“I don’t remember anything,” Holden says gruffly, the smoke making his voice scratchy.
“What’s the last thing you remember?” I ask softly.
“Sitting in my office digging through files.” He swallows with a wince.
Ryder rubs his hand down his cheek. “It’s okay. Rest.”
“No,” Holden says, “I found something, but I don’tremember.”
Ryder and I exchange a look. “You’ll remember,” I soothe. “You hit your head really hard. The doctor said it could cause temporary memory loss.”
Holden’s eyes start fluttering. “I don’t remember,” he repeats.
“Rest. It’s okay,” I say softly. “We’ll be here when you wake up.”
Ryder and I wait for his breathing to even out before we move to the back of the room. “Someone that works for me set those explosives,” I whisper. “No one else could have gotten in to do it.”
“Ghost and Caden are at the house. They ran the cops off, throwing their weight around with their crews,” Ryder whispers back. “Micah’s there too. He said the house is a total loss,Il mio sole.”
I figured that, but that doesn’t mean it hurt any less. That was my dad’s house; all our memories and the ones I’ve made with the guys are there. “That doesn’t matter. All that matters is we’re all out and alive.” I rake my hand through my hair. “I need to find out who tried to fucking blow up Holden and why.”
Ryder glances at a sleeping Holden and then back at me. “He said he found something. Then the house exploded. That wasn’t a coincidence.”
“You think the house is bugged?” I ask.
“I don’t know. But we need to get him the hell out of here; we’re sitting ducks here.”
I nod. “We can’t go anywhere anyone knows about.”
“I’ll make some calls,” Ryder replies, kissing my cheek. He takes one last look at Holden before striding from the room.
I sit back down in the chair, taking his hand. I almost lost him today. Three of my guys have been hurt because of Viktor and Jay.
Someone on my payroll has been flipped by one of them to help keep Jay’s promise of taking them out one by one. They don’t realize they did the one thing that would turn the tables. They just pissed off seven people that would doanythingfor each other. I refuse to sit by this time and let them bring the fight to me.
I’m going to bring it to theirdoorstep this time.
Two hours later,we’re pulling into Rocco’s safe house that Ryder didn’t even know about. Ghost and Caden did a car switch just in case Ryder was being tracked.
I don’t usually show my ass with innocent people, but the minute that nurse looked at me and told me I wasn’t taking Holden with me, I lost it. She didn’t take long to thrust the papers at me to sign him out against medical advice. Doc met us in the parking lot with oxygen and supplies so we can take care of him. He’s asleep in the back with his head on Ryder’s lap, still mumbling that he found something and can’t remember. Dex pulls to a stop in front of the house, and Ryder runs his fingers through Holden’s hair. “We’re here,Bello.”
It’s only thirty minutes from the city but looks like light years. The house is tucked into a massive group of trees, blocking it from sight. It’s perfect. It only took us so long to get here because the fight with the hospital, and Dex drove around forever, ensuring we weren’t being followed.
Holden blinks a couple of times, groaning when Ryder helps him sit up. “We’ll get you something for the pain when we get inside,” I tell him gently.
We slide out while Ryder gently helps him out. Ryder keys in the code for the front door, pushing it open when the lock clicks.
The house is spacious inside, with an open floor plan, several doors line down the hallway, and a spiral staircase leading up to a huge loft.
Ryder takes Holden straight to one of the bedrooms, so I follow behind him. Together, we get him set up, so he’s comfortable. Zane walks in with a few pain pills and a glass of water. “Take these. They’ll help you sleep,” Zane says, handing them to him.
Holden pushes them away. “I don’t want to sleep. I need to remember what I found.”
Zane sits on the edge of the bed. “You’ll remember in time. Youcan’t rush something like that.” He holds his hands out again. “Take them.” Holden reluctantly takes them before handing the water back to Zane. “Thank you, Sweet boy.” Holden’s eyes widen at the nickname that I’m not even sure Zane is aware he keeps calling him, and then his face breaks out in a big smile.
We sit there until Holden’s eyelids start drooping from the pain meds kicking in. We kiss him on the forehead before meeting the others in the living room. We need a game plan. Now.
Zane and Ryder pull me to sit on the loveseat between them, Leo and Gage across from us on the couch, and Dex in the recliner to our right.
