“Yes,” the nurse said. “Only family…”
I was already at the door. I looked at the nurse. I felt my heart racing and twisting at the same time.
“She’s… I’m… we’re family…”
thirty.
(harlee)
I remembered Duke. His mouth near my ear. Telling me I was going to be okay. Then he disappeared. I reached for him but he was lost in the smoke. I shut my eyes and rolled to my side, wishing Trent would come save me.
That’s when the world went black.
I opened my eyes and I was in the hospital.
A nurse telling me to just stay calm and relax. She touched my leg and told me I inhaled some smoke but I was going to be fine. I was going to be released and there was nothing to worry about. Just to stay calm…
That’s when I heard a thundering sound. Walls slamming over and over.
The nurse left the room and I was left alone.
In the silence of the room, I started to piece the rest of the night together.
The door to my room opened again. I turned my head to the left and when I saw Trent, I let out a gasp.
He was really here.
But he looked really rough. Really beat up.
When he realized I was awake, he charged to the side of the bed and crouched down. His hand grabbed mine, his other hand reaching for my face. He stroked my cheek and then leaned over the bed and kissed me.
I knew I loved him already but that kiss made it all that much more true.
So true that I…
“I love you, Trent,” I whispered as his lips moved away from mine.
My jaw then dropped, realizing what I’d done.
Trent touched my cheek and slowly gave a nod. “I know, darling. I feel the same.”
“You love…”
“Darling, I need to know what happened,” Trent said. He grabbed for a chair and sat next to the bed. “Tell me everything.”
So I filled him in. With every detail I could remember - the two windows breaking with the flaming bottles. The smell of the chemical and then the smoke getting so thick, so fast.
I watched anger wash over Trent’s face in a way that scared me. It scared me because I could see in his eyes that not only did he actually love me but he would do anything to avenge my pain. Even if it cost him his life or cost him time in prison.
I grabbed for his hand but he pulled away and ran his hands through his hair.
“Fuck,” he said. “This was well planned. This was an attack on you and Eden. It wasn’t Duke.”
“No,” I said. “Trent, no. He saved us. I got Eden to the living room and she lost it. I didn’t know what to do. I tried to drag her. She was…” My lips started to quiver. “Oh, the baby. Trent, tell me she’s okay.”
“I don’t know,” he said. “Trev is checking on her now.”
“Duke saved us both,” I said. “He showed up at the last second. He took Eden out first. Then he got me. He called for help and came to the hospital with us.”
Trent stood up. “Christ. Duke saved you.”
“Yeah. Why?”
I saw guilt on his face. “You heard those noises out there?”
“Yeah.”
“That was me and Duke.”
“Trent. No.”
He leaned down again and put his head to my chest. I grabbed for his hair. He smelled like sweat, steel, and man.
“Fuck, Harlee,” he whispered. “I swear I love you. You have my head and heart all tied up in a big knot right now.”
It probably was the worst time for it, but having his head touching my breasts… well, it did stuff to me. I felt my toes curl. My hands touched his back and I tried to squeeze him.
Was this the monster being vulnerable to me?
“I know who did this, darling,” Trent said. He lifted his head and was just a few inches from me. “Goddammit, I know who did this.”
“Who?” I asked.
“Daxton,” Trent said.
That sent a cold ripple through my body. Then Trent started to pull away even more. I sank my nails into my arms and shook my head.
“Darling,” he said. “He can’t hurt you. He fucked up. He fucked with my club, my old lady, the love of my life. He’s dead.”
“He’ll find me,” I said. “I can’t go back to the clubhouse, Trent.”
Trent leaned over me and kissed my forehead. “Darling, I’m just being honest with you. If he attacked the apartment he figures his work is done. I’m going to find out the truth. Right now, you’re going to stay put until the doctor says so. I’ll keep Duke here, okay?”
Strangely, that actually comforted me. I was supposed to kill Duke, but he had saved me from the fire. I trusted him to save me again.
“But I don’t want you to leave,” I said.
“I won’t,” Trent said. “But I need to talk to Trev. I need to check on Eden and the baby. I need to get my brothers together and meet. So if I’m not in this room, Duke will be out there.”
Trent kissed me again, harder than before. He stayed right there too, our lips and tongues playing a flirty game. His hand touched my breast and he kissed down to my neck. I put my head back and swallowed hard. Just hours ago I had been so close to dying. Now I had this wild outlaw’s hands on my body.