I was thirsty. I tried to swallow but my throat hardly worked. “Lita?” A female voice called my name. I opened my eyes, but the light was too bright. I flinched, and panic started to set in. A hand slipped into mine—it was a comfort. I felt weak. I could barely lift my arms. “Shh, everything’s okay, darlin’. You’re safe. Y’all are safe.”
My brain was foggy. I tried to remember. I thought about what had happened. There’d been a chapel . . . candles . . . a stone floor . . . I hitched a breath when I remembered Tanner. Walking toward Tanner, his strong body waiting for me in front of the altar. His blue eyes, misty with tears . . . rings . . . two wedding rings . . .
Then gunshots.
Pain.
Fear.
My eyes opened, and I flinched as daylight pierced through my skull. My heart was racing too fast. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t . . . “Tann . . .” I tried to speak. Tears built in my eyes. “Tann . . . er?”
“It’s okay, darlin’. You’re okay. You’re safe.” My blurred vision cleared enough that I saw Beauty. Beauty was beside me. She was the one holding my hand. “You’re okay, darlin’. Try to keep calm.”
But I couldn’t. All I could hear were gunshots echoing around my head . . . see Tanner falling to the stone floor . . . his determined face as he fought to crawl toward me . . . then nothing. “Tanner?’ I pushed out through a raw throat. “I . . . need . . . Tanner . . .”
“He’s here, darlin’. He’s alive. Look.” Beauty pointed to my left. I rolled my heavy head in that direction. Tanner was in a bed beside me. I wanted to reach out and touch him, but he was too far away. That’s where my relief ended. His eyes were closed. His naked torso was covered in bandages.
He wore an oxygen mask and sported an IV, attached to his hand. My lip wobbled, concern and sadness consuming me. “Tanner . . .” I tried to move to get to him, but a red-hot slice of pain cut through me. I gasped and held my side. I felt bandages there too.
“Don’t move, darlin’,” Beauty said, and gently guided me to lie back down. But I couldn’t keep my eyes off Tanner. He’s here, I told myself. He’s alive.
Beauty must have seen that I needed an explanation by my lost expression. “He looks worse than he is. He’s healing. I swear. You’ve both been out of it for a couple of days. It took Edge some time to get y’all transport home.” I frowned. I didn’t understand. Transport? “Styx wasn’t gonna leave y’all in Mexico, or even with the Diablos. He wasn’t gonna risk it in case anyone had escaped from either the Klan or cartel and were tracking y’all down. Prez paid a shit-ton of money—under the table, of course—to get you both medically transported.”
He did? Why? Why did he care so much?
“What . . . happened?”
Beauty sat on the edge of the bed. “Tanner came to that chapel to marry you, darlin’.” I glanced to my left hand and saw the ring there. Images of candles flickering on an altar filtered into my head. Of vows and Luis . . . “Luis?” I asked, panicked.
“He’s here.”
“He’s here?” I asked in shock. Beauty handed me a glass of water for my hoarse voice. I sipped it down, the rawness ebbing some.
“He was shot too. But only in the shoulder. He hit his head when he fell and was knocked out cold. The bullet went straight through.” Beauty smiled. “Styx brought him back too. Luis was kinda refusing to leave y’all.” I smiled at that. Luis was such a good friend. So caring. A true man of God. “The young priest who was there as witness survived too. He was escorted home by Valdez’s men after he was patched up in Mexico.” I breathed a sigh of relief.
My smile dropped when I asked, “It was Diego?”
Beauty’s nodded. “Yeah.” She looked around as if checking for anyone listening. “I don’t know if I should be telling you this. Club business and all. That, and I was eavesdropping.” She smirked. “But fuck it. You deserve to know.” She squeezed my hand. “Valdez’s men were on Diego’s tail. Asshole must’ve known he was on borrowed time. Apparently he saw Luis leave the hacienda with you, but in the takeover, he couldn’t get to y’all. So he followed y’all to a remote chapel. Luis contacted Tann through Valdez. Valdez had men watching the chapel. Diego was hiding. When Tanner arrived at the chapel, he flipped his shit.”
