Chapter 106 Family

Chapter 106 Family
"Apparently not."
She jolted in place. "What?"
The light had definitely been off. 
"I saw some of what happened from the owner. Big guy with lots of hair?"
"A-Animkii."
"He's here, or at least he was a little while ago." He nodded. "That whole building from the bathroom hallways and sinks into the freezer, is covered in cameras that don't turn off."
For how long had Justin been thinking he'd turned off the cameras and still been recorded?
She guessed it didn't matter now. 
Their mom stepped into the opened doorway, tears streaming down her face as she approached the bed. 
"My baby girl..."
Lydia reached out for her as she reached Quillan's side.Their grandpa came in just behind, looking much older as he staggered toward the bed. 
"Surprise," he huffed, patting her leg gently. "And aren't you a surprise with that menace handling you like a princess."
"Menace?"
"I recognise that face: Dorian Knox of the Fortuna Centurions." He wiggled his eyebrows. "You've got your grandmother's taste: a man who knows how to throw a punch when needed."
She chuckled and  nodded. A few minutes later, the nurse, a frantic petite your woman came back with a pair of officers, bottles of water, jello, and a bag for the half full cup of likely drugged water. They had drugged her before, people connected to the family of the men she'd killed in her grandpa's living room.
She remembered it showing up in court while the plaintiff argued that it had just been an orgy gone wrong with a bunch of teenagers. 
The bastards hadn't been charge with rape post mortem, but they hadn't gotten off from the assault charges. 
These bastards wouldn't be able to get out from under either with video evidence, she hoped.
"They say they'll keep you for observation for a few days," Quillan said. "Much nicer accommodations this time."
She nodded, glancing toward the door again. 
"I... I just don't know how I could cross the country and end up in the same nightmare."
Quillan squeezed her hand. "It's not the same. These bastards don't have the luxury of not being questioned after the fact, unfortunately for them."

Dorian didn't let them give him anything more than a general anaesthesia while they sutured his hands. He'd already messaged the coaching staff about it, ignored several calls from the Knoxes and his administrator and spoke to Jax about getting clothes for Lydia. The prick of the needle and sting of antiseptic was keeping him in his body, in his current time and forcing him to sort though his thoughts. 
He could not go into Lydia's room with her family like a crazy person. He could not come off as still angry when Lydia had been through hell tonight. 
Soft as a pillow.
Softer than a cloud.
Safer than fort.
Calmer than the deepest, stillest waters.
He couldn't let the guilt take him over or the murderous rage surface. She didn’t need to deal with his emotions on top of her own.
When the woman stitching his hand looked less like she wanted to run away from him, he could go see Lydia and her family.
She pulled back with a sigh, reaching for bandages and gauze. 
"No breaks, but I hope you're not right-handed. You won’t be able to use this hand normally until the gashes close. Your left is in better shape, but don't go punching people."
He flexed his hand and winced. He's had worse. If he had to go to practice with a fucked hand, he could manage, and he'd do it again and again if it meant saving Lydia. 
"Knowing your record, I'll prescribe you pills you're not going to take and tell you to consult with your team doctor about the fact that you won't take them."
He snorted. "I'm sure I'll hear about it. Thank you, ma'am."
He rolled his shoulders and stood, forcing the rage out of his expression and heading down the hall, up the stairs, and to the right corridor to reach Lydia's room. A soft laugh came from within the doorway and he leaned in. Lydia was curled into her brother's arms from what it looked like, and the woman holding her hand was strangely familiar. 
Was that the new physical therapist?
Dorian stepped back, shaking his head, unable to comprehend what he was supposed to feel about this. 
"Thanks, Mom," Lydia said, sounding so young. 
Her mom was going to be seeing him naked frequently. 
He was going to be working with her mom for the rest of his time as a Centurion. He groaned, wondering how soon it would take her to be suspicious of his intentions with her daughter. The staff talked, a lot, he knew this. Everyone knew that. 
Hell… he’d slept with one of their assistants during one of the worst years of his life. Not the smartest choice, and he was pretty sure that woman had never really gotten over it, even if she never said anything about it.
"Mr. Knox, do you have a moment?"
Dorian turned to the pair of officers. He took notes of their badges and faces before nodding and stepping to the side. 
"We just need a few questions answered before we arrest Ms. Baker."
Dorian blinked. "Run that by me again."
His lips curved into a smile. The woman standing beside him looked ill with her eyes cast to the floor. 
"This would be the second time she's targeted the Tolbert family and cried rape. The family is charging her with---"
"Let me stop you there because I'd very much like to see my girlfriend now instead of tearing open my brand new stitches on your face."
His eyes jerked open. 
"Don't you ever insinuate that Lydia invited a bottom feeder to enact violence of any sort on her. Don't you ever take that tone with her or any woman, and if you don't find an unbiased member of the Fortuna's police force to replace you and submit your resignation tonight, I'll make sure that you and your whole line disappear within the week." Dorian glared at him. "I know people like you think that because Vincent hosts his little parties at the estate that he calls the shots, but I am the Sidaris heir. Don't make me show you what that means."
He swallowed thickly, but said nothing. He turned to his partner. "I want you and your partner's badge numbers and names, whoever else is involved with this investigation, and a copy of whatever notes you've taken so far. When the report is filed, I want a copy and if there's even the smallest discrepancy, you're going to have problems too."
She jerked her head, but her shoulders relaxed as she pulled out her notebook and scribbled a long list of names. 
The man worked his jaw, looking as though he wanted to say something, but it must have been on his face that he wasn't in the mood to play nice.