Page 55 of Piper's Pyro

I would lose my mind if I discovered her lifeless body as my parents had found Rachel in her bedroom’s closet.

Think positive. Piper’s alive. You’re not too late.

If she was okay and we came out of this horrible situation unscathed, I wanted to be with her more than anything else. I didn’t know how with her nosy ass brothers butting into our business all the time. What would a relationship with her look like? I didn’t know, but I wanted to find out.

I blew out a breath and shook the tension out of my body. When I had my bearings, I knocked on the door.

“Who is it?”

“Pyro.” My birth name almost came out.

“What kind of name is Pyro?”

“A nickname I got in college. I’m a new intern.”

“I hate that name.”

“Sorry. Complain to my friends. I didn’t give it to myself.” What was with this asshole? “Call me Cullen if you want.”

There was a click. The door slowly opened and stopped at about two inches. “I prefer the name Cullen.”

“Sure, man. Whatever.” I revealed the medical bag. “I’m not here to discuss my name. I want to get in and get the fuck out.”

“You and me both.” The door opened some more. “I need to search you first.”

I dropped the bag and raised my hands. “Go for it. I’m just an intern.” I tried to give off a non-threatening vibe. Treat the dude like he wasn’t a whack job and maybe earn his trust. I doubted it’d happen, but you never knew.

The door swung open, and a gun was aimed at my chest. “Don’t try anything funny, or I’ll kill you.”

“Fuck, man. I won’t. Think I wanna die?”

He smiled wickedly. “Good.” He patted down my legs, torso, and back. I couldn’t see Piper yet. “Clean. Lucky you.” He stepped back and waved me in with the gun. He checked the hallway before shutting the door and locking it. “Anyone follow you?”

“No.” Jesus Christ. Piper was strapped to a bed, legs spread. The doctor was in a corner, hands tied to a metal cabinet. Blood had soaked his white coat.

“What are you standing there for? Go help Doctor Hayes.”

“Yeah, okay.” My eyes met Piper’s bulging gray depths. I tried not to stare, but breaking the instant connection with her would be like stabbing my own heart.

“Don’t look at her!” The gun poked me in the back.

She snapped her eyes shut as if terrified to see me get shot.

“Sorry. Never been in this kind of situation.” I rushed over to Stitch. “Tell me what to do, doc! This is all new to me.” I winked at him, hoping he figured out I’d been sent by his club.

“I’ll stand over here watching every move you make. Slip up, and you die.”

“Got it.” I glanced back at him. Desperate for another glimpse of Piper, but I didn’t want to risk her life or mine. “Guide me, doc.”

“Gotta stop the bleeding,” he said weakly. “Scalpel.”

I didn’t understand his meaning as I opened packets of gauze. The noise from the wrappers drowned out his voice.

“In. My. Sock.”

I issued a faint nod. “Jesus, there’s so much blood. Some dried. He needs a transfusion.” Why would Stitch have a scalpel in his sock? He was a biker. Maybe it was the same as carrying a switchblade. I wouldn’t question him. His preparedness may save us all.

The gun-toting lunatic sneered. “You’re not a doctor, so don’t pretend to be one.”

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