“Alright. I need you to help me out here,” I groan, hoisting him to his feet. He doesn’t really help, but he is at least trying.
His eyes open a bit and his brows pinch. “Gabe?”
“Yeah. I’m here. What the fuck are you doing to yourself, man?” I grunt, trying to keep us both standing. “I need you to help me get your big ass to the truck, okay?”
He nods, trying to shuffle to the door.
It’s not pretty, but we get there. Ash grabs her shit and runs out behind us.
“I’ll sit in the back with him,” she yells.
After shoving him into the back seat, I wait until she slides in before shutting the door and racing around the truck.
“If you puke in this truck, you’re cleaning it up the second you’re discharged,” I snap back at Shane as I climb in the driver’s seat, but he’s already out again.
On the way to the hospital, I call JT. He’s going to pick up Nik and meet us there. The whole drive, Ash sits in the back running her hands through his hair and whispering as tears stream down her face.
I hate it when she cries. It feels like a shirt that just doesn’t fit quite right.
Within seconds of arriving at the ER, we’re surrounded by doctors and nurses who rush him inside. Ash stands next to the truck, tears spilling down her face.
So, out of something that feels an awful lot like habit, I pull her to me.
“He’ll be okay.” Her floral shampoo fills my nose, and I resist the urge to press my lips to the top of her head.
Her shoulders shake as she wraps her arms around me. It’s familiar, and something stirs in my chest that I know is going to hurt later, but right now all I can think about is her.
Eventually, she pulls away with blotchy cheeks and bloodshot eyes.
“I need to be with him,” she says.
She’s wearing nothing but tiny pajama shorts and a matching tank top. I reach back into the truck, grabbing my gray hoodie before pulling it over her. Because she’s so short, it covers more than the shorts did.
“Thank you,” she mutters, not making eye contact with me.
“I’ll wait for Nik. We’ll be in when she gets here.”
She nods, disappearing inside.
When JT and Nik show up, Nik flings open the door and shoots out of the passenger seat. “Is he okay?”
“I don’t know. They took him inside.”
She doesn’t stop to listen.
JT smacks my back, pulling me into a hug. I wouldn’t say I’m an emotional guy. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve really lost my shit, but this is testing my ability to hold it together.
“He’ll be fine,” JT says.
We’ve been inseparable since birth, except for the few years he did in jail. He’s had my back more times than I can count, and now is no exception.
I nod, and we head into the building to find out if we lose a brother tonight.
Pacing as half the club fills the waiting room, I’m surprised I haven’t worn down the white flooring.
The clock ticks—ten minutes, twenty, an hour. Still no news.
Ash sits by the window with her legs curled under her. She’s been staring out at the night since I came inside. It’s hard to watch.
