From Rags To Riches

Chapter Twenty-Two

Im fucking sad. I need it.

I made my way into the kitchen like a man on a mission and I stopped in my tracks at the sight of Pippa, a summer dress that hugged her curves, the cast wrapped around her broken leg and her arm in a sling. But her face was no longer bruised, her skin getting that glowing tan back, a smile plastered on to her face as she laughed at something Georgie said. The sound of her laughter filled my ears and made the grin on my face reach my ears.

I didnt get a good look at her this morning, I was to afraid id say something but fuck I couldnt take my eyes off her now.

When she caught my gaze, her face fell and my stomach dropped out of my ass.

"Oh - dont mind us" she mumbled and I pointed to the fridge.

"Fr - fo - hungry" I stuttered out, my eyes darting from her face to her toes. I could feel myself growing hard and when I spotted those flush cheeks, I groaned rubbing my hand down my face.

"We should go" Pippa said to Georgie before she shimmied across the counters trying to get closer to her wheel chair.

"Let me help" I placed my hand out for her to take and she looked at me, her eyes full of apprehension.

"Just let me help you, we can still be friends Pippa" her face told me that was not the right thing to say. Not in the slightest.

And when I got the finger off my sister who then helped Pippa into the chair before taking off in a huff it pretty much confirmed, I am a fucking dickhead.

***

Just to confirm for any of you doubters...

Pippa does NOT want to be my friend.

Nine fucking weeks.

NINE!!!

She has been home for nine weeks now, she gets her cast off today in exhange for a boot, but doc was happy with her and feels she is ready to start with rehabiliation.

Good news. Im happy for her.

But I find myself sitting in the warehouse looking at Jinx, his breathing coming in shallow as I admire the work my boys done.

He is hanging on by a thread and I refuse to make it easy on him. Hes on a rest day, but the minute I think he can take another bout of torture its my fucking turn because I am ready.

Ready to end this sorry motherfucker.

Pee, on the other hand. We have barely started. He has lost his beer belly and no longer looks like an overfed hampster so I think we did him a solid with cutting down his meal intake.

His time will come to, I need to get back into it and stop letting everything going on with Pippa distract me.

I made my bed so now I have to lie in it. Pippa and I are done, we have to be.

"Boss" Moose sat beside me as I watched Jinx's chest rise and fall, barely noticable.

"How long are you going to drag this out for?" He questions as he flexes out his sore knuckles, the beating he has issued to the two boys obviously taking its toll on him.