The Irresistible Bundle (85 page)

"Do we need to speak with Nicholas regarding changing her to a private suite upstairs?" Valentino inquired. He wanted Carina in a private room as soon as possible.

"Give me another 24 hours monitoring her" Dr. Redmond replied, "And if everything looks agreeable we can move her then." She looked at Carina wanting to ensure that her patient wanted the same thing as the people in the room did. Carina subtly nodded. "I'll have someone bring you something to eat. It'll be a liquid diet for the moment. You've been receiving nutrients via IV and we want to slowly transition you back to your regular diet."

The group watched the doctor exit the room. They all smiled broadly at Carina. She wanted to smile back but couldn't. The doctor hadn't stated that she'd lost any teeth but if she recalled the punches to her face, it was a miracle she'd only sustained a hairline fracture.

"Jax" Carina mumbled. "Shower" she slurred. She knew they understood her. There was no point in hurting herself to speak perfectly.

"Yes ma'am" Jaxon saluted. Carina continued to stare at him until he grabbed his bag and headed out of the room. She nodded satisfied that he was going to do as she requested.

"Guys" Carina looked between Diego, Marco, and Valentino, "Eat."

"Bossy little thing" Marco teased. He bent down and kissed her on the forehead. "Missed you" he breathed against her skin.

"Me too" Carina whispered. There was nothing better in this world than waking up and seeing their faces as soon as she opened her eyes.

"We'll be right back" Valentino promised.

"Take... time" Carina stuttered. The word
your
just couldn't pass through her lips as gracefully. She hated sounding like a Neanderthal.

"Ok" Valentino sighed. He also kissed her on a safe place before heading toward the door.

Carina looked at Diego. Her brother appeared like he didn't want to leave her side but the poor guy desperately needed a shower and a hot meal. He looked like he'd lost 10 pounds from the last time she'd seen him.

"Eat" Carina gruffly chided her brother. "Shower too... Stink" she tried to wrinkle her nose but that hurt like hell. She winced at the once simple facial expression. Fuck, she couldn't even make a face at the people she loved.

Diego looked at Andrea and Desirae. "Don't leave her alone" he snapped. He didn't mean to sound like an asshole but he wasn't negotiating. If Carina sent them off to get something and she was left alone... Diego couldn't keep his shit together.

"We talk later" Carina whispered. She needed Diego to take care of himself first. "I. Okay." She insisted.

Diego heaved a loud sigh. Carina couldn't complete a sentence but she said a whole lot with a few words. "I'll be back in a while." He appeased his sister. The estate offered many amenities. He could lose himself for an hour or two. The occupied room was stifling at times; not because of lack of ventilation or anything but Desirae's presence smothered him. He couldn't deal with her while Carina lay helpless on that bed.

"Good" Carina replied. She waited until Diego left before she looked at her two good friends. "W-where Sati?"

"Leticia and Sati have been running around getting everyone's stuff and overseeing things" Andrea replied. She didn't want Carina to speak much. Her swollen face made Andrea cringe every time she looked her way. She hated that natural reaction but almost everyone else winced every time she tried to talk or move. Carina looked like she'd been hit by a car or train on the left side of her body. Pete had royally fucked her up.

"Drea" Carina looked at her good friend. She really needed some alone time with Desirae but she didn't want to offend Andrea. Carina moved her eyes to Desirae hoping Andrea got the gist of her unspoken request.

Andrea smirked. "Kicking me out too" she teased. "I imagine you're over everyone smothering you. I'll leave you in good hands." She winked. "I'll update the girls and Nicholas anyways. Text me if you need anything."

She tried to smile. It must've looked awful since Andrea flinched at her effort, waving goodbye before making a hasty exit. Carina waited for Desirae to look at her. She needed her best friend closer to her, physically and mentally. There was some bad shit going through Desirae's mind. Carina wasn't sure what it was since Desirae never spoke about her family or her past but she didn't want Pete's assault or her injuries to be a trigger for whatever Desirae was suffering from.

"Des" Carina called out to her best friend. It was so much easier to just say part of their name. It still felt intimate while allowing her mouth a reprieve. "Re...cli...ner... here" She carefully stated. The torturous three syllable word was almost impossible for her to say aloud.

Desirae stared between Carina's bedside and the cozy recliner. The closest she'd gotten to Carina since she'd arrive to the estate had been by the recliner. She didn't want to be too close to her best friend right now. Carina saw too much.

"Please" Carina mumbled making Desirae sigh in defeat. There was no way she could refuse her in this state. She walked to the recliner and dragged it to Carina's bedside. She curled into the cushy seats facing her best friend and waited.

