Page 5 of Taken By the Biker Daddies

She continued walking. After going up the stairs and down a hall, she finally stopped outside a room, giving Max and me the signal to enter. I went in first, nearly colliding with a woman just past the doorway.

She was just a little over five feet tall and in her early twenties. The waves of her hair, which was the color of my coffee, were so dark they were almost black. They cascaded down her back. I gripped her shoulders as I steadied her, afraid she’d fall, and shelooked up at me with eyes the shade of emeralds, their vivid hue robbing me of breath for a moment. I’d only ever seen one other person with such green eyes before, and that was so long ago.

I slowly took my hands off her. “Hey. Are you okay?”

She didn’t answer, just took a step back, and I realized that she still had her pink hospital gown under her denim jacket and muddy sneakers on her feet. She had her phone in her hand as well.

My eyebrows furrowed. “Were you leaving?”

She still didn’t say a word, the fear in her eyes speaking volumes about how not okay she was.

What was she so afraid of?

“Lauren?” Dr. Mathers entered the room, brushing past me. “Lauren, what’s wrong?” Then she looked at Lauren’s shoes. “You can’t leave yet. You’re still under observation.”

Lauren shook her head. “I can’t stay here.”

“Why not?”

“I just…I can’t. I have to go.”

She tried to walk past Dr. Mathers, but the doctor stayed firmly in Lauren’s path, patting down Lauren’s arms. “Lauren, I know you’ve just been through something terrible and traumatic, but you’re safe here. You’re in good hands. And look, your boyfriend is here.”

Max stepped forward, his perfect smile in place. “Hi, Lauren. It’s me, Max.”

“You…” Lauren’s eyes narrowed, then her eyebrows furrowed. “You’re my…boyfriend?”

Dr. Mathers gave a puzzled look at Max as well. “Isn’t he?”

Max put his hands up. “Lauren, I’m very sorry for what happened, but I want you to know I’m here for you. We can talk. I’ll give you anything you need.”

Lauren looked at Max, her features finally relaxing. “Anything?”

Max nodded. “Anything.”

Dr. Mathers stepped between them. “Lauren, is this man your boyfriend?”

Lauren reached for her necklace, taking the pendant out of her gown and fiddling with it. “I…I…”

Dr. Mathers took her hand. “Lauren?”

She looked at Max. “I…I don’t remember.”

The doctor’s eyes narrowed, then she took out her penlight and shone it into Lauren’s eyes. “Lauren, do you remember your last name?”

“Andrews,” she answered softly.

Dr. Mathers turned the penlight off. “And what year is it?”

“Twenty-twenty…four?”

She didn’t sound convinced.

Dr. Mathers grabbed her shoulders. “Do you remember Max?”

“I do. I think. I just…” Lauren touched the back of her head, then her eyes grew wide. “I hit my head? What happened?”

“I’d like to know what’s going on as well,” I said.

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