“Brantley.”
“Oh, that’s right.”
“Did you hear the whole conversation?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No. My ears perked up when you asked if you’d have to testify.”
I dipped my chin. “I’m guessing you gave a statement last week while I was in ICU.”
She nodded. “I did. The club’s lawyer went with me. I can’t believe they killed Tobias.”
I shook my head. “You don’t mean that. He and Brantley took their product. Drug dealers don’t let that shit slide. I’m just surprised Brantley didn’t get killed, too.”
She leaned closer. “Nate talked to me. He was able to notify another undercover officer about Brantley being taken from the house and they intercepted at the apartment complex where Tobias lived. It’s also how they found out Tobias was dead. Otherwise, who knows when his body would have been found.”
I’d been in and out of it on pain meds for the last few days. The detective took my statement about the shooting, but he didn’t share any information about Porter. As much as I hated to bring him up to Alexandra, I hated not knowing what was going on with him.
“Do you know if Porter had his arraignment?” I asked
A humorless, closed-lip smile twisted her lips. “Yeah. The judge denied him bail because he’s a flight risk, seeing as his family came down from Missouri to post it.”
“Really?”
She nodded. “I don’t care what this says about me, but it makes me feel better knowing he isn’t roaming around Gainesville.”
Clouds outside my room shifted and the sun brightened the room.
I squeezed Alexandra’s hand. “Don’t you have class today?”
She grinned. “It’s Tuesday, so no classes today. Only Mondays and Wednesdays.”
“Slacker,” I muttered.
“Whatever. Aren’t they going to discharge you today?”
I looked toward the door. “I sure as hell hope so. It’s too fuckin’ noisy around here and the food sucks.”
She shot me a half-hearted glare. “I bring you food every time I visit and so does your mom and sister.”
I widened my eyes. “Yeah, because the food here sucks.”
A metal bang came from the doorway right before a nurse pushed a wheelchair into the room. “Mr. Rolland, if you’re dressed, I’ve got your discharge papers and can wheel you down to the parking lot.”
Alexandra’s eyes lit up and she beamed at me. “Excellent! I don’t know about you, but after this, I don’t want to see another hospital for a long, long time.”
Two weeks later, on a Thursday afternoon, Alexandra stood in my driveway with her arms crossed under her tits.
She glared at me like she could singe my soul. “You aren’t cleared for this kind of activity, Rafferty.”
I twirled my keys on my index finger, then mirrored her pose. “Woman, I didn’t check the discharge papers, but I’m pretty sure I’m good to do this. Regardless, I don’t give a damn about medical clearance. We’re goin’ to the clubhouse, and I’ll be damned if we don’t get there on my Triumph.”
Her arms unfolded, she put her hands on her hips and stepped into my space. “Almost four weeks ago, you were shot and I held someone else’s hands to your chest to keep you from dying. For almost three hours, the idea that you could die was averyreal possibility and I’ll never forget that feeling. I’ll be damned if we get on that bike since it might put usbothin danger.”
I exhaled and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her to me tight. Even though I was the one who got shot, it had taken a heavy toll on her, too. A toll she never let anyone see, not even me.
That was my woman, though. Stubborn, strong, and opinionated.
“I’m sorry, Lex.”
