“Fuck, yeah, I’m gonna make that happen for us.”
“Glad to hear it.” She leaned up slightly and kissed me gently before settling her head back against my chest.
“Scoob.”
“Yeah?” I looked up to see Sundance walking through the great room, his face was ashen, and I knew something was very, very wrong.
“You gotta come, brother.”
I frowned, standing, and following him out to the front porch. I noticed Boner climb on his bike and ride toward the front gates just as my mother’s car pulled up to the front of the cabin.
“What the fuck?” I breathed out.
Squeaker slid out of the driver’s seat and rushed to the passenger side. He’d been on gate duty, which meant, no leaving the guardhouse for anything other than an emergency. “Your mom’s hurt.”
“Jesus.” I flew down the steps and shoved Squeaker out of the way, ripping open the door. “Mom?”
I barely recognized her. Her face was swollen and covered with blood, and her clothing was dirty and torn. She let out a quiet moan, and I reached in to gently lift her out of the car, but I didn’t get far.
“Don’t move her,” Needles ordered from behind me, and I scowled at him as he laid a hand on my shoulder. “I need to assess her injuries first.”
“I kinda moved her already,” Squeaker admitted. “She drove here like that. I wasn’t about to let her go any further.”
“Fucking hell,” I hissed.
“Crew.” Rowan’s soft voice slid over me as she wrapped her fingers around my arm and tugged gently. “Let Needles help.”
I let her pull me away and Needles assessed my mother’s injuries while a couple of the recruits brought out a gurney and a backboard.
“We need to get her inside where I can dress these wounds. I’m also gonna need to surgically set her arm,” he said.
“Shouldn’t she go to a hospital?” Rowan asked.
“No,” Mom rasped.
“Mom, who did this?” I demanded.
“You’re a nurse, right?” Needles asked Rowan.
“I am. Well, I was.”
“Any surgical experience?”
“Ah… well, yeah. A lifetime ago,” she hedged.
“You still current?”
Rowan looked up at me and I gave her a squeeze. “All in or all out, baby.”
She licked her lips, then faced Needles. “Yes, I’m still current on all my licenses. I can assist you in whatever you need.”
If we had time, I would have kissed her right then and there. Instead, I said, “I’ve got Lord.”
“Follow me,” Needles said, and Boner and Squeaker wheeled my mother inside as Needles led Rowan down to his clinic at the back of the cabin.
* * *
Rowan