by K E Osborn
I exhale as I rest my head back in the seat. I might get a quick sleep in before our dinner arrives. I close my eyes when I hear a commotion outside. My eyes shoot open wide and my heart starts to race as I hear a high pitched squeal and some men laughing. My body tenses while I look at Hudson as fear creeps into my chest.
They’re finally here for us!
I start to breathe fast and shallow as I watch the doorway waiting for the Dogs to enter.
They must be out on bail.
I hear another squeal and what sounds like running, when I see Brige come bursting into Hudson’s room followed by Holden, who is chasing her with a stuffed lizard toy.
“Help Violet, Holden’s being an idiot,” she says as she climbs up on the seat next to me.
My body relaxes and I exhale in relief as Hudson’s family walk in.
Guess I’m still a little on edge. I wish I’d get over it, it’s been five weeks for God’s sake!
“Hey Brige, how was school today?” I ask as she leans over and wraps her arms around me. I embrace her back as tightly as I can with a broken collarbone and ribs. Luckily she knows how sore I am and she’s gentle with me, unlike the first time I saw her when she practically jumped on me.
“Booooring,” she says long and drawn out making me chuckle.
“Hey Vee,” Holden says as he walks in placing his hand on my shoulder followed by the rest of the family.
“Hey Holds, he’s been asleep for a while. Hopefully, he’ll wake up soon,” I say and he rolls his eyes.
“He can wake up now. Hey, fuck face wake up,” he says nudging Hudson’s shoulder.
“Holden, stop that!” Fran berates as she walks in and smiles at me.
Hudson stirs and his eyes slowly open as he takes in his family that are now surrounding him.
“Hey guys,” he says while his mum walks over to his bedside.
“Hi darling, sorry to wake you.” She leans down and kisses his cheek.
“It’s okay, I think I’ve been boring today and slept for most of it. Sorry Vee.”
“It’s okay babe, you need your rest. Especially when Holden and Flynn come in making all that noise, you scared me half to death,” I joke and they both smile like they accomplished a goal.
“Well, you know us, we love to make a scene, don’t we, Brige?” Holden says forcing the stuffed toy lizard into her face causing her to squeal again.
“Stop it! Dude, this is a hospital, people are sick and shit,” Hudson says waking up fully.
“Yeah, we all know how sick and twisted you are, ya freak,” Holden teases.
“Shut up bro, you’re way more twisted than I am. What about that thing you did with Lucy in the pews at church when you were fifteen?” Hudson states as all heads shoot around to look at Holden with a raised eyebrows and shocked looks.
“Suck my ass you inbred puddle of piss. You said you’d never bring that up,” Holden replies with a dirty big smirk on his face.
“I’m your brother if I’m inbred what does that make you then, smartarse?” Hudson questions with a smirk.
“All right you two, shut up. Hudson needs to rest, not go back to memory lane with you, you freak,” Flynn says sounding sensible for once.
“You’re just jealous because Lucy’s sister wouldn’t do anything with you that day,” Holden says making Hudson laugh and then wince in pain.
“Jackarse, her sister has never looked at me the same. Why’d you have to stay with Lucy for the last fifteen odd year’s man?” Flynn asks.
I love his family and how well they get along. Sure they insult each other at every available opportunity, but I can tell it’s out of love not hate. It’s how they communicate, and I enjoy every second of it. I adore that despite Holden being a kid, he’s been able to stay in the same relationship for so long.
“Wait when did you guys ever go to church?” I ask and the guys all laugh.
“We didn’t. We would sneak in after the service and drink the sacrificial wine leftovers—”
“You did what?” Fran asks with the most disgusted look crossing her face. We all laugh and Brige looks at us like we’re all freaks. “How come I’ve never heard these stories before now?”
“Because Fran, if you knew half the things our boys have done you’d be ashamed of them,” Bill says and she huffs and folds her arms over her chest.
“I swear I don’t know how you boys managed to get so corrupted,” she says and Holden, Hudson, and Flynn all turn and look at their dad smirking.
“What?” Bill says and smirks himself.
