Page 32 of Trick

“Painkillers. He can take one tablet twice a day. If he needs more than that, call Howler. He’ll get the doc out to him. Don’t give him any till tomorrow. He’s already high as a fuckin’ kite.”

I stare at the bottle in my hand. What truck did these fall off the back of?

“You beat him half to death and then hand me things to make him feel better? That’s psychotic, Hawk.”

“Give them or don’t, that’s your decision.”

I glance through the open door at Trick, who is slumped against the pillows, his jaw slack, his swollen eyes shut. He’d worn his pain internally for so long, but seeing the bruises covering him is probably a more accurate representation.

“He was hurting,” I say, lowering my voice. “What he did wasn’t right, but he lost everything, Hawk.”

The brother doesn’t let a single emotion slide onto his face. “I lost someone I cared about too. I didn’t cause a fucking war because of…” He breaks off, gritting his teeth. “I get his pain and his frustration, but he put my family at risk with his actions. I have four kids at home to think about. Terror has a pregnant wife. Rage too. Pia was raped in the past. What do you think those Pioneer bastards will do to her if they capture her in revenge for Trick’s little murder rampage?”

Cold spreads across my skin. I don’t have to imagine… I already know. They will hurt any woman associated with this club, which is why Trick had been so pissed when I went to the cemetery alone.

But Hawk is wrong to put this shit on Trick.

“This war began long before Trick started killing Pioneers. It’s not fair to put the blame for that on his shoulders.”

“Yeah, it did, but now, there’s no chance of it stopping until one side is completely wiped out.”

A shiver runs up my spine at the brutality of his words.

“They murdered his wife, Hawk. Right in front of him. They had to cut his baby out of her while she was dead.”

“I watched a kid I considered blood get shot in front of me too, but I ain’t out there puttin’ my friends at risk.”

I take a steadying breath. These guys know how to hold a grudge. “No, you’re not. Instead, you’re out there beating your brother to make you feel better.”

Giving Hawk a final glare, I storm off to the bathroom. I don’t breathe until I’m inside, the door shut behind me. Only then do I sag against the basin, my heart thumping violently against my ribs.

Fuck. I grab a stack of towels from the cupboard and the first aid kit from under the sink, which is well-stocked for occasions just like this. The doctor patched him up, but I need to do something to feel useful.

Clutching all the supplies to my chest, I make my way back to the bedroom, stopping briefly to check in on Sophia, who is fast asleep. It’s good she’s oblivious to the chaos unfolding around her. She doesn’t need to see any of this shit.

When I step back into the bedroom, Hawk is leaning down over the bed, saying something in a hushed voice to Trick that I can’t hear. Brewer raises his gaze as I step into the room.

The conversation between Hawk and Trick stops the moment I approach.

I stare at Trick, conflicting emotions warring inside me. I want to shake him even as I want to wrap my arms around him.

“You can go,” I dismiss Hawk and Brewer, my words glacial.

There is a moment that passes between the men before Hawk nods. “You need anything, call.”

That won’t happen.

“Hawk,” Trick mumbles through puffy lips. “You touch her like that again, and brother or not, I’ll fucking gut you.”

What. The. Fuck?

I hold my breath as the bigger man faces down Trick. I don’t point out that he’s not capable of twitching a finger at Hawk, let alone hurting him, but I can’t deny that his defence of me feels good.

“Yeah, fair enough.” Hawk glances at me before he turns and leaves. Brewer gives me a lopsided smirk before he follows after the other man.

I don’t speak or say anything until I hear the front door close. “You need to go to the hospital. You need proper care, not from a doctor who probably hasn’t practiced in years. Does he even treat humans?”

Trick’s slitted, puffy eyes try to find mine, but I don’t know how much he can see. “That’s not how this works, and you know that.”

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