would like to see you if you’re up to it. He said he’d wait a while to see if you woke up.”
“Who is it?” Chris asked suspiciously.
“I don’t know. I’ll send him in if you’d like.”
“I’ll meet him in the hallway.”
Chris left the room and ducked his head back in the door as Abby was gazing out the window at the night lights.
“Hey, it’s Mickey. Do you feel like seeing him?”
“Sure.” She tried to sit up higher in bed, cringing at the burn in her chest.
“Do you want the lights on?” Chris asked.
“Sure.”
“Hi, gorgeous,” Mickey said as he entered the room with a giant bouquet of exotic flowers. He flinched as he looked at her, trying to cover it with a smile.
“Not so gorgeous anymore,” she said with a small smile. Tears pooled in Mickey’s eyes.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice a rasp.
“I’m gonna walk down to the desk for a bit,” Chris said, leaving the room.
“Mickey, this wasn’t your fault,” Abby said. “Ron was messed up. You couldn’t have known this would happen.”
“But if I’d had a security guard outside…”
He wiped his face quickly.
“I’m okay, Mickey,” she said reassuringly.
“Amber’s not. She’s a vegetable.”
Abby squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the image of Amber’s bright red hair in the dirt.
“I didn’t know she was that bad,” she said, a lump forming in her throat. “I hate that Ron got away. Chris won’t leave because he’s afraid he’ll come back for me.”
Mickey sighed, looking out the room’s large window.
“I hope you know, even though I’m … difficult at times, my dancers mean a lot to me,” he said. “Working so closely, we just can’t help but grow to care about each other.”
“I know. I’ll miss everyone there.”
Mickey pulled a chair up to the bed, sitting down and leaning in close to her.
“Listen, you don’t need to worry that Ron will come back for you,” he said in a whisper.
Abby looked at him skeptically.
“He wasn’t gone when we got there. I had Joe and Curtis with me. He was still beating the shit out of you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Joe took him and Curtis and I stayed with you and Amber.”
“So where is he?”
Mickey’s face darkened with anger.
“Gone. He’ll never hurt anyone again.”
“Oh.”
“Obviously, that’s just between us.”
“Of course.” Abby sighed, her mind swimming with emotions.
“I’m happy for you, Abby. You’re one of the few I always knew would keep your head on straight. That boyfriend of yours seems incredible. It’s a shame he’s straight.”
“Thanks, Mick,” she said, smiling.
“Will you come visit me sometime?”
“Not at the club, no. I don’t want to go back there. Why don’t you come visit me?”
“Deal. Maybe we could go to the salon together when you’re feeling up to it so you can get those roots touched up.”
“Look at my face. I don’t think anyone but you will notice my roots.”
“I just don’t want you to let yourself go because you quit dancing.”
“As soon as I’m better, I’d love to go to the salon with you. Then you can gripe at the stylist instead of me.”
“We’re on. You have a standing open tab at my salon for as long as you want.”
Chris came back in with a cup of coffee.
“Damn,” Mickey said softly, eyeing him from head to toe. “I’d like to get a physical from him.”
“I ordered you some ice cream,” Chris told Abby.
“I’ll leave you two alone,” Mickey said. “Abby, stay in touch, okay?”
“I will. Thanks, Mick.”
He left the room, and Chris took the chair he’d been sitting in.
“How bad do I look?” she asked as he traced his fingertips along her arm.
“You were beaten badly, Ab. It’s nothing that won’t heal, but it’s going to take a while. I think you’ll be discharged Tuesday morning.”
“I need to see if Marla can keep the girls for a while. I don’t want them seeing me like this. It would upset them.”
He nodded.
“I talked to Marla, she said they can stay as long as you want. She told them I took you on a surprise vacation, so that’s where they think you are. But when you get discharged, I’m taking you to my place.”
“Chris, I’ll be okay.”
“No arguments. You’re staying with me.”
“Okay. I haven’t been awake very long, but I’m tired again.”
“Sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
She woke to the fragrant smell of roses mingled with coffee. It must be morning. Abby never knew because of the blackout curtains on Chris’ bedroom windows, which helped him sleep during the day after working all night.
He had