Wirth (Dirty Aces MC #5) - Lane Hart Page 0,35

with a glass of water.

“Here you go,” she says, coming to the side of the bed so that I have to step back out of the way. Then, she lifts the glass to Fiasco’s lips and holds it while he sips like a helpless child. Jesus Christ, he’s milking this for all it’s worth.

“I brought you more pain killers too,” Joanna says. Fiasco opens his mouth wide, and she places a pill on his tongue that he swallows with the sip of water she gives, followed by a second. “Now, I’ll let you two have a little privacy.”

“Thank you, angel,” Fiasco tells her retreating back, probably her ass, before she disappears, watching her like a lovesick puppy. When she’s gone, he says, “I never want to leave here.”

“Oh, you’re going to leave here, just as soon as Joanna says you’re recovered enough,” I tell him. “She’s been taking time off of work after we busted in on her that night with three shooting victims.”

“Three?” Fiasco asks. “Who else got shot?”

“Oh. Ah, Malcolm’s shoulder got grazed, and Hunt, the president of the Knights, took one to the side of his head. Both are fine now.”

“Do they know who it was? Who did the shooting?” he asks.

“Did you see anyone?”

“Ah, not that I remember. I had just finished coming for the second time. You know how it is after a release. I was floating high when I went down like I’d been, well, shot.”

“We’re pretty sure it was the Irish. They’re not fans of the Knights showing up in the area and were trying to run them off.”

“That was stupid,” he says. “Like a few bullets would scare us away?”

“Yeah, stupid,” I agree, scrubbing my palms over my face.

“So, what’s the plan? Aces going to hit them back?”

“You know it,” I reply. “Tomorrow morning before the sun comes up, when the bar is empty other than their own people.”

“Light ‘em up for me,” Fiasco says, clutching his side with a wince.

“We will,” I promise him. “Take care of yourself.”

“I’m so fucking tired,” he says. “Which is strange since Joanna said I have been sleeping all day.”

“You’re recovering from taking two bullets. Your body needs to heal.”

“Yeah, she said some shit like that too,” Fiasco mutters. “Pretty lucky she was around to help save me. I think I was going toward the light, man,” he says.

“Well, I’m glad you stayed in the darkness,” I tease him.

“I’d go to hell and back for Joanna,” he says with a goofy grin.

“Watch yourself,” I warn him. “If you don’t, Nash might come after you with a gun.”

“Yeah, okay,” he agrees. “Will you ask her to come back in here on your way out?”

“Sure thing.”

If the nurse’s attention is what he needs to recover, then that’s what he should get for now. I just hope he doesn’t get too attached.

I find Joanna in the kitchen, leaning against the counter drinking what smells like coffee even though it’s late. “He’s asking for you,” I tell her.

Sitting her mug down on the counter, she says, “I’ll go right on in.”

“Not sure how you ever get any rest with him demanding care and taking over your bed,” I remark. “Just let us know when you’re ready for him to leave.”

“Will do,” she says before she disappears into his room.

I leave and mount my bike, intending to go back home or to the shop to work until I get tired, but instead, I find myself driving to Wilmington.

It’s stupid, and I don’t even know why I’m going to sit outside Maeve’s apartment.

Guess I want to torture myself a little more for giving in to her not once but twice.

The same black sedan is parked there in her apartment complex. It doesn’t take long to see the redhead coming out of her apartment.

From across the parking lot, I can’t see her face clearly, but I can hear her sobbing. “Please, Rian! Leave with me! Walk away from Cormac before he gets you killed! Please!”

Maeve drops to her knees on the concrete and it looks like her face is buried in her hands as she cries loudly. But her brother seems unfazed. He just walks away and gets into his car to drive off, ignoring the emotional pleas of his older sister, who is trying her best to save his life.

It’s one of the saddest things I’ve ever witnessed.

In that moment, I can’t help but feel sorry for her.

Like Jetta, Maeve loves her brother unconditionally, even though he’s making horrible decisions. Still, no