Time seemed to freeze. Becks had no idea what Liam was thinking or considering. Then, slowly, like he was purposefully not making any sudden movements, Liam reached into the purse. It wasn’t large, just a clutch. Becks had no idea how Cameron had fit her gun inside it. Unless she’d gotten the gun from somewhere else. Becks’ back had been turned when she’d pulled it, so she didn’t actually know where the gun had come from. Her fingers were so numb from fear that Becks wasn’t even sure if she was still holding the icepack anymore, and she didn’t dare look down to check.
True to Cameron’s word, Liam did pull out a syringe and a teal rubber tourniquet. He dropped the purse. From how silently it hit the carpet, Becks had to wonder if it was now empty. He tied the tourniquet around his upper arm, pulling it tight with his teeth.
He popped the plastic cap off the needle. His voice did not waver as he told her, “I love you,” before pressing the needle into the crook of his elbow.
Ghost lost the battle,and was forcibly pulled from the wreckage. It was a testament to just how weak he was that they were even able to do it. Sirens flashed outside; ambulances, firetrucks, police cars, and motorcycles filled the street and parking lot.
An oxygen mask was forced over his head nearly as soon as he was outside. Paramedics took him, guiding him onto a stretcher. Ghost tried to get up numerous times, but then a large body crowded over him, pressing him down. Blinking, he was able to clear his vision enough to make out Bear.
“Easy, brother. You’re hurt.”
Ghost struggled to get the mask off his face so he could speak to Bear. “Frankie. She’s still inside. Grumpy too.” Christ, was that his voice?
Bear put the mask back over his nose and mouth. “Keys is working on pulling video so they know exactly how many people were inside. But you need to do your part and stay down.”
Frustration and pain wracked his body. Ghost was not good at staying still. When Bear acknowledged his compliance, he removed his hands from Ghost’s shoulders. “How can I help?” the former RN asked the paramedics.
Together, they worked on getting Ghost’s clothes cut from him so they could diagnose his injuries. It was agony, lying there uselessly while his people needed him. Ghost caught sight of other club members helping the fire department clear the scene. He should be among them.
“Oh fuck!” Bear suddenly shouted. Rushing away, the giant man met two firemen as they dragged someone from the bar.
Ghost sat up, needing to see. For a moment, all he could make out was the long hair, black with soot. It was only the way the firemen were struggling under his body weight that clued Ghost in that it wasn’t a woman between them. The only other person Ghost knew with long hair like that was Grumpy.
He pushed the paramedic who had been bandaging his hand aside as he tried to get up again. “What’s happening?” he demanded from behind the mask.
Another stretcher was brought forward, and Bear lifted their club brother onto it with ease. Ghost’s eyes widened in horror when he saw the large shard of glass sticking out of Grumpy’s face where his left eye had been.
Cameron must have seensomething that Becks didn’t because she suddenly pressed the gun harder against the back of Becks’ head, pushing Becks forward a step. “Don’t even think about it, Ranger! Thevein.”
Still bent forward slightly, Becks looked up through her hair to see Liam’s disgruntled, and rather pissed off, look. She could only assume that, despite the tourniquet, Liam had tried to inject himself intramuscularly instead of in a vein. Becks wasn’t a medical professional, but knew enough to know what Liam’sgoal had likely been to slow down how quickly the drug took effect.
Liam removed the needle from his arm, repositioned, and then reinserted it. Rather than pushing the plunger, though, he lifted it. “I don’t give a fuck what you do to me, Cameron, but hurt my sister, I will end you.” Then he pushed the plunger down.
Becks wasn’t sure what she was expecting. Liam didn’t suddenly implode or drop to the floor. He casually pulled the needle from his arm and removed the tourniquet, dropping both down onto the couch. He turned his gaze on Cameron, utter hatred in his eyes.
Time seemed to slow as Becks waited, not even sure if she was breathing as she watched for some reaction from her brother. His shoulders sagged, and he shook his head as if trying to clear it.
Cameron must have been satisfied with it, though, because she stepped back away from Becks. She even lowered the gun to her side with a satisfied smile on her face. “Such a good boy,” she praised, mockingly.
Becks winced. Seeing her big brother willingly inject himself with an unknown drug to protect her snapped her from her frozen state. Not caring if Cameron shot her, she rushed forward to Liam’s side.
It happened so quickly. One second her brother looked fine, and the next his blinks slowed and he swayed on his feet. Becks caught him, wrapping an arm around his waist. But he was big, heavy with muscle. Thankfully, he didn’t fall. Just stood there with a blissful, dopey look on his face.
“Liam? Liam, are you okay?” When he didn’t answer right away, she rounded on Cameron. “What did you give him? What did you do to him?”
“Well, look who grew a backbone.” Cameron laughed manically. She approached, keeping the gun out but no longer pointed at them. “Truly thought you were going to piss your pants there like the pathetic little bitch you are.”
Becks’ eyes narrowed. Liam clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. A siren went by the window. It wasn’t the first, but Becks hadn’t paid attention to the others with her sole focus on the gun pointed at either herself or her brother. Liam’s head swayed on his shoulders like it was suddenly too heavy for his neck.
“Pretty,” he mumbled, and then walked forward towards the window as if he wanted to chase the lights.
Cameron picked up the discarded needle, tourniquet, and cap from the syringe. She placed all three in her purse. “Now, the three of us are going to go for a ride in my car. And before you try to grab anyone’s attention or call out for help, remember that, one, I have the antidote to what your brother just injected himself with, and two, the police are a little busy right now.”
As if her mind had rewound to Cameron’s first words when she’d pulled the gun, Becks realized only now what Cameron had said. “You planted a bomb? That’s what that was?”
Cameron nodded. “Bought off a group of brothers who had beef with the bar. They were only too happy to make it for me, and all I had to do was blow them a few times. Men, am I right?” she scoffed with an eyeroll as if she and Becks were bonding over the eccentricities of the opposite sex.
Cameron approached Becks and Liam, patting Liam’s chest. “But then again, we already knew just how stupid men could be. Gotta be the protectors, the big man on campus, and yet it’s always a shock when women come out on top.”
