“What hurts?”
“Everything,” Emmett mumbled, burying his face in Wilder’s shoulder.
Even though it had been him or the SUV, he still hated that he’d hurt Emmett. He was the kind of sweet that would have his sister describing him as a cinnamon roll. He wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, but the fact that Emmett was hurt and still asking ifhewas okay only brought out that protective streak of his even harder. Someone was going to die for this.
He walked up the patio steps and through the front door Spencer had left open. He stepped into the foyer, his gaze dropping to Emmett’s face against his chest, and what he couldsee of those soft lines, creamy skin, and long dark lashes made his heart race for unknown reasons.
“What the hell happened?”
He reluctantly looked up from Emmett to meet Emma’s worried gaze. She had a large bag in one hand. Her med-kit.
“He almost got hit by a car. I had to throw him to the ground. I caught his head, but you should probably check his implants.”
Emma nodded, her expression grave as she waved him closer. He walked past her, through the living room, and toward his own bedroom. Emma followed close behind, and when he reached the door, he waited for her to open it for them. He stepped inside, carefully putting Emmett down on his bed.
He’d thought about getting Emmett in his bed, but this sure as fuck wasn’t how he’d imagined it would happen.
Blue eyes blinked open, lashes fluttering and capturing all of Wilder’s attention. Emmett looked at him with something soft and much too appreciative for his liking. He didn’t deserve that.
He brushed sticky blond hair off Emmett’s forehead while Emma took a seat on the bed next to them. As she started looking Emmett over, it only solidified that whirlwind of anger and guilt deep in his gut, and if he kept looking at Emmett, he feared what those feelings might have him doing, so he walked out without a word and closed the door behind him.
He stood there, unmoving except to clench his hands, and winced at the spark of pain traveling up his arms.
Footsteps had him snapping his head up. Spencer took one look at him and walked straight back out of the room. Smart man. He wasn’t sure what he might do with how fucked his emotions were.
Pacing in front of his bedroom door didn’t lessen the anxiety building inside him, and yet he couldn’t seem to stop. He had no concept of how much time had passed when Kaz, Remy, andKillian came through the front door.Anytime was too long right now.
“How is he?” Kaz asked, his brows furrowed in clear concern.
Wilder shrugged, gaze turning toward his bedroom door. “Emma’s with him.”
Kaz pressed his lips together, then nodded and headed toward the meeting room, the others following. He didn’t move even as others came through the door and disappeared into the room. He wasn’t going anywhere until?
The click of his bedroom door opening had him whirling around, acid burning in his throat. Emma stepped out with near-silent steps, a small smile on her lips when she met his gaze.
“I think you saved him from a concussion. It’s mostly bruises and the adrenaline kicking off. He should be fine with a bit of rest.”
The relief her words brought was short-lived, replaced by the clench of a fear he couldn’t place. He shoved it down, fighting to breathe slowly through it. Now was not the time for whatever the hell this was.
He started toward the meeting room, Emma’s footsteps quiet as she followed behind him. He stepped into the room and grabbed the door handle after a cursory glance around the room to ensure everyone was present, and once Emma was inside, he closed the door and made his way to his chair.
“The driver?” he asked Kaz the second his ass hit the seat.
“There was a driver and a passenger. Solo put them in the basement.”
He gave a curt nod, and from the tightening of Kaz’s lips, he understood exactly where his thoughts were. Those two were going to regret having been born once he got his hands on them.
“First, they drive by yesterday, making a show of it, and now they try to run over civilians?” Killian said with a shake of his head.
Wilder felt his brows crease.
“They might’ve seen Emmett on the back of my bike,” he said, tapping his fingers against his thigh and ignoring the spark of pain in his knuckles. He hated that. Hated that by getting Emmett to safety yesterday, he might’ve quite literally put him in the gang’s crosshairs.
“Well. Clearly, he’s a target now,” Kian said, his voice a deep rumble as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.
“I want someone on him twenty-four-seven,” Emma said, her gaze snapping onto Wilder. “Why weren’t you there?”
“He very clearly was, or your boy would’ve been roadkill,” Cooper snarked.
