CHAPTER 24-WOUNDS FOR MONEY
By the time the Cody family got back home, it was nighttime and around nine o'clock. After Smurf tossed the gun into the ocean, they had stuck around for some time until Pope had cleaned up all of the evidence. The whole family was quiet except for a few moments where they would say something small to one another. It had mostly been random thoughts, checking on Jessica and when was it time to go home. The lines were still divided but none of them seemed to care.
After arriving back at the house, the boys had gone in first with J trailing behind them due to his leg once more. Nicky had gone to a friends for the night and Lena was at Crystal's. Baz had stayed back with Jessica who once again needed help getting in and out of the car. Even though her broken arm was the main problem, her ribs were hurting as well. When getting out of the car, she had taken a deep breath and hung onto Baz's arm for support.
He looked for over for a quick moment after shutting the door. "What's hurting?" Baz asked Knowing something else was bothering her beside her arm.
"It's nothing…I just don't know if I want to go back inside" She responded staring towards the garage. The memories were still haunting her as she remembered the incident with Javi. Wincing as she took a step, Jessica wanted to move her arm to the right side but then had to remember that it was broken.
Baz wasn't letting her go and stood in place with her until she was ready to walk. He knew that there was something else wrong but wasn't going to pry until he got her inside. Jessica's arm was badly broken I needed medical attention right away. Luckily for the family, she was a nurse and knew what to do.
After a moment Jessica lightly tugged on his arm in order for him to help her inside. Once they got in everyone was spread out around the house except for Pope and Smurf. The two of them were in the dining area where Smurf just moved the pool table for the time being. Baz helped Jessica lean against the pool table while he went to speak with their mother who was standing in the kitchen.
"Her arm is badly damaged and we need to do something quickly" Baz told Smurf who just stared back at him with a blank expression once again.
"You think I don't know that? I'm waiting for your brothers to get the first aid kit and then we will help her…Jessica is holding it together, don't you think?" She told him then stepped away.
Taking a glance at Pope, Baz moved back over to get her on to the pool table. Jessica followed his movement without any hesitation because she knew what had to happen next. If anyone in the family got injured during a job or even outside of one, she was always there to take care of them. It was weird for the tables to be turned to her, especially at Smurf's home. Putting her arm around his shoulders, Baz slipped his arm around her waist until she winced once his fingertips dug into her side. Jessica took a deep breath and fell faintly forward, it made him grow more suspicious.
"Pope…Come over here and help me" He said in urgency as Pope started making his way from the kitchen island to them. The room was poorly lit as a lot of the lamps were broken and no one turned on the rest of the lights. The eldest hit the switch and walked back over.
"I'm fine Baz…Just give me a second" She said trying to brush off the help, it was a new feeling for her.
Giving him a look to grab her, both brothers agreed to scoop her up. They had grabbed underneath her legs and placed an arm around her back. Lifting her, Jessica had trouble with only one arm but she managed to wiggle on it. She shimmed Baz's jacket off and placed it to the side of her. When she did that, Baz noticed her shirt came up faintly in the corner of her right side. Trailing his eyes down to it, he moved across from her in order to check out this injury. Grabbing the hem of her shirt, Jessica went to squirm away until Baz put his hand on her thigh in order for her to calm down.
"Hey…It's just me. Let me see and I'll leave it alone. It's just me" It hit him that she wasn't trying to hide the bruise, she didn't want anyone to touch her. After a moment, she agreed to it. Lifting up the red-stained yellow shirt, Baz saw the dark purple patch from her hip to her ribs. "Why didn't you tell me in the car?"
"I said I'm fine, it only hurts when I move" Jessica had tried pulling away from him which caused Baz to hold onto the corner of her shirt. Pope had watched silently and saw the bruises himself.
"You're not fine, I know what you look like when you are not fine. Let me see your arm" He spoke quietly.
Shaking her head, she pulled her arm away the second he let go of the hem. That caused her pain from the swift movement and Baz couldn't figure out why she was being fussy. Jessica was still keeping her gaze away from him, it made him wonder what Javi had said. He questioned if something else had gone on that he didn't know about. All Baz wanted was for Jessica to feel safe, for her wounds to heal and for this to stay in the past.
