Lily
One month later...
IT WAS FOUR a.m., and I was three and a half hours away from crawling into my aweso, comfy, warm bed—I yawned just thinking about it—when frantic screams ca from the ambulance bay, and I was wide awake once again.
"Lily, you’re with ," Doctor Walker bellowed.
I nodded and donned gloves as I followed him outside.
Maverick and I had had a blissful month. No threats, no one watching us (that we could see), and the wedding planning was going remarkably smooth. Our wedding date was in five weeks, and I couldn’t wait to make everything official. I also couldn’t wait to have babies. I was tempted to go off the Pill now, but we’d decided to wait two years before we tried for children.
EMTs dragged a gurney from the back of an ambulance, pulling from my thoughts. The victim was a ss... but when they rolled him, I saw the Dogs logo on the cut. My breath left my body, and I stared up at the doctor. "He’s... um... he’s family."
Doc frowned. "Who is he?"
I leaned forward and glanced at his patch.
No, no, no, no, no!
"Lily?" Doc pressed.
I bit back tears. "Billy," I rasped. "Billy Jason."
"Okay, get back to the desk and wait for the next one."
I nodded and rushed back inside, picking up the desk phone and calling my dad. "Hawk."
"Daddy," I whispered.
"Lil, what’s wrong?"
"Flea. He’s been shot. He’s bad, Daddy."
"Okay, we’re on our way."
I hung up and fell into the chair next to . Flea wasn’t "on" tonight. Train was. Flea was supposed to be enjoying a rare night off. He’d t a woman, and they’d had plans tonight.
Sarah, the shift manager, walked up to the desk and gave a gentle smile. "I think you should take a break."
I nodded and made my way to the nurse’s area, grabbing my phone from my locker. I needed to talk to Maverick.
I dialed his number, and he answered imdiately. "You okay?"
"Yes. But Flea’s..." I swallowed. "He’s bad, Möosh."
"Okay, baby. I’m on my way."
"Please be careful," I begged. "I don’t know who shot him or where he was when he got shot."
"I’m good, Lil. Knight’s with ."
"What about Ace... or... anyone?"
"No, baby. It’s just us. It’s okay. We’re coming from the clinic."
I bit back tears. "Be careful."
"We will. I’ll see you soon."
He hung up, and I headed to the ergency room waiting area where I knew the Dogs would co first. Train was pacing the room, but when he saw , he opened his arms. I walked into them and bit back tears.
"Okay, Lil. Flea’s a tough motherfucker. He’ll pull through," he said.
"He looked bad, buddy."
"Fuck," he rasped and held tighter.
Train was six-foot-six and probably three-hundred pounds of pure muscle, which matched his na perfectly. Funnily enough, he’d gotten his nickna as a scrawny kid. He’d been tall and lanky and couldn’t keep weight on. But then he got into bodybuilding and bulked up.
We stood there for a few minutes until another, much more familiar set of arms pulled away. "Let’s go talk," Maverick said, and I nodded.
He led down the hall to a more private waiting room. When he wrapped his arms around , I felt free to burst into tears. He held and stroked the back of my neck while I cried.
"I think he’s going to die, Möosh."
"He’s not gonna die, baby. Flea’s tough."
I looked up at him. "I could not make out his face, Maverick. He’d been beaten beyond recognition and then shot. I had to identify him by his cut."
"Was he breathin’?"
I nodded.
"Then he’s gonna be fine," Maverick avowed.
I buried my face back in his chest. "He’d better be."
"Lily?" Dad called.
"In here," I called back.
He rushed in and pulled away from Maverick, hugging tightly. "What happened?"
I filled him in while stepping back into Maverick’s arms.
"Okay, baby girl." Dad nodded. "He’s gonna be fine."
"You both keep saying that, but you didn’t see him," I cried. "It’s bad."
Dad nodded. "Co with . Mom’s in the other waiting room."
"Great, pass off to the ’won,’" I droned sarcastically.
"I’m not goin’ anywhere, Lil," Maverick promised.
"Like I said..." I retorted, and Maverick chuckled.
"Nice."
I sighed. "He’d be the first one to say sothing snarky."
"Yeah, he definitely would," Dad agreed as we walked back down the hall.
I had taken several deep breaths before we faced the group. Most of the Dogs (the ones not guarding one of the girls) were there, along with Mom, Cassidy, Kim, Cricket and Katie. Cricket wasn’t just Hatch’s sister, she was also Katie’s best friend, and she was with Katie who was currently at the nurse’s desk demanding answers about Flea’s injuries—information Sarah wouldn’t have.
Despite Maverick’s arm wrapped around my waist, I rushed forward. "Kate," I called.
Both won turned to , Katie’s eyes filled with tears. "What do you know?"
"We don’t know anything yet. He just went back. He ca in fifteen minutes ago..." I filled her in on everything I knew, giving Sarah a chance to escape to the back to see what she could find out. Since Katie was also a nurse, I was able to give her frank and honest answers, without having to filter too much.
The doctor walked out a few minutes later, a reserved expression on his face.
Shit. Flea didn’t make it. I fell against Maverick but forced myself not to cry.
"Who’s the family of Billy Jason?" Doc asked.
"I’m his sister," Katie said.
"I’m sorry. He didn’t make it."
She cried out, and Train caught her before she hit the ground.
The doctor reached out and squeezed her arm. "If you’d like to see him, I can take you back."
"I’ll go with you," I offered, earning a growl of denial from Maverick. I glanced up at him. "I’m okay."
"I’ll go," Cricket said.
I nodded, and Maverick gave a squeeze. I let him guide back to where the rest of the Club was, and we waited for Katie to co back.
Sarah approached and waved to a private corner. "Go ahead and clock out, hon. Shift is over in less than an hour. We can take it from here."
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Family’s important—more important than the job—so I’m sure."
"Thanks, Sarah."
She smiled and walked away. I headed back to Maverick. "I’m being released, so I’m going to clock out."
"I’m coming with you," Maverick said.
"I’m just going—"
He crossed his arms. "Not up for discussion, Lil."
I nodded and led him back. I clocked out, grabbed my bag, and then we joined the club again in the waiting room. We were there for less than five minutes before Cricket and Katie rushed out.
"It’s not him!" Katie said.
"What?" I asked with a gasp.
"It’s not Flea," Cricket confird.
"But he was wearing his cut," I countered. "The guys never take off their cuts in public."
"He was wearing Flea’s cut, but it’s not him." Katie shoved her phone at Knight. "See?"
"Shit," Knight said and passed the phone to Dad.
"What the fuck is goin’ on?" Dad snapped.
"Where is my brother?" Katie demanded.
"What if it’s one of the Spiders?" Maverick suggested.
"Let’s take this outside," Dad said.
"Or you can quit talking like I’m not here," Katie snapped, "and tell what the fuck is going on."
"Katie, let us figure this out first," Dad placated. "We’ll head back to the house, grab so beers, and see what we can do."
"It’s five thirty in the morning, handso," Mom countered.
"Then we’ll grab coffee," Dad ground out.
She patted his chest with a grin. "I’ll make it."
He rolled his eyes but smiled. "Thanks, baby."
I bit back a yawn and leaned heavily against Maverick. I was happy to go ho, although I doubted I’d be able to sleep.
Maverick kissed my head. "I got you, baby doll."
I nodded, and we headed to his truck.
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