Helpless (Steel Demons MC #5) - Crystal Ash Page 0,72

me.

Shadow wasn’t bleeding badly, so I opted to not stitch him back up. Air flow was important to fighting the infection, and it could possibly fester under his skin if I closed him back up. So I covered his wounds with sterile gauze and rolled him onto his back.

“Help me prop him up a little?” I asked Grudge.

Together, we scooted him up toward the headboard and I stuck a pillow under his head, making sure there wasn’t a lot of pressure on his upper back. Only then did I pause to just take a breath. Dyno came in to drop off the supplies I ordered and quickly left, his face turning green at the smell lingering in the room.

Grudge came around and patted my shoulder, then pointed to the container with my sandwich in it.

“Guess I might as well,” I laughed. “Make sure you eat, too.”

He nodded and pulled his notepad from inside his cut. I’ll be back. Will watch him w/you.

“Thank you,” I expressed sincerely. Having an extra pair of eyes on Shadow would honestly be huge for my peace of mind. “I’ll be here.”

He gave a thumbs up before heading out the door. I tore open my sandwich and wolfed it down, my eyes glued to the man in the bed.

They could be brothers, I realized. Shadow and Grudge had the same long black hair, glossy like raven feathers. The same dark eyes and quiet, observant demeanor. Since the Sons first came to us, those two seemed to gravitate toward each other.

My sandwich gone far too soon, I washed my hands thoroughly, then dug out my thermometer. I ran the sensor across Shadow’s forehead, and my heart sank when his temperature read 103.

“You poor thing,” I murmured, running the back of my hands over his cheeks.

I opened the window, the evening air quickly chilling the room, then wet a washcloth to run over his face and neck. His skin erupted in goosebumps despite being drenched in sweat, and he finally, finally opened his eyes.

“M-mari…”

“It’s okay, you’re safe.” I clasped one of his hands, the other continuing to drag the wet washcloth over his neck and the top of his chest.

“I’m c-cold…”

“I know, love. We need to bring your fever down.” The pet name I usually reserved for my men slipped out, but it didn’t faze me. He needed this care. He needed to feel loved.

Shadow dragged a hand along his taut stomach, following the lines of scars there. “Think I’m gonna be sick.”

I found a trashcan just in time, and he heaved his guts over the side of the bed. He hadn’t eaten all day, so it was mostly dry heaves.

“Try drinking some water for me.” I held the glass out for him to take a few weak sips. He threw that up not a minute later.

“I’m s-sorry…”

“Stop.” I ran the washcloth down his back. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“I feel like shit,” he moaned. “Like I got run over by a truck.”

“Well, you did fall off your bike.”

He coughed and spit into the trash can, then allowed me to wipe his mouth. “I’m no Steel Demon if I can’t even sit on a bike.”

“Stop. I don’t want to hear that shit. Are you done?” At his weak nod, I pulled his shoulder back to help him recline in bed again. “You’re hurt. Your wounds are infected. I’m amazed you lasted on the bike as long as you did.”

“This has…” he took rapid shallow breaths, as if he’d been running for miles, “…never happened to me before.”

“Well, thank fuck for your strong immune system. But I wonder if those arrows were covered in something. Some kind of bacteria or poison. Infection set in awfully fast.”

As I filed through the list of antibiotics in my head, Shadow leaned over the bed again to dry heave into the trash can. I discarded the towel and asked Grudge for a new one. As Shadow’s back heaved with ragged breaths, I mopped the towel over his feverish skin. The jagged map of scar tissue stretched with each breath he took. He looked completely exhausted by the time he sat up again.

“Please try to drink something.” I ran the cloth over his forehead and neck. “I’d give you IV fluids, but I don’t have the right supplies.”

“Can’t…keep anything down.”

“I know it’s hard, but please try for me.”

He accepted a few small sips of water when I held the glass out to him. A full minute passed and he made no move