Never Fear Again (You’re Enough #4)

1. Spencer

1

Spencer

T oday has been long and draining. The rain barely let up, but we were finally able to go home. Miller is making dinner, and we’re relaxing together after our showers.

As we’re enjoying some much-needed peace, the noise of our phones chiming with various sounds pierce the room.

“What the fuck?” Tucker is the first to open the message, and his posture stiffens while anger mars his face.

As more texts come through, the sounds of pissed-off grumbles flood the air.

“What’s going on?” Everyone stares at their screens while my phone is still across the room. I can’t get to it fast enough. Something is wrong, and no one is speaking.

“Where are you?”

I turn my head toward Tucker’s demanding voice to see he has his phone to his ear. There’s a pause as he listens to whoever is on the other line.

“We got pictures…from an unknown number,” he growls.

More pictures? Shane’s never sent them to our phones before. They’re always left on our cars.

I unlock my phone and scroll through a new group chat. The photos would seem innocent enough if they didn’t imply so much. He was there with them.

“He sent them to all of us in a group text, but you’re driving right now, right?”

So, these pictures happened earlier today? Why send them now?

“The first picture was Katy with a blue baby outfit over her belly. There’s one of you both getting pizza. Dempsey, one of them, has Katy alone in the food court. Please tell me you were just out of the frame.” Tucker’s anger elevates as he listens to Dempsey’s response and I step up next to him. His body relaxes slightly when I curl into his chest, but he’s still tense. “That’s all it takes, Dempsey.”

Something makes him tense up again. “Katy, what’s wrong?”

More listening. I wish he had put it on speaker. Everyone in the room is focused on Tucker and his phone call. “Dammit, Dempsey. Get her home safely but as soon as possible. She’s precious cargo.”

He hangs up the phone and pulls me into him. “They’ll be here in ten minutes. We need to figure out what this asshole wants and why his focus seems to be geared toward Katy now. He was there with them.”

I’m comfortably wrapped in Tucker’s embrace when my phone rings minutes later. Tucker and I look at the screen and exchange equally curious looks.

“Dempsey?”

“No, Spencer. It’s Katy. We had to pull over. A car bumped us in the rain, and Viktor is out talking with them.”

“Are you alright? Is there a lot of damage?” She sounds a little shaken up but otherwise calm.

“I’m fine. It wasn’t a big bump, so I don’t think there’s a lot of damage. It’s just raining like crazy. I want to get home and change into something warm and dry.”

“Where are you? I’ll have some fresh hot chocolate waiting, or if you’d rather take a bath, I can get that started.” I step away from Tucker with a nod and walk into the kitchen.

“Um…I don’t think we’re far. It’s hard to see through all the rain. Oh. This is the parking lot with the skating rink. We’re only a few blocks.” That’s a relief. They should be back soon.

“Miller just pulled dinner out of the oven. It smells Italian and cheesy.”

“My favorite! Is there garlic bread?”

“Of course. He always makes carbohydrates with carbohydrates.” She laughs, and I smile as Miller puts the bread in the oven.

“Let me crack the window and see how much longer. It’s raining so hard, and it looks like they’re just standing out there.” I hear rustling, and then the mechanical sounds of the window rolling down. “Can we go yet, Viktor?”

“Close the fucking window, Katy.”

Whoa. Why is Dempsey talking to her like that? There’s a lot of noise through the speaker because of the rain then— Bang !

My body stiffens. That was a gunshot. I’d know that sound in my sleep.

“Katy? Dempsey? What’s going on? What the fuck just happened?”

I’m a trained professional. I’ve been through hours of classes and courses to be able to hold in my emotions and work the scene. The sound of a gunshot, followed by Katy’s audible screaming, just ripped me in two. Every piece of medical knowledge has left my mind; all I can think of is getting to them.

My body numbly takes me to the front door and I fumble several times to get my keys off the key ring. A weight cages me in, and I truly feel like an animal when I whip around and almost punch Lincoln.

“Dream Girl, what’s going on?” I lift my trembling hand and hit the speaker button.

Katy’s scream guts me again, and I lose it.

“Someone fucking talk to me!”

“Spencer?” I almost drop the phone, but Lincoln catches it and pulls me into him. My entire body shakes with fear and adrenaline. That voice. His voice. I feel the blood metaphorically drain from my face and ice run through my veins.

He can’t be there. That can’t be Shane. She’s safe. Dempsey has her, and she’s safe.

Lincoln’s arms hold me up as my body shuts down from fear and anxiety.

“Spencer, I’ve come to collect our girl. I’m going to be taking her with me. I’m sad to say I don’t think Dempsey is going to make it. He’s losing blood fast.”

I’m suddenly surrounded by my men. Axel, Tucker, and Miller each put a hand on me for support. Tucker pulls up the GPS map on his phone to find Katy’s location, and I shake my head and whisper, “Skating rink.”

“Spencer, my love. Do you really not know? I thought I was making it so obvious.”

My love ? I was never his love. And what should I know? That he has continuously sent us pictures from all over town? We’ve kept that fact from Katy because we didn’t want her to worry. She’s never alone, and we have all our faith in Dempsey that he would keep her safe and protect her. But right now Shane said he’s bleeding out, and we need to get to him.