Gritting his teeth, he backed away from her without another word. Jessica silently watched him wanting to say something but she hadn't been in the mood. She wasn't mad at Baz, she just didn't want to seem vulnerable. During her lifetime, Jessica had always taken care of herself without the help of them. Sure she had gotten money from the jobs to live but this had been a different story. Her brothers had scared off one of her ex's, they had protected her when she needed them to but Jessica always felt alone compared to them. It had always been her job to take care of them, not the other way around.
"What took you two so long?" Pope asked seeing Craig following behind Deran out of the kitchen.
"I couldn't find the first aid kit. I thought it was in Smurf's bathroom but J had it in his" Craig said moving next to Jessica and opening it. He began looking through the contents before looking at Pope.
Deran took a seat on one of the bar stools in order to watch and help when he was needed. J had come in from the kitchen after hearing his name and also took a seat. "Sorry…I had to use it on my leg again"
Jessica turned her head to her right in order to see the kit. "I don't need that, I need my arm fixed before anything else" Reaching around her neck with her free hand, Jessica yanked the sheet in order to untie it. Craig helped her and she delicately pulled it away, revealing the biggest issue. Her elbow had been severely swollen and purple just like her ribs. Her arm was still in its bent position and she couldn't move it at all.
Glancing down at it, she blinked back her tears feeling the pain radiate since taking off the sling. "One of Javi's guys took a baseball bat…The other held my arm out and you all can guess what happened next" She had taken a breath and looked towards the ceiling. The Cody men exchanged views of her arm and each other's faces. "I have a distal humerus fracture"
Luckily Jessica knew what she was talking about as her medical background came in handy. "Um, I'm sorry what? Speak English Jess" Craig seemed the most confused.
With her head still tilted back, Jessica moved her eyes towards him. "It means that I have a broken elbow. The humerus bone is what goes from your shoulder to the elbow joint. The baseball bat hit directly on the lower part of the bone and broke it. My other bones I think are fine but without an x-ray, I can't tell you for sure"
Baz quickly turned away from her in order to see if Smurf was still standing in the kitchen. She had been watching with her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow when she saw him. "She needs a doctor, we have to take her to Mexico"
Jessica shook her head hard, her wavy hair falling behind her. "No…I know that we can do this here. I just need to guys to follow what I tell you"
Turning back around, Baz was skeptical about the situation. Her elbow was bad and all of them could see that. He didn't want to risk anything considering she said that she would need an x-ray. "Jess, we need to get you help"
"I know what I'm doing Baz, please" Hearing her say please reminding of him how she was pleading with him on the phone. Her tone had sounded similar put without the panic infused in it. No one else said anything but took glances between both of them. "I just need you guys to rebreak the bone. I'll be fine and if something comes up, I can go. I just want this pain to be gone. Once the bone gets back in place, the pain will tone down and I'm sure I can handle it"
Deran had been resting in his chin in his hand, his fingers were covering his mouth. He had also felt uneasy on what she wanted done so he took one last look around before saying something. "Baz is right, we don't know how bad your arm is…"
"I know what I'm talking about! Just fix my damn arm and let's move on with it, okay?" Jessica cut him off quickly and her voice was flooded with anger. She felt that none of them were listening to her when she knew exactly how to fix a broken bone. "Deran, I need you to go down to the clinic and get me a sling. Once my arm is rebroken, I need to put it in a sling so I don't move it. I can't put a cast on it because I don't have anything so I'll have to go to Mexico for that. Just trust me on this"
After a few minutes, Deran nodded to her and stood up. She told him that her keys to the clinic were in her jeep that was still parked in the driveway. If he enters through the back, he can sneak around the camera's in the building to get to the stockroom. There is one camera in the corner but as long as he covers his face, he'll be alright. Trusting Jessica and the boys, Deran left in order to get what she needed.
"What do you want us to do now?" Pope questioned.
"Okay…I need you to break the bone and put it back in place. I need something to bite down on because it's going to hurt like hell. Craig, I need you to hold onto me and make sure that you catch me" She responded as she took a peek towards him.
"Catch you for what?" He asked moving over to her side.
"I more am than likely going to pass out from the pain and I wouldn't like to add a head injury on my list. Baz, I need you to take me home once Deran gets back because I'm not going to be able to drive. My car keys are somewhere around here" Jessica began to look around the room as it was cleaned up to see if she could spot them.
