Red Thorns Crew: The Complete Series

by Rebel Hart

  “Good. I’ll tell you where we’re going once we get there.”

  “Fan-fucking-tastic.”

  I grinned. “Cursing sounds good in your voice.”

  She scoffed. “Asshole.”

  I chuckled. “Pretty much.”

  She took my hand and tossed my arm back over her shoulder. Then we started the hefty trek across campus. Holy shit, how far away was her car? With every step I took, my head pounded even more. It grew worse by the second, and I knew I needed someone to check it out. But not a doctor in a hospital. Not in a place where the police would be called to investigate shit. No, I needed the doctor the crew had on speed dial.

  Once I was in the comfort of my own bedroom.

  “Where the hell is this thing?”

  Dani sighed. “This was your plan, so you can shut up until we get there. All right?”

  “Well, look who’s a bit testy tonight.”

  “I wouldn’t be if you’d just accept help.”

  “This is me accepting help. You’re helping me to your car so you can help me get home. See? Help.”

  She sighed. “You’re relentless.”

  “And you’re very cute when you’re upset.”

  I watched that frown turn into the smallest grin and I considered it a win. I also took the lack of nausea as a win. My head really fucking hurt, but it didn’t come with anything else. No throbbing. No body aches. No fever. No nausea. The world didn’t feel as if it were tilting onto its side, nor did it feel like I was floating around on air.

  It’d be nice if I didn’t have a concussion, that’s for sure.

  “Almost there. First level of the parking garage across the street.”

  I grunted. “Finally. Come on, Bambi.”

  “I hate you,” she murmured.

  “Bah. That’s not true, and you know it.”

  I peeked down at her and saw her cheeks and neck flush. Hell, even the tip of her nose reddened quite a bit. I smiled as we started across the street, my eyes still hanging onto her every shred of beauty. Man, this girl was something else. A real firecracker, when put into situations like this.

  She was dealing with it better than she probably knew.

  I heard a car door unlock before she opened the door for me. And as I splayed out along the microfiber seats of the SUV she dumped me into, my breathing grew ragged. Holy fuck, that was a serious trek. I had beads of sweat dripping down my damn back. I closed my eyes, only for a second. I tried to draw in deep breaths, but they only made me cough. I didn’t taste blood, though. And that was a good thing.

  At least it isn’t broken.

  “You’ve broken a rib, probably. That’s why you’re struggling to breathe.”

  I chuckled. “Reading my mind now, are you? And for your information, it’s bruised. I’d be tasting blood if it was broken.”

  “And your lip needs stitches.”

  “Nothing a Band-Aid can’t fix.”

  “And you need ice packs. Serious ice packs for those bruises.”

  I snickered. “Should I be paying you for your advice now, Doc?”

  She cranked up the car. “No, I’m just stating the obvious in the hopes that you’ll pull out of this idiotic stupor you’ve found yourself in.”

  I coughed again. “Well, it sounds much better in your voice.”

  “My concern is that you’ve punctured your lung or something like that.”

  “And again, no. I’m not coughing up blood. The blood I’m tasting is from my lip. I’ll be fine. Get us out of this damn parking garage, though. We need to head back to my place. All this chit chat is making my head hurt.”

  “Because you’re concussed.”

  “Dani, damn it. Just do as I’m telling you to do.”

  She sighed. “Which direction am I turning when--”

  I groaned as I sat up. “Just pick one!”

  She jumped. “Fine. Don't have to be so pissy about it.”

  I shook my head as I forced myself upright. The pounding was relentless. The higher my head got above my feet, the more it hurt. And I felt that damn knot behind my head forming into a nice little dragon egg of a lump. But I needed to see where the hell we were going so I could guide her in. I mean, even I had the sense to admit when I wasn’t in any condition to drive myself.

  And this was one of those times.

