Chapter 8
CHAPTER
EIGHT
The sprawling hospital took up more than a city block with its multiple buildings and parking structures.
Cam drove past the deck and parked at the convenience store across the street.
Sabrina rode comfortably behind him. His awareness of her arms around him lingered even after she dismounted from the bike, but at the moment, they had bigger things to worry about.
He said a few words to the day manager to keep an eye on his bike.
A hundred-dollar bill helped. He still didn’t like leaving it there, but it was safer than the parking deck.
Anyone who recognized his bike might want to mess with it.
Until the club figured out what was happening in their area, vigilance remained a priority.
The ER’s waiting room was full of people, but they gave a wide berth to the two bikers who stood in full regalia near the entrance. Cam approached with Sabrina’s hand tucked firmly in his. “What’d they say?”
Quillon gave a big sigh. “Not a lot. EKG is normal, so they don’t think it’s his heart, but his blood pressure is through the roof. They’re running more tests.”
Baghouse grunted and picked at a dry cuticle. “Last time he was in a hospital, he’d just had the accident. Hell, not even the kidney stones made him come here.”
Quillon blinked. “When did he have kidney stones?”
“He’s had ’em a couple times. Once last year. Pretty fuckin’ bad,” Baghouse answered gruffly.
The door to the cubicles opened, and colorful curses floated through.
“Gawddammit! Don’t you fuckin’ stick another needle in me!”
A corner of Quillon’s mouth twitched. “Yeah, he’s not exactly cooperating. A heart attack sounds right to me.”
Sabrina grunted. “You have to have a heart before you can have a heart attack. I bet his is missing.”
Cam heard her words, but her rigid posture belied the notion that she didn’t care.
One glance at her fidgeting hands confirmed she felt this deeply.
Perhaps she was worried she wouldn’t get her answers if Scrap suddenly died, but Cam didn’t buy that idea.
Sabrina didn’t strike him as a selfish mercenary.
She might be mad as hell at the old man, but she didn’t wish him ill.
“Convenient as it is, I don’t think now is the time to ask about that cheek swab. He’s likely to bite your head off, chew it, and swallow before you got the words out,” Quillon stated.
“I wasn’t planning on it, sugar,” Sabrina returned. “I’m not gonna kick a man while he’s down, even if he is an asshole. I do want to know, though. As soon as possible.”
“I get that. When he’s stable and in a better mood, I’ll talk to him and see if he’ll take the test. Right now, he’s snapping and growling like a street dog, but I’m betting this episode or whatever it is scared him too.”
The doors opened and a young man in scrubs came through, peeling off his mask as he approached. “Family for Walter… uh… Scrap?”
Quillon lifted a finger. Sabrina stayed silent, but her grip on Cam’s hand tightened.
“We need to keep your friend overnight. There’s minor fluid buildup around his heart and lungs, and we’d like to get that inflammation under control before we send him home.”
Cam’s mouth tightened into a grim line as he listened to the doctor, who looked all of twelve years old. “So, what does that mean? Did he have a heart attack after all?”
The kid shook his head. “No, the EKG and enzymes show no cardiac arrest, but the extra fluid is concerning. There are some possible serious conditions like congestive heart failure or a diabetes complication, or it could be from injury or a benign tumor. We don’t know yet.
He’ll stay here for observation, and we’ll keep you as informed as we can.
The patient does not want to share his personal information, and under HIPAA, we have to honor his privacy. ”
A nurse came up and grabbed the doctor’s attention as he turned away from the group of bikers.
Quillon pulled out his phone and started tapping on the screen. “I’m texting Wolf. He’s on duty at the bar tonight. Crossman and Ratchet are there too. It’s been pretty slow, so we’re covered if you want to take the night off, Cam. Stalemate is on standby.”
Cam grunted and scratched the back of his neck. The muscles in his shoulder had already tightened back up, and he made a mental note to book an appointment with Sabrina ASAP. “You’re right. I think we’ll get goin’ and check back in tomorrow.”
Quillon nodded. “Sounds like a plan. I’ll be in touch.”
Sabrina was quiet as she followed Cam back to where he’d parked the bike. It looked just like he left it, and some of his anxiety faded. He flicked two fingers at the clerk and pulled the lizard helmet from the locked saddlebag. Sabrina took it and put it on her head.
“Where are we going?” he asked as he strapped his own helmet on.
“Back to the spa.”
Cam mounted and held the bike steady for her to climb on behind him. He settled into the cradle of her thighs and fired up the engine. She leaned forward and placed her arms around his waist, holding on lightly as they took off through the city streets and headed toward her workplace.
The ride wasn’t that exciting. Buildings and businesses lined the route, and pedestrians on the sidewalks paid little attention to them.