“Right you guys are weird. Can you just give Huddy that stupid Lizard and get it away from me, please?” Brige says and Holden laughs shoving it in her face once more resulting in Brige slapping at Holden as he turns and walks over to Hudson and hands it to him.
“We thought you might be missing Lizzy, the lizard so we thought we’d bring her to you. Well, a replica anyway,” Holden says and he takes out his phone. “And here’s some pics of Midas. He’s doing great, he loves being at the workshop and runs around like he owns the bloody place,” he says swiping the screen to show Hudson a pic of Midas sitting in a sidecar of a motorbike.
He smiles brightly and then exhales like he’s sad.
“I do miss them, especially Midas. I can’t wait to see him. How’s the fish?” he asks and Brige stands up and races over to Hudson’s bed. “They’re great, I feed them every day and they swim together all the time, like side by side like they’re boyfriend and girlfriend or something. Can fish be in love?” she asks and I smile at Hudson.
“Yeah, I think they can, Brige. Make sure you feed them lots so they’re nice and fat for when I get home—”
“But not too much. Check the amount you’re feeding them, Brigitte. We don’t want you to over feed them. Be sensible with what you say, Hudson,” Fran says making me smirk at him.
“Sorry Mum, yeah Brige, not too much, okay?”
He’s such a tough, in control man and yet he still recoils like a little boy when his mother tells him off. It’s adorable!
“Okay,” Brige says and leans up kissing Hudson on his cheek.
“So what’s the prognosis, bro? When can we get you out of this shithole?” Flynn asks making me giggle.
“Not for a while yet. I still have a little trouble breathing, hence the air tubes hanging out of my nose, but I should be fine once I get out of here. Just a little bit less lung capacity so I might not be as sprightly as I once was, which sucks—”
“Especially for Violet. You’ll have to do all the ‘sexercise’ from now on,” Holden says and I blush as Hudson shakes his head.
“Holds, what’s sexercise?” Brige asks and we all laugh.
“It’s something a man and woman who are in love—”
“All right that’s enough,” Fran says putting her hands over Brige’s ears, which only makes the guys laugh more.
“I won’t have you corrupting Brige, not until she’s at least a legal adult,” Fran says with a smirk.
“Only eight years to go, Brige, and then everything we say will make sense to you,” Flynn says.
“But I’m old enough to know now!” Brige argues.
“Where is he?” we all hear a woman yell from the corridor as we look toward the door.
“What the hell?” Bill asks what we’re all thinking.
Suddenly a blonde bombshell runs into the room looking frantic. I look past Holden to see fucking bitch face, Cassie.
“H, are you in here?” she calls out making a scene.
“Here we go,” Holden says rolling his eyes as a sudden wave of anger surges through me.
“You have no right being here, Cassie,” I say feeling my entire body tense up.
“Oh, shut up! You’re the reason he’s in here you filthy whore. Can someone have this trash removed, please?” Cassie asks loudly out of the door as everyone in here shakes their heads including Hudson while I get angrier and angrier.
“Cassie, calm down,” Fran say
s resting her hand on her shoulder to placate her.
“Why are you here, Cassie?” Hudson asks gaining her attention.
“I came as soon as I heard. No one told me and I only found out from Lucy because no one else would answer my bloody messages,” she exhales. “H, why didn’t you call me?” she asks looking hurt, and for a brief second I feel sorry for her knowing she has no chance with him.
“Because I don’t want anything to do with you, Cassie. You’re nothing but a spiteful, manipulative bitch. Vee is who I’m with now and you just need to deal with it.”
“What? Seriously? You’re back with that? The filthy whore who dragged you through the gutter and broke your heart? What the hell is wrong with you?” she asks and walks up to his bed taking his hand in hers. He pulls his hand away and she exhales as I watch her ready to pounce, I don’t care how much it will hurt.
“Cassie, stop—”
“No, you stop! Stop and think about what you’re throwing away here, H. I’m perfect for you. I can look after you. She is the reason you’re in here in the first place and look at you, you’re a mess,” she exclaims as tears start to run down her face.
