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Maverick
I burst into the emergency room that was already overflowing with my MC brothers and family, my eyes flying around in search of River.
I’d barely gotten her text that she might be late opening the shop before sirens had been flying past my apartment. Not two minutes later, more sirens had alerted me to an ambulance, but I hadn’t thought much of it.
Not until River texted me ten minutes later that she was on her way to the hospital and not to worry. How the fuck was I supposed to not worry when she said shit like that? I’d broken the speed limit getting to the hospital, but there was no sign of her anywhere.
“Mav!” I turned at the sound of my sister’s voice to see Mila standing by the nurses station. She took one look at me, saw how desperate I was, and gave me a nod. “She’s in the back with Nova,” she said, waving me toward the door that would take me back to the exam rooms.
The nurse she’d just been speaking to opened the door for me, and I sprinted down the hall until I saw Uncle Bash and Aunt Raven. They stood beside Ben, who was speaking to them in low tones. Behind them, my dad was standing in front of a triage door, his arms crossed over his chest, his face blank but his eyes wild.
He was who I ran to. Who I knew would tell me the truth. When his eyes landed on me, he dropped his arms and reached one out to grasp my shoulder, steadying me. “She’s okay,” he said in a low voice. “It was Nova who was attacked. River wasn’t even touched.”
“You’re sure? She…” I scrubbed my hands through my hair, biting back the words that had nearly spilled out. She had only just lost our baby a few days before. She was still recovering. She could have been in pain and wouldn’t have told anyone, because she wouldn’t want them to worry about her.
“She’s fine, son,” he said, his hand squeezing my shoulder reassuringly. “I wouldn’t lie to you.”
I nodded, knowing he would always give it to me straight, no matter what. Taking a deep breath to try to calm my racing heart, I glanced at the door behind him. “Is Nova okay?”
He glanced at the door then over at Ben. “Doc is in there now. Her parents are with her, and so is River. It was that fucking Colombian rival of Vitucci’s.”
“They came after Nova to make a statement?”
He shrugged. “That’s the way it looks.”
“Fuck,” I muttered and turned to stand beside him.
As I did, the ambulance bay doors opened, and River’s parents came in. “Raven.” Colt grabbed his sister’s elbow, turning her to face him. “Where is she?”
She gave him a quick hug before stepping back. “She’s fine, Colt. Nothing happened to River, I swear.”
“Then why the fuck is she in the emergency room?” he demanded.
Raven glanced at Aunt Kelli, who lifted her brows in question. “Ramirez’s men came for Nova. River was going to give Nova a ride home, but when she went to the library to see if she was ready, she found Nova had been attacked.”
“Fuck,” Colt exploded. “Is Nova okay?”
“Doc is with her now. She has a knife wound that needs stitching up, but we’re waiting to know more once Doc is finished examining her.”
“But nothing happened to River?” Aunt Kelli’s gaze shot to mine. When I shook my head, she visibly relaxed.
But when she shifted her attention to me, so did Colt, and I could feel his rage before he even took a step.
“What the fuck were you doing when you should have been protecting my baby girl?” he bellowed.
I squared my shoulders, prepared to let him get it all out. I understood—fuck, I wanted to rage a little myself. My fear that something had happened to River still lingered, even though I knew she was safe behind the door I stood in front of. He barely took a handful of steps before both Raven and Aunt Kelli blocked his path.
“Why are you yelling at the boy?” Aunt Kelli demanded, pushing at her husband’s chest. “She was at school, dumbass. He was on his way to work.”
“He should have—”
“What?” she interrupted him. “Followed her around like a lost puppy while she went to classes?” He sputtered for a moment before growling something low that I couldn’t hear. “Shut the fuck up, idiot.” She stepped into his personal space. “I’m tired of your tantrums, Colt. She’s a grown woman now. River loves him, and they’re together. Pull your head out of your ass and be happy for them.”
The door behind me opened, and I turned around at the same time Dad did. Jet stood there with a lethal look in his eyes, but his gaze moved past us to his youngest brother. “If all you’re going to do is yell and scream, then you should just go the fuck home, Colt.”
“How is Nova?” he asked instead, his anger turning into concern for his niece.
“Doc is about to stitch her up.” He stepped aside and looked over his shoulder. “River, honey, you look exhausted. You should go home, or to work.”