"You... ghosts" Carina softly stated. She couldn't tell Desirae that she looked haunted but she wanted her best friend to know that she saw the terror and panic in her eyes. Desirae looked lost in a maze of people. How had she never seen that before?

"There aren't any ghosts" Desirae defiantly stated. Carina was almost mute. There wasn't much she could do or say to make her talk.

Carina grunted in disapproval. She couldn't narrow her eyes or verbally challenge her but at least it was out there. She was tired of waiting for Desirae to talk about it. Apparently Desirae could go the rest of eternity and not talk about the important stuff. Desirae had skeletons in her closet and Carina suspected she had monsters under her bed too. It hurt to know her best friend didn't trust her enough with those secrets.

"Miss you" Carina whispered. That was the truth. It hurt to see her friend so distraught. She felt more useless not being able to help everyone get through this than being injured and invalid on the bed.

"You scared the shit out of me" Desirae's haunted voice killed Carina.

"I know" she admitted. She'd been careless that night. Jaxon had offered to meet her and she'd declined because she'd been so close to the apartment complex. "I'm sorry" she mumbled.

"I love you" Desirae whispered. "I was afraid I'd never get to tell you that." Tears trickled down her cheeks. She hated feeling so vulnerable but Carina made her feel so naked with just her genuine stare and few spoken words.

"Me too" Carina breathed. "So much" she added. She needed Desirae to understand that their bond was forged from the deepest roots. Carina never would've entrusted most of the other girls in her group to share her lovers. Desirae respected her relationship with Valentino and Marco; she didn't try to wedge herself into it. It was the very issue Sati didn't comprehend, and the reason why Carina couldn't do anything else with her. Valentino and Desirae were close friends now. Their friendship was one born of a unique intimacy. Carina trusted that Valentino and Desirae held a special affection for one another but she was confident enough to not worry that they'd fall in love with each other. Desirae needed people in her life that she could trust and who would love her unconditionally.

"How b-bad?" Carina asked. She knew her best friend would tell her the truth. It didn't matter if she was trapped on this bed. Carina wanted to see what everyone else was seeing.

"Girl" Desirae drawled. Carina's chest warmed at her familiar playful tone. "I'm all for the truth and all that good shit but you really don't want to see yourself right now. Give it a week, or two, or three."

Carina tried to laugh but it hurt like hell. Her ribs burned and stretched. She winced recalling the doctor said she had bruised ribs. Fuck if it hurt this bad, how the hell did it feel like to have fractured or broken ribs?

"Let me see" Carina urged. She knew it was going to be bad but she preferred to see it for the first time without the others present. She didn't want them to see her reaction and she sure as hell didn't want to see their pity.

"Why?" Desirae implored. "You're jacked up! Isn't that good enough?"

Carina tried to shake her head 'no' but it was like a little elf was inside her head banging cymbals against her skull every time she attempted to move it. "No" she croaked. "See only you, me."

Desirae frowned trying to understand the few garbled words coming out of Carina's mouth. She really wanted to beg her BFF to shut her trap and go to sleep. The girl looked like she'd been through hell and back. "You only want to see yourself with me here?" Desirae tried to clarify.

"Yes" Carina couldn't hide her exasperation. If the heifer didn't hurry up she was liable to attempt something crazy. She didn't want the others to come back so soon but she knew they wouldn't stay away for long.

Desirae chuckled at her fiery friend. She hadn't lost one bit of her sassy attitude. Desirae was relieved to see that. She'd been worried that Pete had broken her spirit. "Since you're liable to try jumping out of that bed to make a point, let me go get it." Desirae dramatically sighed. She hopped out of the chair and grabbed a handheld mirror from a small drawer. She slowly walked toward Carina not wanting to let her see the reflection in the mirror but knowing she needed it. Desirae held the mirror with shaky hands and held it up. She adjusted it until she could tell that Carina was looking at her battered face. There was no way to hide the extent of her injuries. It was a miracle that she could see anything through the one swollen eye.

"Fuck" Carina's voice cracked. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. The reflection in the mirror was beyond hideous. There was no trace of Carina Lobos on the other side of the glass. The reflection bared black and purple bruises, a busted lip, a swollen eye and cheek on the left side. Small scrapes littered her face as if she'd been pressed against a rock.

Carina's eyes burned with tears. Her normally bright chocolate eyes were dulled with pain and hopelessness. Her smile was lost beneath cracked lips and an ugly gash. She tilted her head trying to see if her hair was still intact. She had one or two sore spots on her head and she suspected it was from a fall or hair pulling. She'd been in a fight or two in her life and recalled what it felt like the day after some stupid bitch had grabbed a fistful of hair and pulled like a pussy rather than throw a punch.

