“We’re going.” Hawk stood, nodding at the paramedic. “Get the gurney over here. Or I’ll carry her. Whichever is easier.”
Jessie’s eyes dropped to his chest, the faintest hint of pink dusting her cheeks.
“You’re not wearing a shirt.” She frowned. “Or shoes. Did you run here barefoot? What were you doing?”
“Shit, yeah.” He hadn’t even realized he wasn’t fully dressed. “I was in the locker room at work. Colt called me and didn’t give me any details. Just said you needed me.”
Her eyes went wide and glassy. “So you just ran here? Without a shirt or shoes?”
“Youneeded me,Jess.That’s all that mattered.”
She shook her head, her eyes focusing back on his face. “I need you to hear me now, then. Okay? I’m not going to the hospital. I feel… I feel shaky, but I’m fine. Bee is fine. Here.” Jessie grabbed Hawk’s hand and held it to her belly, just below her ribs. The baby pressed her bum out against his palm, and just a little bit of the ache in his chest went away. “But Lachlan. Hawk. It’s really bad…”
He was hurt.
“How bad?”
“His leg. It’s crushed. I don’t–” Her choked-back sob spurred him into action.
“You’re sure you’re okay? That Bee’s okay?”
She nodded and Hawk turned to the paramedic. “Can you find out what hospital they’re taking him to? We’ll sign off on not riding in with you, and I’ll take her to the one her brother is going to instead.”
“Yeah, I can do that.” He turned and started walking back toward his rig. Hawk pulled his phone out from his pocket.
“What are you going to do?” Jessie asked, reaching her hand out to him. Hawk threaded his fingers through hers, his thumb rubbing against the back of her hand.
“I’m going to call Mae. Ask her to get us both a change of clothes and tell her what’s going on. I’m sure she won’t mind grabbing Stone and they can drive down with us to the hospital.”
“Hawk, we don’t need?—”
“No, Pretty Girl.” He cupped her cheek. “We do. I know you said you feel fine, but I’m not taking any chances with you and the baby. It’ll be good to have Stone in the car with us.”
“Okay.”
The paramedic returned with a clipboard and handed it to Jessie.
“There are just a few documents here that I’ll need you to sign.”
She took the papers and pen with her free hand, squeezing him gently. “You can call Mae while I’m doing this. I really just want to get back in there and check on my brother.”
He nodded, hating to drop her hand, but knowing it was necessary. It killed him to walk away, but he didn’t want Jessie to hear how much he was freaking out. And the second he got on the phone with Mae, he knew it would be obvious.
“Why the hell did you run out of here like that? And then not answer your phone the four-hundred-and-fifty times I called.”His sister was pissed.
“I need your help.”
Mae paused for a moment, silence filling the line.“Is it Jessie? Is she okay?”
“She’s okay. There was an…” Accident? Issue? Attack? Fuck, he didn’t know what the hell had really happened. “Something happened at Lach’s place. Jessie’s saying she’s okay, but Lachlan’s not. We’re trying to figure out where they’re going to take him. Can you run up to my place and throw a change of clothes into a bag for me?”
“Of course.”
“Something comfortable for Jess. I don’t give a shit if it’s pajamas or what. Just something cozy. She’s in shock and we need to check on the baby once we get to wherever the fuck they’re taking her brother.”
“Yeah. I got it. Do you want me to take your truck over there?”
“Yep.”
