Dauntless (Sons of Templar MC #5)(105)

I met his eyes, saw what a tenuous hold he had on his rage. “Okay,” I agreed.

A hard-faced Brock handed Gabriel what looked like a first aid box.

“You okay, darlin’?” he asked, his voice soft.

“I—”

Gabriel’s head snapped up. “If you say anythin’ about your f*ckin’ shoe or jeans again, I’ll lose it,” he growled.

I scowled at him, then smiled at Brock. “I’m fine.”

He leaned in and squeezed my arm. “Happy to hear. Though that head makes me think otherwise.”

His hand was gone as quickly as it was there, but I still shivered at the contact. Gabriel didn’t miss it and he glared at Brock.

“Sorry, bro,” Brock muttered. “We’re gonna have cops crawling this place….” he trailed off as the sound of sirens intensified and flashing lights illuminated the windows. “Right about now.”

“Yeah, well, let them come. We’ve got nothin’ to hide and as much as I loathe Crawford’s little visits, maybe we can make the boys in blue work for our taxes and f*ck around while we find who did this,” Cade muttered from his spot in front of Rosie.

She blanched at his words. One in particular, I thought.

She tried to get up again. “I’ve got to go,” she exclaimed suddenly.

Cade stopped her once more. “Are you f*ckin’ insane?” He paused. “No, wait, I already know the answer to that question. But you were almost just f*ckin’ blown up, kid. You’re not goin’ anywhere.”

Her eyes flared in panic, flickering to the windows. “I’m fine. My eyebrows bore the brunt of it, but nothing a spa day can’t fix. Now I’ve really got to go. I think I left my straightener on.” She struggled against her brother.

There was a commotion at the door and the hunky cop stepped through, his eyes scanning the room until they settled on Rosie.

She stopped struggling.

His government-issue boots pointed in her direction and didn’t stop until he reached our little huddle. Cade immediately stood in front of his sister, going toe to toe with the hot cop I knew as Luke.

“The flaming and smoking remains of the bomb that almost killed my sister are outside, deputy,” Cade said, his voice even. “I would assume that’s where you should be doing your job.” His stare was scary, even from my position on the sofa.

I winced at the dabbing against my head.

“Sorry, baby,” Gabriel.

“Shh.” I waved my hand at him, my eyes on the stare off.

“Did you just shush me?” he asked.

I ignored him.

“I’m right where I need to be, Fletcher,” Luke gritted out, though he didn’t return the death stare. His eyes were focused on Rosie, the look similar to the one in Gabriel’s eyes. “Are you okay?” he asked her, as if he didn’t have a six-foot biker all up in his face.

She nodded.

Luke didn’t seem satisfied but gave Cade his attention anyway, his expression changing in an instant. “I see the story of you going ‘legit’ was a total pack of f*ckin’ lies. What did you do now to put your own flesh and blood in danger?” he spat. “That’s low, even for you.”

You could taste the change to the air. “Careful, Deputy,” Cade warned. “You’re getting very f*ckin’ close to sayin’ somethin’ you might regret.”

“You threatening me?”

Cade’s stare was even. “Yeah. If you keep talkin’ shit ’bout my family, my club, lookin’ at my sister in a way that isn’t professional, you bet your ass I am.”

Luke moved his glare to Rosie once more. “She’s comin’ with me,” he declared.

Cade’s jaw went granite, and Brock and the one everyone called Dwayne stepped forward.

“No, she’s f*ckin’ not,” Cade replied.

“She needs a hospital,” Luke argued. His eyes went to me. “So does Bex.”

Gabriel and I stiffened at the same time. I put my hand on his to make sure he didn’t bite the cop’s leg or something.

“I don’t do hospitals, Captain America,” I informed him. “They mess with my complexion. Plus, the nurses here are way hotter.” I moved my eyes to Gabriel, whose eyes were granite.

Luke’s jaw went hard as he realized he was not going to win this one. “None of you go anywhere,” he growled. “I’m gonna want statements from f*ckin’ all of you.” He gave Rosie one more stare and turned on his heel.

My mind was so focused on what was going on between the two of them that the memory took me by surprise, it having taken a while for me to get all my thought processes back.

“This is my fault,” I whispered.

Gabriel froze. “No, it’s f*ckin’ not.”

“Yes, it is. I knew about what was going to happen because I was warned. Or threatened,” I said, my voice low. “It was Dylan. He called me and said this was payback. This. So it’s my fault.”

The air, which had already been bitter, turned rancid at my words. Cade and Brock both focused on me.

“That f*cker called you,” Gabriel bit out, the hand at my forehead shaking with rage.

Cade put his hand on his shoulder. “Easy, brother. How about you take care of your bleeding woman. Then we work on the other shit.”