We made it to St. Lutheran’s Hospital and have been here for three-fucking-hours. Three hours of the most perverse hell I have ever been in. Crusher, Gunner, Freak and Striker are all here and have been with me the whole time. Bull has just made it in. He delivered Irish to the shed, leaving Frog and Nailer to watch over him.

I can’t deal with that motherfucker yet, but I will soon enough.

Skull has even been here. He didn’t stay long, but he wanted to give his respects and to tell me he and his club was there for me if I needed them. I didn’t talk much, and I didn’t want him here. He understood and I think the fucker might. He even shared about losing a woman he loved once…

Fuck… love…

My woman was barely hanging onto life when we got her to the hospital. I lied and told them I was her fiancé and only living relative to give them permission to do emergency surgery. They rolled her away from me and I haven’t seen her since. If she died...

Fuck, I can’t even think that word.

“Mr. West?” A doctor comes out into the waiting area, looking around.

I stand up immediately, my damn legs feeling like rubber. I hear my brothers all come to stand behind me. I’m not sure how I feel about that right now.

Can I trust them? Are there more traitors like Irish?

I can’t let my mind go there, not right now. My focus has to be on Nicole.

“I’m Dra... Mr. West,” I answer.

“Mr. West your fiancé is still holding on. The next forty-eight hours are critical. She went into shock and she’s lost a lot of blood. A weaker person wouldn’t have survived. She was shot twice. The one to her side hip will cause her some discomfort from here out, but all things considered, not much else. The real damage came from the shot she received in her kidney. The organ was hit and with the amount of blood loss and the trajectory of the bullet, the damage was massive. The kidney was a total loss.”

I want to sink to my knees, but I don’t. I wait for more from him, and try to concentrate on the fact that my woman is still holding on.

“Will she...” I clear my throat. “Will she live?”

“She has a good chance, yes. As I said, the next forty-eight hours are critical. We’ll monitor her and watch her closely. She’ll be getting plasma and fluids through the night. Her vitals are weak but steady.”

“I want to see her.”

“She’s in intensive care. I’m sorry, but we only allow certain visiting hours on that floor.”

“Listen Doctor, I can appreciate rules, but that is my woman lying in there by herself. You told me the next forty-eight hours are critical and there is no way in hell that I am not going to be by her side every damn one of those hours. She’s my woman and no one will keep me from her. Are we clear?”

The doctor swallows nervously. His eyes move over the men behind me and finally his gaze comes back to me.

“I will not allow any disruption. The first commotion, I will have security escort you out and bar you from the premises.”

“Fair enough.”

Like fuck he would.

He nods and reluctantly adds, with his back to me, “Follow me.”

She looks so weak lying in the bed. Her skin is pale and washed out. She blends in with the stark white of the hospital sheets. I sit in the chair beside her and immediately wrap my hand around hers.

I have always enjoyed the differences of our color when we are together. The deep contrast is like something we share, polar opposites attracting and clinging tight. Tonight her color is way too pale. She’s still beautiful—the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen—but, she is cold to the touch.

I bring my hand up and shakily touch her hair. Someone has obviously cleaned her hair and body. Even so, the horrible sight of her blood is engrained so deeply in my brain that I can still see it.

“I’m here Mama. I told you, you got me now. I’ll always be here for you. You just got to live up to your end of the deal woman and wake up. I need you Mama. I fucking need you,” I whisper close to her ear.

“I need you, Mama.” I repeat that on and off willing her to listen. I need her to know it, because I know if she hears me, she will do whatever she has to do, to come back to me. Eventually, I lay my forehead down on our hands and just soak in being close to her.