Page 38 of Forsaking All Others

My jaw clenches and I narrow my eyes.

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying ninety percent of the club did not know where to start when you gave us the order to find Colt and thirty minutes later, he’s in our possession. We’re good, brother, we ain’t that good and I’m not a guy who believes in coincidences.”

“So let me get this straight, you think they had eyes on Colt?”

Colt has been irrelevant to them until this whole gun deal came into play. I don’t believe King would waste his time tailing my ex-wife’s husband without my order. Hell, even with Shady possibly still harboring feelings for Holly, I don’t think he would do that either. None of what Ghost is saying adds up and I think he gets that because he roughly combs his fingers through his shaggy hair. Shaking his head, he blows out an exasperated sigh and I see the defeat reflected in his cold eyes.

“No,” he clips, pausing for a beat. “You know what? I don’t know what I think.”

Cracking my neck from side to side, I drop my hands to my side and look back toward the hallway. If we’re done slinging accusations, I’ve got to get back to Holly. I move to step around him.

“Great, well, then—”

He cuts me off and I pause midstride.

“King put this deal together,” he says. I spin around, meeting his gaze. “He brought Parrish to our doorstep knowing exactly what he wanted instead of telling him not to bother making the trip, that our guns were tied to another club. Then he served him our top-shelf whiskey.”

Not liking where he’s going with this, I take another step toward him.

“Ghost, I’m the one who agreed to the deal.”

His fists curl at his sides and he shakes his head.

“I know what I’m saying don’t make any sense, that I’m missing something but in three hours we’re sending Holly’s pissed off husband on the road with our entire supply of guns. Everything is riding on this and it feels wrong.”

Having had enough of this speculative bullshit, I close the distance between us. My jaw clenches as I lift a hand, curling my fist and poking a finger as I try to rein myself in.

“I don’t know what’s going on with you right now, but you do not come here spewing accusations about your vice president without proof. We’re running out of time, Ghost, and I’m torn between my club and the woman I love. I can’t be in two places at once so why don’t you do us both a favor and get your shit together because I need you to be my eyes and ears.”

My words take a second to penetrate through his thick skull and that’s when I realize Ghost isn’t fucking drunk or high, he’s sober as a judge. A first since his baby died in that tub.

“You’re right,” he says roughly. “I’m gonna head back to the clubhouse and tell King to call you.”

Spotting the tic in his jaw, I lower my hand back to my side and blow out a breath.

“Appreciate you coming here, Ghost.” He eyes me wearily and I sigh. “I mean it, brother, just now…” My voice trails as I quietly replay his words. I don’t have the headspace for what’s he’s trying to communicate. Swallowing, I clear my throat and tip my chin upward. “Sober looks good on you.”

“Yeah, well, don’t get used to it.” He shoves his hands into his pockets and rolls his neck. “Tell Holly I’m rooting for her boy.”

Inhaling a deep breath, he turns and disappears down the hallway. I lean against the vending machine, rubbing my hands roughly over my face as his words ring loudly in my head. In a matter of minutes Ghost managed to raise a lot of red flags.

“Fuck,” I hiss, lowering my hands.

If I could wish this day away I would.

* * *

Theo’s laughterfills the hospital room and I fight back a grin. It’s amazing how something as simple as blowing up a latex glove can bring out the laughter in a sick child.

A little while ago the resident doctor came in and told us that all the tests he ordered had returned negative, that all signs pointed to this thing being viral. The stomach pains that were ailing the kid seemed to have faded some, but he still had a pretty high temperature. The doctor hooked him up to an IV to keep him from becoming dehydrated and gave Theo another dose of Motrin. As soon as his fever breaks, we can take him home.

My gaze cuts and locks with Holly’s. The woman needs sleep—that much is obvious—but even exhaustion can’t deter what she does to me. How the soft smile she flashes my way instantly makes everything inside me come alive.

She burrows closer to Theo, draping an arm across his belly as she bends her head and presses her lips to the top of his head.

“Do it again, Mav,” Theo calls.

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