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His gaze shifts to the side as if he’s searching for the right answer. “Yes,” he finally says. “Depending on the circumstances and how close the family was to the MC, we still take care of them.”
“That’s loyalty beyond the grave.”
“When I say the club is my family and I call someone ‘brother,’ I’m not just throwing those words around.”
It’s starting to sink in. If I’m going to be with Dex, that means I better start learning more about his club.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FOUR
Emily
After work,I’m finally able to visit Serena in the hospital. Actually, I duck out a few minutes early so I can skip the rush hour traffic around Empire Med. I suppose I could’ve waited until Serena gets discharged, which I thought she would’ve been by now, but she seemed to really want me to visit when I spoke to her this afternoon.
Even though I already threw her a baby shower months ago, and I have more stuff for her at my house, I hate the thought of showing up empty-handed. I duck into the drugstore next to the hospital and search the shelves for something useful she might have forgotten to bring.
My gaze lands on a jumbo-sized healing balm stick that claims to be good for chapped skin and safe for baby. Perfect. Serena’s always preaching about the importance of moisturizing. This sounds like something she’d use. I grab that and a tiny blue gift bag and head to the register.
I make my way through the maze of long hallways to the birthing center at Empire Med. A nurse in pink scrubs narrows her eyes at me. I flash a quick smile.I’m not here to kidnap any babies, promise!
Ignoring her, I hitch my purse higher on my shoulder and keep walking.
Finally, 219. I slap the lever on the dispenser of hand sanitizer outside the door and slather it all over my hands.
A curtain’s drawn, separating the two beds. “Serena?”
“Over here!” she calls out.
Gray steps out from behind the curtain and pushes it aside. “Hey, Emily.” He smiles warmly at me and motions for me to come closer.
“Congratulations.” I reach up and hug him.
For a second, he freezes. Then he returns the hug. “Thanks for coming. She’s been looking forward to seeing you,” he says against my ear.
Now I wish I’d left work earlier.
He releases me, and my gaze lands on Serena. She offers a weak smile and pushes herself upright. Somehow the hospital bed makes her seem smaller than I remember, like all the white sheets could swallow her whole.
“How are you feeling?” I ask, stepping closer.
“Exhausted,” she says. A weak smile curves her lips. “Hopefully, they let me go home soon.”
“You’ll stay as long as they tell you to,” Gray says, pulling a chair next to the bed and gesturing for me to sit next to Serena.
“He’s right,” I say, dropping into the chair and draping the strap of my purse over the back.
“Don’t start,” she says. Her gaze falls on the little blue bag I’m still holding.
I hold it out to her. “I wanted to bring you…something. I saw this and thought it looked neat.”
She accepts the bag and pulls out the fat little stick. “Oh! This is perfect. Thank you. My skin feels like a paper bag in here.” She scowls at the hospital room, then rips into the thin protective plastic around the balm. “Ahhh,” she sighs as she smears it on her lips and cheeks. “Much better. Thank you.”
Gray watches her with concern. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“I didn’t know I needed it until I saw it.” Serena shrugs. “I could use some ice water, though.”
“You got it.” Gray glances at me and lifts an eyebrow.
“I’m good.”