"Damn" Carina muttered. She wanted to wipe the look of desperation off Desirae's face. "I look all fucked up" she retorted trying to lighten the mood. "Amazing guys try to kiss me." She stumbled with her words.

Desirae snorted. "This definitely won't rank as one of your best weeks" she teased. "But on a positive note I think it helped to solidify Valentino and Marco's relationship with you."

Carina barely raised her eyebrows but it was enough for Desirae to understand her unspoken question. "Apparently the big man didn't appreciate Marco snuggling up to Jaxon... Or so that's what Leticia told us. She said Valentino looked hot as hell all mad at Marco."

"Why Jax" Carina asked curious as to why her men hadn't sought comfort with each other. She was quickly exhausting herself with her efforts but it was all well worth it. "Fight?"

"I guess Valentino wasn't paying attention to Marco and Jaxon needed comforting, so Marco took it upon himself to do so. Valentino got an ugly case of the green-eyed monster but they hashed it out privately. Everything's good now." Desirae brightly reported. It was nice to be able to give her good news amidst the darkness. If anything, she was relieved that Carina hadn't cornered her to ask about the attack or regarding Pete's situation.

"Good" Carina huffed. "Sleepy" she slurred. Damn, she couldn't stay awake for more than an hour.

"It's okay" Desirae assured her. "We'll probably have soup or something ready when you wake up. I'll switch out with the guys and eat when they get back."

"With me" Carina mumbled before she gave into the blanketing darkness. She hoped Desirae understood that she wanted Des to eat with her. She missed her group dinners and Friday nights hanging out at the apartment.

"Sleep tight" Desirae whispered. Carina's body instantly relaxed. The beeping sound evened out as she succumbed to exhaustion. Desirae put the mirror away not wanting to explain or defend what happened. She patiently waited for the others to return. Maybe tonight she could sleep and the nightmare wouldn't come.

Chapter Forty-One

Dr. Redmond didn't move her right away. Carina had to wait another four torturous days before Nicholas and the good doctor approved the relocation. The girls were back in school and the men were taking turns overseeing the club. Dean Richard had to threaten Jaxon with calling his parents to get him to return to classes. Carina's days were lonely but she knew her friends needed to get back to their lives. Even Diego had resumed classes but he stayed at the estate every spare moment he had. He didn't sleep, eat, shower, or work on assignments anywhere else.

Carina watched familiar faces scurry in and out of her private medical suite. She'd taken up enough of the medical ward's time and undivided attention. It was time to reopen their doors and allow the doctors to rotate shifts like before. Nicholas had completely surprised Carina with his actions. His medical wing was state-of-the-art. Members came to the onsite facility more often than they ever went to their primary doctor. She felt guilty enough hording all their valuable resources.

"Are you excited to get out of here?" Nicholas' warm voice comforted her. His hazel eyes and commanding presence soothed her restlessness. She knew she was suffering from cabin fever but it wasn't like she could do anything about it. She could barely lift her right arm. Her left arm was completely out of commission thanks to her injured shoulder and collarbone.

"Tremendously" Carina stiffly smiled. At least her mouth had made some kind of improvement over the last few days. She could smile and speak full sentences with more clarity.

"Moving you to the second floor" Nicholas informed her. "You'll be in the
Sumptuous Suite
for the remainder of your stay here. The girls are already planning your evenings and Thanksgiving."

A lump formed in Carina's throat. The group didn't even have to hang out with her during the weekends but for some crazy reason they were. Their loyalty and affection were humbling. "They know I can't go clubbing anytime soon, right?"

Nicholas laughed. It was such a welcome sound. Everyone was so prim and proper around her right now. They walked around on pins and needles thinking they couldn't joke around. The worst offenders acted like she was made of glass and would break at any moment. That royally pissed Carina off. She preferred to keep her visitors to those who'd been with her since the beginning. As much as she loved Ariel and Beatriz they acted completely uncomfortable and awkward around her.

"No one expects you to do anything more than sit there and look pretty" Nicholas winked. He kissed her on the temple before barking orders at incoming staff members.

Carina snorted. Pretty? That was a fucking joke. She looked like a hybrid troll-ogre. There was nothing pretty about her blue and green bruises, swollen face, and splotchy chest. A fucking week had passed and she still looked like a train wreck.

