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“I…” Tanner shook his head, frowning like he was in pain and trying to capture a memory that wouldn’t come. “I don’t know. I remember starting Matt’s truck…then nothing.”
“Where have you been all this time?”
“A spa in the California vineyards,” Jet told him dryly. “Can’t you tell it did him some good? His skin looks so refreshed.”
Bates flipped him off. “Reid?”
“I don’t know,” Tanner muttered weakly. “It’s all blank.”
“The doctor said you were in a hospital in Eureka. That’s where you were?”
“I don’t know,” Tanner repeated, closing his eyes. “My head hurts, Jos. It hurts so bad.”
She stroked her hand over his face still in need of a shave. “I’m sorry, sweetie. The sheriff will just have to wait.” She lifted her head to give the sheriff the look I saw Raven give anyone who displeased her. It wasn’t as fierce as my sister’s, but it did the trick. “Sheriff Bates, I’m sorry, but this will have to wait, after all. Tanner has a skull fracture. Doc thinks he might have amnesia. Maybe once the swelling has gone down, he will remember something that could help you.”
“Right,” Bates muttered, but he was more relaxed than he had been when he’d first walked into the room. “I’ll be back in a few days, then. Keep me posted if he does remember something so we can get his statement.”
Jos nodded solemnly. “Of course. I’ll make sure you’re the first to know.” She walked with him to the door. “I really appreciate you coming, Sheriff. I can relax a little knowing you’re trying to protect Tanner. He’s so weak right now. When he was in Eureka, he coded twice, and we nearly lost him. I hope you catch the monster who did this to him.”
“Just doing my job, ma’am.” He gave her a stiff nod and headed for the elevators.
She stood there, watching until he got on, then closed the door. Leaning back against it, she let out a small shriek of anger. “That smarmy motherfucker,” she hissed.
“Care to tell me what the hell was going on with that little performance?” Jet demanded, glaring at all three of us. “If I didn’t know better, I swear I would have thought Tanner was close to death again.”
I gave my brother a brief summary of what had happened, and I had to grab his shoulders to keep him from running after Bates. It wasn’t all that long ago that Jet had been on parole after going to prison for manslaughter. There would be no saving him if someone saw him killing Bates. I
couldn’t lose my brother again. Couldn’t let Flick and Raven lose him again.
“Calm down. We’ll take care of Bates,” I promised him. “But we’ve got to do this smart. Jos bought us some time, so let’s use it. Call Bash. And maybe Gracie too. She needs to know what Bates did.”
While Jet tried to calm himself enough to make the calls, a nurse came in to check on Tanner. She took his vitals, said the surgeon would be in to speak to him soon, and then left with the promise of more pain medication.
By the time the doctor came in to talk to Tanner about the surgery they were going to perform on his arm, Colt and Spider had joined us, and Bash was walking through the door with Hawk and Gracie.
Gracie’s brows lifted as soon as she saw me standing there. “You’re still here?”
“Where else would I be…? Fuck!” Stabbing my fingers into my hair, I groaned and pulled out my phone as I sprinted out the door.
It rang and rang until, finally, Quinn picked up. “I’m about to walk into the doctor’s office,” she said, not sounding mad like I was hoping. But from her tone, I knew she was disappointed. “Little John drove me since I know how much you hate me leaving the clubhouse by myself. I waited for you and even tried to call, but I guess you have bad service in the hospital.”
“Baby, I’m on my way.” The damn elevator was taking too long, so I took the stairs, running like my life depended on it. “Something came up with Tanner and…” And I forgot. Fuck. I was the worst. Quinn was always on my mind, always, but this shit with Tanner had pushed everything to the side. Including my pregnant fiancée.
“I understand,” she said softly, but I still heard the hurt.
“I’ll be there in two minutes, I swear.” I hit the lobby, still running. “I love you. I’ll see you soon.”
Luckily for me, her OB-GYN was in the same medical complex as the hospital. I ran across the parking lot to the medical facility, cursing my sorry ass the entire time.
Sweat dripped down my back as I opened the door to her doctor’s office and nearly collided with her. Eyes wide, she stepped back so I didn’t send her crashing to the floor. “Are the hounds of hell chasing you?”
“Yeah, baby. And they want to drag me down for forgetting about your doctor’s appointment.” I grasped her waist in both hands and pulled her in close, kissing her softly. When I lifted my head, she leaned against me weakly. My kisses always made her weak-kneed, and I prayed that never changed. “I’m sorry.”
Her smile lit up my heart. “I forgive you. This time. Next time, I might kick you in the balls, though.”
“I take it you only want this one kid, then?”
She gave me a sassy grin. “Who said you were going to be my only baby daddy?”
