“Oh…”
It’s a nurse. Or maybe a doctor. She freezes the moment she sees me awake. Her wide brown eyes flick around the roombefore landing on mine. She’s surprised—definitely didn’t expect me to be conscious. Then she looks at Axel andsmiles. A soft, almost shy curve of her lips, one he returns.
The fuck?
Axel clears his throat like he’s trying to cover it up, but I caught that shit. My brows knit together. If this asshole is screwing the nurse in charge of my care, I swear on everything I love—I narrow my eyes at him. He shrugs. Bastard.
She walks further into the room, brushing off the interaction like nothing happened. “Well, hello, Mr. Masterson. I’m Nurse Bethany Carter. I’ve been your day nurse for the last five weeks of your stay.”
I blink at her.Stay?Like, this is the Hyatt or some shit.
I chuckle, dry and cracked. “Lady… this wasn’t a vacation package. I wasshot. This ain’t exactly Club Med.”
My throat scratches hard again, and Axel holds the water for another sip.
“Brother,” he warns, eyes flicking toward Nurse Carter. Silently telling me tochill out. He’s right. Doesn’t mean I like it.
She smiles politely, like she deals with assholes on the daily. “How are you feeling?”
She moves closer, resting a hand on my shoulder. A low growl rumbles from one of my brothers. I snap my eyes toward them.Seriously?I clear my throat a few times so I can answer without sounding like death itself.
“I’m feeling okay… all things considered. But I need to know what the hell I missed. How long do I gotta stay in here? Nooffense to you, Nurse Carter, but I want out. These sheets are scratchy, this bed sucks, and I’m tired of having my ass hanging out in this gown. Again—no offense.”
My brother's snort out half-choked laughs.
Nurse Carter shakes her head with a soft smile. “None taken, Mr. Masterson.”
But behind my humor, there’s a storm building. Too many questions. Too much time lost. I need answers. I need my girl safe. I need to know who did this. Because someone’s gonna pay. And as soon as I can walk out of this room, I’m making sure of it.
Heather jolts up, her eyes connect with mine, and I smile down at her. “Hey, sweetheart.”
“Oh my God, Talon—you’re awake. Oh God, baby, I missed you so much.”
Heather launches up like she’s been holding her breath for a month. Her hands cradle my face, her lips pressing frantic kisses over every inch of skin she can reach before landing on my mouth. It takes me a second to react. I’m shocked. But I let her kiss me, even though something about it feels…off.
A throat clears. Nurse Carter looks like she wants to say something, and I shoot her a look. From the corner of my eye, I catch Heather glaring daggers at the woman like she’s in competition with her.
What the fuck is her problem?
“I’ll… let your doctor know you’re awake, Mr. Masterson,” the nurse says, keeping it professional. “He’ll be in shortly to discuss your care and recovery.”
She nods and backs out like she’s escaping a minefield.
The second she’s gone, I look at my brothers. “Tell me.”
They already know what I’m asking.
Axel leans forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “Well… the day Gabriella showed up—”
Heather scoffs loud enough to make it clear she’s pissed. She tries to cross her arms, but the sling ruins the effect. Axel doesn’t flinch.
“Like I was saying,” he continues, “Gabriella came with the boys. You left the clubhouse for a ride and got ambushed.”
I raise a brow. “That part Iknow. Keep talking.”
Axel shifts, glancing at Heather, then back to me. He sighs, clearly about to edit his words. “Some shit went down. Got said. Tensions were high.”
That vague-ass answer says everything and nothing. He won’t speak freely in front of Heather. His tone changes when he adds, “Your boy got heated and shot Heather in the shoulder. Hence the sling.”
