Give the Devil his Due

Epilogue

Six months later.

"Would you leave me alone woman, I'm fine." Rico huffed loudly, gently pushing Nicole away from him. But Nicole was stubborn, almost as much as Rico was.

She swatted at his hand "You're suppose to be taking it easy."

Rico shrugged, "I am."

"You went for a three mile jog this morning! That is not taking it easy." Nicole replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

Rico chuckled to himself before sweeping her up in a tight hug, placing his lips tightly against hers, "I'm finally able to walk on my own without it hurting, mi querida. I can't help it."

Nicole rolled her eyes but broke into a smile nonetheless and clasped her hands behind Rico's neck, "Fine. But don't come crying to me when you pull a muscle and have to go right back to that wheelchair."

Rico smiled against her lips, "I'll die before that happens."

"Oh get a room you two." Nash called from where he sat on the couch, covering his face with a pillow.

A moment later, Rico pulled away from Nicole but kept an arm around her waist, "What a marvelous idea."

Nash shot into a sitting position, pointing a stern finger at Rico's face, "Don't even think about it buddy."

"You offered." Rico shrugged again.

I laughed lightly and nodded, "Technically you did offer."

Nash scrubbed two hands down his face, "You're all going to be the death of me, I swear."

"Take it easy on the kid, torture is frowned upon." I heard a familiar voice intervene from the entrance of the clubhouse. We turned to find my mother standing there, with Lucas just behind her. He smile when our eyes met, then stepped around my mom to walk towards me.

I met him halfway, pecking him quickly on the lips before hugging him tightly, "How did the treatment go?"

"The same as always." Lucas replied, rubbing my back with his hand.

My mom neared and placed a hand on my shoulder to draw my attention. She smiled genuinely, "It's taking longer than we thought but I think the treatments are working. The levels of the drug inside Lucas' body are finally starting to decrease. As always, I make no promises but soon it should be eradicated completely."

Lucas didn't seem overall pleased with this announcement but only because I knew he was sick of the treatments. His physical appearance had returned to the way it was when I first met him; muscular and healthy. But the treatments made him tired, more so than usual. He wanted to put this whole thing behind him more than anyone.

Rico rose his hand into the air, "Hey doc, what about me?"

My mom casually strolled towards Rico, lifting the back of his shirt to examine the ghastly scar left by the bullet that had almost rendered him paralyzed. A second later she dropped his shirt, "You seem to be recovering quite well. You said it doesn't hurt to walk anymore?"

Rico beamed proudly, "Exactamente."

My mother smiled as well, "I think a few more weeks of physical therapy are in order, but otherwise you should be fine by the end of the semester."

"Did you hear that, bebé?" Rico asked, twirling Nicole in a circle, "I'll be all better by summer, which means two whole months of whatever the fuck we want."

Nash stood from the couch, heading for the door, "I think I'm going to be sick."

"I don't know why he gets so worked up over this." Rico informed from where he stood, draping an arm over Nicole's shoulders, "I don't hassle him every time he gets all mushy gushy with Jillian do I?"