I don’t want that to happen. I pray it doesn’t. No matter what happens in the future, I want them both more than my next breath, and yet I could be losing them now because of a past mistake.
“What the fuck?” Dustin’s voice breaks through the haze and tears as he crouches down in front of me. His eyes roam over my body as he demands, “Who the fuck did this to you?”
Behind him, I see three other men I recognize from the clubhouse. Shadow, Phantom, and Shade. All three sportingmurderous looks.
“Let’s get her up off the floor first, brother,” Shadow says.
“Yeah,” Dustin remarks, and scoops me into his arms. A whimper escapes as I try to fight, crying out in pain. “Shit, I’m sorry, Laney.”
“You need to get checked out,” Dustin remarks, setting me on the couch. “Where all are you hurt?”
“Everywhere,” I answer.
“Then we’re gonna go to the hospital. Make sure the twins are okay.”
I nod, knowing he’s right. I don’t want to answer all the questions people will throw my way there, but I have to know about my babies.
“You want to tell me who did this to you?” he asks again.
“Philip,” I utter the name before I can stop myself.
“Is he the father? Is this why you wouldn’t tell me?” he demands.
“God, no, he’s not the father,” I tell him. “But he’s the one who did this to me. I went out with him a few times when I lived in Florida before moving home. He showed up here about a week ago, telling me he moved here for me. That was outside my school. Today he showed up at my door wanting to talk about us getting back together.”
“Why would he do that? Guy has to fucked in the head to move hundreds of miles for a woman he went out with a few times,” Shade quips.
“I agree,” Shadow grunts. “What’s his last name?”
“Kippers,” I answer without meeting any of their gazes. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to bring drama. He did this because I refused him.”
“You didn’t do a damn thing to apologize for,” Shadow growls. “That motherfucker needs to be taught a lesson. We’ll deal with all of this after getting you to the hospital.”
“Come on, Laney,let’s get you to the ER and get checked out,” Dustin offers. His fingers brushing the hair from my face tenderly, the way he used to when I was still a kid and sick. “We’ll make sure you and the gremlins are safe and sound.”
“I’m scared,” I admit. “I don’t want to lose them.”
“That’s why we’re gonna get you checked out. See to it that everything is okay with them.”
Dustin scoops me back up into his arms, his brothers in front of us, heading for the door. “VP, can you grab her bag and keys? I’ll leave my bike here for now and take her truck.”
“I’ll grab it. Shade, grab her phone off the floor.”
“Got it, VP,” Shade grunts, waving my phone in his hand.
Dustin sets me on the passenger seat and cups my face. “We’re gonna make this right, little sister, I swear to you we will. This fucker is going to pay for what he’s done to you.”
I smile at him, no matter how small it is, and tell him, “I know, that’s why I called. My big brother has my back.”
“Damn right I do.” He grins and closes the door.
I watch as he rounds the hood while curling my arms around myself. Once he’s in the driver’s seat, I close my eyes and send a silent prayer that everything will be okay. That nothing will be wrong with the babies that I’m carrying. I can take the beating so long as they’re safe.
Chapter Ten
Tyler
“I'm guessing things with Delaney didn't go too well,” Maddox grunts, leaning over the rail of the fence between the two of us.
