Her tiny body shook, and I felt tears forming in my eyes as I tried my best to stay strong for her, ready to protect her from anything.
“Where are they?” a voice called from outside.
“In the truck!”
A shadow moved across the door I was watching, my body instinctually wrapping my arms tighter around Macy as it flew open.
“Fuck.” The sound of Leo’s voice caused me to release a loud sob, and the tears began to stream freely.
I looked up at him, his large body filling the doorway, his hands braced on both sides and his head hung low. A large semi-automatic rifle was strapped over his shoulder and hanging loosely in front of him.
His eyes met mine from beneath his tense, furrowed brow. “Fuck,” he muttered again as his eyes moved over us, searching every inch.
Macy began to squirm, seeming to realize that her father was right behind her and desperately seeking the safety of his arms. He passed the gun off to someone beside him, and I lifted Macy to her feet, the light crunch of glass under her shoes sending shivers through my body. Leo quickly reached in and lifted his baby into his arms, crushing her tightly to his chest and closing his eyes.
Even through the tears, the smudge of red across the side of her cheek stood out brightly, causing me to gasp. “Oh my gosh, Leo, she’s bleeding.”
He pulled back, much to Macy’s protests and ran his hand across her cheek.
His eyes then moved to me. “It’s not hers, it’s yours,” he said quietly.
I held my hands out in front of me, there were small pieces of glass embedded in my skin. The knees of my jeans had small blood spots from where the glass had poked through and pierced the skin underneath, no doubt from when I’d rushed into the back to Macy. My senses now more alert, I could feel the pain and the warm blood that had trickled down the side of my face.
Up until that point, the adrenaline of the chase had kept me oblivious to any of it, but now it was all becoming so real.
“I broke your truck,” I whispered, finally taking the chance to look around at the aftermath.
“I know, baby,” Leo agreed, his voice soft and sympathetic.
“Ham okay?”
Leo nodded. “You did good, Hadley.”
I bobbed my head in agreement. “I got us back.”
“Yeah, baby. You did,” he said, offering me a smile like you would give a child when they had done something brave. “Now come on, Doc is on his way to check you all out.”
Leo shuffled Macy onto his hip and held his hand out to me. I wiggled myself out from between the seats, trying to use my elbows to push myself up and avoid more glass in my palms. I took his hand, and he didn’t even flinch as he helped me to shuffle across the seats and step out on the gravel of the clubhouse grounds. He pulled me against his body and his lips lightly brushed against my hair, the tension in his shoulders releasing and causing him to slump.
I swallowed harshly as I saw all the men, standing around us and the truck, watching as I emerged. They didn’t say anything, but they did nod their heads as Leo guided me toward the clubhouse, Macy tucked into one side and me into the other.
I peeked over my shoulder before stepping through the door, the brothers all moving toward the vehicle now and assessing the damage. Some looked concerned, others in complete awe. But when I took notice myself, my heart stopped and I froze. The front bumper was smashed and deformed, front and back windows shattered, bullet holes in the body, scratches, and dents down the side. It looked like we’d been in some kind of a wreck. I didn’t remember them firing that many bullets, with just the holes I could see from where I was standing. I must have somehow managed to block them out, my main focus—getting us all home alive.
“You made it,” Leo muttered as he tugged on my hand, pulling me through the doorway. “That’s all that matters.”
Barely.
But I’d take it.