Smurf placed her hands on the sink and leaned in their direction. "No baby, I want you to stay here tonight. This way I know you'll be taken care of with whatever you need. Baz, go pick up Lena from the babysitters and grab somethings for Jessica as she will be staying"
"Lena will be fine at Crystal's, she's having a sleepover with her daughter" He responded back to his Mother who narrowed her eyes.
"I asked you to do something and I want you to take care of it" Smurf's tone shifted and everyone could hear the boss coming out. She had the right tone for it and all of them knew if she used it, they would be in trouble if they didn't do as she said.
She disappeared towards one of the bathrooms in order to get Jessica rag to bite down on. That gave Baz the opportunity to do something and fast. Craig had moved around the pool table and towards the fireplace as he leaned against it. J still silently sat there while Pope stared between the two. Baz moved towards Jessica in which she finally looked up towards him.
"I'll be back soon, I promise" He commented while quickly yet gently kissing her on the lips. She had made little effort to respond to the gesture but Jessica grabbed his hand to let him know how she felt.
As Baz left, Smurf came back and handed Jessica a rag she found in the bathroom. She gave her daughter a look over then smirked while asking J to see where Nicky was. Once he left the room, Craig and Pope were ready to do what Jessica wanted.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Pope asked gripping her wrist, Jessica moved slightly from the touch.
Nodding, Jessica prepared herself for what was going to happen next. She swallowed hard once Pope placed one of his hands on her shoulder and the other near her elbow. Putting the rag in her mouth, she bit down as hard as she could. Craig stepped up and stood to the left as she asked. Even though putting the bone back in place would relieve some of the pain and pressure she had, it still was going to send her body into a jolt. Pope's brown eyes lingered towards his younger brother, Craig nodded for him to do so already.
Putting some pressure on her shoulder, Pope gripped her wrist and turned quickly. While twisting her arm, he wasn't sure if it exactly worked but he thought he felt something pop. Jessica yelped letting the rag fall from her mouth. The yelp stemmed from the pain and her eyes rolled back in her head. She had leaned towards Craig luckily and the impact only caused her to pass out for at least twenty seconds.
Craig held onto his sister once she felt and looked towards Pope to know what to do next. Once she woke up, he set her back up and she stared at her elbow. It was still obviously swollen and bruised but it wasn't out of place anymore. It would take time for it to heal but no matter what, she was still heading down to Mexico. All of them would make her go and Jessica knew she would have to at some point to make sure that things would heal properly, as well as extra bones that might have cracked which would require surgery. She really hoped that wasn't the case but an x-ray would tell everything.
After some time, Jessica tried her best to hop down from the pool table but her brothers had helped her. She thanked them and began walking away much to their confusion. She wanted to take a shower to clean herself of all the dried blood. No one had stopped her as she lazily walked away, Jessica's face showing pain as every step she took bothered her side.
Moving towards the bathroom, she stood in the doorway and stared into the room. It had been her old bathroom that she had when she lived there. Memories had floated in her head and distracted her for the time being. She didn't know why she was taking a shower because Baz wasn't back with her clothes yet. Part of her wanted to get it over and done with but for the most part, Jessica wasn't to wallow in pity.
Jessica was a fighter considering she was a Cody but she didn't think it would have ever come to that. She had seen her brothers filled with bruises, wounds and broken bones but not her. Turning on the water to the bathtub turned out to be a challenge because of her elbow and side. Jessica was right-handed, she couldn't use the arm whatsoever. Her side killed her to bend forward so it proved to be quite the challenge. She was surprised that Smurf didn't break in after she shut the door to help.
Undoing her jeans and getting out of them was another problem and took a few minutes. Her t-shirt was also a struggle because trying to get it around her arm was the worst of it all. After climbing in the tub, Jessica let the water hit her face. The heat felt good but also burned due to her lip and eyes. She was glad that all she had were bruises under her eyes rather than dealing with a broken nose. Javi's knee to the face was a crushing blow but luckily wasn't something that needed medical attention.
Watching the clear water turn red, Jessica's emotions had gotten the best of her. The dried blood from her hair and knees began washing away but it didn't take away anything else. As she slowly sunk down and into the tub, Jessica leaned her head against the wall so the water didn't hit her face. Tears began to mix with the water stream and they wouldn't stop. Raising her free hand to her mouth, Jessica wanted to contain her sobbing just in case Smurf or anyone else decided to step into the bathroom. She wanted to have the moment to herself in order to get out all that she felt.
