“Nikki, what’s wrong?”
“Ashes. He… he…” I pinched my lips together in an effort to hold back the tears. “He called me a whore and told me to get out of his house.”
Havoc cursed and went stomping inside. I could hear shouting, but not the actual words. There was a loud crash, then another. I stared, wide-eyed, and then ran back into the house. It didn’t matter that Ashes had gutted me with his words. He’d been injured, and I didn’t want Havoc to hurt him further.
The Sergeant-at-Arms had Ashes pinned to the floor, but the man who I’d thought to be so sweet and caring was snarling and cussing at Havoc, threatening to kill him and anyone else who fucked with him. I’d never seen so much anger coming from him before and it frightened me. What had Ashes been through today?
“Ashes.” I tried to kneel next to him, but Ripper held me back. Tears slipped down my cheeks as I pulled away and dropped down beside him. “Archer. Please stop fighting.”
He froze at the sound of his real name. I knew it was wrong to use it in front of his brothers, but I was desperate to reach him, reach the man I knew was in there somewhere. Maybe whatever had caused the head wound did more damage than break the skin. I only knew the man pinned to the floor wasn’t the same one who’d claimed me earlier. Whatever had happened, it had changed him.
“I don’t want you to get hurt. Please. Archer, you have to remember.”
I could feel the tension in the room. Ashes panted and glared at me, his hate-filled eyes making me tremble.
“Remember?” Havoc asked. “What the fuck is going on?”
I took a shaky breath and reached out to run my fingers over the scruff on his jaw. It was Ashes, and yet it wasn’t. The man in front of me looked like him, but wasn’t acting like the man I’d come to know. Something was wrong. Really damn wrong.
“You don’t know who I am, do you?”
“No,” he said, his tone biting. “Just some whore in my house.”
“Fucking hell,” Cobra muttered. “Hey, ass hat! That’s your woman you’re calling a whore.”
Ashes blinked a few times, studying me. “Mine?”
I nodded. “I’m yours. Try to remember. Do you remember this morning? Before Church was called?”
His brow furrowed and pain crossed his features. “All I remember is waking up in a warehouse. I was bleeding. I don’t even know how I came to this place. Just got on the bike outside and rode here. No one stopped me when I came through the gate. I… I kind of remember this place, remember being part of a club, but everything is hazy.”
“Do you remember who you are?” I asked, dread filling me.
“No.” He frowned. “I don’t think so. Saw the name Ashes on my cut. The Devil’s Boneyard MC sounded familiar. For that matter, I know what the hell a cut is, and most people don’t. Some things are there, but mostly everything else is gone.” His gaze held mine. “I remember the name Archer.”
“He needs a doctor,” I said, looking at Havoc. “Can you get off him, please?”
“Shit.” Ripper and Cobra both knelt next to me. “We’ll find out what the fuck happened to you and we’ll take care of it. Why don’t you let Nikki help you get cleaned up? We’ll have the doc here soon to check you out.”
Havoc slowly stood and backed up, his body tense as if prepared for Ashes to attack again. Ashes stood slowly, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes under the hostility. I took his hand and led him from the room, down the hall, and into the bedroom. Pushing the door shut, I wondered if he’d prefer that I leave. While he looked around, I went into the bathroom and started the shower. My heart was pounding. I didn’t know what would happen if Ashes never remembered me. What if he didn’t want me anymore?
I heard the shuffle of his steps as he came up behind me. I saw his hands hover over my sides before he gently settled them on my hips.
“I’m sorry I don’t remember you,” he said. “And I’m sorry I reacted the way I did before. Some part of me just knew this was my house, but…”
“You didn’t remember that I was living here, that we were together.”
“Right,” he said softly.
“I’ll get you some clean clothes while you shower. I can just leave them on the bed.”
I turned to face him and his gaze searched mine before dropping to my belly. He placed his hand there right about the time Oliver rolled and kicked. Ashes jolted then smiled.
“His name is Oliver,” I said.
“A boy?” Ashes looked at me again. “We’re having a boy?”
I hesitated only a moment, then nodded. The man was going through enough without me complicating things and explaining about Bane. With some luck, he’d wake up tomorrow and remember everything. I hoped this was only a minor setback and whatever had happened to him wouldn’t have lasting consequences.
“The water’s getting cold. You should wash off. Do you want jeans and a T-shirt laid out, or some sweats? I don’t know where you’re injured other than your head and knuckles.”
“Sweats might be better.”
Before I had a chance to leave, he removed his cut and pulled his shirt over his head. I couldn’t hold back my gasp. He was covered in heavy bruising across his chest and down one side of his ribs. Tears sprang to my eyes as I gently traced the wounds. Who had done this to him? If my brother had caused any of this, I was going to kill him.
“Archer.”
He placed his hand over mine, holding my palm against his chest. “I’m fine.”
No, he damn well wasn’t “fine,” but I knew better than to argue. I’d just be wasting my breath.
He toed off his boots and removed his socks, jeans, and underwear. There were a few cuts on his thighs and more bruises. When he turned to get into the shower, I whimpered. It looked as if he’d been beaten with a bat. Ashes got under the water and slicked his hair back, leaving the door open. He didn’t even glance my way, just held out his hand.
“What?” I asked.
“Get in with me,” he said.
“You… I… You don’t remember me, but you want me to shower with you?”
He glanced at me. “You’re my woman, right? My ol’ lady?”
I hesitated a moment, but what he said was true. I was his, even if it had only been for a day. Not even a full day.
“Yes.”
“Then get your ass in this shower, woman.”
I took my time undressing, noticing the way his gaze heated with every inch of skin I exposed. By the time I was naked, he was pulling me under the spray with him. His hands settled at my waist, or where I’d once had a waist. He stared at me, as if searching for even a wisp of a memory that included me.
“How could I forget you?” he asked.
“Let’s get you cleaned up so the doctor can look at you.” I reached up and brushed my fingers over the wound on his head.
“Everything will be fine, Nik.”
My eyes widened. “What did you call me?”
“Nik. That’s your name, right? Nikki?”
“Y-yeah, but you’re the only one who really ever calls me Nik.”