  She took a left out of the parking garage and made her way off campus. The road shifted from brick campus buildings into trees lined with babbling brooks. My favorite road. I loved this road. It was my favorite place to ride whenever I was by myself. A little slice of heaven dropped right into the middle of Ann Arbor. I leaned against the passenger’s seat, keeping my eyes out the windshield as I rested my head. If I could just take a small nap…

  Dani patted my upper arm. “No, keep your eyes open. Focus on me.”

  I looked at her face and registered how terrified she looked. I even felt it in the way she patted me to open my eyes again. Soft, fluttering strokes from her shaking hands. I watched as her eyes darted around, even though we were only going twenty-five miles an hour. So scared. So paranoid. Part of me felt guilty for putting her in this position.

  Then again, she didn’t have to come after me. All she had to do was stay upstairs in the safety of her own damn dorm room.

  Faster, Dani. Come on now.

  I needed her to step on it, but with the way she was white-knuckling her steering wheel, I figured I’d cut her some slack. She was very nervous, and I felt bad. Apparently, this head contusion had knocked some guilt into my gut.

  You have to get home. And quickly.

  “Can you pick up the pace a bit?”

  She snarled. “I’m going as fast as I can.”

  “It’s forty on this road.”

  “And I’m doing--!”

  Her eyes fell to the speedometer before I felt the engine revving.

  “Sorry,” she murmured.

  I placed my hand on her thigh. “You’re doing great. This road ends at a small highway. Take a right when you get to it.”

  She nodded. “Can do.”

  I had to get to my brother. I had to call our doctor. But, more than that, I had to talk to him about what the hell just happened tonight. I was almost certain this was a hit of some sort. With explicit instructions to only rough me up. What if I wasn’t the only one with a hit out on me right now? And where the fuck was Benji? Had they gotten him, too?

  I have to call Rupert.

  Hell, I needed to call the rest of the guys. Check up on them. Make sure this wasn’t some rival gang trying to reach out and intimidate us on our own territory.

  What if this is your father?

  My eyes fell back onto Dani and my mind swirled with what that might mean for her. Had my father sent a team after me because she was still in my life? Because if so, that meant this was personal. Good for the guys, bad for me.

  And her.

  Very, very bad for her.

  “Max?”

  I groaned as my eyes slipped open. When the fuck had they closed in the first place?

  “Where do I go now?”

  I blinked slowly. “What happened?”

  She sighed. “I took that right turn onto the small highway. What now?”

  Fuck, that felt like ages ago. “Uh, two miles, road to your left called ‘Sandy Ridge.’ Take a left on it.”

  “Thanks.”

  Every time Dani called out my name for another direction, my eyes ripped open, with absolutely no recollection of them ever closing in the first place. Was I slipping in and out of consciousness? Sleeping? Was this a bad thing? Did I need to keep my eyes open?

  Fucking hell, this is bad.

  “Max?”

  I grunted as I opened my eyes yet again. “What?”

  “Why no hospitals?”

  I groaned. “Where are we?”

  “Sitting at a stoplight. Why did those guys jump you?”

  “Which stoplight?”

  She sighed. “The one you told m
e about that we’d hit before the left I needed to take. Now, answer my questions.”

  I paused. “When did I give you those directions?”

  “Who are you, Max?”

  She turned toward me, her eyes finding mine for the first time since we’d gotten into the car. I craned my head back to look at the stoplight. Still red. Trapping me in this hellhole of questions I had no intention of answering for her.

  “Please, Max. Who… who are you?”

  I cleared my throat. “When you take the left--”

  “No, Max. Now. I want an answer. Something to go on. Who are the Red Thorns? Is this connected to your motorcycle… whatever?”

  I grinned as my eyes fell closed again. “Bambi, I’m the man of your dreams and your worst fucking nightmare. Now, step on the gas pedal. I’ve got shit to do, and you’re standing in the way of it.”

  RED ROSE

  Red Thorns Crew - Book 2

  1

  Dani

  “Up here, on the right, should be--”

  I sighed. “Max, I know what your house looks like.”

