I brushed my fingertip along his chiseled jaw and the stubble that grew there, liking the rough texture beneath my hand. I didn’t know what made me lean toward him, but I was completely overtaken by his presence, sucked in like a magnet and concerned beyond the ability to wonder if it was appropriate. “An ambulance is coming. Help is on the way.”
“Angel . . .” His voice was weaker, and I knew R.J. was in serious pain and on the verge of passing out.
“R.J.,” I called out, smacking his cheek lightly. “Can you hold on a little longer?”
“Stay.” Shocked by his request, I couldn’t refuse. His hand reached for mine and squeezed once before he loosened his grip and it fell away.
Swallowing hard, I was afraid he was fading much too quickly. “As long as I can,” I promised, placing my palm against his cheek. “Don’t die on me, R.J.”
“Angel . . . kiss me.”
I frowned. Kiss him? Was he crazy?
“I might not . . . survive. Kiss me, my angel.”
I must have been stupid or out of my mind because I leaned in . . . and pressed my quivering lips to his.
Chapter 6 – R.J.
“Angel,” I whispered, my throat parched and dry.
“R.J.”
I could hear voices. Were they calling my name? Where was my angel?
“You awake, bro?”
Edge’s voice penetrated the fog in my head as I opened my eyes, blinking several times before my vision cleared. Rae and Edge sat on my right. Ghost and GQ were on my left. Across from me Hayley sat on Jake’s lap as I felt all eyes watching with an intensity that made me uncomfortable.
“What is this? A gangbang?” I choked, sinking back against the pillows after I tried unsuccessfully to sit up a few inches.
“Don’t sit up, dude,” Ghost warned as I nodded, my head foggy.
“Are you okay?” Rae’s voice wavered like she was upset.
Fuck.
I didn’t have space in my head for that shit. Tears and emotion weren’t my thing. Rae was too close to my heart and I couldn’t go there. Not tonight.
Or whenever the fuck time it happened to be right now.
“Bro, you’ve been out of it for a few days. The doc repaired your wound and now you’ve got a sexy scar,” GQ informed me in his playful tone. Always ready to diffuse any tension, he was just what I needed.
“What wound?” I asked with a groan. My stomach felt like someone had punched it with a truck. “Did something happen?”
He snorted. “Shut the fuck up.”
I laughed lightly but winced as the stitches in my side pulled the skin taught with the movement. The joke didn’t help with the concerned expressions around the room. I was kind of surprised to see them all here, but the club was family. There was no way my brothers wouldn’t be at my side. I needed to remember that.
Rae stood up and held a hand over her mouth. “Sorry!” She ran into the bathroom directly across from my bed and I heard her gagging right before she got sick.
Pregnancy was really giving her a hard time.
“Shit,” Edge swore, heading in after her as he shut the door and I heard water running, probably from the sink.
Hayley shook her head. “She’s got it rough.” Hay slipped from Jake’s embrace and went to the bathroom, opening the door and peeking in, before disappearing inside.
Jake shook his head. “Told Hay I wasn’t ready yet for kids.” He tilted his head, watching the door. “Truth is, I’m scared shitless. I don’t know how Edge is keeping his shit together.”