“How do you feel about a drive?” I asked Aaliyah as I set her in the passenger seat of my truck.
She smiled at me as much as she could. The right side of her face was doing a little better, but she still had a bit to go before she was back to normal. “A drive sounds perfect. But I might fall asleep.”
I buckled her in before pressing my lips to hers. “Sleep all you want, Red. You need the rest. Let me handle everything else.”
I closed her door and got in on the driver’s side before I pulled out of the hospital parking lot, heading toward the county line. We both needed this, even if she slept for most of it.
And just as she warned me, not even five minutes into the drive, she was softly snoring.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Aaliyah
Johnston sighed as he pulled onto the clubhouse lot, shifting his truck into park as Blayke made his way to the truck, his stride determined. I watched as Johnston leaned his head back against the headrest of his seat, a deep frown pulling at his lips.
I didn’t like seeing him so stressed. I wanted things to go back to the way they were before I’d gotten shot. I mean, I didn’t want to give him up, but I just didn’t want him to be dealing with all this shit. Everything had been peaceful a few weeks ago.
“Swear a man can’t catch a fucking break,” Johnston muttered. “Give me a minute, Red.”
He slid out of the truck and shut the door, meeting Blayke a few feet from the hood of the truck. I watched as Blayke quickly spoke to him, his voice low enough that I couldn’t hear him. Johnston cursed and nodded his head before moving away from his VP to round the truck. He pulled my door open and then reached in, lifting me out of the truck.
“One of the club girls is going to help you to my room,” he told me as he carried me to the clubhouse. “You think you can walk that distance if I can at least get you to the chapel doors? This is an emergency, and I need to get inside as soon as possible.”
I frowned, worried about what was happening, but I didn’t ask questions. I knew my place. Women weren’t told anything—only if wereallyneeded to know. And even then, it was normally just a matter of life or death.
“Of course,” I assured him.
He sighed, clenching his jaw for a moment before he forced it to relax. “I’m sorry, Red. I wanted to have a relaxing evening with you after the rough day you’ve had.”
I instantly shook my head at him. He was the president. When shit popped up, he had to take care of that. I understood and respected his position within this club. He never had to apologize for putting the club first.
“You’re the president, Johnston. The club comes first—always. I know that; I understand it. And I respect it.”
He shook his head, pressing his lips to the top of my head. “You’re too good for a fucker like me, Red.”
I just rolled my eyes at him. He muttered something I didn’t catch. I arched a brow at him. “What?”
He grunted. “I said if my hands weren’t full of you already, I’d smack your ass for that sassy little eye roll.”
My cheeks flushed, my core clenching. A wicked smirk pulled at his lips as he set me on my feet in front of the chapel doors. No doubt, he knew the effect he had on me. I didn’t even have the decency to be the slightest bit embarrassed. Iwantedhim to know how badly I needed him.
As soon as I was on my feet, Lily was there, wrapping an arm around my waist to steady me. Johnston strode into the chapel without another word, shutting the door behind him. I blew out a soft breath, hoping whatever had happened was easily dealt with. Johnston really didn’t need more shit piled on his plate.
“So, you and Johnston, huh?” Lily asked as soon as the door was shut behind Johnston, locking all the men in that room. “We’ve all been wondering when he’d finally leave his wife and make you his old lady. Man’s had eyes for you since you started working here.”
I frowned at Lily as we slowly made our way down the hall. I hated being so weak on one side of my body. I couldn’t heal fucking fast enough. I was beginning to not mind having Johnston dote on me and carry me everywhere as much, but the sooner I didn’t have to rely on anyone, the sooner I could move on with my life.
“I’m not his old lady,” I told her. I didn’t know where she’d heard that, but she’d heard it wrong.
She snorted. “Not what the rest of us were told. Blayke made it clear you were Johnston’s old lady and were to be respected as such, per the president’s orders.”
I gritted my teeth. So, Johnston was making me his old lady. And while that had sounded nice in the hospital when I was alone and afraid, now I wasn’t sure how I felt. Because what happened when he got tired of me like he got tired of his wife?
What happened if I never got better? What happened if I never got all of my mobility back and was forever handicapped?
Would he truly still want me as his old lady then?
“Take me to my room,” I told Lily.