Family Matters

Chapter 23

Watching Happy closely as he stopped to fill the tank, Rory paced anxiously while on the phone with one of her LA contacts. She wasn't sure if she was losing her touch or the heightened emotions she felt in that moment were clouding her judgment but, either way, she didn;t think to call the woman until they were halfway up the coast. 

"Yeah," Rory answered as she was taken off hold. "It's me. You hear anything?"

"Something happened," Cece whispered. "We're not sure what, the doc involved is keeping it close to her chest, but Bastian and the girl are here."

"Who?" Rory stammered. "Who's hurt?"

"Him," she mumbled quietly. "He came in an ambulance and he's in bad shape, girl."

Rory smiled, "Good. It's a mystery, though?"

"Yeah," she spoke more freely now. "His family wouldn't want this shit getting out, it looks bad on the business so no one knows but his doc and his nurse."

With relief, Rory started back toward Happy. "That won't be a problem," Rory assured her contact. "I'll be there soon. His guys there?"

"A few," she answered. "You better be careful, Ror. They know you."

"Nah," she laughed. "I got an in" Rory said as she looked at Happy, "Don't worry about it." Jamming her phone back in her jeans she gave him a reassuring smile. "Your sister is fine, I just talked to a transporter friend of mine who saw them come in. She said Bastian was in bad shape."

Looking as if he were about to cry, Happy hugged her roughly. "Thank you," he whispered. 

"No problem," she ignored his heartfelt gratitude. "Now no more anxiety and shit, let's go see what happened. Remember, we're there to support your sister, so no mouthing off."

He nodded and shrugged, "Yeah, I'll try."

--

When Kyle arrived, Ellie was still teary-eyed and in a state of shock as she kept her bedside vigil. He stormed in, stopping when he laid eyes on her, and shook his head. "What happened?"

"I don't know," she whimpered. "We were having dinner, talking about the wedding, and he just fell over." The vision of Bastian seizing and vomiting made her choke up again. 

With surprising tenderness, Kyle hugged Ellie, making her cower away before she realized he wasn't going to snap her neck,  and offered his apologies. "I'm sorry, I should have been there."

"Uhh, thanks," she said awkwardly. "I don't think you could have done anything, though. I'm glad you were with Poe," she lied. "How is she?"

"She's fine," he said confidently. "I sent someone back down to cover her while I'm with you."

"Me?" She laughed sadly. "I'm okay, Kyle."

"I don't particularly like you," he said coolly, "You're stubborn and kind of a bitch but Bastian loves you and it's my job to protect you now."

Looking at him in confusion, Ellie shook her head adamantly. "No, thank you."

"Not your call," he chuckled. "As long as he's alive, I have to follow orders."

"I'm part of your orders?" She asked in disbelief. 

"Yeah, you and finding out what happened here."

"I don't think anyone did this," she said sadly. "I don't know what it was but no one was there."

"I can see it," he squinted. "Bastian always said you were naive, I see that now. You don't know half of the shit men like him have in their arsenal. I don't even know the South African shit they think up." Shooting her a wink, Kyle brushed off her opinion and settled in the corner of the room.