“Darin,” Nina says in a panic.
Alarm shoots through me. “You okay?”
“There’s a fight at the Roadhouse.”
“I know.” I’m an idiot for making the call. I can’t just blurt out that I wanted to check on her.
“Pops says hi.”
My dad? Wait.
“You’re at the Den?” I was hoping she was at home with her sister.
“Yeah. Lauren and I wanted to help Nana out tonight.”
“Don’t walk home alone.” It’s not an order. It probably sounded like one, though.
“Don’t worry. Your dad and Granddad offered to walk us home.”
That’s a relief. I silently thank my dad.
“Okay. The boys and I are on the way.”
Chapter 12
Nina
Lauren and I stayed at the Den until almost two. Several of the Vikings returned with minor injuries. I offered to help them. Hendrix opened up an old office that Lily turned into a medical room for moments like this. Club life is rougher than I thought. Thankfully, the medical supplies I needed were here.
As an ER nurse in a major city for a decade, I’ve seen some pretty weird injuries, especially in the early morning hours. Los Angeles is a bizarre city at night. I was able to help most of the Vikings. Well, except for Patches. The prospect’s left hand was broken. I didn’t need an X-ray to confirm it, but I sent him to the hospital anyway. Lily tried to come help me, but Granddad marched her right back to the main house. Pops and Hendrix walked Lauren and me home after the last biker was treated.
It's six in the morning. Neither of us has slept. We sit quietly at the kitchen island with a fresh cup of coffee. I’ve lost count of how many pots this makes. Breakfast is just bagels with cream cheese. We don’t feel like cooking. Our eyes widen, and we jump off our stools when the front door opens. Jay rushes in and slams his overnight bag on the couch.
“You need to calm down.” Jack storms in behind him.
Jay whirls around to face his cousin. “I’m calm.” He tosses his hand toward the front door. “The world fell apart while I was gone, butI’m calm.”
Oh no, he’s not. Seeing my nephew like this breaks my heart.
“Really?” Jack stares at him like he’s grown wings or something.
“Jason?” Lauren slowly walks into the living room.
Jay’s back straightens at the sound of his mother’s voice. He inhales deeply before turning to face her. These two clung tightly to each other when they lost his father.
“I’m okay, Mom.” His voice is level and even. He’s never spoken to her out of anger.
“I’ll fix you breakfast.” Lauren walks past me, back to the kitchen.
“You don’t have to,” Jay calls out.
“I do.” She continues to set everything for pancakes on the counter.
This is what they do when one of them is upset. Jay was only ten when his father died. For some reason, having pancakes together calmed them both. No one questioned it. No one told them to stop. It’s what they needed, and all of us backed away when it happened.
“This wasn’t your fault,” Jack lowers his voice.
“I wasn’t here.” Jay runs a hand over his face. “The one time I leave town, the Mavericks attacked Bankz.”
