"What's the plan?" I asked with a small frown. I was wracked with guilt about Maxine, but I didn't need to risk Cass just to hold my hand.
He crossed over to me in three long strides and cupped a hand around the back of my head as he kissed me. "I got the tip I was waiting for. I'm not sure when I'll be back."
My stomach dropped and a cold shiver ran down my spine, but I nodded my understanding. Before he could turn away, I grabbed the front of his jacket and yanked him back to me for another searing-hot kiss.
"Stay safe," I whispered, my voice rough with emotion. "Come back to me."
"Always," he responded. He kissed me again, then released me and headed for Zed's motorcycle that he'd claimed. "You two fuckup's better keep my girl safe, or I'll gut you both with my hunting knife. Clear?"
"Our girl," Lucas corrected in a drawl as Cass tugged his helmet over his head. Not a single inch of skin showed to reveal his identity, but his attitude was still there as he flipped Lucas off with a gloved hand.
He tore out of the driveway at high speed, and I slid into the passenger seat of Zed's car. Just as soon as my butt hit the seat, I groaned and ran my hand through my hair.
"I need to talk to Rex," I muttered, looking reluctantly back to the house. "He's moving Seph into his place today so his boys can guard her around the clock."
"Uh, is that a good idea?" Lucas asked from the backseat. "Not about trusting Rex. If you say he's loyal, then I believe you. But Seph... doesn't have amazing judgment or life experience."
I blew out a long breath, agreeing with him. "What other options do we have? None good. I need her protected, twenty-four seven, and we can't do that ourselves. I don't trust other gangs. I don't trust the Guild anymore."
Zed drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "She'll be fine. Rex knows he's already on thin ice, so he's the best guy for the job. Worst thing that happens, Seph develops a couple of innocent school-girl crushes."
I scoffed. "Or gets pregnant." Then I cringed at my own statement. "Fuck, I'm glad she already has an IUD."
"I'll drop you at the hospital, then call Rex to sort everything out," Zed decided. "You don't need to see him personally. Better, even, for me to handle it. Can't have him thinking you want a relationship with the old bear."
I wrinkled my nose but buckled my seat belt. "Good point. Let's go."
Zed pulled us out of the garage and headed down the driveway as I glanced back at Lucas.
"Aren't you supposed to visit with your mom today?" I asked, noticing how tired he looked. Not that it was surprising; we were all wrecked today after all the group activities that had happened last night. Who knew there were so many different ways one woman could fuck three men?
"Yeah," he replied with a shrug, "but she won't notice. I texted her nurse and let her know I'd stop by later."
We slowed to wait for the gate, then Zed let out a soft curse when we exited the driveway. Standing right out in the middle of the road, flagging us down, was my eye-patch wearing, sociopathic nemesis.
"What the fuck do you want, asshole?" Zed snarled, rolling his window down.
Chase grinned wide, coming around to his side to peer into the car.
"Good morning neighbors," he leered, giving me one hell of an eye-fucking before switching his attention to Zed. "You know what's odd? I could have sworn I just saw you leave a couple of minutes ago on your motorcycle."
Shit on a pancake. Seriously?
"But here you are," Chase continued, licking his lower lip like he could taste a secret. "And there's pretty little Lucas in the back and my gorgeous, delectable Darling too. So who was on the bike, hmm?"
Zed gave a brittle smile in response. "Eat shit, Chasey." He gunned the engine and ripped away from our creepy fucking neighbor without entertaining his crap any longer. It was a smart choice, but goddamn if I wasn't mentally kicking myself for letting my paranoia slip. Of course he was watching—he was always watching. I just had to hope he assumed it was Alexi or someone else. Anyone but Cass.
"It'll be okay," Lucas reassured from the backseat. I flicked him a grateful look and reached my hand back to tangle with his fingers. Just touching him sometimes could calm the wild storm of my emotions.
This wasn't one of those times. But I still liked to touch him anyway. Zed said nothing, but his hand found my knee while he drove. None of us really spoke again for the rest of the drive to the hospital.
When we arrived, the attending nurse wasn't all too happy about letting us in to see Maxine. Apparently, my friend had been in surgery since she was brought in at three in the morning, but the doctors had done all they could. She'd been brought out for her parents to say their goodbyes before switching off life-support.
It was only when a more senior nurse recognized Zed and I that we were given access but warned sternly to turn our phones off and respect Maxine's understandably distraught family.
I paused outside the room they had Maxine in. Her parents were both in there, along with a younger girl who looked so much like Maxine she had to be her sister. They were utterly devastated, gathered around the hospital bed that Maxine lay totally lifeless in. A breathing tube covered her lower face, and her neck and forehead were strapped into a type of brace that indicated spinal damage. What little could be seen of her face and arms was so covered in bruises and lacerations she didn't even look human.
"Hayden," Lucas said softly, his hand gentle on the small of my back. "Do you want to go in?"
Swallowing hard, I shook my head. "No." Because I'd seen enough. I didn't need to intrude on her family's goodbyes. That wasn't my place, nor was it my right. It was only guilt that had brought me to the hospital, but I wasn't selfish enough to push it any further.
Zed looked through the window, his face creased with pain, but he nodded his agreement. "You're right. Let's go."
He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and walked with me back to the nurses’ station, where I paused to speak to the nurse who'd let us in to see Maxine.
"Do you know when they plan to switch her off?" I asked, forcing my voice to be level and calm once more.
The nurse gave a sympathetic smile and shrugged. "When they're ready. Could be now, could be tomorrow, could be never. Every family deals with loss differently."
"Got it," I replied, then let Zed and Lucas lead me back outside. When we passed through the hospital doors, I switched my phone back on. I needed to get my head back into work mode. My hardest shell was always in place when I was dealing with business. No one cracked Hades.
I trailed slightly behind Lucas and Zed as I checked my messages, noticing a voicemail from Alexi. I tapped the button to listen and brought the phone to my ear, pausing to wait for an ambulance to pass while Alexi's voice started.
"Boss," he said in a hushed whisper. "I need to speak with you, urgently. Some shit has gone down... I'd feel better speaking with you in person." There was an awkward pause, then he sighed. "Preferably alone. I'll be at Club 22."
That was the end of the message, and I frowned at my phone as I hurried to catch up with Zed and Lucas.