Page 52 of Piper's Pyro

“No women, okay?”

“Why not.” He wrinkled his brow and returned to my side.

“I’m a jealous woman. I don’t want any other chick panting over you.” I would go to hell for all the lies I’d told him.

“You’re the only woman I want.” He dropped a kiss on my lips. Clearly, I was, or I wouldn’t be, his hostage.

“Perfect. Call now and make your demands, handsome.” I needed to keep him on track. It’d been more than an hour. I doubted my brothers wouldn’t wait much longer before bursting into the room with guns blazing.

Forrest talked confidently and forcefully. I couldn’t make out every word he said, but it sounded like he might agree to let Brady leave, but I couldn’t be sure.

I craned my neck to get a better look at Brady. He was bad off. Skin sallow and pale. Sweat covered his face and his breathing was labored. His white coat was soaked with his blood.

There was no way I could estimate the percentage of blood loss. Thirty percent, perhaps. Maybe as much as fifty.

I didn’t know anything about guns, although my brothers had tried to educate me. Forrest’s gun was small, so Brady’s wound may not be life-threatening internally. All I knew was he needed immediate medical attention before he expired from bleeding out.

“Done,” Forrest said proudly.

Crap, I’d been so focused on Brady that I’d missed Forrest’s conversation.

“They’re sending someone up with supplies. I’ll decide if I let them take Doctor Hayes out.”

“Fantastic. Will you let me out of these bindings so I can pull up my scrubs? Unless you’re okay with another guy seeing my yellow panties?” Those in the medical field didn’t think twice about patients being naked. But I had a feeling the way Forrest had obsessed over me—he wouldn’t like it.

He didn’t move.

“What if the attendant needed help? Will you assist?”Chill Piper. You’re starting to sound panicky. Don’t freak him out.

“We’ll wait and see.”

Dammit!

“I’m the doctor here,” Stitch muttered. “Maybe you should listen to me.”

I nodded at Forrest. “He has a point.”

“He’s also a biker and tried to kill me.”

I continued nodding. “You have a point.” Shit, this guy might be crazy, but he couldn’t be manipulated so easily.

“Here’s how this is going to play out. I will let the assistant in, and if I feel comfortable, I’ll let them treat the doctor. Feel free to give them directions,” he told Brady and checked the time on his watch. “They should be here any second.”

Oh, God.I imagined my brothers gave the person strict orders. What they didn’t know was civilians were different from bikers and soldiers. The average person caved under pressure. Most freaked the fuck out when a gun was pointed at them. I sure as hell would. As it was, I could barely hold myself together while strapped to a bed with a lunatic wielding a handgun.

I should pray.

Where were my dad and brothers?

I assessed Brady again. His presence soothed me because he was familiar. Family. If he hadn’t been shot, Forrest would be dead. Once my brothers got their hands on him, he wouldn’t live much longer. I was sure Brady would be pissed to not be the one to end him. He was the king of retributive justicefor crimes against women and children—the innocent.

A knock jerked me out of my thoughts. I held my breath and tried not to cry.

“Don’t do anything stupid, either of you.” Forrest pointed at Brady and me as he went to the door. “Who is it?”

“Pyro.”

What the fuck?

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