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Without looking back, I retraced my path through the warehouse. The guard had passed out while watching his show, so I shifted Callie to my shoulder and pulled on the door, slipping out.
* * *
My head hung in my hands as I sat across from Callie’s hospital bed.
She was hooked up to an IV, and her head wound was treated. But she was still out, and it was making my nerves raw.
Once we’d cleared the Death Raiders club, I took her to a field, where Hamish called a prospect to come and pick us up with a truck. That same prospect would be riding my bike back. I had no idea how the negotiations were going, or what would happen, but I couldn’t worry about it.
Nor could I panic over what Simon would say regarding me taking his daughter to the hospital instead of using the club doctor. I had removed my cut prior to walking into the building, so there’d be no connection to the club.
The ER nurse walked back into the small room and checked Callie’s vitals. “You should go get some coffee or something. There’s not a lot we can do until she wakes up.” They weren’t admitting her. Yet. The unknown of it all was riding me hard. I knew Callie couldn’t fill in the gaps for me, but having her awake was the next best thing. Right as I was about to explain that I was fine, I saw Callie’s head lilt to the side then slowly make its way back to the center of her pillow. She was waking up.
I rushed to her side as the nurse began to talk to her.
She was asking a few questions about what happened, but Callie’s eyes found mine, and the tears welling in them had me pushing closer. The nurse went silent, finally reading the room, and gave us some privacy by sliding the sheet closed around her bed.
“Hey.” I tried to smile, but my lips wobbled too much, forcing a frown.
Callie’s voice broke as she grabbed my hand. “Tell me I’m okay.”
“You’re okay, River. I promise you’re okay,” I said soothingly while sliding onto the bed with her.
She curled into my chest as a heart wrenching sob escaped her. It broke me in half, rendering me speechless as the reality of how close we came to losing her slammed into me. I clutched her closer as I worked to regain composure and calm the storm brewing in my head.
I wanted to scream. I needed to hit something.
“I got you,” I whispered as her fingers grasped hold of my shirt and her sobs increased.
We stayed like that for several minutes, until the nurse gently interrupted and asked to examine Callie.
She gave her statement to the police, which included what she knew.
Food trucks, hit from behind, everything went black.
I didn’t add anything, knowing I’d have to fill her in once we got home.
“Perform a rape kit,” I said with a quaking whisper. I ignored how Callie’s eyes swung toward me.
“Why?”
I winced at the panic rising in her tone.
Thankfully the nurse took over, explaining why it would be a good idea, considering she was wounded with no knowledge of who had done it.
It was agony while we waited for all the results to come in. But finally, they cleared her. No concussion. No rape.
Just enough emotional trauma to last the rest of her fucking life.
Not to mention the betrayal she’d soon discover.
I’d hurt her worse than anyone else, and I was terrified of what she’d say when she realized it.
FIFTEEN
WES
PRESENT
