Parker entered the room as we finished setting Lan up with a fluid drip and pain relief. He walked up to the man who I learned was Muff, yet another member of the Hawks MC. I wasn’t sure how Lan got involved with an MC or if I liked it, but they’d been nothing but helpful since they arrived.

“I’ve got it. Billy and Pick are waiting for you and Fang out front,” Parker said to Muff. Muff nodded and stepped back. Lan’s blood soaked his hands, but it didn’t seem to bother him. As he moved away, Parker stepped forward and took his spot leaning over Lan and applying pressure to his wound. He wouldn’t have to do it for long. As soon as the drugs hit, we’d take care of the wound.

The room was awkwardly silent.

Lan’s eye opened at the shift of movements. He stared up at Parker. “You good?”

Parker snorted. “Yeah, and you will be soon.”

“'Kay.”

He closed his eye again.

“Lan,” I called. “Are you doing all right?”

He smiled, but his eye stayed shut. “Oh, yeah.” Then he chuckled.

Nurse laughed. “He’s well on his way. Just a bit longer and then we can get to work.”

“East,” Lan whispered.

Oh hell, I didn’t know what Lan was like on any type of medication. I just hoped he wasn’t a talkative patient.

“Can we give him more sedation?” I asked, wanting it to work faster. From the suspicious rise to Parker’s brows, my tone was on the side of panic. Nurse only laughed. He wasn’t leaving me with much of a choice. I seriously contemplated smothering Lan if he opened his mouth and said something he’d regret in front of his hardarse partner and Nurse, who from the club’s vest he wore, was also a part of the Hawks MC.

“East,” Lan muttered.

“Yeah?” I replied reluctantly.

“Thanks for comin’ to help.”

My body sagged in relief. “Not a problem.”

“Good to see you again. I’ve—”

“How about you just rest and let those drugs make you sleepy,” I suggested.

“How about you shut up and let him talk,” Parker snapped.

My glare shot up to him. “And how about you go f—”

“All right, ladies.” Nurse clapped. “Let’s get this show on the road.” I moved out of the way so Nurse could apply a little more sedative into Lan’s drip.

Parker thinned his lips and glanced down at Lan. He was already looking up at him with a tired smile. Lan started to reach up to him but winced and dropped his arm again. “Long hair,” he muttered.

Was there something going on between those two? Though, from the way Parker’s brows dipped, I was sure he was confused by Lan’s words. To me, it kind of sounded like he liked Parker’s long hair.

Parker shook his head. He opened his mouth to say something, but Lan closed his eyes, and Nurse announced, “He’s out.” Then added, “Parker, wanna give us a few to do what we gotta. We’ll need help after he wakes to get him cleaned up, the bed also.”

“Got to call the sarge anyway,” he said in his sharp tone, then walked from the room.

“He’s a good guy,” Nurse said after Parker disappeared.

I turned my attention to Nurse and raised a brow. Nurse laughed. “Yeah, he doesn’t seem it right now, but he is. Just got some anger issues.” Parker was still on the phone. While I waited, I stood beside the bed and stared down at my gloves with Lan’s blood on them.

I could never have thought I’d be in this situation, working on someone I’d known. Someone I had cared for, but there I was.

Darn it all, I suddenly felt like crying. Everything caught up to me, and the weight of it dropped down on my shoulders. Pressure built in my chest and my eyes held moisture, but I wouldn’t cry then. I wasn’t sure if I would at all. In that moment, I just felt too much since things had settled a little and the room lay silent.

I slipped off the gloves and threw them to the floor; they lay alongside what felt like millions of gauze pads covered in yet more blood. Nurse had said he’d get one of the brothers to deliver some blood to replenish Lan’s since he’d lost a lot. I didn’t question where all his supplies came from; it wasn’t my business.

Guess it was good Lan knew the Hawks MC.

Although, I wasn’t happy with Lan’s thirst for vengeance. He never used to be like that. He always played by the book. Then again, I hadn’t seen him in ten years. I didn’t know what else he’d been through or what he was like nowadays.

I lifted my eyes from the floor to Lan on the bed. It was hard to see him like that. Heck, even when he wasn’t injured, it was hard to see him.

I never thought I’d get over Lan.

Deep down, I hadn’t.

Maybe that was why I couldn’t keep a long relationship. They weren’t the first man I loved.

Damn him.

Damn him for living next to me.

Damn him for getting hurt.

Damn him for making me love him. Making me feel again. Making me want him.

And damn him for…. Shaking my head, I pushed my fingers through my hair.

I couldn’t be around him. He would end up breaking me even more than he already had, but really, it seemed I hadn’t healed in ten years. So as soon as Lan recovered, I would stick to my side of the fence and he’d stay on his.

It had to be.

