dipped my chin just a little to agree, however I was asleep before I could lift it back up. Case might’ve seen and spoken with my doctor, but I slept through her coming and going. I didn’t wake again until the faint light of dawn was coming through that crack in the blinds. This time when I peeled my eyes open, my gaze immediately landed on the slumped-over figure sleeping in the uncomfortable chair next to my bed.
Shot looked just as bad as Case had. He had the same gaunt appearance and his normally smooth jawline was peppered with dark stubble. He had dark shadows all over his face, and there was a frown between his heavy brows even though he seemed to be dead asleep. He had a thick, white bandage on the side of his head near his temple, and ugly dark bruises all over that side of his face. His hair was a mess, looking as if he’d combed it with his fingers. What was maybe most shocking about his appearance, he wasn’t wearing the leather vest with all the patches that seemed to be as much a part of him as his tattoos were. Thus far, I’d only ever seen him without it when we were in bed.
He must’ve felt my eyes on him, because a few moments later his big body shifted in the chair and those inky eyes of his popped open. When our gazes locked, he audibly swallowed and slowly got to his feet.
“Case said he made you go home.” I tried to keep my voice light, but I still didn’t sound like myself and talking still took some work.
A lopsided grin crossed his face but immediately fell away. “Case isn’t the boss of me. No one gets to tell me to stay away from you.”
He blinked at me as he reached out a tattooed hand so that he could smooth some of my hair away from my face. I was sure it was filthy and gross, but Shot didn’t seem to mind. “I love you, Presley.” He closed his eyes quickly and when he opened them back up I could see his heart shining out of the dark depths. “I almost lost the chance to tell you that I love you. I’m not going to let that happen again.” He lowered his head, his voice a rough rasp as he assured me of what I already knew. “I’ve never said those words to another woman. To anyone, really. You have to know how special you are to me.”
I wanted to tell him that I loved him as well, but I couldn’t get my mouth to cooperate. Maybe the words were too heavy, too important. I coughed a little and motioned that I needed something to drink. He came back after a minute with a cup of ice chips and delicately helped me munch on a few until I could speak.
I caught his hand and held it to my cheek. He was so warm and for the first time since I’d hit the asphalt outside of the motel, my insides started to warm up.
“I love you, too, Shot. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling, but you were the last person I thought about when I nearly died, and you were the first person I thought about when I knew I was going to live. I’ve never been in love before, so I was confused and careless with it, but I know now.” I blinked up at him as emotion stormed through his typically unreadable eyes. “I want to be with you, no matter what.” Even if it meant knowing there were times his club was going to come first. “Why don’t you have your leather vest on?”
He started and looked down at himself. Surprise crossed his face in a flash as he shifted his weight uncomfortably. “I must’ve rushed out of the clubhouse and forgot it.” He looked absolutely bewildered. “This is probably the first time since I started my own chapter that I haven’t had it on.” He gave a wry grin. “Top’s gonna give me hell when I get back.”
I tilted my head ever so slightly since too much movement still hurt. “You look different without it on.”
One of his eyebrows arched upward. “I look like Palmer Caldwell instead of Shot.”
I gasped a little and squeezed his hand as I realized I had never bothered to ask him what his real name was. To me, he’d always been Shot. That