“You whacked someone else with a hammer?” Marcel speaks each word slowly. He stares at me for a second. Without waiting for me to answer, he takes my uninjured hand and leads me to the sink. “Let’s wash you up.”
Maybe I’m in shock or I just want the comfort of my big brother, but I let him run warm water over my hands and gently soap up my skin.
“What happened to the guys?” he asks in a voice I barely hear over the running water.
“I don’t know.”
He accepts that answer for now. “Let’s go find some coffee.”
“I don’t want to leave,” I protest as he leads me into the hallway. “What if they have—”
“Charlotte will let us know.” He nods to Charlotte who stationed herself across from the nurses’ station. Out of the way but able to hear if anyone mentions Blake’s name. “Come on.”
Empire Med is a huge hospital. Easy to get lost, even though I’ve interned here over a couple of semesters, but I locate the self-serve cafeteria. It’s deserted at this hour. Only a few people talking softly in the opposite corner of the room.
“How can you want to work here?” Marcel asks once we’re seated at a table with two pee-warm cups of coffee.
“Is that what you want to talk about?”
His tired blue eyes pierce me. “Tell me who did it and where are they now?”
I’m so not ready to have this conversation with my brother. “Griff and Remy said they’d take care of it.”
By the way Marcel growls, I gather they’re not two of his favorite people at the moment. The last thing I need is my brother taking off and going after them. “It wasn’t their fault.”
“Bullshit.” He pulls out his phone and checks his texts. “Rock’s in the parking lot. Let’s go up and meet him.”
Thank God.
We end up running into Rock right outside the waiting room. “Heidi-girl, you okay?” Rock calls out, holding out his arms. “What happened?”
I take comfort against Rock as he pulls me against him, hugging me tight. “I never would’ve let him take you if I knew this would happen.” Rock’s rumbling voice reassures me.
“It was good I was there.” I suck in a deep breath and steel myself for a whole lot of questions. “Besides, it’s my fault.”
“How the fuck is any of this your fault?” Disbelief drips from my brother’s words, as if he thinks I’m only saying it to protect Blake.
Rock studies the room and area around us. “Not here.”
“Heidi, have you heard anything?” Griff storms into the room fully focused on me.
Marcel moves fast and has Griff pinned against the wall with a hand around his throat in two seconds. “You have nerve showing up here.”
Griff holds his hands up in the air.
Rock releases me and moves to diffuse the situation.
“What the fuck kind of operation are you kids running out there?” Rock growls.
Or not.
Rock touches my brother’s arm. “Let him go. This isn’t the time or place.”
Griff doubles over coughing when my brother releases him. After a second, he straightens up. Instead of running from the room—like any sane person would do with two six foot plus bikers glaring at him—he meets their stares head-on. “I don’t know everything that happened. That kid’s been there a few times, shows up at Zips, but no one knows him that well—”
“I know him.”
All eyes land on me, and I flinch from their scrutiny.
“Murphy said you know him from school?” Griff says. “The other guy has been hanging around Eraser’s.”
“What other guy?” Marcel practically shouts.
“Easy,” Rock growls. “Cops are going to show up any minute.”
“We have both of them.” Griff lowers his voice. “Secure at our place.”
“They’re mine,” Marcel says.
“They’re Murphy’s,” Rock corrects. He leans close to my brother and in a lower voice adds, “Now, shut the fuck up.”
Rock’s the only person who’s ever been able to control my brother to some extent once he’s riled up.
Marcel glares at Griff one last time before storming out of the room.
“Heidi, is there anything at all I can do for you?” Griff pleads. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” Nope, this is all on me.
Rock loops his arm over Griff’s shoulder and somehow Griff doesn’t lose control over his bladder function. They take a few steps away and speak in low tones I can’t overhear.
Finally, Griff nods and backs away. “I’ll take care of it,” he says before taking off.
Wrath and Trinity show up next.
Bricks, Hoot, Birch, Sparky, Stash, and Ravage all eventually make their way into the waiting room.
Everyone’s grim and quiet while we wait for news.
Charlotte returns and pushes a cup of hot chocolate in my hand. It tastes like rusty nails, but it brings some warmth to my blood, so I sip it down. Trinity unwraps a sandwich and tries to entice me to eat something.
“I can’t,” I whisper.
The scent of blood and dirt still envelopes my senses.
The doctor returns, and I jump out of my chair.
“He’s stable, but he’s still unconscious,” the doctor says.
“That’s normal though, right?”
His face remains blank. “For now. The best thing for you to do is go home and rest. We’ll call if there are any changes.”
“Heidi,” Rock says after the doctor leaves.
“No. I’m not leaving him.”
“Honey.” Trinity slides her arm over my shoulders. “You’re covered in blood and dirt. Let’s get you home and cleaned up.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Heidi,” Wrath rumbles.
“Me either,” Charlotte says. “I’ll call you as soon as we hear something.”
“But the doctors won’t tell you anything?”
Charlotte shrugs and tugs on the ends of her hair. “I can pass for his sister.” She slaps the arm of her chair. “Actually, I don’t need to do that. I have all those papers I drew up for you guys. He named Teller as one of his proxies. They’ll give him information.”
