Saint didn’t say anything, but let her search out the truth in his gaze. He wouldn’t be responsible for giving her that information. Information that could be used against her in the future should the worst happen, and he be arrested. But she was smart enough to read him. And she knew this life. She hadn’t wanted him to kill Jason on her behalf, but this was different. This was club business. Demo would die today regardless, and Saint deserved the kill.
“Be careful,” Beth whispered.
“I’m always careful.” He gave her a tense smile. Careful was his middle name. This would be the easiest job in the world.Easiest and most satisfying. His brothers were serving Demo to him on a silver platter. “You don’t need to worry about me.”
“He might be a little dinged up by the time you get to him, brother,” Copper broke in before they could spend the next hour going back and forth about her not needing to worry about him.
“What do you mean?”
“He fired on Zach. Grazed his shoulder. Zach’s fucking pissed. He wanted a little alone time with your guest before we let you at him.”
“Oh my God,” Beth whispered. “Is Zach okay?”
Copper nodded. “Yeah, really was just a graze. Got himself a Bluey Band-Aid and a kiss from Tori. He’s good. Just pissed.”
Saint didn’t laugh with the rest of them. They’d come close to losing so much today. Too close. He’d be hearing Screw tell him Beth was missing in his nightmares for years to come. So much could have gone wrong, and while he should focus on how Beth was next to him and safe, he couldn’t stop thinking about how close he’d come to losing her.
“Hey,” Beth said, cutting through his darkening thoughts. “You okay?” Beth asked, searching his gaze.
He kissed her knuckles. “I’m perfect, baby.” The last thing she needed was to be worrying about his headspace.
Shell cleared her throat. “We’ll give you two some space. Beth, please call us if you need anything. Otherwise, we can come back when you’re being discharged.”
Beth blinked. “Oh, right.” She chuckled. “I’m living at your house.”
Sure, maybe on paper she was residing with her parents, but he’d be damned if she went there over Saint’s house when they released her. He raised an eyebrow, silently asking her to come home with him. Her cheeks turned pink as she nodded.
“I got it, Shell. Beth’s going to come stay with me when she’s discharged.”
Copper narrowed his eyes, earning a backhand to the stomach from his wife.
“Perfect,” Shell said with a wide smile. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
“What?” Copper scowled at her.
“We’re going now.” She blew them kisses. “Love you both.”
“Shell…”
“Come on, big guy. They don’t want us hanging around anymore.” She somehow muscled her much larger husband out the door without much effort, waving as she left.
Copper muttered his displeasure the whole time. Saint was pretty sure he caught something about ‘living in sin,’ which made him snort with laughter.
As soon as they left, Beth sagged against the mattress. “What a mindfuck this day has been. My head is spinning in a million directions.” She yawned as her blinks grew longer. “I’m exhausted.”
“Sleep, baby.” Saint stroked a hand over her hair. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”
“Will you lie with me?”
“Babe…”
“Please. Just for a little while. I…” The tears came out of nowhere. One second, she was fine, and the next, her whole body was shaking, sobs tearing out of her chest despite the pain it caused. All the terror she’d shoved down in that warehouse, all the fear she’d counted to thirty and locked away, it came flooding back at once, drowning her.
“S-sorry,” she choked out between sobs. “I don’t… I can’t—”
She couldn’t even finish a sentence.
Couldn’t stop shaking.
