I cut my gaze at Hero, then at Ire. “Someone did this to them. Call Grizz and get him on this now.”
“Yeah, boss.” Ire stalked away.
“Look, if these people are your family, we’re taking them to Memorial Hospital. Both are in critical condition, but they’re alive… for now.”
“Jesus.” Maddox pulled away from me, putting his hands on his head, and paced. Two seconds later, he gagged and spewed onto the pavement.
“Hey, she’s going to be okay.” I gripped his bicep. “Your mom is a fighter. She wouldn’t leave her sons for anything. You need to believe that.”
He nodded, pressing his palms against his eyes.
“Can you ride your bike?” The last thing we needed was for Maddox to crash on the way to the hospital.
“Yeah, I just need a minute.” He inhaled and exhaled, getting himself under control. “Markey needs to get home.”
“I’ll make it happen.”
“Good.”
Sirens stole our attention. We watched the two ambulances leave the parking lot while Hero talked to the officer and Ire called Grizz.
“Whoever did this will pay,” I put my arm around him and led him to his bike. We needed to get to the hospital so he could be there for Sugar and I could find our Art’s condition.
“If I hadn’t left the way I did, none of this would’ve happened.”
Dammit, I knew the guilt he felt intimately. “Don’t go there. You don’t know what happened. You could be on a third gurney had you stayed. It does us no good to play the what-if game.”
“I just feel like a shitty son.”
“Okay, so make it up to her. Hear her out and be supportive and understanding the way she is with you.”
“That won’t be easy, Storm.”
“No, but you’ll do it because you love her. And because your dad would want you to.” Uncle Matt had made no bones about it when on his death bed. He’d told me he wanted Sugar to be happy and to enjoy life. He’d made me give him my word that I’d let her be with anyone she wanted, even though she belonged to Knight’s Legion MC. It was why I had assured her I would release her from the club if she wanted to be with Jack. I wasn’t about to undermine my uncle’s final request.
Maddox hung his head. “I do love her. I won’t let my dad down.”
“Good, let’s go.”
A few hours later, the small Intensive Care Unit waiting room was filled to capacity with my KLMC family, and we spilled out into the main lobby of Memorial Hospital. Upon arrival, Art had been rushed into surgery while Sugar was worked on. She’d coded twice in the ambulance.
Fuck, I’d never been so scared. But I couldn’t show my worries in front of my brothers or Maddox, who was barely holding it together. I needed to be strong for them.
Angel entered the room with Tina. They’d gone to get coffee and to check on Birdie downstairs in the main waiting room. Jaynee and Emilee were taking care of my baby girl.
“Here, sweetheart.” Angel handed me a cup. I appreciated her so much in moments like these, but coffee was the last thing I needed.
I set the cup on the table beside me and tugged her onto my lap. Her touch was what I needed. Her in my arms, her body against mine, gave me the comfort I needed.
She laid her head on my shoulder and swirled her nails at the base of my neck the way I liked. “They’ll be okay,” she whispered and kissed my cheek. “God isn’t calling them home yet.”
I sighed, tightening my hold around her. “Don’t overdo it, okay? I can only take so much.” I put my hand on her stomach. I worried about her and the baby’s well-being constantly for no good reason other than I couldn’t lose Angel or our children. They were my life.
“I adore you.” She kissed me again. “You have nothing to worry about, handsome. And Birdie is just fine, playing with Dante.”
“We have all the exits guarded. Cobra brought a crew out to help with security. The Fallen Soldiers are on their way to.”
“Oh.” Tina frowned when she overheard me. “Is that a good idea? I mean, do you know about Jack?”