Bridge tried to rise up and go for Shade, but Shade reacted with lightning speed, grabbing the man’s shirt where blood was pouring out and pressing him back onto the ground.
“You were the one your brother followed into the service, not Lucky. You were the one who should have taught the dumbass to keep his safety on. You were the one who should have knocked some sense in him the first time he was reprimanded for not keeping his weapon close to his side. He was fucking careless with not only his life, but the other men on the mission. Kale was a goof-off, and everyone in the squad fucking knew it. That was why you asked Lucky to watch out for him.
“Lucky did everything he could do to save him, and I’m done watching you blame him for something he couldn’t prevent. If you go near him and Willa again, I’ll take out every family member you’ve got left breathing and those dogs of yours. When I’m done, there won’t be a person living to cry over the grave I bury you in. You got me?”
Bridge turned his face away, unable to meet Shade’s gaze. “I got you.”
“Good.” Shade released him, rising to his feet.
The ambulance pulled to a stop and the EMTs got out, grabbing their equipment. When they would have gone to Bridge, Shade snarled at them.
“You fucking treat her first. I didn’t shoot any vitals. He’ll wait.”
One EMT broke off, dropping to Willa’s side.
“Her shoulder’s dislocated.”
Lucky’s hoarse voice helped Willa bear the brief examination. Then she bit back her cries of pain as they immobilized her arm.
“Willa, stop.” Lucky buried his face in her hair. “Quit telling me you’re all right. I know it hurts like hell. I dislocated mine when I played high school football.”
“Oh.” Willa buried her face in his T-shirt. “Will you make sure Sissy’s okay?”
“I’ll take care of her,” Lucky promised.
Willa didn’t like the tone in his voice, but she was in too much pain to argue.
Knox and another ambulance arrived, quickly loading her onto the stretcher. Lucky held her hand as the stretcher rolled her toward the ambulance. As she passed Shade, she looked up at him.
“Don’t you dare thank him. He has a big enough head, anyway.”
Willa managed to laugh at her husband’s wry comment.
“You going to write me in your will?” Shade joked.
Willa stared up at him. “I already have. Didn’t Lucky tell you?”
Shade gave Lucky a mocking smile. “No, he must have forgotten.”
“I think I’ve finally figured you out,” Willa told him softly.
His smile disappeared, and an inscrutable look crossed his features.
“You told me each of The Last Riders has a code. Lucky’s is honor.” A lone tear slipped from the corner of her eye. “Yours is loyalty.”
Shade reached out a gentle hand, wiping her tear away. “Go get your arm taken care of. I’ll keep an eye on Lucky for you.”
“I know you will,” Willa softly replied. “I know you all will.”
Chapter 34
“Sit down and I’ll get you some juice to take your medication with before we go downstairs.”
Willa sat down at the kitchen table, feeling self-conscious with the other members standing around.
Lily and Beth both sat down at the table on opposite sides of her.
“Are you in any pain?” Lily asked with concern in her violet eyes.
“Surprisingly, no. They put me to sleep to put my shoulder back in socket and repair the torn ligaments. I’ll be good as new in about eight weeks.” Willa took the juice from her husband and the pain pill he held out.
“She has to have physical therapy. I’ve already called Donna.”
“The Last Riders keep her in business,” Beth joked.
“I have to admit, I did like Conner.” Winter sat down at the end of the table with a fond smile of remembrance.
“He’s not an option,” Lucky said.
“Why? Maybe I should meet him.”
“No, he had to leave town.” Lucky glared at Winter.
“I don’t know, Lucky. There were a lot of benefits to having him around,” Shade commented, taking a seat next to his wife and placing his arm over her shoulders.
“Don’t you all have somewhere else to be, like taking care of your kids?” Lucky asked grumpily.
Beth laughed. “Evie and King have them for the day.”
Willa stood up, going into the fridge to refill her glass. When she came back to the table, Lucky had taken her chair, and the rest of the table was full. Lucky’s arm went around her waist, tugging her down onto his lap, his hand resting casually on her denim-covered thigh. Lucky grinned unrepentantly at her faint flush.
“Is this the same table and chairs?” Willa asked, studying the table.
“Yes,” Lucky answered, rubbing her thigh.
She could have sworn the table had been a darker shade of oak.
“Did Sissy get on the plane?” Winter asked as she stood up to let Viper sit down and then sat down on his lap, wrapping her arm around his shoulder.