~

Carina tried to relax as they transported her bed from the hospital wing into the oversized elevator. She flinched and held her breath over every bump and sharp turn. Nicholas snarled at those in charge of transporting her as he watched her flinch in pain. She'd refused a sedative for the short trip thinking it wouldn't be that bad but her ribs screamed otherwise. Every tiny change in the floor's surface caused her ribs to radiate with mind-numbing pain.

Carina breathed a sigh of relief as they exited the elevator and headed toward a set of French doors on the upper level. She focused on details trying to forget the pain radiating throughout her body. How did her fucking scalp and hair still hurt? She blinked away the tears as the ornate door caught her attention. It boasted detailed engravings along the mahogany wood and featured a gold curved handle. Carina grunted as they rolled her into the room and exhaled in relief at their final destination. She had no idea when she'd be able to walk. Discovering her catheter had been embarrassing but it hadn't taken very long for her to realize the necessity. She couldn't even move enough to use a bedpan like old people.

Carina hummed in approval at her surroundings. Nicholas had changed the suite to cater to her medical needs and her numerous guests. The private wing had two over-sized rooms plus her private space with medical equipment. She had a window view allowing her to see everything happening at the back of the estate. She welcomed the scenic view; hell, anything beat looking at four walls all day.

Several staff members slowly and carefully moved her from the temporary hospital bed to her more permanent one. She held her breath trying to suppress the whimpers that wracked her body. Every excruciating movement caused tears to leak from her eyes and pathetic sounds to escape from her throat. She tried to regain her composure but damn it all to hell. Nicholas' voice sounded from far away.

"Almost done amor... Try and breathe through this last bit. They're just repositioning you." He hated listening to her painful cries. Her tears gnawed at his chest but he needed to be the strong one here. She'd refused to take a painkiller before the move and he regretted not obligating her to do so. Valentino was going to strangle him the moment he learned of it.

"Done" someone calmly stated. "You did great." Carina blinked in acknowledgement. She couldn't do anything more than that at the moment. Every fucking thing hurt.

"This will help you rest for a little bit" the familiar voice cooed. Carina felt a burn through her veins as the sedative filtered into her system. Although she'd wanted to look around and wait for Leticia to visit with her, Carina's body had other ideas. She slipped into darkness welcoming the numbing blanket that caressed her body.

~

Jaxon hustled out of class not caring that he was irritating his classmates and study group. If anything, they needed his help more than he needed theirs. He shifted his bag on his shoulder jogging back to his apartment. Gone were the days of mingling and hanging out with everyone. He knew people whispered. He heard guys snickering at him that he was pussy-whipped. Jaxon watched girls prettily pout as he passed them but it didn't sway him. Not. One. Fucking. Bit. The only thing that mattered was checking in on belleza and seeing Leticia.

Things had been put on the backburner between him and Leti; per Jaxon's request but Leticia had been nothing but understanding. Jaxon wasn't sure what he'd done to deserve the amazing, and albeit beautiful women in his life but at least he could say that he no longer took them for granted. He cherished the time they gave him and he humbly welcomed the love and affection they showered him with.

"About fucking time" Desirae growled.

"Some people have challenging schedules" He narrowed his eyes at the little firecracker. Carina may have the fiery Latina attitude but Desirae was a walking time-bomb ready to go off at a moment's notice. He threw the door open to his apartment and hustled into his room. He threw clothes and overnight items into his bag before jogging to the fridge and grabbing some juice and a quick snack. The estate had plenty of food available to him but Jaxon was fucking starving and he couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't chew someone's limbs off before getting there.

"Are you sure there's plenty of room?" Desirae asked from the doorway. She watched Jaxon bounce around his apartment trying to get in and out as quickly as possible.

"Yep" Jaxon's monosyllabic reply irritated the hell out of her but she refrained from saying anything else. Andrea and Sati patiently waited in the hallway as Jaxon locked his door. "We riding together?" He inquired. It didn't bother him one way or the other. He intended to stay the weekend at the estate.

"Yeah" Andrea replied. "We can get a ride if anyone needs to head out."

He grunted in acknowledgement. He flew down the stairs nodding his head at everyone who greeted him. Four scantily dressed girls blocked his path from going through the main entrance. Jaxon scowled at the four blondes instantly irritated at their blatant and desperate display. "What do you want" He growled.

"Jaxon" the one in the middle pouted. Her tits were so high on her chest they nearly touched her chin. Jaxon snorted at the atrocious boob job. It screamed fake from clear across the country. "You haven't been down sorority row in weeks. We miss you so much" she cooed.

