Page 9 of Nitro

“We’ll monitor Detective Blackwood very closely to ensure there’s no more extensive blood loss, no further infections are setting up, and continue to treat his injuries. I don’t want to speculate on survival but—”

A low rumble pulses in my throat, and the doctor’s eyes widen.

“We’ll give him our best treatment,” he promises.

“This coma? How long?”

“It’s a medically induced coma because of the seizing I spoke with you about when you first arrived. We’ll monitor him for a couple of days and then bring him out of the coma to monitor his neurological function and seizure activity.”

The doctor moves to my brother’s side, takes note of the monitors, checks his pulse, and then turns back to me after jotting some notes on an iPad.

“I’ll be on duty all night. If you have any questions, please have one of the nurses contact me.”

“All except for that demon,” I grumble.

Cracking a smile for the first time, Dr. Rhodes looks me up and down and lifts an eyebrow. “If you’re referencing Nurse Cole, she’s excellent to have on your side. Though she’s not the head nurse, many people call her the gatekeeper of our ICU ward. She’s extremely passionate about our patients, protective, and observant.”

I roll my eyes, turning back to my brother as the doctor shifts and exits the room. I struggle not to laugh when Toad and Frenchie close ranks behind him, following him out the door.

He probably wants to shit his pants with those two so close behind.

Shaking my head, I turn back to my brother.

“Rye... I’ll get vengeance. Mothafuckas about to pay for this,” I vow.

The door swings open as I make my vow.

“Brother, tell us what you need,” Toad says, stalking to my side.

“Gotta find the bastards who did this?”

Jerking his head to the side, he says, “Frenchie’s already on it. We’ve got the chief in our pocket, so he’s on the phone with King now. Looking to find out what cases Ryan was working on.”

“We need to get some men on him. I know he belongs to them, but I don’t trust the fucking OPD with my life, let alone his. I want men on him that I trust.”

Toad nods. “We’ll say something to King. Sure, he’ll call church to discuss it with the brothers and map out a plan from there.”

I glance at my twin lying in his bed, looking frail and like he’s barely holding onto this world.

“Fuck!” I growl, standing and throwing a fist in the air.

“Fuck,” I mutter, dropping down into my chair, feeling defeated.

Toad grabs my shoulder and squeezes. “Bro, I don’t know what fucking cunts did this to Ryan, but I promise they won’t be breathing on this earth much longer.”

“I will hunt the motherfucker down with my last breath. I’ll make the cunt pay, but he’ll be tortured first,” I growl.

Toad nods. “I’m in line right behind you,” he grunts, backing out of the room.

I know my brother is rocked because he’s one of the few that knows about my twin and what he means to me. Ryan and I chose not to disclose our relationship because we’re on opposite sides of the law. As much as he wants to protect me, I know the only way for me to protect him is for the force to not know about me.

Political pressure about the OPD coming down on the Sinners will eventually lead to pressure on Ryan about his connection with me. They’ll use it and his position to gain what they want, and that’s not what he needs. More than likely, the corrupt motherfuckers, like the mayor, the chief, and all the rest, will either pressure him or try to tie Ryan into my sins and the sins of my MC brothers.

Alone in the room with nothing but the beeping monitors, I drop my head into my hands. Losing Ryan isn’t an option. Sitting in this hospital room beside him, watching, hoping, and wanting to pray to a God I know has condemned me to hell, is reminiscent of eleven years ago.

I sat in a chair like this, watching my parents fight for their lives. Switching out rooms with Ryan, I would sit with Ma while he sat with Da. Then we’d switch. Our small family of four quickly dwindled to two after our parents were shot down one night at Blackwood’s Irish Pub, a bar and restaurant owned by my parents.

After closing, Ryan had the night off, and I’d gone home from my shift. We’d both headed out to a party that night, and when we arrived home at two in the morning, the cops were knocking at our door shortly after.

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