Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 56628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
I succumbed to him. I let him have me.
With one hand on my lower back, Tristan pressed me closer to him, and his other hand slid up into my hair, holding my lips to his. I gripped his shirt in my fists, obediently opening my lips beneath his when he licked along my bottom lip. A shiver ran down my spine as his tongue slid against mine, and I moaned softly. I slid my hands under his cut, feeling the rippling power of his muscular frame.
The door crashing open ripped us apart, both of us breathing a bit heavy as we looked to see who had intruded on our moment.
“Sorry, Grim,” Jesup apologized, not looking sorry at all. Tristan grunted. “I know you guys were having a real heart to heart in here, but we’ve got a fucking problem.” I pulled back from Tristan, my attention now fully on Jesup. My stomach twisted, a gut feeling that something was wrong spreading through my body like ice. “Joey has been shot, and he’s being rushed to the emergency room,” Jesup informed us.
My heart dropped to my feet, pure panic rushing through my veins.
I couldn’t fucking lose him. Not Joey. Anyone but fucking Joey.
I moved past Tristan and ran out of the room, heading for the clubhouse exit before anyone could stop me, my heart in my fucking throat. Jessie met up with me at the door, tears rushing down her face. I was still panicking, too shocked and terrified of losing Joey to cry yet.
“I’ve got my car keys,” she croaked as she desperately tried to hold herself together, but I knew she was freaking out as much as I was. “Ink and York are riding with us for protection.”
I was shaking. All I could do was rush after her to her car, praying that I wasn’t losing Joey.
I heard Tristan barking orders behind us at all of his men, but I was already rushing out of the door toward Jessie’s car, not paying him any mind. Once my ass hit the passenger seat, she took off for the hospital, barely giving me time to close the door.
My heart was painfully pounding in my chest, stealing my breath, making it extremely hard to breathe.
God, I know I’m a shitty person, but please don’t make me lose him. I won’t survive it.
Chapter Nine
Adelaide
When we got to the hospital, I rushed into the emergency room, immediately making my way to the receptionist on duty so she could tell me where Joey was.
“I’m sorry, Miss, but he’s currently in surgery.” I swallowed down vomit. Surgery. That was bad. That was really fucking bad. “You can have a seat in our waiting room and wait for the doctor to let me know that he’s out of surgery and into a recovery room.”
Numbly, I nodded, moving to the waiting room. Jessie took a seat in one of the hard, plastic chairs, but I couldn’t sit. I just paced back and forth across the floor. If I sat still, I would lose my fucking mind.
Ink took a seat beside Jessie and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into him as he tried to console her. She cried into his shoulder.
I wished I could cry. Right then, I was numb, teetering on the edge between sanity and losing my damn mind. I didn’t know what to do without Joey.
I fucking hate you.
Those had been my last words to him, and right then, I fucking hated myself for letting him get hurt with those being my last fucking words to ring in his head.
I looked up when the double doors opened, and Tristan stepped in with Jesup hot on his heels, their familiar president and vice president patches adorning their cuts, letting everyone around know exactly who they were and that they weren’t to be fucked with.
Tristan frowned when our eyes connected. Without a word, he opened his arms to me, giving me the option to take his comfort. With a choked sob, I rushed into his arms and collapsed against his chest as his strong arms wrapped around my slender frame, holding me together the best as he could.
“I can’t lose him, too, Tristan,” I sobbed. Losing him would literally be the beginning of my villain origin story. I would become so uncontrollable, I would have to be put down.
“Joey is strong, Addy baby,” Tristan soothed as he brushed his calloused hand over my hair. “It’s going to take a lot more than this to take him out.” He pressed his lips to my temple, letting them linger for a moment.
For some reason, I couldn’t believe his words. Any other time, I would agree, but something in my gut was telling me that this time wouldn’t be like the others.
I cried into Tristan’s chest as he stood with his back facing the wall, his arms tight around me as he let me cry it out. Jesup stood next to us, his eyes staying focused on his surroundings. “Joey Dirks?” a male voice called as he entered the waiting room.