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Izzy allowed her eyes to close as she huffed out a laugh. “They gave me a message. Never said it was for the Handlers, but…”
Zach tensed. “What did they say?”
“In a nutshell, clubhouse isn’t safe. Their business is booming. It’s easy to get to you guys. And you can’t stop them.”
“Godfuckingdamnit,” Zach spat out as he stood and paced in front of her car. He ran a hand down his face, scratching the five-o’clock shadow. “Jig’s gonna have my ass. Shoulda walked you to your car. Hell, that stupid fucker shoulda walked you out. Can’t believe we didn’t put a guard on you. Shit, I can already tell Louie is pissed he didn’t get a piece of them.”
That was the second time he’d mentioned someone named Louie. As far as she knew, she and Jig were the last in the gym. “Who’s Louie?” she asked.
Zach lifted the bat, and an evil grin crossed his face.
“Your bat’s name is Louie?”
“Fuck, yeah, and he’s a vengeful motherfucker.”
Oookay. Totally normal.
“I’m the club’s enforcer, Izzy. Bat’s cleaner and leaves far less DNA than my fists or bullets. You okay if I make a few calls, babe?” he asked.
In a sick way, it made perfect sense. Keeping her eyes closed, she nodded and waved him away. “Go for it,” she whispered.
“Shit, Iz, I’m sorry our club business touched you,” Zach said before he stormed off a few feet, barking orders into his phone.
A few minutes later, the shrill sound of a siren signaled the ambulance’s arrival. Two paramedics climbed out the back and rushed toward her.
“They’ll have you feeling better in no time, girl. And I called Jig. He freaked the fuck out and will probably get to the ER before you do.”
Huh? “What? Why did you call him?”
Zach just grunted and rolled his eyes.
Why on earth would Jig show up at the hospital? They weren’t in a relationship. Hell, they weren’t even really friends. Just two people who trained together a few nights a week.
Izzy sagged against the car as she answered the rapid-fire questions from the paramedics. Zach stayed by her side the entire time, snapping at the EMTs if he felt they weren’t gentle enough. It was strange and kind of nice to have someone to lean on during a difficult time.
And Jig was coming to the hospital. She almost laughed. She’d believe that when she saw it. There was no reason for him to come, and in her experience, people didn’t stick their neck out for others, even those they claimed to love.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
JIG STARED AT the harsh ruby-red lights of the emergency room sign as a familiar feeling of dread coursed through him. Nothing scared him anymore. Not a single blip of fear in over six years. But Zach’s call sent terror through every cell in his body.
A woman had been hurt. A woman he knew. A woman he…liked.
Not again. This could not be happening again.
He hadn’t even been able to admit to himself that he felt something for her. With her sass, her ball-busting, and her strength, she was the complete opposite of every woman he’d ever gone for, but somehow she snuck in. Now she was lying in a hospital bed because he’d treated her as an outsider. He’d made sure Copper protected Shell, but never even considered protecting Izzy. The years after his wife’s death were spent honing his skills so he could protect himself, his brothers, and anyone else in his world. But he hadn’t protected Izzy like he hadn’t protected his wife and child.
Sickness rolled in Jig’s gut, but he couldn’t force his ass to move from the cab of his pickup. The scar on his face prickled more than ever before, and he was dying to rub it, but denied himself the simple comfort.
Why the fuck hadn’t he waited to follow her out? Why hadn’t he had a tail on her? In his defense, he hadn’t thought she was close enough to the club to blip on Lefty’s radar. Or maybe he was just fighting the notion. Either way, it was a neglectful oversight that cost her.
A knock at his window had him jumping out of his skin. Christ, he needed to get his shit together and remain alert before someone else got hurt. Copper stood on the other side of his closed door.
Jig opened the door, and Copper immediately said, “She’s okay, man. You hear me? She’s gonna be fine. Nothing life-threatening. She didn’t even want to come here. Only reason Zach could get her ass into that ambulance was she wasn’t at the top of her game. Otherwise, she’d have kicked his nuts into next week. She still might once she’s feeling better.”
Blowing out a breath, Jig nodded.
“Hey,” Copper said, all business. “You’re good. Just old shit rising to the surface.”
Right. Of course. So he got a stiffie every time the woman was within fifty meters? And so her brand of spit and snark was more likable than not? He could admit all that. He could even form some kind of friendship with her. That’s all it had to be. Nothing deeper. His dick would survive hanging around her and not inside her. Plenty of women more his flavor were waiting in the wings.
