He was fucked.
Royally fucked.
“I don’t want to lose her, Preacher. Please tell me I won’t.”
“I’m right here,” he said.
She sobbed. “No, please, tell me.”
He kissed the top of her head. They were both filthy.
She started to shake, and through each pain, he held her, keeping her close.
He tried to soothe her, but knew there was no way to soothe a woman who was losing a child.
O’Klaren, you better get the fuck out of town. When I get my hands on you, I will slaughter you.
The minutes ticked by and she released another whimper, and he knew it wouldn’t be long now.
“I’ve got you.”
“I … this wasn’t supposed to happen. We were meant to go home.”
“I know.”
“Bishop would have more homework for me.”
“I know.”
“I … I don’t want to do this, Preacher. She’s our little girl. We only had a couple of months.”
“I know.”
She sniffled.
The pain had lessened, but he also knew this wasn’t a good thing.
The cold would be getting to her, as well as the blood loss.
“I’m so sorry, Robin, but you need to go to sleep.”
He covered her nose and mouth, cutting off her air supply. She struggled with him, but he didn’t intend to kill her, just knock her out long enough to call for backup.
When she slumped against him, he got to his feet and picked her up. She was a dead weight and made it even harder to carry her.
He managed to do it. The strength came to him, and he got to the car.
Reaching for his cell phone, he pulled up Bear’s number, and made the call he never wanted to have to make.
****
Bishop watched as Bear hung up the phone. The man had gone pale.
“What is it?” Bishop asked.
“That was Preacher. O’Klaren paid for people to run him off the road. He … Robin was thrown from the car. She lost the baby and is bleeding out. He doesn’t know how much longer she’s got, but he needs us to come and pick them up.”
Bear looked at his cell phone, then up at Bishop.
“Get the boys together, we ride,” he said. “You stay here, and keep an eye on O’Klaren.”
“Wait, what? You want me to just sit around and wait while you go and help Robin? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. That’s not going to happen.” He wasn’t going to stand by while Robin was hurting.
She lost the baby.
This is what you want.
No, it’s not.
He wouldn’t think about what this all meant for him right now. He had to get his shit together one way or another.
Bear grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.
“Now listen to me, you little punk. I get that you’re worried about her. Believe me, I understand it more than you realize, but you’re not going to win her over if she’s dead. Let me go and get my girl, and do as you’re told, now!”
He wanted to argue even more. The thought of Robin being out there in the cold, freezing, terrified—he didn’t want her to be hurt, ever.
“I’ll stay behind.”
“I wasn’t asking you.” Bear left the clubhouse while Bishop stood there, not knowing what the fuck to do.
Go and keep an eye on O’Klaren.
You’re no good to her if you don’t follow orders.
“God, Robin, I know I didn’t want you to have the baby, and I prayed you lost it, but I never wanted to lose you too.”
Chapter Fifteen
His men had brought him a change of clothes. Preacher stared through the window into Robin’s private room.
To anyone passing by who dared to look in, she’d be sleeping, or at least, appear sleeping.
He knew better.
Randall had met them at the hospital.
Robin had been covered in blood between her thighs and out cold. She’d lost the baby, and they had to operate to remove the piece of glass in her abdomen. The glass hadn’t hit any vital organs, but Randall had told him the baby was lost. She’d also coded twice on the table before they were able to make her stable.
She wasn’t in a coma right now, just asleep.
He stared at her.
Bear was in the room with her, and so was Rebecca.
He couldn’t get the sounds of Robin’s screams out of his head. They’d been so heartbreaking.
Putting a hand to the glass, he wanted to touch her, but so far, he hadn’t gone into the room.
Bear got up, nodded at him, and walked out of the room.
“You think it’s wise to keep Rebecca in the room?” he asked when Bear was in earshot.
“She needs her mother right now.”
“Right, because Rebecca’s been such a perfect role model.”
“I know you’re hurting.”
“You weren’t there, Bear. Do not even think to try and understand how I’m feeling right now.”
“You lost a kid.”
“It’s not just about the kid, Bear. You weren’t there to hear her scream. To hear her beg for me to not let the baby go. She begged and pleaded for the baby to be okay. I had to listen to her sobs and know I couldn’t do a thing about it. Don’t even think for a second this is about the kid.”