Fear has me in a chokehold, but I make the decision. I rush toward her. She squeals and holds the knife up and away from me, but I overpower her. I grab the handle from her clutches and toss it away from us, onto the bed.
I wrap my arms around her, holding her as she cries hysterically and goes limp in my embrace. “Help!” I yell out. “Is anyone there? I need help.”
After a moment, Ava rushes in, her eyes wide as her hand flies to her mouth.
“Go get Reaper and call an ambulance,” I tell her.
She nods and leaves while I hold Mercedez, rubbing soothing circles on her back. “Shhh... it’s going to be okay.”
“But you chose her,” she whispers, her voice cracking.
“I haven’t chosen anyone,” I lie. I’ll always choose Milly, but I don’t want to make Mercedez’s condition worse.
I hear heavy footsteps. Reaper and Bomber stride into the room and approach us cautiously. Their eyes dart to the knife on the bed, then to Mercedez in my arms. The room feels claustrophobic as I feel the weight of their judgement. I try to step toward them to talk in private, but Mercedez grips my shirt. My mouth is dry as I struggle to find the right words without giving Milly’s and my secret away.
“What the hell is going on here?” Reaper demands, his voice low and dangerous.
“She’s not well,” I say, nodding toward the knife. “She needs help. I think I should go with her to the hospital.”
“No, not toher,” says Mercedez, with a bite in her tone.
I suck in a breath as Reaper gives me an odd look.
“I’ll be with you the whole time Mercedez. I’ll stay with you for as long as I can, I promise.” I’m quietly begging her not to say anything.
She pulls away and stares into my eyes. “You promise?”
I nod.
Her breathing stutters. “Oh-kay. If you leave me, I have nothing left.”
“You need to go to the hospital,” Reaper says in a softer voice as he talks to Mercedez. “We’ll get you the help you need. We take care of our own.”
She nods and her shoulders sag.
I stay with Mercedez. It feels like forever until the ambulance arrives, but once I hear the sirens and see those blue and red lights flashing through the window, I pick Mercedez up and carry her past Reaper and Bomber, downstairs and outside. Everyone’s curious eyes are on us.
Trixie and Dolly dart over. “Oh my god, is she okay?” Dolly asks.
“She will be,” I reply.
Once the ambulance pulls up outside the clubhouse, the paramedic gets out and asks questions, and I answer her while staring at Mercedez on the stretcher.
“Twitch,” Mercedez calls out, stretching her hand to touch mine.
“You can come to the hospital,” says the paramedic, so I jump up into the ambulance, take a seat, and take Mercedez’s hand in mine.
“It’s going to be okay,” I say to her.
“I’ll be okay ifyou’rewith me,” she answers, and my gut drops to my feet. I may not see her as my life partner, but we have been friendly for many years now, and I’d hate to see her hurt herself because of me.
The paramedic fusses over Mercedez as I sit back and let her do her job. I space out on the way to the hospital. Dread builds when we reach it. The door opens and I see Milly’s face.
“No!” Mercedez screams. “He’s mine... Did you hear me, bitch? He’s mine, not yours!”
Milly’s face turns ashen.
“Milly, go and get the other doctor,” I tell her. I don’t want to make this situation worse.