  He chuckled. “And here I thought you were too busy staring at my ass to know.”

  “Nope. That’s your job.”

  “And don’t you fucking forget it, Daddy’s girl.”

  I rolled my eyes at the nickname as I gingerly maneuvered into his driveway. The lights were on at the back of the house. A good sign that John was there. But I still wasn’t sure. For all I knew, no one was home and the light was on as a simple precaution.

  Either way, I had to get Max inside.

  “All right, you massive man. Come on. We have to get you out.”

  Max chuckled. “And here you keep flattering me. I half expect it to come with a kiss.”

  I shoved my door open. “Shut up and help me as much as you can.”

  “Wow. Such sass. Just makes you sexier, Bambi.”

  I walked around to his side of the car. “You know, those names are going to get old quickly.”

  “Then I guess I’ll simply have to start calling you by your real name.”

  I slipped his arm around my shoulders. “Dani?”

  His lips fell to my ear. “More like ‘gorgeous.’”

  How the hell that man could make me blush while he’s practically growling in pain, I had no idea. But I wouldn't let his soft, warm words deter me. He needed help, and quickly. The bags underneath his eyes had already bruised over. The way he held his ribs had me more than concerned. And his stupid lip was still bleeding.

  “All right. Take the steps slowly. With me. Ready?”

  His grunts with each step didn’t fill my gut with ease. Night hung heavily around us while the crickets chirped and the bats fluttered around. Probably trying to figure out what kind of chaos I had brought to their doorstep, no doubt. Max reached out and opened the door. Just opened it. Unlocked, in the middle of the night, bordering on the woodlands.

  His brother has to be here.

  “John?” I called out.

  “I need to sit.”

  “John!?”

  “Over there. I’m sorry, but I can’t--”

  I snickered. “Don’t be silly. There’s no reason to apologize. John!”

  I heard something crash open. “Who the fuck is yelling in my house?”

  “It’s--it’s me. Dan--!”

  “Fuck,” Max growled.

  His foot stumbled over mine and we both went crashing into the wall. I felt Max’s arm wrap around my waist, pulling me from the wall as he ground his teeth through the pain. I kept apologizing underneath my breath as I helped him get to the couch before I spilled him against the cushions. And when he let out a sigh, I heard another set of footsteps cantering down the hallway.

  “Who the hell is in my--?”

  “It’s me, Dani. I have Max. He’s really hurt.”

  I sat next to Max as the cantering footsteps accompanied by his cane rushed down the hallway. I leaned against the arm of the couch, spreading my legs for Max to snuggle against. I reached my arms out for him and pulled him toward me. His head settled just underneath my chin. I felt him trembling, tears in his eyes that he refused to shed. I wanted to help him. I needed to help him. Why the hell didn’t he want--?

  “Jesus. What the hell happened to you?”

  I smoothed Max’s hair away from his forehead as he drew in a deep breath. But when he went to speak, he started coughing and sputtering. Trying to catch his breath,he rolled over to the edge of the couch and vomited onto the floor.

  “I’m concerned he’s got a concussion,” I said.

  John looked at me before he grabbed a wooden chair from the corner of the room.

  “All right. Let’s take a look atcha.”

  I shook my head. “He needs a doctor. Isn’t there someone we can call?”

  John gripped Max’s chin. “For emergencies, yeah.”

  I snickered. “And this isn’t an emergency?”

  Neither of the guys said anything. As Max continued to try and catch his breath, John studied his face. I reached down and pulled up Max’s shirt, showing John the extensive bruising I hadn’t even seen yet. It made me gasp. There were distinct imprints on his skin where the impact had taken place with spidered veins of black and blue and red branching out from all of those impact points.

  “Can you roll over so I can see the other side?” John asked.

  Max grunted. “Do I have to?”

  I huffed. “Are you serious right now?”

  John eyed me hotly. “Leave. You’re not much help right now.”

  Max growled. “She stays.”