Not only had she been a pawn for money, but Jessica also watched her ex-boyfriend get shot in front of her. Her mother had refused to give him the money he wanted which resulted in her broken elbow. Javi also mentioned something about Baz but she didn't remember what it was. Jessica was broken despite everyone trying to help her.
Once she was done compressing her emotions, she got enough strength to wash her hair and body. It took some time but she eventually managed to get through it without a problem. Now her issue was that she didn't have anything to change into but she saw something on the sink counter when she ripped the shower curtain open. Placing the dark green towel around her body, Jessica looked between the shirt and door. She assumed it was something Nicky gave her until Baz got back because she knew that it wasn't an item of hers. Picking it up, she realized it was one of Craig's t-shirts by the size.
Debating on whether she wanted to wear something of his, Jessica didn't have much of a choice. There was no way she would ask Smurf for clothes or resort to Nicky if she was even in the house. Drying off, she tossed the baggy t-shirt on and noticed a pair of pajama shorts which were definitely Nicky's.
It was now time to patch herself up as she still had wounds out and about. Her knees needed to be bandaged up and she wanted some for her other injuries. Jessica reached into a drawer in order to brush her hair but her reflection stopped it. She had looked like death ran over and she could hardly believe it was her. When the Cody's were much younger, Jessica had broken her nose when Craig was teaching her to skateboard. She knew that her nose wasn't broken this time around but that didn't stop her from poking at it.
The knock on the door startled her and she jumped back as far as she could. When it opened, Jessica watched Pope stare at her in confusion. "Deran just got back…" He said not taking his eyes away.
She had glanced between his face and his hand which was holding the sling. "Tell him I said thanks. Can I have it?"
Pope could tell that his younger sister had been shaken up. The expression on her face told stories and he knew that she needed someone to help her. Moving closer, he shut the door behind him and spoke, "Sit down over there"
Jessica turned her head towards the toilet knowing he wanted her to follow his orders. "I can do this myself, can I just have it?"
"I said sit down" His voice wasn't angry by any means, it just had a deeper tone to it. He was willing to help Jessica because it seemed like the others weren't around. Baz was still out, Deran was hanging out in the living room and Craig had been lying on his bed. Pope knew someone needed to be there for her and he was stepping up to the plate.
She hadn't been in the mood to argue and did what he said. Pulling the toilet seat down, Jessica gently wiggled down onto. Pope had looked at the sling trying to figure it out for a moment but when he solved it, he knew what to do. Wrapping her arm inside, he was being as gentle as he could but that didn't stop her from whining in pain.
He then went over to the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of aspirins. Tossing a couple in his hand, Pope searched for a glass in order to fill it with water. "I know you don't want these but you need to take them. It will help with the pain"
Holding them out to her, Jessica hesitated grabbing them but needed something. Despite breaking her arm, it still was causing pain and she could feel a headache growing. It had been a long day of excitement and tears that she had been exhausted yet couldn't find any rest. Jessica had downed the pills no problem, drank the water and set the glass on the sink.
"You really don't have to do this, I can manage" She said softly.
Ignoring her comment, Pope started looking for the band-aids and peroxide. Her knees were still raw and needed attention before they got infected. When he found everything, he bent down in front of her. Dapping a towel peroxide, Pope applied it to her knees as she watched him carefully.
"Remember when I fell off my bike when I was six? Tore my knees up pretty bad" Jessica said biting her thumbnail. Pope nodded silently and continued his work. "Do you remember that time you guys found out about Max?" It seemed she was on a nostalgia trip.
"The time I beat the shit out of him with a pipe or the time you asked Baz and I to teach him a lesson?" Pope commented taking a glance at her.
Jessica turned her attention to the door. "I remember Smurf was throwing a party and we were all here. I wanted to go swimming but I couldn't because I had bruises all over my body. All of you already seen them at surfing earlier in the day but didn't say anything. Deran threw a fit about it. Craig overheard and ended up telling Baz. You found out and I remember you guys were wanting to kill him right then and there. You all chased him away" It was a memory that she fondly remembered but at this moment she didn't know why. "Anyway, I was scared to go back home with him and I stayed the night at your place. Baz came over in the morning and I asked you two to get rid of him for me…I never saw him again"
When Jessica stayed the night at Pope's that evening, she was toying with the idea of leaving her abusive relationship. It occurred to her that the treatment she received wasn't good and that she deserved better. She had asked her older brother to do her a favor by getting payback but Baz had stepped in when they were talking about it. Due to his relationship with Jessica, he quickly agreed to lend a hand. She didn't ask many questions but knew that they did enough damage to Max that he'd never step foot in Oceanside again.