“Is . . . is he dead?”
“Yeah, darlin’,” Beauty confirmed. “Tanner shot him through the neck. But not before he shot y’all.” I glanced across at Tanner. I loved him so much. All he ever did was protect me. I needed him to wake up. I needed to see his blue eyes and hear his voice.
“Tank, Beau, Styx ,and Ky found y’all.”
I turned back to Beauty. “Beau? Beau Ayers?”
Beauty smiled. “Tanner has a lot to explain to you . . .” She trailed off, her expression changing to something I couldn’t read. But before I had time to question her on anything, she continued. “Tanner left early. We now know it was so Luis could marry y’all before the rest of the Hangmen arrived. Tank had suspected he was gonna try to get to you without telling anyone. When he checked on his room in the camp, and Tann wasn’t there, he woke Beau, Styx and Ky and came straight to the chapel. They arrived not long after y’all had been shot.” Her face suddenly looked angry. “Diego paid off the men watching the chapel. Valdez caught his men only a few miles away.” Beauty smiled a cold smile I never expected her to wear. “Killed them for their betrayal.”
“So . . . it’s over?” I asked, trying not get my hopes up.
Beauty kissed my head. “It’s over, sweetie. You’re both finally free.” A big smile took over her face. “And y’all are fucking married! Once you’re both better, that calls for a fucking party.”
I laughed; Beauty’s happiness was infectious. But when I did, pain sliced through my side. I sucked in a sharp breath. “Sleep, darlin’,” Beauty said. “Tanner should wake soon.”
Her words were like a command to my heavy eyelids, and they began to close. I next woke to the sound of low voices. When my eyes fluttered open, I saw Beauty talking to Styx and Mae. Mae noticed I was awake first. I cast a quick glance to Tanner, but he was still asleep.
“Adelita.” Mae’s voice was filled with relief and affection. She came toward me, Charon in a baby sling on her chest. I saw his little eyes were closed.
“Hello, Mae,” I greeted, and tried to move.
“No. Please do not.” Mae reached for my hand. When I looked up
at her in surprise, she was staring at me with tears in her eyes. I frowned, wondering what was wrong. “You are safe here, Adelita. We promise. No one will hurt you ever again.” Mae looked behind her. “Will they, Styx?”
I looked at the Hangmen president. His hazel eyes were locked on me. All I felt was confusion. What was happening? Why were they here? Why did he pay so much money for us to be brought here to Austin?
Nothing made sense.
Styx nodded in response to his wife’s words. His arms were crossed over his chest. And I couldn’t even begin to decipher what his expression was. Why was staring so intently at me?
“We will let you rest,” Mae said, pulling my attention back to her. “We wanted to check on you.” Mae kissed my head. “We will talk soon. When you have healed. When Tanner is well and you are stronger.” Unease swept through me.
Talk about what?
Mae joined her husband, and they went to leave. “He . . .” I cleared my throat. It caused Mae and Styx to pause and look back at me. “Tanner . . . he loves this club.” I cast my eyes to my husband. “He . . .” I chased away the lump that was building in my throat. “He has had a hard life . . . a loveless life.” My voice quivered with sadness, but I didn’t care. I didn’t want them to doubt Tanner’s allegiance for this club. “But he has found a home here, amongst you all.” I smiled. “He is a protector. That’s what he does. He protected me. He came to Mexico to protect you. He is a man you want in this brotherhood. He is loyal and brave, and I hope you see it.”
Styx’s face was neutral as he listened to me. Mae turned to her husband, some silent communication occurring between them. Styx lifted his hands. “Y’all aren’t going anywhere.” Mae spoke Styx’s words. His hands froze, a pause. Then he signed, “Y’all are family.” Styx dropped his hands and walked out of the door. With a small wave, Mae followed her husband.
I exhaled in relief. He wanted Tanner here. He wanted us here. But as I lay in my bed, I couldn’t get the visit from Styx and Mae from my head. It seemed more than a simple check-in.