growled and she laughed. “Don’t you dare say it.”
“I’ll just let-“
“Trust me,” he gave a small laugh, “Reese will say it.”
“Crandall asked me to tell you that the other house is done.”
“That’s good news.” He pushed open the door and entered the floor that Jolene was now on. Turning right, he headed towards her room. “Why don’t you cut out early? There’s a gift card in your desk drawer. Go buy your kid something from Santa.”
“I have no place to hide anything.”
“I do. Bring it back to the office and I’ll take care of it.” Neo nodded at the two guards posted outside the door. “I’m going to go talk to Reese, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
He could hear her objecting and ended the call. “Reese in there?”
“No, sir. Nurses are still getting Miss Jolene settled. They went to the store to get her some essentials.” The strawberry blonde man with a light beard told him.
They both wore the formal IGYS uniform of black utility pants and gray uniform shirt. One patch on his shoulder showed that he was a certified armed security officer and the other was the IGYS patch with an ARMY rocker above it. Almost all his employees were former military and he encouraged them to display it. The lower rocker showed that he was an EMT-B, the minimum that Neo allowed for his guards. The other guard’s rockers proclaimed him to be NAVY and MEDIC.
“Of course.” Neo replied. “Any issues with the hospital?”
“No, sir. Nurses are finding us some chairs.” The dark-skinned guard answered.
“Good. When he gets back, have him call me.” Neo said and the first guard pointed behind Neo. He turned and grinned at Reese. “Looking for you, asshole.”
“Well, you found me, shithead.” Reese replied. “Have you met my Helen?”
“Not yet.” He offered a hand and when she placed hers in his, he raised her fingers to his lips. “It’s my pleasure.”
Helen blushed and leaned into Reese’s side, pulling her hand back.
“This eternal flirt is Neo; he owns the security company I contract with.” Reese said with laughter in his voice. “I don’t think he’s dangerous, but if he causes any problems, I’ll kill him.”
“Whatever.” Neo grinned. “We all have our hobbies. You go to the gym, she looks adorable, and I flirt.” He winked at Helen.
The door opened and the nurses came out. “She’s good, you can go on in.”
“Thank you.” Helen said and slipped into the room with the bags from the gift shop downstairs.
“I’ll be in just a moment.” Reese told her.
“And this would be the reason you’ve disappeared off the face of the earth.” Neo said as they went down the hall.
“Yeah, she is.” Reese smiled.
“I’ve never seen you this serious before.” Neo said as they stopped by the stairs, and he leaned against the wall.
“She walked away for a couple of weeks.” Reese admitted propping against the opposite wall. “I realized that I want her in my life. Fully.”
“Are you going to collar her?”
“I think so.”
“So, you’re really off the market.”
“I am.”
“I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks. How’s it going with Shelby?”
Neo chuckled. “We tried. I swear I felt like I was kissing my sister. But she’s still an awesome girl and I hope she finds the right guy. She and Nathan deserve a good man in their lives.”
“Yeah. Tell me what this is going to cost me.” He motioned to the men outside Jolene’s door.
“Nothing extra. They’re all yours already. We just added it as a temporary location.”
“You’re horrible at business.” Reese teased.
“Not really. I asked for volunteers and all your staff volunteered. You have some new recruits that will be picking up shifts at the clubs and your other properties. Managers have already been notified.”
“I might steal Shelby.”
“You take Shelby, I get Willow.”
“No way. Willow is the reason I don’t have to go to the office.”
“Precisely.” Neo grinned. “Your princess gets released; I have a safe house for her.”
“Thanks. Have you met her? Jolene?” Reese asked pushing off the wall.
“No, not officially.” He said imitating his friends’ actions. “She was my neighbor at the apartment.”
“Yeah? How’s that house?” they walked back down the hall.
“Don’t even.”
“I told you not to buy it.” Reese smirked.
“Shelby said you’d say it.”
“I know my properties and good investments.”
“OK Mr. I’m going to open a night club in an old planetarium.”
“And that, my friend, was a good investment.”
He nodded at the two guards as he and Neo entered the room. Jolene was settled in the bed with her Nightmare Before Christmas blanket around her. The pillowcase had been changed to the black one that Helen had brought. Her hair was combed and braided out of her way. Her face was still swollen and bruised, the colors fading to a greenish yellow. Her eyes were closed in sleep and her mother fussing over making everything just right.
“The move wore her out.” Helen whispered. “She was asleep before I finished her braid.”
Reese tipped Helen’s face up with a knuckle under her chin and lightly kissed her lips. “We should let her get some sleep.”
“I don’t want her to be alone if she wakes up.”
“I’ll stay.” Neo volunteered.
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