"Well the feeling's definitely not mutual" He snapped darting between them. Desirae snickered in the background. Jaxon hid his smile from the others. Desirae loved taunting these nasty bitches. Her sneers echoed from the lobby and followed until they exited the building. He wanted to give her a high-five but that would only encourage her behavior. He'd watched the girls reprimand Desirae enough times to know they'd prefer indifference to her outlandish ways than encouragement.

"Anyone hear from the estate today?" Sati asked the group. She knew each of them had direct contacts within the estate's walls. Andrea had Nicholas. Jaxon had Richard and Leticia. Desirae had Valentino and Marco.

"They officially moved her today" Andrea replied. "I haven't heard from Nicholas though. I'm hoping his silence means he's been busy."

"They wouldn't have moved her if it risked reinjuring her, right?" Desirae's voice rose with panic. Carina was stubborn enough to insist on being moved although she wasn't ready for it. Desirae watched Jaxon and Andrea's faces hoping it would reveal something. She only exhaled when they both shook their heads. No news equated to no bad news in her book.

It felt like only moments later when they arrived at the estate. Jaxon wasn't sure if he'd driven like a madman or not. His only purpose was to get
Hedonism
. A valet attendant took his car while the girls grabbed their stuff and headed to the impressive front doors. Jaxon opened the door without waiting for the hostess; security motioned them in.

"Where did they move her to?" Jaxon asked Andrea since she appeared to be the fountain of knowledge as of recently.

"Second floor, private wing" Andrea replied with a smirk. Desirae cackled with delight as she realized where Nicholas had taken Carina.

"Ah" Desirae sighed, "The memories."

Jaxon abruptly stopped, making Andrea face plant into his back. "What the fuck's that supposed to mean?" He challenged. Desirae had her naughty girl expression plastered all over her face.

"Really Jaxon" Sati rolled her eyes. She didn't hang around the estate a fraction as much as he did and she already knew what the vixens were referring to. "I imagine it's their preferred suite where they decide to do the naughty all in the same place."

Jaxon flushed hotly. He really should've figured that out on his own. The estate was the only place Valentino, Marco, and Carina ever switched partners. It was supposedly one of their "rules". Jaxon rolled his eyes. The trio had been together for an entire year and he was still trying to get accustomed to their open relationship. As much as he enjoyed having a piece of Carina he never could share her if she was his. He still didn't understand why Valentino allowed it.

"Well location won't matter since Carina will be out of commission for a while" Andrea shrugged. As rough as Carina looked, it could've been a hell of a lot worse. The biggest fear had been if Pete had raped her. Thank God it hadn't happened.

"Wow" Sati mused as they walked past the dining hall and into the main area. "They've really dressed the place up for Thanksgiving." She admired the cornucopias filled with colorful squash, maize, and pumpkins. Upside down pilgrim hats filled with autumn-colored flowers decorated end tables. Golden wheat tied with beautiful ribbons competed for attention against elegant bare branches nestled in stunning vases. For just a moment, however brief, it was easy to forget they were in a sex club. But then all it took was a woman strutting by in stiletto heels and a lacy teddy and the reality smacked them upside the head.

Jaxon bypassed the elevator, taking three steps at a time. Desirae huffed and complained as she tried to keep up with him. A bodyguard greeted them at the entrance of the wing. No one was permitted access without getting through him first. Jaxon made eye contact with the brute but had no intention of slowing down. He brushed past the massive wall of muscle as he made it to the heavy wooden doors. Jaxon knocked only out of courtesy but didn't wait for a response. He strode into the room and was immediately met with Nicholas, Diego, and Griffin.

"Shhh" Nicholas warned. He waited for the four to enter the room before giving them the same update he'd just given Diego and Griffin. "Carina's resting right now. She's had an exhausting day with the move."

"Was she injured" Jaxon inquired. His spine immediately stiffened, ready to backhand the dumb fuck who hadn't followed instructions to the letter.

"No" Nicholas waved Jaxon's He-Man posture away. "She refused sedation for the transport and although it was only up an elevator and down the hall Carina felt every bump, turn, and jolt. What should've taken 10 minutes took us 45 because we kept stopping for her."

"Did the doctor check her out" Desirae asked. What if she'd further injured something? What if she was internally bleeding and no one knew?

"Dr. Redmond did" Nicholas reassured all four worried faces. "Resting is her best remedy. You all can stay as long as it doesn't hinder her recuperation. The moment I see lack of improvement or a decline, I'll halt all visits." His glare and tone brooked no arguments.

"Who's in what rooms?" Andrea asked. She wanted to drop her stuff off before going to check on Carina.

"Rooms are side-by-side. I'll let whoever stays the night make that decision. Remember the living room has a sleeper sofa as well." Nicholas replied.