Someone cleared their throat; I jumped. My eyes shot to the doorway where I found Parker there leaning against the frame with his arms crossed. How long had he been there? “Nurse gone?”

I nodded. “To organise blood for Lan.”

“He sent me a text, said we need to clean up.” He shook the plastic bag in his hand. “We’ll need to burn everything after we’re done.” He studied me, waiting for my reaction. I didn’t have one. I’d already heard enough to know they were covering it all up to hunt the person who did that to Lan. I wouldn’t object to it, not after everything. They were men who knew what they wanted, and I wouldn’t step in their way.

Even if I tried, I wasn’t sure I’d live to see the next day.

That thought alone scared me enough to keep my mouth closed.

I grabbed some more gloves, covered my hands and started picking up the rubbish scattered on the floor. Cleaning the blood out of the carpet was going to be a pain.

“Also, someone will be here to fix the window soon,” Parker added as he grabbed some gloves.

I nodded again.

“What, you too good to talk?”

Dropping my head back, I stared at the ceiling and took a deep breath. Rolling my head to the side, I eyed Parker’s scowl. “No matter what I do or say you don’t like me. How about we just work silently alongside each other?”

“Or you could just go.”

Facing him, I asked, “What is your problem with me being here?”

He threw the bag down. “I don’t know you, so I don’t trust you.”

“Lan knows me. He trusts me. Can’t you trust him enough to accept me being here?”

“How do you know him?” he demanded.

“Lan’s story to tell. It’s not mine, and I won’t be saying anything so don’t bother pestering me about it. Now, will you pull your head out of your arse enough to work alongside me?”

“We’ll see.”

I threw my hands up in the air. “Are you always this angry?”

My question surprised him. His scowl deepened, which I didn’t think was possible, but there it was. He growled under his breath, and for some reason, I wanted to laugh.

Shrugging, I went back to work and ignored him. His feet stomped around the room a little louder after that. Like he was a pouty, spoilt little boy who didn’t get his way. Again, I wanted to laugh at him, but I wasn’t ready to have my nose broken.

Sheesh, how does Lan work with the guy every day?

If it were me, I would have asked to be transferred to get away from him. Unless there was something more going on between the two of them… but a part of me told me I was wrong about that idea. Parker wasn’t sending my gaydar off. Then again, neither had Lan that first night I…. Yeah, thinking about that wouldn’t do me any good.

Maybe Parker was just protective.

He seemed it.

There could be a reason behind why he was so protective. Did someone important to him die? Guessing what had happened wouldn’t get me any closer to figuring a man like Parker out. I was sure he had many, many layers and no one had yet got to the bottom of it. Did Lan know everything about him?

Why was I even thinking about prickly Parker? I didn’t care who he was or why he had problems with anger. I glanced to him out the corner of my eyes. He was scrubbing the walls with a frown to his lips. I wondered what he would look like if he did smile.

Hold up. I didn’t need to know what he looked like.

He was an arse.

Nothing but a growly Neanderthal.

So okay, he was a good-looking one. Tall, slim build with long dark hair and darker eyes, but that didn’t make up for his attitude.

“What are you looking at?” he barked. My body jolted.

Shit.

“You missed a spot,” I said and pointed to the wall. Thank heavens there was a spot he’d missed.

“Just—”

Lan groaned. We both moved at the same time. I went to the left side, Parker the right.

“Lan?” I called.

“The pain meds would be working, yeah?”

I nodded. “Of course. He’s just coming out of the sedation.”

“Lan, can you hear me?”

“Uh-huh,” he mumbled.

“Good. Nurse and I got you all stitched up. If you can still feel pain, let me know, and I’ll up the dosage.”

“Good.” He smiled.

“Great,” I replied. “When you’re up for it, Parker and I’ll help you get cleaned up.”

“'Kay.”

Parker’s shoulders dropped, tension unhinging them. He flicked off his gloves, and I did the same. I needed a shower myself, but that’d wait until Lan was cleaned and situated in a room where his blood didn’t coat any of it.

“Does he have a spare room?” I asked.

“Yeah, next one over.”

“With a bed and all?”

“Think so.”

I started for the door. “I’ll go see if the bed’s made up. If not, I’ll do it for Lan to get in after his shower.” I wasn’t sure why I was explaining myself, but I did, and Parker said nothing to it. I was just about out the door when Lan called my name. Turning back, I said, “Yes?”

Lan chuckled. “Remember the last time we showered together?”

Oh, screw me deep and hard.

My gaze flashed up to Parker. Already he stared at me with eyes so wide I was surprised they didn’t pop out of his head.

I couldn’t answer Lan, not with Parker there, and I also didn’t think I wanted to talk about it with Lan either. So instead of saying anything, I bolted from the room.