  Their eyes connected as I sat there, continuing to smooth Max’s hair back. I felt him sweating. He was in too much pain.

  “We have to get him some pain medication. He’s going to pass out,” I said.

  John nodded. “Spit for me.”

  I paused. “What?”

  Max leaned off the couch again and spat onto the hardwood floor.

  “No blood. That’s good,” John murmured.

  Max’s jaw moved around. “Not broken. But I think I chipped a t--oh, fuck.”

  “What?” I asked quickly.

  Max opened his jaw for his brother. John moved as if he knew what to do with the motion. Everything that took place between the two of them seemed consistent. Routine.

  As if they’d done this before.

  “Yep. Your canine’s chipped. But your back left molar’s missing. That’s gonna be an issue.”

  I sat up. “Let me see.”

  But when Max grunted at my movement, I quickly sat back into place. And found John’s stare on me again.

  “You can support him or work on him. But you can’t do both. Choose your place, and choose it now.”

  I nodded slowly. “Support. Always.”

  I felt Max’s hand fall against my shin. His fingertips drew soft designs against the fabric of my pants. I started running my fingers through his hair again, pulling my eyes away from his brother, who was staring at me with a look I couldn't interpret.

  “It’s going to be okay, Max. Just relax,” I whispered.

  John scooted closer. “Do you have any idea who jumped you?”

  I paused. “How did you know he was--?”

  Max held up his hand. “No clue. But they got a damn good piece of me before they bailed.”

  He sighed. “That much is obvious. Another question. Was this Red Thorn related? Or random?”

  Max snickered. “Is it ever random, in our lives?”

  I furrowed my brow. “What does that mean? You think someone intentionally did this to you? Why? What possible reason could they have?”

  Max wrapped his hand around my leg. “Support, gorgeous. Keep it that way.”

  I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw to keep myself from flying off the handle. I hated it when people told me my place. Especially when I wanted to help. My parents did that to me a lot. Shooed me away whenever things were getting too rough. Or too heated. Or too angry for
me to supposedly witness. They treated me like I was weak. Like I was some porcelain China doll. Like I was some bumbling baby deer just birthed…

  Bambi.

  Did everyone around me see me as weak?

  “You got anything to go on?” John asked.

  Max coughed. “No. But Dani’s right about one thing. This pain is getting to be a bit too much. You got something here I can take? Or are we really gonna have to ring up that damn doctor?”

  My eyes flew open. “Yes. Doctor. Now.”

  John shook his head. “I’ve got something you can have for the pain. And since you don’t need stitches, I can clean you up. The rest is just, well, rest. Sleep. Food, until your body heals itself. Except for this tooth shit. You’ll have to find a dentist or something for that.”

  Max sighed. “Great.”

  John shrugged. “At least you didn’t lose your front tooth.”

  Were these guys being serious right now?

  “Dani, got a job for you. Gotta get out from behind Max.”

  John’s voice pulled me from my trance. “But you said--”

  He nodded. “Uh huh. And now I’m telling you different. I need you to go into the bathroom. Right there in the hallway. Underneath the bathroom sink is a big first aid kit. Grab it, go into the kitchen, grab the red bottle off the top of the fridge, and bring it all back to me. I need to get Max out of his clothes and look him over.”

  Max chuckled. “Don’t worry, gorgeous. I’ll let you have a look before he patches me up.”

  I snickered. “Last thing on my list right now, Max.”

  John started chuckling as I gingerly moved myself. As I slipped off the couch, John’s chuckling grew to laughter. Which grew to guffawing. And as I made my way into the bathroom, I heard him practically fall out of his chair. Max’s voice mumbled, but I didn’t know what he said. All I knew was that once I gathered everything up and came back, John was wiping tears away from his eyes.

  “Someone want to fill me in on what he’s laughing about?” I asked.

  Max rolled his eyes. “Another time.”

  John held up his hand. “Holy shit. Oh, man. That--I needed that on camera.”

  I paused. “Needed what?”