Coyote (Hawks MC Next Generation #1) - Lila Rose Page 0,83
arm to my girl. She raced forward, slamming into Drake and me.
“What’s going on?” she whispered with a strained voice.
“Baby—” I slammed my lips closed. I couldn’t get the words out. Instead, more tears poured down my face.
“It’s Dad and Cody. They’re in the hospital. We’re goin’ to them,” Drake explained.
Guilt stabbed at my stomach. It should have been me holding it together, taking charge. Ruby whined, buried her face forward, and cried.
Sucking in a breath, I straightened. I could do this.
I could.
For them.
Things would be fine.
If only my heart knew it and didn’t feel like it was being torn from my chest.
“Mum,” Drake said. I met his pain-filled gaze. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
My bottom lip trembled. The tears wouldn’t stop flowing. “B-But I should have you.”
He shook his head. “No, Mum. I get it. I do. Dad’s your everythin’.”
Oh God.
I broke. Letting the agony take me.
He was right. Talon was my everything, and I couldn’t cope. I couldn’t without knowing he was okay.
“Ruby, sweetheart. Come here so we can go,” Dillon said.
“Let’s go, Blue,” Drake said.
“Kid, let me—”
“No. I’ve got her.” Drake shifted me around and led me towards the door, taking my bag along the way. “I’ve got you, Mum. Dad will be fine. He’s strong. He’ll fight.”
All I could do was nod and pray. Pray he was right because I didn’t want to imagine my life without Talon Marcus in it.
Coyote
Fuck.
Fuck me.
The waiting was killing me, slicing me open wide, and my thoughts were running a mile a minute. All I wanted to do was roar, break things, and scream through the fury, the anguish burning inside me.
Yet, I sat there like a damn statue staring down at Channa’s hand resting on my arm. I couldn’t look away, too terrified I was going to lose her. Like I nearly did. Lose the woman who was made for me before I even had the chance to have a life with her.
Then there was a chance, a big motherfucking chance, I could lose my dad.
My dad.
I’d prefer someone to torture me, flay my skin open, burn me, shoot me again… anything, I wanted anything other than sitting there waiting, wondering if Dad would be okay.
He’d been so pale, so still in the end… I couldn’t get the picture out of my head. It was riding shotgun with the image of Channa with the gun to her head.
I wanted someone to hurt. I wanted to hurt someone, and I wished those fuckers were alive so I could kill them. I could take their lives slowly.
“Cody,” Channa whispered.
I lifted my gaze to her watery one. I didn’t realize my jaw was aching from how hard I clenched it, but it was another thing I pushed down. Everything could wait until I had news.
“It’s going to be okay,” Channa tried.
I nodded. I didn’t like seeing her worry, her concern; she’d been through enough, and I should have been helping her through it, but I couldn’t do anything. I was lost until I heard something about Dad. I hated what she went through and that I couldn’t hide the pain in my eyes. She saw it, and she still sat beside me because she was taking me on. Taking me as her man. We would get through this together.
“Coyote, your mum’s here,” Stoke said. He was close by with his woman under his arm. Other old ladies had arrived, but I didn’t speak to anyone but Channa. I couldn’t or I would shatter.
Channa stood, bent, and took my hand, gently pulling me up with her. The brothers parted, and I saw them.
I saw them and splintered.
Maya and Drake supported Mum. Nancy and Dillon supported Ruby.
Mum saw me first. She took in the blood and cried out. She ran for me. I braced but knew it would hurt. I rocked back a step until Channa was there holding on to me. Mum cried, wailed, and clung tightly.
More splintered away.
I cupped the back of her head. “He’ll be fine, Mum. He will.”
“He’s strong, Zara,” Channa added. “Just like Cody.”
I blinked the fucking tears away and clenched my jaw. Maya and Drake hugged each other, both with tears in their eyes. Ruby had buried her face into Dillon. Nancy, our nanna, rubbed her back, but I could clearly see Nancy was also crying. Her man was there being her rock, though.