Lethal Temptations (Tempted #5)(37)

I leaned over his body and pressed my lips to his forehead.

“You’re my hero,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to his nose before pulling back and wiping my cheeks with the backs of my hands. “Wake up and I’ll be yours.”





Chapter Twelve





You know you’ve committed too many sins, f*cked too many people and ruined too many lives when the devil don’t even want your ass. I should be dead but even Satan didn’t want to save me from the nothing I had become. Nope, that prick bastard turned his back on me too.

That’s when you know you’re f*cked and you start to wonder if you’re f*cking immortal. When I get the f*ck out of here I’m going to Atlantic City, putting all my cash on Black because motherf*cker I can’t lose.

I beat the odds every-f*cking-time.

Now, I was sitting in a hospital bed, hours after waking up from a coma. One I apparently had been in for nearly two weeks and trying to make sense of everything. When I first woke up I freaked the f*ck out and judging by the frightened look of the nurse, held some sort of resemblance to the exorcist. I had a tube down my f*cking throat and couldn’t speak until they took it out. I tried to pull the damn thing out myself but the jerk off doctor stuck my hands in restraints and gave me a sedative because being out cold for two weeks wasn’t enough.

Once the sedative wore off they returned to brief me on my condition. They think I’m a junkie and that I did this shit to myself. While there is truth to their conclusions they don’t know that there was a woman who I got clean for and another that I wanted to stay clean for. They don’t know that I intercepted Jimmy Gold from taking Lacey or that in the larger scheme of things I sacrificed my veins for the innocent kids growing up on the streets of New York.

A social worker was sent in to discuss treatment options and facilities. They started me on methadone since my heart was too weak to withstand the withdrawals and now I had a choice. I could continue with the methadone once I was released from the hospital or go to an in-patient drug rehab.

“I know you’ve been through a lot and we’ve dumped a lot of information on you, but for now we need to concentrate on strengthening your heart and getting you well enough to tackle the addiction,” the social worker explained.

I turned my head.

“I tried calling her,” she said after a moment and I snapped my eyes back to hers. “The girl that visits you,” she explained. “But she’s not on your contact list,” she continued as she glanced down at the restraints binding my wrists. “There’s been a brigade of people coming through these doors for you, a lot of people pulling for you, but her?” She shrugged her shoulders as she untied the restraint. “It’s painfully obvious she needs you the most,” she conceded, raising my free hand before placing it on the bed beside me. Her gaze met mine as she patted my hand. “Make it count, Mr. Petra.” She paused. “Addiction affects not only the person using, but the people who love that person, well, they suffer too.”

She patted my hand before turning around and walking out of the room.

I didn’t need to question who the girl was.

I knew it with every fiber of my being.

Lace.

And the idea of her sitting vigil at my side, wishing for me to wake up and be the man that sees her, gutted me more so than waking up only to realize the devil chewed me up and spit me out.

I faintly heard a commotion come from somewhere outside my room and tried to focus on that instead of my insides that were churning. I turned my head just in time to watch the pack of men, wearing that unmistakable cut, bulldozing their way through the nurse’s station.

“There he is,” Wolf cheered as he was the first to enter my room. He was quickly pushed to the side by Jack. His eyes locked with mine as he started straight for me. His expression was unreadable or maybe I was in too much pain to decipher it, either way I didn’t know what to expect. He pushed the machines out of his way, bent down, and took my head in his hands.

“My man,” Jack said, kissing my head before he leaned back and pinned me with a stare. “Left side of the table’s been empty, brother,” he explained hoarsely.

Two weeks being out of commission, off my bike and away from my chair at the table was too long. I left my brothers in the middle of chaos and confusion, went back on my word when I said I’d demolish Jimmy, and ruined the deal with the Corrupt Bastards.

I shook my head slightly.

I should feel some remorse, guilt maybe for all the shit I put my club through over the last couple of weeks but I don’t. I would do it again. I’d take the needle, let that bastard shoot me up with whatever the f*ck he wanted. Give me another heart attack, do whatever the f*ck you gotta do, but don’t touch her.

Not Lace.

And not because she was Jack’s daughter.

“I’m sorry,” I said, lifting my eyes to Jack.

Sorry for taking your little girl and making her mine.

“You got nothing to be sorry for,” Jack replied. “I owe you everything,” he reiterated. “You saved Lacey, and you kept Reina sane,” he continued. “You sacrificed yourself for the club and that shit deserves a whole lot more than a thank you. Need you well, Black, need you to reverse this shit Jimmy has you strung out on, knocking on death’s door,” he growled. “Whatever it takes, we’ve got you,” he insisted.