“Scar?” Theo’s voice comes through the car speakers, rough but familiar.

“Theo,” Scarlet’s voice quivers with raw emotion, and I can sense the weight of unshed tears in her voice. It twists something deep inside me, a feeling I’m not familiar with, like a knot tightening in my chest.

“I fucked up, Scar,” Theo’s voice trembles with unfiltered remorse. “Nate’s in really bad shape. I can’t even describe how messed up it is. I was an idiot. He wanted to drive, but I raced him to the driver’s seat for some stupid fucking reason. I should’ve let him take the wheel. None of this would’ve happened if I’d just let him.”

“You don’t know that, Theo. You can’t blame yourself,” Scarlet responds softly, her voice steady and comforting.

Hearing her give Theo that kind of support hits me hard, reminding me of my own inadequacy in providing the same. If she desired an orgasm, yep, sign me up. But this emotional crap? Fuck, I’m way out of my league.

Making a right turn, the massive hospital emerges before us, its imposing structure serving as a solemn reminder of the gravity of the situation.

“We’re almost there,” Scarlet says. “The hospital is just up ahead.”

“Alright, I’ll see you soon,” Theo replies.

After hitting the button to end the call, the lingering silence fills the car. With a sense of desperation, I steer the car into the crowded parking lot, hoping to spot an empty space.

By the time I find one and park, Scarlet’s already out of the car, moving towards the main entrance with a fierce urgency. Oblivious to the media circus unfolding outside, her sole focus remains on reaching Nate.

I can’t help but think they’re here for Nate. Whenever Xander made headlines, it was chaos—a feeding frenzy of camera crews swarming around, hungry for their next shot. It wouldn’t surprise me if they’re already camped out, hoping for some kind of scoop on Nate’s condition.

“Scarlet, wait up!” I shout, racing to catch up with her. “There’s a shitload of media outside the hospital.”

“Yeah, so what? They won’t bother me. They don’t know who I am,” she snaps back, dismissing my warning.

“Will you just fucking listen to me for a second?” I growl, grabbing her arm to make her stop. “The media's a pain in the ass, and I don’t want you getting caught up in their bullshit.”

“No, Ace. My brothers are in there,” she says, pulling her arm free. “You deal with the media. I can’t give a shit about that right now.”

I reluctantly let her walk ahead, even though every instinct tells me it’s a mistake.My eyes check out her ass, and despite everything—Nate’s unfortunate situation, the fucking accident—I’m unable to resist. I can’t help but picture grabbing her from behind, shoving my cock into her tight pussy, and fucking her like I did at Xander’s and Poppy’s wedding. I tear my gaze away, muttering under my breath, “Get a grip, you sick bastard. That’s Nate’s sister, the guy who could have fucking died.”

As Scarlet walks past the media, I watch them, some giving her a nonchalant glance while others openly check her out. The way their eyes move up and down her body makes my blood boil.

As she disappears through the double doors, I brace myself for the media shitshow that’s about to kick off. As soon as I get close, the camera-hungry vultures and their microphones come forward, desperate for any tidbit of information about Nate.

“Hey Ace, is it true? Theo and Nate were in a car accident and Nate’s hurt.”

The asshole suddenly blocks my path by shoving his microphone directly in front of me, leaving me no choice but to come to a stop. They close in, their microphones thrust forward like vultures closing in on a carcass.

Frustrated, I snap, “I don’t have any information yet,” as I forcefully make my way through the crowd. Their relentless bullshit has my blood boiling, my fists clenching as I try to hold back the fury building up inside me. Another jerk intentionally tries to block my path, but I step around him. Then they all run beside me, bombarding me with questions and shoving their microphones at me, each one desperate for the latest scoop.

As the reporters push through the big double doors, they are met with the stern gazes of two towering security guards, who promptly force the unruly pack of assholes back outside.

Ignoring the curious stares coming my way from the people in the foyer, I spot Scarlet at the front of a queue, eagerly waiting to speak to the lady behind the glass shield.

With a quick motion, I pull out my phone and dial Xander’s number. He picks up on the second ring, providing me with exactly what I need, as I move towards Scarlet.

“No, I can’t give out that information,” snaps the middle-aged lady behind the desk, her annoyance evident in her voice.

“But I’m his sister,” Scarlet snaps back, clearly pissed.

“Look, you fans will go to any lengths. You have no idea how many times I’ve heard that already today,” the lady shoots back.

I step up next to Scarlet and grab her arm, ignoring the annoyed glare she throws my way. “Come on, the room is this way,” I tell her.

A flicker of defiance crosses Scarlet’s face as she gives the woman a dismissive glance, before following me. Releasing her arm, I set off in the direction Xander told me, trusting that Scarlet will be close behind.

As the elevator doors slide open on the floor Xander mentioned, Scarlet is the first to step out. I find it difficult to divert my gaze from her tight little body and that ass in those jeans. I know I shouldn’t be checking her out with everything that’s happening, but goddamn, it’s hard not to.