Page 72 of Misery and Ecstasy

“I don’t fucking trust her.” His voice leaves him in a roar as he slams his fists—knuckles down—onto the table.

Matching his fury, I mirror his stance from my place to his right. Everyone else in the room is on their feet in no time, ready to charge us both if needed.

“Well,Itrust her. And ifyoutrustme, then that should fucking be enough.”

We’re nearly nose to nose for what feels like forever, neither of us willing to be the first to back down from this standoff. Finally, I see the muscles in Royce’s face relax a fraction—the only sign that he’s given in.

Nodding harshly, I accept his surrender and take my seat.

“First order of business. Since we were just talking about it, next week’s ride to Pittsburgh is for CHOP.” Royce pauses, dragging a hand down his face before looking at me and shaking his head with a scoff. “Draven, get the doc some leather to wear since it sounds like she’ll be joining us.”

I have to fight to hide my smile. The order I was just given is as good of an apology from Royce as I could have expected at the moment.

I nod to him, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. But I hold his stare, giving him the respect he deserves as my president. Proving to him that I do still know my place and want to follow his rule.

And it’s the truth.

I want nothing more than for everything to go back to normal around here once and for all, but he has to realize that I need Kins by my side in order to do that. She’s been the missing piece, the key to my happiness and survival that I’ve lacked this whole time. Now that I’ve found her, I’ll see to it that she doesn’t go one more day feeling unwanted or unfulfilled.

I’ll stop at nothing to ensure she has everything she’s ever needed and desired.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

MCKINSEY

There are about a million and one places I would rather be right now—including on the back of Draven’s bike, cruising through Pittsburgh. In the company of Royce, of all people.

Instead, I’m sitting in the emergency department of Gettysburg Hospital, in agony from a migraine that has been stabbing away at me for a week. Draven has been threatening to drag me to the hospital the past couple days. I was able to hold him off, but even I couldn’t deny that something wasn’t right when I woke up this morning.

“What the fuck is taking them so long?” Draven curses under his breath for the millionth time.

“Draven, why don’t you go meet the guys in Pittsburgh? There’s no sense in you missing the ride. I’ll be fine, and I can message you updates as I get them.”

“That’s not why I’m irritated, and you know it. I can’t stand you being here in pain when it seems like no one in this fucking place is working fast enough to get you seen.” He curls his arm around me, careful not to knock into my head by accident. “Don’t worry about me, Kins. That ride is the furthest thing from my mind right now.”

My phone vibrates with another text from my group chat with the girls.

Olivia:

Any updates yet?

I take a deep breath. I feel bad for getting angry at everyone, but all of their questions and impatience is making my pain worse. Draven notices and takes my phone from me, texting her back.

Me:

This is Draven. No updates. I’m taking the doc’s phone because being on it makes her pain worse. When we know something, you’ll know something.

“Draven. Be. Nice. Please.” At this rate these two are never going get along.

A sharp pain stabs through my head, forcing a sobbing moan from me.

“That’s it.” Draven stomps off before I hear him screaming at the poor woman at the front counter to get me into triage, now, before he gets all of hisbuddiesto come down here and show everyone what the Gettysburg Bastards are made of.

Within ten minutes, I’m in a bed in the ER, shooting daggers through Draven for the spectacle he made.

“Don’t look at me like that, Kins. I’m not sorry for what I did, and I’d do it again, too.”

Before I’m able to attempt yelling at him, a nurse pushes through the curtain and into my cubicle.

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