walking, moving a little faster. Tyler did too, almost making it to the front doors. “Hey! You aren’t leaving just yet, are you? It’s only early.”
We pulled to a halt, and my lip curled in a sneer. “Get out of the way, Cooper. I’m taking her to the hospital.”
He didn’t move, holding his stance in front of the two double doors, a couple of his buddies beside him. The foyer we were standing in was hot, and my skin was covered in a sheen of sweat. Most likely the result of so many damn bodies in one space, bumping and grinding or what the hell ever these rich boys called it.
Cooper grinned at me while his friends all whispered between themselves. “Come on, Avery,” he urged with a sigh. “She’s just had too much to drink. She needs to sleep it off. It’s not that big of a deal. Just breathe.”
“I am breathing,” I snapped through gritted teeth. “Which might be more than I can say for my friend here if I don’t get her checked out.”
I knew what was going on.
He was worried.
Worried I would take her to the hospital, and they would figure out what kind of drugs she’d been slipped, and all roads would lead back to right here.
Ding-dong—Beta Beta’s reputation is suddenly under a lot of fire.
Cooper shook his head, huffing a breath out his nose. “You’re so uptight,” he noted matter-of-factly. The calm façade a good show, but the way he was shuffling from foot to foot was a sure sign he was nervous as fuck about what might happen. “Calm down. Let’s chat. Have a drink.”
“Go to hell.”
I was done with this conversation.
Holly was fading in and out of consciousness. Even though Cooper was pretending like there wasn’t a six-foot tattooed biker standing in his frat house right at this moment, I could tell Tyler was on his last nerve. “Little fucker…” he murmured under his breath, shuffling Holly’s body so he could pull his phone from his pocket. I could only make out a few words he was mumbling as he pushed a few buttons on his phone. “Beta Beta bullshit…”
“Get out of the way, Cooper,” I ordered, a little louder, a little sterner, even my heart skipping a beat at the thought of what might happen if Tyler is calling for reinforcements.
He shook his head. “Holly stays. She can sleep it off in a bed upstairs.” He tried to bargain with us. “I’ll make sure she’s fine.”
I took a step forward. “I’m not going to let her die because you’re scared someone will find out the truth.”
He huffed out an amused breath. “It’s funny how you think anyone will believe you over me.”
The doors suddenly pulled open behind them, sending a flood of cold air rushing over me, feeling like heaven on my burning skin. But it was what was on the other side of those doors that had my body freezing in place and my mouth suddenly incredibly dry.
“Funny how you think you’d still be around to have a say at all,” Shotgun growled, bracing his hands on the wide doorframe and leaning forward. The agitation on his face was at a level not often seen. The frat house lights highlighted the deviance in his eyes and lighting a fire in my belly.
Since the day we met, I’d never failed to be instantly turned on by the way this man carried himself and this club. Strength and power go to some people’s heads, but Shotgun had never done anything but use his to protect the people he loved.
There was a reason he was the president.
He fucking earned his title.
The man was honest, respectful, loyal, and when he needed to be, ruthless as fucking hell. All because the responsibility fell on his shoulders. It was up to him to push the club forward, to hold them together, and to defend what the hell it stood for.
No matter what.
No matter how.
I suddenly realized that he was here and not in Colorado, and I wasn’t sure whether I was absolutely petrified of the lecture I would get after this shitshow or whether I was already wet at the idea of him punishing me.
Either way, I knew one thing.
I was in so much fucking trouble.
SHOTGUN
“Outside.”
Tyler moved instantly at my sharp order, lifting Holly bridal style and carrying her limp body past me and out to the street where a car was waiting. A handful of my brothers stepped into the entrance of the enormous fucking