“I was just going to beat the info out of them.” Wrath shrugs. “Your way might be quicker.”
Trinity chuckles.
“Good to know we have a backup plan.” Charlotte pats Wrath’s arm. “Thank you.”
“You have your Jeep, Trinny?” Rock asks.
“Yup. You want to drive her home?”
Rock looks torn between staying and squeezing information about tonight’s events out of me. “Yeah.”
She tosses him her keys. I don’t even bother protesting. I’m more worried about Rock being disappointed in me than angry.
“Come on, Heidi-girl.” Rock gently steers me into the hallway and out the door. Outside, we run into my brother.
He jumps as soon as he sees us. “What happened? Is he okay? Is he awake?”
“Easy,” Rock says. “He’s still out. Doc told her to go home and rest.” He jerks his head toward the parking lot. “Join us.”
It’s not a request.
“Charlotte’s staying,” I said. “Everyone else is there.”
Marcel looks me over. “You need to get cleaned up before you talk to the cops.”
“Exactly.” Rock waves toward the parking lot again. “Can we get moving, now?”
There’s no question that Rock’s the one driving. My brother can’t fit in the back seat, so I crawl in and lay down across the seat and close my eyes.
“Are you okay?” Marcel asks.
“No.” Tears stream down my cheeks. “I’m scared.”
“He’s going to be okay, Heidi.” Rock’s voice is so warm and comforting, I almost believe him.
It’s so bumpy and uncomfortable once we’re on the road that I sit up and put on my seatbelt.
“Tell me what happened, Heidi.”
I eye
my brother, which Rock must catch in the rear view mirror.
“Marcel’s going to keep his mouth shut,” Rock warns. “Go on.”
Marcel turns and stares at me with expectant eyes.
“Face forward, knucklehead.” Rock presses his palm to my brother’s cheek and turns his head away from me.
“There’s this kid at school—”
“That one who kept hitting on you?” Marcel asks.
“What did I tell you?” Rock’s voice holds a lot less warmth and comfort this time.
“No. Not him.” I take a deep breath and give them the whole story.
Forty
Heidi
Hope’s waiting for me in the living room when we get home.
“Come on, Heidi.” She holds out her arms and leads me down the hall to the bathroom.
“Is Alexa okay?”
“She’s sound asleep.”
Hope runs the hot water in the shower. Too tired to give a shit about modesty, I strip down to my underwear.
She grabs my clothes.
“I have phones and stuff in there,” I warn her.
“I’ll empty all the pockets.” She meets my eyes. “Before everything goes in the burn pile.”
Yeah, there’s more evidence on those clothes than some Tide can handle.
In the shower, I slide down to the floor and let the water rain down on me. I press my forehead against my knees and sob so hard my insides hurt.
The waiting room holds even more Lost Kings MC family when I return to the hospital a few hours later.
I stop by Rooster’s side first. “Thank you for coming up.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there with you guys, Heidi. I should’ve been there.” He squeezes my hand.
Jigsaw hands me a Snickers bar and pats my shoulder.
I talk to a few more of the guys, then drop into a chair in the corner and wait.
Exhaustion pulls at my eyelids. There’s no way I’m leaving again, though.
“Hi, Heidi.” Lilly’s soft voice drags my head up.
I give her a weak smile. “Hey, thank you for coming.”
She sits in the chair to my right and wraps her arms around me. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get up here sooner.”
“Where’s Chance?”
“With Uncle Carter.”
God, I don’t even know what time it is. Or what day. “That’s good.”
“Have you heard anything?”
“Not recently.”
She sits with me. Quietly offering comfort.
The ticking clock draws my attention. “We’re supposed to be getting married.”
Lilly squeezes my hand.
“I’m such an idiot. Why have I been worried about finishing school and so much other crap? We should’ve just gotten married months ago.”
“Honey, you’re so young. It makes sense that you’d—
“No, it doesn’t.” I hiccup-sob. “And now, we might not—”
“Don’t go there.” Lilly’s stern voice freezes my steamrolling emotions.
“I don’t even care about all that wedding stuff. It doesn’t matter where we do it or what anyone’s wearing.” I reach over and grab a handful of tissues and blow my nose. “I just want to marry him.”
“You will.” She slips her arm around me again and pulls me closer. I rest my head on her shoulder and close my eyes.
“Try to rest a little bit.”
“Okay,” I murmur.
“Murphy’s strong. He’s going to get through this fine. You’ll see,” Lilly promises.
I’m too tired to form any words, but I nod.
“Is she okay?” someone whispers.
My soft, warm human pillow shifts. “She’s been out for an hour or so,” Lilly answers.
“I’m awake,” I mumble.
Blinking, I sit up and stare up at the doctor. “Is he okay?”
“He’s stable. Still in a coma.”
“Oh my God,” I gasp and sit up.
“Pupillary reactions are good,” the doctor continues. “He’s measuring at the mild end of the scale, so we’re hopeful. Right now, we need to keep the swelling down and monitor him.” His severe doctor expression softens. “He’s in a room now. You can go up and sit in there with him. Hearing your voice might help.”
