Lochlan nods at Luna and Vincenzo, then pulls me against his chest. I sink into him, the relief, hope, and exhaustion consuming me all at once. For the first time in weeks, I allow myself to believe that things might actually be okay.
And then Lochlan’s phone rings.
He pulls away, grabs it out of his pocket, and frowns at the screen. “It's Cillian.” Then he stabs the screen to accept the call. “C? What’s up?”
I watch his face as he listens. All color drains from his cheeks.His jaw goes tight, his free hand clenching into a fist against his side.
“When?” His voice is sharp, and my pulse spikes. “How bad is the head wound?”
My stomach drops. Something's wrong. Something's very wrong.
“I’ll be right there,” he grunts a minute later. He hangs up and turns to me, the look on his face making my blood chill.
“It's Gavin. He got jumped.” His eyes spark with rage. “They beat the hell out of him. He’s got a head wound and they're running scans to make sure there's no bleeding or swelling in his brain.”
“Oh my God,” I gasp, my hand flying to my mouth. “Go to him. Go right now.”
“But you?—”
“I'm fine. My family is here. Go be with your brother.” I push him toward the elevator. “Call me when you know something. I mean it, Lochlan. Call me.”
He hesitates for just a second, his eyes searching my face. Then he gives a swift nod, presses a hard kiss to my lips, and gets in the elevator.
I stand there watching the doors close, my heart pounding against my ribs at the sight of his face. The panic. The anger. The guilt. I can see it all.
My father is finally waking up. And now Lochlan's little brother is in the hospital with a head injury, waiting on scans that could change everything.
Just when I thought things were getting better, the universe decided to kick me in the ass and remind me that nothing in our world is ever simple… or safe.
CHAPTER 25
LOCHLAN
I don't rememberthe drive to the hospital. One second I'm kissing Adriana goodbye, the next I'm swerving my car into a parking spot and running toward the emergency room entrance.
The waiting area is packed with the usual mess of crying kids and people pressing bloody rags to various body parts. There is no sign of my brothers, so I head straight for the reception desk.
“Gavin Molloy. Where is he?” I say, slamming both hands down on the top of the desk.
She glances up at me and lifts an eyebrow. “And you are?”
“His brother.”
She waves her hands toward the double doors. “He's in exam room four. Down the hall, third door on your?—”
I'm already gone before she finishes the sentence.
Cillian and Wolfe stand outside the exam room when I dart around the corner. Cillian looks over at me. He’s fucking wrecked… pale and drawn, panic in his gaze. Wolfe stares at his phone, his fingers flying across the screen, probably already trying to track down whoever did this.
“How is he?” I ask, peering around the doorway to get a glimpse of Gavin but he’s hidden by a curtain.
“Awake. Pissed as hell. He looks like shit.” Cillian rips a hand through his hair. “They stitched up the gash on his head. He needed sixteen fucking stitches. His face is a disaster… black eye, split lip, bruised jaw.” Cillian grits his teeth. “He’s also got a couple of bruised ribs, but by some miracle, nothing’s broken."
“And what about the scans?” I ask in a low voice.
He shrugs. “Still waiting. Someone should have an update any minute now.”
“Is anyone in there now? Can I see him?” I ask.