“C’mon Brige, let’s go outside,” Fran says taking her daughter from the room.
“After all I’ve done for you, Hudson. You can at least give me a chance to show you how much better for you I am than… her,” she says turning and glaring at me as she says the last word.
“Look Cass, I know you helped me a lot and I know you’re hurting right now, but you and me, we don’t fit. We never did! That’s why we broke up in the first place—”
“But H—”
“No buts, Cass. I’m with Vee and nothing you say or do is going to stop me from being with the woman I’m madly in love with. I’m going to marry her one day Cassie and you can’t stop that from happening.”
My eyes bulge just as wide as Cassie’s do, and she looks back at me, her lip curls up in disgust. She walks across to me and I stand up to face her putting all my weight on my good leg.
“Vee, sit down,” Hudson says glaring at me.
“You! You ruined everything,” Cassie spits at me.
“Actually you ruined it for yourself. Look at you, you’re crazy—”
“Vee!” Hudson tries to stop me, but I’m too angry to stop.
“No wonder he doesn’t want you. He’s a cop and they don’t deal too well with stalkers.”
She rolls her eyes. “Pah-lease, cops don’t deal too kindly to hookers either sweetheart or have you forgotten who you are?” she questions and Holden, Flynn, and Bill all look at me raising an eyebrow.
I exhale and shake my head. “You don’t even know what you’re talking about,” I say and she laughs.
“Oh really? Don’t I? I know you’re a madam at a brothel. You’re probably a drug lord too. God knows you look like one,” she states and my heart is racing so fast I feel a little sick. I didn’t want Hudson’s family to know about me.
“Cassie shut up,” Hudson demands and she looks back at him.
“Oh, what? Didn’t want your family to know about your fling with the hooker? Well, cat’s out of the bag now, sweetheart. I wonder how Fran will feel when she finds out? She always did like me better. Might go tell her myself,” she says and I see red. I reach forward and slap her across the face.
“Yeah, bitch fight,” Holden says while Flynn laughs.
“Vee, don’t,” Hudson says as Cassie turns back and faces me resting her hand on her sore face.
“You don’t know who you’re dealing with,” she says and then lunges forward grabbing my hair and pulling me toward her. I inadvertently step forward and put weight on both my legs and I scream out in pain as it gives way underneath me, catapulting me to the ground while Cassie yells at me about not being good enough.
“Jesus Christ, Cassie,” Hudson says and pulls the blankets from his legs as Cassie starts to hit me over the head.
“Fuck you, you worthless slag,” Cassie yells as I start to cry from the tremendous pain enveloping me.
“Cassie, stop it for fuck’s sake!” Hudson berates as he sits up on the bed and then moans loudly while he tries and fails to get to me. He falls back on the bed breathing heavily as Holden and Flynn come over and pull a frenzied Cassie from off my body. My hair is everywhere as the security guard walks in. I look up at Hudson to see he’s in pain.
“Get a nurse,” I yell as Hudson holds onto his chest breathing fast.
“Look what you’ve done you stupid, stupid, fucking idiot, Cassie,” I yell at her while she struggles against Holden while Flynn squats down next to me wrapping his arm around me. Bill walks over to Hudson and tries to calm him.
“It’s okay, Huds. Vee is okay, just slow your breathing, son,” he says resting his hand on Hudson’s shoulder.
“Vee,” he says breathlessly while he squeezes his eyes shut like he’s in immense pain.
“I’m here, I’m okay,” I say as Flynn lifts me back into the seat. My leg is killing me as a security guard walks over to Holden and takes Cassie from him.
“H… H, look at me,” she screams as she’s dragged away.
He opens his eyes still struggling to breathe and glares at her. “If you ever… and I mean ever… come near me… or Violet again… I will have you arrested… and I will… take out a restraining order… I don’t… even know… who you are, Cassie… Leave… and never… ever… come back!” Hudson says stopping for breath after every few words.
Her eyes brim with tears as she struggles in the security guard's grip.