The duo had stayed quite as Jessica watched him open the band-aids and place them on her knees. Pope was standing at the sink wetting a cold rag for her lip. Handing it out to her, she took a deep breath and accepted the offer.
"Why doesn't she care about me?" Jessica questioned staring at him. She picked at the dark blue cloth with her free hand.
It caught Pope's attention right away and it seemed like he had even been thinking the question over. "It's Smurf…You know she cares in her own way"
Shaking her head, Jessica spoke. "No she doesn't, she's never given a shit about me. I don't get it, I've never done anything wrong. Sure, I've screwed plenty of times but what did I ever do for her to hate me?"
Ever since the phone call to Smurf over money, it was clear to Jessica that Smurf would rather protect her own money rather than her own child. If it were the other way around, her elbow would be fine and she wouldn't have to make a trip to Mexico. She would have been home in a heartbeat, not tied to a chair with nowhere to go. If she would have been a boy…
Pope shook his head slightly before shaking it. "This was Javi's fault"
"No it wasn't, it's all on her. Javi came here because Smurf didn't give him the money he wanted. I've been fighting all my life because I didn't have anyone on my side. I didn't have a Mother to care for me like she did for all of you, my Dad is nowhere in sight because she scared him away…I forgive Javi for what he did but Smurf…If it were J in my shoes…"
He couldn't disagree with anything she said because she was making a point. He was closer to Julia than he ever was to Jessica considering they were twins. She was much younger than him in years and spent most of her time hanging out with Craig and Deran. It didn't change the fact that they were blood and that they would do anything for each other. Pope was there if Jessica ever needed him just like the others. Jessica's emotions were high right now due to everything that had transpired but her hurt was starting to show.
Placing the cold rag to her lip, she flinched for a second until the coolness started to numb it slightly. Removing it a second later, Jessica wiped under her left eye as she could feel a tear ready to slip out. "I could have done this all myself you know"
"I know but I'm your brother" Pope said simply, watching her for a second then moved towards the door in order to step out.
"Javi's dead…" She blurted out knowing that it was supposed to be kept quiet. Smurf would never want this to get out and would rather it stay between the three of them. As far as the others knew, Javi took the money and went back to Arizona. It hooked Pope from the start and he turned to face her.
"What do you mean Javi is dead?"
Staying quiet, Jessica put the cold rag back to her lip. She wasn't sure if she should continue because if Pope confronted Smurf about it, all would fall back on her. Jessica opened up a can of worms with her sentence. Thinking the situation over, she trusted Pope but she didn't know if she could keep him to keep quiet.
"The other guy that was with Javi shot him in the head…I was standing right behind him when it happened. He took the money and started screaming at Smurf then he pulled a gun on her. Seconds later the guy shot him, some of that blood wasn't mine"
Covering her mouth with her left hand, Jessica was struggling to fight back her emotions once again. It wasn't an everyday occurrence that she watched someone she once loved die in front of her in cold blood. She wanted to hold it together so no one could see her struggle but it was getter harder to do so. The Cody's all struggled in their lives, they've watched each other fall and they watched everyone pick their feet back up.
Noticing her emotional shift, Pope could see that Jessica was breaking from the inside out. He was willing to take care of her and help her whatever way she needed. Blinking a couple of times to fight the tears, Jessica was pushing it to the side in order to regain her composure.
"You need sleep, you've had a hard day" That had been the understatement of the year.
Jessica had finally agreed with him and gripped the edge of the sink in order to stand up. Pope took her by her uninjured arm to help while grabbing the door. Putting his arm around her shoulder, he guided her through the house and to the free room that she and Julia once shared when they were kids. Craig had offered for her to stay in his bedroom so she would be right next to everything in the house such as the bathroom and kitchen. Jessica had declined not wanting to sleep in Craig's bed because she didn't who had been in it and she knew what went on in there. guiding her down the hall, hope stopped in the doorway for her.
"I'll be right outside if you need me. Baz Should be back soon"
Not saying a word Jessica moved carefully into the room and took a look around. I look different from when she was a kid but she didn't have that much recollection of it from before. Even though it was her old room she eventually switched out into the guest bedroom once Julia got older.
