Page 55 of Bikers & Bars

“Oh no,” I whispered, face paling at the unexpected news. My heart was pounding and my mind was conjuring up far too many bad scenarios. I knew how MCs operated and they could be vicious. I just never thought it could be toward one of their own. Damien hadn’t just left to go to a rival or something.

He’d come back to me. How could any other alpha not understand that?

Fuck. This was my fault.

“I’m going to be honest with you,” he continued grimly. “It’s not looking good.”

I couldn’t find the words to respond, instead I offered the phone to Romeo with a shaky hand who took it. He spoke with Loki for a few minutes as I sat there staring off into space completely blindsided.

I’d finally accepted my version of a happy ever after and life was trying to take it away from me? Damien who I’d finally reconnected with… Loki wouldn’t lie so that must mean he was really bad off.

“Eliza. Eliza!” Romeo shook me gently until I focused on him. “Get dressed. I’ll drive us over and get some answers. Loki told me Bane was already calling the rest of your friends. Hazel and her men are already on their way.”

“What about Teagan?” I asked, my mind instantly going to her secret baby.

“Maximo is picking her up along with her bodyguard,” he informed me easily, blue eyes searching my face, his concern mounting at whatever he saw there. Or didn't see. “Let’s get you dressed first, though.”

My mind was too numb to do anything more than go through the motions. I pulled on jeans and a t-shirt. Went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth then we were out the door.

I’d never felt so numb in my life. I should be screaming or crying, freaking out more, but all I felt was a void.

My mind was too still. It felt like I was watching my body do the motions but my brain hadn’t quite caught up yet. I was nothing more than a puppet.

The drive was a blur, nothing seemed real until we walked into the hospital and the silence exploded into loud chatter. The ER was busy, kids crying and people screaming with doctors and nurses trying to calm people down.

The tension building inside of me only rose when the doors opened behind us to reveal Hazel rushing in with her entire harem behind her. Strong arms enveloped me in a hug and that’s when the tears started.

One touch and the dam broke.

“It’s going to be okay. He’s going to be fine,” she comforted me while simultaneously ordering Maximo to figure out what was going on and to find Loki.

There was some sort of exchange and then Hazel was ushering me through the waiting room and forcing me to sit down in an empty seat.

“I can’t lose him, Hazel,” I managed, trying desperately to get my tears under control. “He just got here. We just—”

“He’s going to be fine. The only person more stubborn than you is Damien,” she joked, but when I looked up to meet her gaze she looked completely serious. “He’s going to be fine.”

God, I wanted to believe her. To hold onto that hope and not let reality sink its claws into it.

“I don’t even know what’s going on or what happened to him. Loki just called and said it was bad and Damien was hurt,” I started. “I didn’t get details on how he was hurt–”

“Eliza.”

Relief washed over me as Loki and Bane approached us, Romeo was right behind them. Pushing out of the seat I ran for them, throwing myself in Loki’s arms, needing his comfort. Bane rubbed my back with small circles as I buried my face in the alpha’s neck.

I breathed in his scent. But even the cool scent of spearmint and pine couldn’t soothe me right now.

“What happened?” Maximo asked after a few minutes, finally breaking the tense silence. “How is he?”

“He’s in surgery,” Bane stated, my stomach twisting into knots. “As for what happened—”

“He went to confront the men that turned on us, on him,” Loki replied grimly, refusing to let me go as I pushed back.Damien did what now?!“Said that he might be able to talk them down before they did something stupid.”

“Looks like he was attacked from behind,” a smooth voice joined the conversation.Kraken.“They ambushed him.”

“Then dumped him on our doorstep so we’d knowjustwhat happened to him,” Bane concluded, anger making his voice deeper than normal.

Maximo nodded grimly, brown eyes cold enough to send a shiver down my spine, and then told all of us that no one went anywhere alone. And that includes everyone, a pointed comment he directed at his omega who just arched an eyebrow in response.

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