“Lilah,” Mae spoke from behind me. “Her name is Lilah.”

The doctor began scribbling some shit down, and he asked, “Surname?”

Mae frowned. “She does not have one.”

The doctor’s eyes narrowed. “She doesn’t have one?” He laughed without humor and shook his head. “A young woman, bleeding from knife slashes on her arms and face, fresh, what look like, lash wounds littering her back, and a crucifix burned onto her torso, gets rushed in by… a… a notoriously nefarious motorcycle club, and now you’re telling me she has no full name. No legal name, no medical records, no history on our system. And just prior, one of your men is admitted, a bullet wound to his neck, a man so disturbed he had to be sedated, and that man is named Flame. No full name provided for him either.”

When I edged forward, the doctor’s face paled, and I wrenched the clipboard from his hand and launched it against the wall. The doctor stiffened. “Listen up, doc. We’re gonna overlook everything you just said.” I tore his name badge from his white coat and threw it back at Vike.

“Hey!” the doc called, and I got right in his face, his body freezing.

“Shut your fuckin’ mouth and listen up.” The doc gulped, and I said, “Now you’re gonna take care of my brother and my woman with a motherfuckin’ smile on your ugly face, or I’m gonna let my brother, Vike, here run a background check on your family, then show up in the middle of the night and stab them in their fuckin’ hearts. You getting that, asswipe?”

“Y-yes,” he stuttered, and I put my mouth close to his ear.

“The Hangmen run this city, not the cops or feds or any other authority you might think of calling. You might wanna remember that if you try to get in the way of me seeing my woman. Because nothing short of the damn apocalypse is gonna stop me getting in that room to be with my bitch.”

Vike came next to me, twirling the name badge in his hands. “What’s up, doc?” He paused. Then a huge fuckin’ grin spread on his lips. “I’ve been fuckin’ dying to say that.”

I snapped my head to him and clenched my teeth. Vike quickly lost his smile and said, “You gonna do what you’re told, or am I gonna get a chance to play with your wife’s tits?”

The doctor backed up. “No, I’ll comply. Just don’t hurt my wife.”

“Good choice,” I said tightly, then asked, “Where’s Lilah and Flame?”

“Lilah’s in room eight. Flame is in recovery room B. He’ll be transferred to a private room soon.” The doc turned on his heel and almost ran out of sight.

Mae tried to push past Vike and me to get to Li’s room, but Styx held her arm, only letting go to sign, “Babe, let Ky see her first. Let him be with his woman. We’ll go later.”

“No!” Mae snapped. “She is my sister. She will want me… She will need me.”

Dropping my head, I faced Mae and said, “Mae, please. Just let me be with her on my own for a while. I fuckin’ need this. I need her.”

Tears filled Mae’s eyes, huge tired rings underneath. “Okay,” she whispered. “Just let her know I am here for her if she needs me.”

Curtly jerking my chin, I headed down the hallway toward room eight. I could feel eyes watching me as I did—from staff, from visitors, from patients. I ignored the fucking lotta them and found myself outside a private room.

Turning the doorknob, I pushed through, immediately seeing Lilah sleeping on the bed. My chest tightened like I was inside some iron lung. Her short hair was brushed back and white gauze strips covered her body, the biggest one running down her cheek.

Movement from my left caught my eye, and a male nurse wearing scrubs met my stare, freezing in his step.

“You done?” I asked shortly.

He nodded and went to speak, but I cut him off. “Get the fuck out and don’t come back until I tell you.”

“But—”

“Fuckin’ do it!” I roared, and hitting his back on the medical cart, the nurse got the hell out of Dodge.

As soon as the door shut, I flicked the lock and walked slowly to Lilah. Standing at the side of the small cot, I noticed the IV sticking in her hand, the smell of antiseptic coming off her skin.

I ran my finger over the back of her hand, listening to her soft breathing. Her face looked so calm, so peaceful. She was so beautiful, so fucking beautiful.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I dipped down, pressing a kiss to her soft lips, then scooped my arms under her back and shifted her to the side, careful of the IV.