Saving Sami

Chapter 4 Bruised But Breathing

Ten days later, Ace was out of ICU and irritable.
“You really don’t have a life, do you?” he said as Sami brought him soup—again.
“Im not dying,you know” Ace continued 
She rolled her eyes. “Didn’t say you were” “But you’ve got the personality of someone who skipped breakfast, so I figured I’d save the nurses the trauma”
Ace smirked in spite of himself. “Funny”
Their insults were softer now. The distance between them was still there—but the edges were fraying.


Later, out in the hall, a biker named Tank cornered her.
“You the girl Ace keeps asking for?”
“Yeah. Problem?” She said back to him
Another man leaned against the wall, arms folded, younger, more curious than aggressive, but clearly still listening.
Tank steps closer, not to scare her, but to make a point.
“We take care of our own. Don’t need some high school girl playing nurse.”
“I’m not playing anything,” she snapped. “I was there. I stayed. Get over it.”
Reaper stepped in before it escalated. “Back off, Tank.”
The biker stepped away immediately 
Reaper approached, nodding once at Sami. “You good?”
She nodded
Tank muttered something under his breath and stalked off.
“Don’t mind him, old school doesn’t like change” reaper said to her.
Sami raised her eyebrow, “And you do?” 
Reaper gave a faint smile before walking away.


Later that evening 
Ace hadn’t said much, until now 
“You gonna tell me what happened out there,” he said, voice low but direct, “or am I supposed to guess why reaper texted me that tank stepped outta line?”
She looked up slowly “It was nothing”
“Not the point” he says 
Sami sighed. “Just a guy thinking I don’t belong here.”
His jaw tightened “tank?”
“Yeah” she said quietly 
“I’m sorry, you shouldn’t have to deal with that” he says staring at his blanket.


“And yet here I am’” she said, leaning forward. “You don’t get to tell me who’s worth me showing up for. If it makes them uncomfortable, that’s their problem.”
There was silence, a long beat of it.
“Your not what I thought you were” he said 
“Yeah, what was it that you were expecting?” She said 
“I don’t know, but it wasn’t this” he replied 
Sami stood up,moved to the door like she was going to brush it off. But walk out.


He didn’t want her to go, but didn’t understand why, he pulled out his phone and texted her.
“You don’t owe me anything, Sami”
After a few minutes she replied.
“I know. That’s what scares me”