The traffic lights kept them from going very fast, and they had to stop for a string of red lights.
At each one, he’d stop the motorcycle and steady it with one leg while Sabrina clung to him.
He could tell this wasn’t the first time she’d been on the back of a bike.
But it was the first time with him. The last woman to be on the bike with him? A long-ass time ago, and a memory he’d just as soon not bring back.
He wondered how long it would be before Sabrina’s patience gave out about the DNA test, but he admired her for not pushing it right now.
Cam had no idea how serious this situation was, but Scrap wasn’t a young man anymore.
He bet that was the biggest reason the doctor wanted to keep him there overnight.
Pulling up to the massage business, Cam waited for Sabrina to dismount before he swung one long leg over and off the bike. He lifted his helmet’s face shield as he regarded the dark storefront. “Looks closed. Do you have appointments this late?”
“No, I’m camping in the back.” She took off her helmet, shook out her long mane, and ran her fingers through the tangles.
He shook his head. “Come again?”
She tucked her headgear under her arm. “My van is in the back lot.”
“Your van?”
Her face showed annoyance. “Yeah, sugar, my van.”
They stared at each other for a moment. This business and the others like it on this strip had some employee parking behind the buildings, but the only way to get to it was a one-way alley at the end of the block.
Unless she went through the building, Sabrina had to walk all the way to the end of the street to get to her “van.”
Cam was dying to see what she had set up. He pulled off his helmet but left the bandana he’d tied around his forehead. “Mind if I take a look?”
She huffed and rolled her eyes. “I don’t see why you need to, but okay.”
Sabrina turned and typed in the combination for the front door, and the electronic lock granted them access.
The place was dark, but she led the way through, using her phone as a flashlight.
The back of the building was more spacious than he thought, and sure enough, there was a van with a small trailer parked close to the outer side wall.
Dread bloomed in his stomach. “Is this what I think it is?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you living in your car?”
“It’s a van, and yes, I live in it. What’s the problem?”
“It isn’t safe.”
Her stance snapped into a stone-cold stillness. “I’ve camped at Walmarts, gyms, and truck stops and never had any problems. This place is well hidden. I’m just as safe here as I am anywhere else.”
“It’s isolated. No one else is around to help you if you have trouble.”
Her mouth broke into a smile he was sure she meant to be sarcastic. “You worried about me, sugar?”
“Yes.”
The one-word answer seemed to catch her off guard. “Well, I thank you for your concern, but I’m a grown-ass woman who can take care of herself.”
Cam’s eyes went back to her rig. He had extra rooms at his place, and it was on the tip of his tongue to offer that to her, but how would she take it? Like he was making a move on her? Yeah, he was attracted to her, but too much shit was happening right now for him to think about that.
He thought of a compromise instead. “Park at the club. Someone is there almost all the time. I work a lot of nights there, so if you need me, I’ll be close by.”
Sabrina’s smile didn’t meet her eyes. “I’ll think about it.”
He heard her dismissal loud and clear. Yes, she was a perfectly capable woman, but he still hated the idea of her being out here by herself. If something happened to Sabrina…
Someone would die.
He was startled by the sudden surge of anger at just thinking about a threat to this woman. The level of possessiveness wasn’t familiar, and he didn’t know how to react.
“It would mean a lot to me if you’d park at the club.”
“I said I’d think about it.”
He tried again. “It’s not just about you, babe. I’ll go nuts if I can’t know you’re safe.”
She cocked her head to one side. “So, this is more for your mental health?”
“Yeah.” He was willing to say anything to get her out of there.
He held his breath, wondering if stubbornness really was a hereditary trait.
She sighed. “Well, sugar, it’s real convenient to be where I am, but I’ll check out some spots around y’all’s bar and let you know.”
Cam figured this was the most concession he would get from her. “You’ve got my number. Promise me you’ll use it if you need anything, yeah?”
He expected her to bristle, but she surprised him with a nod. “I will. Promise.”
She unlocked the side door of her van before turning back to him. “If you hear anything about Scrap tonight, would you mind texting me?”
“Yeah, I can do that.”
She hesitated in opening the door. She didn’t seem to be scared of him; it was more anticipatory, like she didn’t understand what came next.
Cam remembered this as being the moment during a high school date when you tried to determine whether or not a good night kiss was in order.
More than once he’d stood on a girl’s front porch and wondered if he should lean in and take one.
If this had been a date, maybe he would take the chance, but too much had happened today, and it wasn’t the right time.
Yet.
“Good night, Sabrina.”
“’Night, Cam.”
It was all he could do to mount up and drive away after hearing his name on her tongue.