“The baby is mine. I took her in that alley. I’m finally getting my little boy, Spencer.”

A terrible cracking noise echoes through the speaker. It sounds like bone breaking and I hear Katy scream.

“You fucking bastard,” I rage into the phone, but it disconnects. My only thought is to get to them. Get to her.

We all run to Miller’s truck. I don’t know how it’s decided, but his lights are the ones that flash and we leave the house in a rush.

“The skating rink parking lot. That’s where she said she was. Break all the laws, Miller. Shane is with Katy and he said Dempsey was bleeding out. If he…I can’t…”

The words aren’t coming. My brain is fogging over. I need to stay focused, but my body is telling me to retreat. My mask is refusing to come down and let me compartmentalize what’s going on. It’s too close to me. I heard Dempsey get shot. I…I…

“Breath, Little Miss, or you’ll pass out. What are the facts? What do we know?”

“I-I don’t…”

“Okay, listen to me. We know Shane has Katy, and we know Dempsey is wounded, most likely from a gunshot. What do we do first when someone is bleeding, Axel?” Tucker is trying to help me deal in facts and put my emotions aside. It’s exactly what I need.

“Locate and assess the wound,” Axel responds. “Cut away any clothing necessary.”

“Then?”

“If needed, pack the wound with a sterile cloth. If not, apply pressure to the wound with a sterile cloth. Elevate above the heart if possible.” I focus on Axel’s answers, and he goes through them step by step.

“Is he right?” Tucker gently massages my shoulders to ground me.

“Yes.”

“Anything you would add?” While there are many more steps I could add, Axel covered the basics, and Tucker did what he set out to do. My mind has cleared, and my mask has slipped into place. I may know who we’re going to be helping, but they are still patients and need me at my best.

“Rescue and police are on their way, but we’ll get there first.” Lincoln hits a button on his phone, ending a call. I didn’t hear him talking to anyone; I was so far gone. “Everyone be safe out there.”

“I’ve got your backs since the rest of you have medical training.” Tucker checks his gun on his hip and nods his approval at what he sees. As much as I want to protest, he’s not wrong. A club owner can’t do nearly as much as a paramedic, firefighter, nurse, and a police officer. Whatever we’re about to drive up to, they’re in the best hands.

Pulling into the parking lot, Dempsey’s black sedan sits alone with the front doors wide open. The rain has let up, but it’s still a steady, cool drizzle.

I check in with myself and make sure my mask is fully in place because once I step out of this truck, I can’t be a pseudo-mother to whatever state my seventeen year old is in. I need to go out there and RATE. Recognize. Assess. Treat. Evaluate. Hopefully, the ambulance will be here soon.

As prepared as I am, seeing Katy covered in blood with a gun in her hand and her entire body draped over Dempsey almost makes my mask falter.

Almost .

“Spencer,” Miller calls. “Take care of Katy. We’ll work on Dempsey.”

We have to pry a screaming Katy away from a lifeless Dempsey, but once I’ve secured the gun, the guys lift him out of the front seat and into the bed of Miller’s truck, which is covered by a cab. It may not be very tall, but it’s dry, and they can lay him flat and assess him better.

“Katy, are you hurt?” She watches them load Dempsey before she collapses into me—my insides war with myself. Be professional and keep your mask on, or be the person she needs right now.

“Katy, where did Shane go?” If she can’t tell me if she’s hurt, I at least need to know if we’re safe.

“I-I shot him. I have no idea where, but he left in his car.” She peers out the back window where he must have been parked, but there’s no longer another vehicle there. And now I know why she had a gun in her hand.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” Her hand comes up, and she rubs the back of her head. “Did he hit you?”

A chuckle escapes her, and I momentarily worry about her current mental state.

“No. I head-butted him. I’m pretty sure I broke his nose. It was really hard.”

I palpate the area and find she has a bump on the back of her head, and I’m inwardly proud of her for being offensive in a defensive situation.

“Is he…is V-Viktor going to be okay?” We both stare at Miller’s truck, and I can tell by the steady rhythm of the rocking that someone is doing CPR. Hopefully, Katy doesn’t notice it.

“I hear the sirens.” Moments later, a police car followed by an ambulance pull up. Tucker directs them where to go, and I continue to get ignored while trying to ascertain if any of the blood on her clothes belongs to her.

“Katy, he’s in good hands. Please let me look at you.”

“Spencer, I’m fine. I…” She turns to me with wide eyes. “The baby. Spencer, I haven’t felt him move this entire time. Oh god, do you think he’s okay?”

Patient care. Patient care. Patient Care.

Katy recognizes my silence and covers her mouth.

“Holy shit. I’m so sorry Spencer. I didn’t mean to. I wasn’t thinking. It was so stupid of me to say.”

“It’s fine. You are allowed to own your feelings. You’re already taking a trip to the Emergency Department to get checked out. We will have him looked at by ultrasound as well. Don’t worry about me.”

The ambulance backs up to Miller’s truck, and Dempsey is quickly pulled out onto the stretcher, with Miller jumping right back on top of him doing compressions.

Katy has already been through so much, and I’ve seen the bond she’s forming with Dempsey. I hope for her sake he makes it through.