“Who?”
“Jesus Christ. Hope, Hope is my woman’s name.” Dammit, he frustrated me. Each time he said Nurse Naughty, I regretted telling my brothers about her.
“Nurse Naughty’s name is Hope? That’s weird.”
“Shut up about her name, will you? What do you want me to do once we know where he lives?”
“I’ll call church. Be at the hangar at ten.”
“Can’t. I need to stay with Hope.” I didn’t want anyone driving her home but me. The incident with the druggy had to be a coincidence. Mercy told me patients who received Narcan were often volatile and pissed. Regardless, he was a gang member trying to take down the Knights. I wouldn’t take any chances with Hope and the baby.
“I’m your president. Be there at ten.”
“As if you’d leave Karma.” Never in a million years would he leave her side.
“If my president told me to be somewhere, I would.”
“You fucking liar. You would’ve told Dad no.”
“This isn’t about me. Leave a prospect if you’re worried about her safety. You know how it works. If you can’t hack it, don’t have an old lady.”
“Motherfucker. Don’t give me that shit. I’ll be there.” I ended the call, fuming and about to explode.
I understood the rules. All council members were required to be at church unless out of town or physically unable to attend—like they were dead. They didn’t really need me there. It pissed me off. I didn’t want to leave Hope.
“I’ll guard your woman.”
“You heard him?” I looked sidelong at Easton.
“I have excellent hearing.”
“Okay, cool. Fill in Gunner and tell him not to be seen following the dude and stay at the location until we send backup.”
“Got it. Just text me when you want me to come back.”
“Will do.”
I entered Hope’s room and found her sleeping. I would’ve felt like crap if I’d woken her. She’d been through a lot tonight and was pregnant… hopefully with my baby. Rest and healing were what she needed, and I’d make damn sure she got it.
My hands ached to touch her, but I refrained, so I didn’t bother her. My brothers would get off on teasing and calling me Mr. Sensitive. The fuckers weren’t wrong. I wasn’t embarrassed about being different. They were like cavemen and neanderthals, beating on their chests like Tarzan.
What little I knew about Hope, she’d throw my ass to the curb if I went all alpha with her. I reached for her, then retracted my hand. What if I startled her? Or irritated her?
Don’t do it, man. Let Hope sleep.
I sat in the chair beside the bed to keep watch over her. Even with the goose egg on her forehead, she was the most beautiful woman. Her blonde hair shimmered like spun gold and felt silky and smooth in the palm of my hand. I loved to caress her soft fair skin after a hard fucking.
Christ, she enjoyed rough sex more than I did. I didn’t mind giving her what she wanted so long as she let me be sweet to her afterward. Hope was a different kind of woman compared to others. She wasn’t clingy and didn’t need someone to take care of her. She seemed to only rely on herself and flew through life solo.
When I came to the hospital with Stitch, I had no clue what an eventful night it would be. I sure as hell never thought I’d discover I might have a baby on the way.
What if Hope wanted nothing to do with me? What if she took my kid away?
Not happening ever. I’d show Hope how good we were together. Physically, our chemistry was off the charts. Emotionally, she was detached. She never let me in and didn’t talk about herself.
I prayed she didn’t shut me out. It’d be pointless because I wasn’t going anywhere.
“All I’m asking for is a chance, baby,” I whispered as I covered her hand with mine. “One chance to prove we’re meant to be together.”