Closing the door behind him Pope went straight into the dining area and grabbed a wooden chair. He set it outside of her door and went hunting for the gun when he kept in the house. His shotgun was always hidden somewhere in the kitchen he found it in an instant, Luckily Javi hadn't found it. Sitting down in the chair with perfect posture, he placed the gun in his lap and watched guard. After finding out what actually transpired changed his viewpoint but he was going to be there for Jessica first.
When Baz arrived back at Smurf's, the house was silent compared to what he thought it was going to be like. Smurf was still in the kitchen, cleaning up a couple of messes she still had to take care of. Lena drew her attention away as she took her grandchild to her bedroom in order to read her a nook before bed. He began to roam the house for Jessica, a bookbag full of items for her. When coming down the hallway, he saw Pope quietly sitting with his head up high.
"Is she in there?" Baz questioned, raising the bag slightly to show that he had got her clothes.
Nodding, Pope hardly took a glance at him as his brown eyes were just fixed down the hall. "Can I get past or are you going to shoot me?"
"I did this for Lena when she was having nightmares. I sat outside her bedroom just in case she needed me" Pope spoke looking at Baz once he got close enough to the door. "Why didn't you tell me that Smurf had Javi killed?"
It took Baz a second to figure out how he found out but he knew that Smurf wouldn't have said anything. "I was going to tell you, I just didn't have the time to say anything yet"
Turning his head back towards the hall, Pope wasn't going to comment anything else. Baz had taken a glance at his brother before turning the doorknob. He wasn't sure if Jessica was asleep or not so he was trying to be as quiet as possible. The main lights were out except for the one sitting on the bedside table. It faintly lit the room up and he could see her outline sitting on the bed.
Jessica hadn't turned her head to see who it was as she figured it was Baz. He placed the bag of clothes towards the dress when was right by the door. Stepping over to her, he sat on the edge of the bed. The blonde had been picking at the comforter until he grabbed her hand.
"How's the arm? Are you okay? Do you need anything?"
"Pope wanted me to get some sleep but I don't think I can fall asleep" Jessica had sniffled before removing her from his. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand gently feeling the sting hit her. "Will you stay with me?"
Agreeing with her remark, Baz promised he would stay with her. "He took care of me when you were out" Jessica had one of her knees folded while the other had been stretched out on the bed. He could see the bandage so his look went between that and her face. "I look like a mess, you can say it"
"You look the same as you always do, minus these" Baz had reached out and lightly touched under her eyes, his fingers tracing the bruises. He offered a slight smile and a faint laugh which made the corner of Jessica's mouth curl faintly.
"I don't know what to do with myself, I don't know what to think. I almost wish I never came back here. If I would have just stayed away…"
"It wouldn't have made that much of a difference. Javi would have still come around and one of us would have been in your shoes. I just wish I would have been at the house that night. I should have come with you"
"And then what? You end up like J or worse?" She asked knowing that if Baz would have been present, things would have gotten darker than they already had been. Javi already knew their past history and that would have fallen perfectly in his hands. Jessica looked at him with a serious expression. "I can take care of myself, you know that right?"
"And I'm still going to care about you even if you don't care about yourself half of the time" Baz replied back knowing where she was going with the conversation. Jessica wanted to make it clear that she didn't need to rely on anyone but in actuality she did. She needed her family more than ever but she was still pushing back against them.
Another thing that the family did was hide their pain when they were dealing with it. Smurf always told them to they needed to be strong with whatever they faced and that was what she still was trying to do.
Feeling her eyes brim with tears again, Jessica was ready to let loose. "I just want the pain to go away, I don't think I can handle this"
Finally letting go, her watery blue eyes unleashed the ocean. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she began sobbing. It was getting harder for her to hold it together and she wanted to do so in front of Baz. Jessica was trying to be strong for everyone but hearing his words really changed her opinion.
Grabbing her hand again, Baz moved more onto the bed and wrapped his arm around her. He had to be careful with her arm but at least she was fine on her left side. She didn't hesitate leaning into him because she wanted someone to be there for her. Pope had been earlier but one was her brother and one wasn't.
"I promise you that I am going to keep you safe. You and I are in this together whether you want to be or not" He told her, not knowing if she was going to take his word for it.