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This is more than just the flu, so I nod in agreement. My career depends on my gigs in Vegas, and I can’t afford to be sick. I put my hands on the table for leverage to stand, but a hand shoots out to grab my arm.
“Apple, I’m sorry for our behavior,” Jez begins. “We see how much you and Mark mean to each other. In our line of work, we can’t trust just anybody.”
“What line of wo—”
“Doesn’t matter right now,” Jez interrupts. “What matters is that we get you some medical attention.” She focuses on my best friend. “Mark, let us help her. Please?”
“That’s up to her.” Mark tips his head at me.
Soul crouches, and his eyes bore into mine. I squirm when he doesn’t immediately speak and understand how he got his name. I swear he’s looking directly into my soul, searching for something.
“You have some brass balls for talking to me like that,” he finally says, piercing the silence. “Obviously, there are some parts of your story we’re missing. I reserve the right to make judgments later, but Jez is right, you need medical attention.”
“What Soul is trying to say is that he’s sorry, and now he’s going to call Abyss to come over and check you out,” Cece explains.
“Who’s Abyss?” I ask weakly. “Why would he come here?”
“Abyss is a member of my club, Saints Purgatory MC,” Soul says. “He has his medical license but only treats our MC family.”
“I’m not a part of your MC family.” Now that my adrenaline is wearing off, my bravery is too.
"Mark is family whether he wants to accept that or not. And you're clearly family to Mark so that makes you part of our family too," Soul argues as he whips out his cell.
“There’s no need for him to come here,” I insist, my voice cracking. “Mark’ll take me to an urgent clinic.”
“Mark, get her back to bed,” Jez says softly before turning back to me. “This is my home, not Soul’s. You and Mark are welcome here for as long as you need.”
“Thank you,” I reply. “I swear I’m not normally like this. I don’t know what came over me. It’s just… Mark and I have been looking after each other for a long time now, and he’s the brother I never had.”
“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” Jez waves off my apology. “I’d have acted the same or worse if I thought someone was attacking my family.”
Despite my reservations and anger earlier, I believe her. There’s a fire in Jez’s eyes I didn’t notice until now. I place my hands on the table to stand again when a wave of dizziness hits me.
Mark scoops me up in his arms, ignoring my protests.
“Damn it, Apple,” he admonishes. “Let me help you get upstairs. You don’t need to add a broken leg to your problems just because you’re too damn stubborn to accept help.”
“Fine, but someday,somehow, I’m gonna kick your ass for this,” I threaten. “I know you, you’ll never let me live this down.”
“Nope.”
“Why don’tyou just move your bed in here?”
I pause with my fists hovering near the punching bag and turn to see Abyss leaning against the doorframe. His arms are crossed over his chest, and he’s smirking.
“Because I’ve got a perfectly good bedroom.”
“And you barely spend any time in it anymore,” he counters. “You’re always in here pounding out your frustrations.” Abyss grins. “There’s another kinda pounding you can do, and you’ll get the same outcome: less frustration.”
“Fuck off.”
“Just did.” He pushes off the doorframe and strides toward me. “Nikki says she misses you, by the way.”
I shake my head. “Wow. She fucked you and then told you she misses me?” Stepping to the side, I nod at the punching bag. “Pretty sure you need this more than I do.”
Abyss sticks his tongue out like a child. “Ha ha. If I were a lesser man, I’d take offense to that.”
“If you were a lesser man, Nikki wouldn’t have fu—”
