She didn’t know how long the fight lasted. Her arm was touched, and when she turned around she saw Lash stood over her.
“We’ve got it covered, baby,” he said.
Looking around her she saw several fallen bodies, but there were also some of the Lions standing. Wrapping her arms around his neck he helped her to stand. “They shot Blaine. He’s hurt. We need to get him to the hospital,” she said.
“We will. I promise.”
Tiny had Jeff around the neck. “You f**king breathe in my direction again, and I’ll f**king kill you.”
“I’m just going to handle this,” Lash said, stroking her cheek.
Angel nodded going to Tate. She was knelt over Eva who held her shoulder.
“I got shot,” Eva said.
“I don’t think it’s inappropriate to ask for a raise,” Tate said.
All three women chuckled. “I never expected so much excitement,” Angel said.
Looking over her shoulder she saw Lash helping Tiny out. His brother was on the phone calling an ambulance. A couple of The Skulls were also checking to see if Blaine and Steven were alive. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her father stand to his feet. He held a gun in his hands, which he raised.
Acting on instinct, Angel went to her feet and ran toward Lash. The shot rang out, and pain exploded inside her chest. She collapsed to the floor, and all she heard was the dull beating of her heart.
****
Lash reacted. His woman had just been shot. He charged at her father, and the older man was no match for him. Lash was stronger, bigger, and he needed to hurt the man who’d hurt his woman. There was no stopping him. The room was washed in red, and it was all because of this man that there was so much blood.
Grabbing the man, he slammed his head against David’s. He pummelled David’s body with his fists, and then when he couldn’t stand it anymore, Lash wrapped his hands around his neck and snapped.
He despised the violence, but he couldn’t stop his actions. Lash watched David fall at his feet. Without waiting for the body to hit the ground he went to his knees beside Angel. Pulling her into his lap, he held her tight.
“Lash,” she said. “It hurts.”
“The ambulance is on its way. You stupid woman, you never step in front of a bullet.” Tears filled his eyes, and for the first time since his parents died, Lash let the tears fall.
“I h-had t-to. He was going t-to s-shoot you.”
He shook his head. The rest of the room faded against the pain of her bleeding out.
“You shouldn’t have done it. I can take a bullet, but I can’t lose you.”
She smiled when she looked at him. “I love you.”
His heart stopped beating. “What?”
“I love you, Lash. You’re the only man for me.”
Lash shook his head. “I love you, too, baby.”
The paramedics crashed through the door, and they started working without even hesitating.
Angel was taken from him, and Lash forced his way into the back of the ambulance. He knew the others would join him at the hospital. For the trip he needed to make sure she made it. Holding her hand, he refused to back down even when the paramedic glared at him.
“Don’t f**king think of ordering me about,” Lash said, holding onto his woman.
She passed out, but Lash wouldn’t let go. The trip to the hospital was fast, and only when he had to did he watch her be wheeled away. One of the nurses escorted him to a waiting room. He was covered in blood. Instead of cleaning the blood off, he sat in the seat waiting. The others in the room left him alone.
Within the hour Tiny along with Tate and the others turned up. Tiny and Tate looked pale as they took a seat next to him.
“They’re operating on Eva. She passed out before they moved her to the ambulance, and the guy said they couldn’t find a pulse,” Tate said, sitting next to him. “Eva’s strong, right? I mean, she can’t die.”
Lash sat forward, locking his bloodied fingers together. “Everyone can die, Tate.” He thought about David. Shit, what was he going to do?
“Some of our men are taking care of the mess,” Tiny said.
Glancing toward his leader Lash frowned. “You can’t get rid of that mess, Tiny. I snapped Marston’s neck.”
Tiny glared at him. “As far as anyone’s concerned nothing happened, and if it did, the Lions attacked us. I’m not losing one of my men to that scum, and that’s the last of it.”
Lash went to argue, but Tate pressed a hand to his leg silencing him. “Don’t.” She mouthed the words at him.
Hardy and Zero were sat next to the door. Lash imagined the others, including his brother, were taking care of business.
“So, Murphy never left The Skulls?” Tate asked.
Murphy had taken the role of being their spy. They’d made it look like a betrayal, but all the time Murphy was reporting back.
“He did what we asked, honey,” Tiny said.
Tate nodded. Lash looked at the woman he regarded as a sister and saw she was only just holding it together.
“I need some coffee,” Tiny said, standing to leave.
Within the hour the rest of the crew turned up. When Tate saw Murphy she stormed out.
Nash took the seat next to him. “Murphy hurt Tate.”
“He left without any warning. She’s hurting, but she’ll get over it,” Lash said.
“I hope you’re right.” Nash was silent for several minutes. “I took care of David. You’re not going down for this.”
“I may not have a choice,” Lash said. “I killed a man.”
“No, I lost two parents. I’m not losing you, Nigel. You’re all I’ve got left, and I’m not letting you go down for him.”
He looked at his brother. For Nash to call him by his real name, Lash knew he was fighting with his emotions.
“Okay, I’ll try,” Lash said.
“Good.”
There was silence once again.
“So Angel’s the one?” Nash asked.
“You must think it’s crazy loving her and only wanting to be with her. She’s my future, Nash. I love her, and I’d do everything to make her happy.” Lash smiled, remembering her say that she loved him. He was going to hold her to it as well.
“No, crazy is f**king a woman you can’t stand just so you could get the chance to see the woman you really wanted,” Nash said.
Glancing at his brother, Lash saw the mask come off Nash. He saw his brother, and the pain was clearly written on his face.