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I nod. There isn’t much to do now except wait for the blood to do its job. Now I can finally get some answers. “What happened?”
Lennox doesn’t speak. He still won’t look at me.
“We were attacked,” Gage says.
“By who?”
Gage hesitates and then says, “Retribution Kings.”
I gasp and examine Gage more closely. His face is bruised, and he has a bloodied lip. There’s a large scrape on his bicep. His shirt is draped in what must be Hayes’s blood.
I study Lennox next. He has a black eye, a deep cut on his thigh, and Hayes’s blood on his shirt too.
I want to ask more, but I decide it’s better if I don’t.
Gage looks at the container my blood is going in before being transferred to Hayes. “That’s enough.”
Lennox hesitates but removes the needle from my arm before slapping a bandaid over the puncture. He probably wishes he could have drained me of all my blood.
We all kneel next to the couch, watching Hayes. Slowly, the color returns to his face, and his breathing improves.
“He needs rest. There’s nothing any of us can do for him now except get him rest,” Gage says.
“Where?” Lennox asks.
“There is no place that’s safe, not anymore. Our apartment is as good as anywhere else.”
“I’ll help you move him,” Lennox says, ignoring me.
I lean forward and kiss Hayes on the forehead before Gage and Lennox lift him. They gently carry him to their apartment down the hall, while I sink onto Lennox’s couch, my face in my hands. If I had any tears left, I would let them fall now. But I have none.
I have nothing left.
I know Hayes will be okay—this time.
But what about the next?
For once, I did the right thing being gone.If I was here, who would have ended up dead? What lengths would the guys have gone to to protect me? Whose blood would I have on my hands this time?
“Hayes woke up when we moved him,” Lennox says, standing in the doorway. I hadn’t even heard him return.
I watch him study me for the first time. I know I look a mess. I’m still wearing my rain-soaked clothes and didn’t bother combing my hair or removing my makeup this morning. As bad as I look, he looks worse. I don’t know how he’s standing and not passed out somewhere.
“Gage is giving him some narcotics, so he’ll sleep. Hayes has a low pain tolerance and will talk our heads off if he doesn’t sleep.”
I smile at that.
“I’m glad he’s going to be okay,” I say.
Lennox nods—his silent way of saying thanks to you. It’s the only kind moment I get from him before his mask of rage returns.
“I’m surprised you’re back. The sex mustn’t have been very good if you’re able to walk this morning and you’re back before noon.”
I take a deep breath. Lennox has no idea about the decision I’ve made or what happened last night, but I don’t correct him. I let him be angry and take it out on me—I deserve it.
I stand up, knowing I have to face him. I have to act before I lose my nerve.
“We should talk,” I say.