“No. No, this can’t be happening. She makes me crazy, Hudson. You make me crazy. I love you. Don’t do this to us,” she screams loudly.
“There is no us Cassie… there never will be. I don’t love you… now get out,” he says and she bursts into a fit of tears but stops struggling as the security guard drags her out.
An awkward silence fills the room as everyone looks at me. I start to cry because now Hudson’s family, excluding Brige and his mother all know what I am, or was anyway.
“Hey baby, don’t cry, are you okay?” Hudson asks as I put my head in my hands.
I don’t even want to know what they think of me right now. I can’t answer, I’m too ashamed, as silence falls over the room again.
“So, Vee’s a madam, hey?” Flynn asks breaking the silence, but I can’t bear to look up.
“Flynn don’t,” Hudson says and I feel dirty. Cassie has made me feel dirty and nasty like the slut I am, and I hate that she can do that to me.
“So, I have to ask, that means she’s amazing in the sack, right bro?” Holden asks and the others laugh as I continue to cry.
“Vee, please don’t cry. We don’t care what you are. You make my son happy and anyone can see that. But I think we should keep this little secret totally between us. I don’t think Fran or Brige should find out about this,” Bill says resting his hand on my shoulder. I look up and shake my head.
“I’m so sorry, Bill. I know I’m not perfect. I know I’m deeply flawed, and Hudson probably does deserve someone better than me—”
“Stop that, you’re perfect for him. Just one question… Does being a madam mean you… you know, sleep with other men right now?” he asks and Hudson looks at me warily.
“Oh God no, I haven’t worked like that for years. I mainly keep the books in order and boss the employees around. I’m a one-man-woman these days, Bill. I promise,” I say and he smiles.
“Well, that’s all that counts, right Hudson?”
“Right Dad. I don’t even care about her past. I did, and it’s why we broke up—”
“Wait, you guys broke up?” Flynn asks.
“Yeah, and it was the worst time of my life. Vee, you mean everything to me and your job doesn’t mean a thing, not anymore,” Hudson says and I feel like now is the right time to talk to him about this.
“I’m selling Cupiditas, Hudson.”
He looks at me furrowing his brows and shakes his head. “B
ut you worked so hard to get that business to where it is now, and your staff they’re like your family,” he says and I shake my head.
“They are my family, but I don’t belong there anymore, Hudson. I belong with you, away from the craziness. I just want to be with you. Cupiditas and I, we just don’t fit anymore,” I say and he exhales.
“Well, I can’t let you leave your business because of me. It’s not fair that you should leave and I should stay. Both our careers are a major hassle in our lives, and I know you would worry about me going back into the force. Plus, to be honest, I could only probably do a desk job now anyway with my lungs like this. I’m going to leave the force, Vee. I don’t want you to worry about me all the time because you’ve lost so much already. I couldn’t stand to put you in a situation where you could lose me too. I won’t do it to you—”
“But you love being a cop?”
“I love you more, so I’m done. I’ll tell the Chief when he comes in next.”
I look at him as a tear runs down my face. “So we’re starting our relationship again and we’re both jobless?” I ask and he winces and chuckles slightly.
“I guess so,” he replies and his dad smiles at us both.
“Well, since we’re doing deep and meaningfuls, I was going to wait to tell you this Hudson, but now seems fitting,” Bill says.
“Tell me what, Dad?” Hudson asks as Holden and Flynn both look at their father.
“I’m going to retire, and so is Fran. We want to spend more time with Brige and just spend our old age relaxing. So that leaves us a mechanic and a bookkeeper down at the motorcycle shop. Know anyone who might fit the bill and want to join our family business, son?” Bill asks and my eyes open wide while Holden and Flynn smirk at me and Hudson.
“Dad, really? You love the shop?” Hudson asks.
“I know and I’ll still be around, but Holden’s going to run it so we’ll be a mechanic down, and I know even though you wanted to be a cop you also wanted to help in the bike business. Maybe now you can get back to your roots and enjoy the grease and oil that runs in your bloodstream again,” he says and I smile at Hudson.