“Thank you.”
I run into my brother in the hallway. He cups the back of my head and pulls me against his chest, kissing the top of my head. “You okay?”
After his initial fury when I told him about Bryce and the blackmail, he set everything aside. “No, I’m not.”
“What’d you hear?”
“The doctor said I can sit with him.” I tip my head back. “You can come if you promise not to be mean to Blake.”
He huffs out a tired laugh. “Why? It might help him wake up if he wants to kick my ass.”
“I’ll kick your ass if you say anything to stress him out.”
“That’s my sister. That’s what he needs.”
“Lunatic.” I shake my head and let him lead me down the hallway.
He opens the door for me, and I step inside.
I gasp as soon as I see what they did to my big, beautiful, burly lumberjack. “Oh my God.”
“Holy shit.” Marcel whistles. “He’s going to be so pissed.”
Forty-One
Murphy
Who the fuck shaved my beard?
Been growing that thing for like ten damn years.
“All his beautiful hair.” Heidi sobs.
My hair, too?
“The world isn’t kind to us gingers,” Charlotte says.
Heh. Charlotte always cracks me up.
“If he grows it back, it’s going to look like you married a stranger in all your wedding photos.” Marcel’s strained laugh is a knife in my gut.
Did I miss our wedding?
“I don’t care as long as he wakes up, so we can get married.”
Is that what this is? I’m asleep?
Why can’t I wake the fuck up, then?
I feel…something. One motherfucker of a headache.
Their voices fade into oblivion.
I drift into a nightmare.
An underground fight I can’t escape. My fists are useless. Nothing can save me, and I’m helpless to save the ones I love the most.
Until fire shoots out of my lungs, incinerating the world around me.
Fire so raw and explosive it sears my throat and tongue as I annihilate all my enemies.
I dream of Heidi living far, far away in a castle of ice high above the ground.
If I can just breathe my fire on it, I can save her…
The next time I surface, I’m aware of the scents around me. Not the blood and fire of a hellish landscape.
Hospital smells.
“Mr. O’Callaghan, you’re okay. You’re at Empire Med. Your family is all here. Any nightmares you’re having aren’t real. You are in the intensive care unit.”
It’s a strong female voice I don’t recognize. A doctor? No one else would call me Mr. O’Callaghan. I welcome her words. They’re a lifeline of hope.
I’m still alive. I’m not trapped in hell.
My family is okay.
Now I have something to cling to.
“He better wake the fuck up soon.” That’s Marcel’s growly voice. “So I can kick his damn ass.”
“Nice. Real nice,” Heidi scolds. “How is that helpful?”
The fire dreams are gone.
This almost seems normal.
Like Christmas mornings where we wake up at Teller’s house. Alexa enjoys shredding the wrapping paper almost as much as opening the presents.
Wait, where’s Alexa?
Then the four of us sit around the breakfast table talking and joking around. Except, Carter’s usually there, too. Then we go up to the clubhouse.
Where is everyone?
“Your brother is having trouble expressing his love for Murphy,” Charlotte says. I can almost picture her patting Teller on
the head as she says it. Just to rile him up. This is why Charlotte’s one of my favorite people in the world.
“Yeah, my love for kicking his ass.”
Love you, too, brother.
“You’re not being helpful,” Heidi huffs. “We’re supposed to make him want to wake up.”
“He loves getting his ass kicked, apparently,” Marcel says.
“He didn’t get his ass-kicked.” That’s my Heidi. Fierce and protective as ever. “He wasn’t there for a fight.”
Holy shit. She smashed that guy in the face with a fucking hammer.
Who was that guy?
Bits and pieces come back to me, but I’m not sure if they’re memories or parts of my nightmares.
“You shouldn’t have been there either. That’s why I’m gonna kick his ass.”
“I made him take me with him. And that’s none of your business.” She’s quiet.
Her soft warm hand squeezes mine. I wish I could squeeze back. Why can’t I squeeze back?
“Good thing I was there, too,” she insists.
No, it wasn’t. I never should’ve taken her.
“Oh my God.” Heidi gasps and squeezes my hand harder. “His fingers twitched.”
There’s a screech of metal and a thump. “Are you sure?” Marcel asks.
“Blake? Blake? We’re here. Come on.”
Huh. How about that?
I concentrate on the feel of her hand against mine. How much I love her and can’t wait to slip that wedding band on her finger.
“He did it again! See?”
“I did.”
“Oh, thank God,” Charlotte mutters. “I’ll go get a doctor.”
“Come back to me, Blake,” Heidi whispers.
Something tickles along my jawline, my cheek.
“Turns out you’re pretty damn handsome under all that facial hair,” she whispers. “Most beards are for men what push-up bras are for flat-chested girls. I’m a lucky girl.”
Weird, but glad you think so, beautiful. Still growing that beard back when I wake up.
There’s a pressure against my chest. Soft. Gentle. The scent of Heidi’s shampoo fills my nose.
White Lies Page 26
