The room begins to spin. Feeling like I can’t breathe, I heave in what little air I can. Oh, God, I really can’t breathe; what if no one comes to check on me, and I can’t catch my breath? What if they come back? Oh, God, I haven’t told anyone who it was. What if they are out there in the waiting room with the rest of the brothers, pretending to care? Oh shit, what if Wrath has gone home and left them out there to ‘protect me’. Tears stream down my face, and my mind goes into overdrive.
Suddenly, the door bursts open, and Wrath races over to me, followed by Nitro and Tongue. Black spots are forming in my eyes, and everything begins to blur. Wrath grabs me and pulls me into him. I can feel him rubbing my back and I know he’s saying something, but I can’t make out what it is, it feels like his trying to talk to me under water.
How can I tell him that it was one of his brothers that did this to me? They said I would destroy the club if I ever told anyone about them. When they realised I was never going to believe that Wrath ordered them to hurt me, they tried to tell me that I would ruin his world if it got out what they did. That I would tear not only the London Chapter apart but the others too. I let out a sob when I think of the brothers, all of the guys from the Newcastle chapter, Juggler and Griff, and the Manchester boys. I can’t ruin their lives. I can’t destroy everything they’ve worked so hard to build.
But how do I go on without telling anyone? I know once he thinks I’m a little more stable, he’s going to ask me who did this, and he’s going to ask me to tell him everything. I don’t want their worlds to crumble because of me. But I also don’t want to lie. I can’t lie.
Being in his arms brings me peace. I feel safe with him. I can feel the panic starting to wane slightly, and my vision begins to return. I scrunch my eyes one last time before opening them and sobbing when I see my dad standing at the foot of the bed. I hold my hand out, and he rushes over to me, pushing Wrath out of the way and taking up his spot. I see Wrath’s face fall, and I feel a moment of guilt as I blurt out, “Dad, take me home.”
My dad tenses as Wrath’s posture stiffens.
“Sweetheart. If you’re sure, I’ll take you home, but maybe you should take a couple of days to think about it,” my dad says to me quietly. Both Wrath and Tongue are watching me, waiting for my response, but Nitro’s gaze is fixed on Wrath as he steps closer to him.
I shake my head. “Please. I’m sure.” I let out a sob. I don’t want to go home, but I can’t tell them who did this.
“Ok, kiddo. I’ll take you home as soon as you’re discharged.” My dad agrees, although he doesn’t sound too sure.
I watch as so many emotions play across Wrath’s face. Then I see him curl is fingers into a fist before stealing himself. I see him swallow and then give me the smallest of nods before turning his back and leaving. Nitro moves toward me and places a gentle kiss on the top of my head. “I’ll be back,” he tells me and then follows Wrath. I turn to Tongue, waiting for him to leave, but he takes a seat on the other side of my bed and grabs a hold of my hand.
“I don’t think you want to leave.”
“I have to,” I cry at him, but he shakes his head.
He looks up at my dad and then back to me.
“Please stay?” he begs, and my heart breaks a little more.
I’m so confused, this is messing with my head, and I can feel the panic rising once again. But before it has a chance to take hold, my dad speaks. “Tongue, we should let her rest.” Tonguenods and then places a kiss on my cheek, but he doesn’t leave. He just leans back in his chair, folding his arms.
My dad chuckles, placing a kiss on my head and smiling at Tongue before heading out the door and leaving me to get some rest.
Chapter
Fifty-One
I see red. The rage is suffocating. I knew she wouldn’t forgive me; fuck, I don’t deserve her forgiveness, but there was a small part of me that had hope. I catch a glimpse of Nitro walking toward me as I swing my leg over my bike and start the engine. Not in the mood to listen to his shit, I quickly throw on my helmet and pull away before he has a chance to reach me. I need some fucking time to myself. I only have myself to blame. I know that. But I can’t help being pissed. I’ve fucking lost her. She’s walking away.
I rode for nearly three hours before I realised that I didn’t want to be that far from her. But as I pull into the car park at the hospital, I’m surprised to see there are no other bikes here. When I left, there were more than ten of the brothers here. The brothers didn’t want to leave, so there’s always been a lot here. I get that she’s fucking leaving but that doesn’t mean we should leave her unprotected. Ready to tear Nitro a new one, I dial his number as I make my way up to her ward, where she’s been for the last couple of weeks.
He answers on the second ring and doesn’t give me a chance to speak. “Done with your fucking temper tantrum, are ya?”
“Why the fuck has everyone left the hospital? I deserve her leaving, but she doesn’t deserve to have no protection.”
He lets out snort. “She has fucking protection. Unlike you, we didn’t fucking run off on her?—”
“Run off on her? I needed fucking air. She’s fucking leaving, you heard her tell her dad to take her home. Forgive me if I needed a minute.”
“Are you done?” he asks. And I don’t say anything else because I am, I mean, what else am I meant to say?
“Get your arse back to the clubhouse. I want you in Church, thirty minutes.”
“I’m going to see her first?—”
“She isn’t fucking there, Wrath. That’s the only reason we left. Because she did.”
Fuck. She left and didn’t even stick around to say goodbye. I think I’m going to vomit.
“Brother, come back to the clubhouse,” his tone changes. “We can talk when you get here.”
