Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Elaina
Alejandro had left sometime while I was sleeping, leaving Miguel behind to guard me and protect me, if needed.
Joey hadn’t emerged from the chapel yet, and it seemed like most of the club members were either holed up in their rooms or just not at the clubhouse at all.
The only two members I’d seen were Ink and Whiler.
The one time I’d seen Jessie, she’d been throwing glares Ink’s way and was giving everyone the silent treatment—literally only came out of her room long enough to grab a soda and some crackers before she disappeared again.
I sighed and shifted on the couch, curling my legs up beneath me as I flipped the page in the book Ink had gotten for me.
It was some crime novel that he said he bought a few years ago in an attempt to begin reading, but he’d never touched it again.
Said he even had to dust it off before bringing it to me, which honestly made me laugh a little.
Laughing had been an almost foreign sensation.
I wasn’t much of a reader. Never had been.
But maybe that was more due to circumstances than preference because while the tension in the clubhouse had me nervous and feeling like I was treading on eggshells, the book was good, and I couldn’t put it down.
I was only a third of the way in, but I was about ninety percent sure the wife killed her husband for cheating on her.
Miguel, who was sitting on the other end of the couch, picked his phone up from his lap before frowning and swiping his thumb across the screen. He lifted his phone to his ear and opened his mouth to speak, but whoever was on the other end spoke before he could.
The anger and worry that flashed across Miguel’s face made my heart stop. I quickly grabbed the slip of paper Miguel had given me to use as a bookmark and slipped it in place before I closed my book.
“?Cómo es que le han disparado?” Miguel snarled in rapid-fire Spanish. “?Cómo pasó esto? ?Está bien? Pónganlo al teléfono.” After a moment, Miguel barked, “What the fuck, Alejandro?”
A few seconds passed while Miguel listened to what Alejandro had to say, and the entire time, I felt like my heart was in my throat.
Something had clearly happened, and it was enough to make Miguel lose his cool, collected composure.
He didn’t seem like the type to lose his shit often, but right then, he was coming unglued.
“Get your ass here,” Miguel growled. “I’ll be ready.”
He ended the call, then looked over at me. A tight smile pulled at his lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He was clearly stressed, and his stress was making my gut twist with nausea and anxiety. Miguel didn’t seem like the type to easily be bothered.
“Alejandro was shot,” he quietly informed me.
My eyes widened in horror before they immediately began to fill with tears.
Fear tightened my chest. Was he okay? Why wasn’t he going to a hospital?
What if he fucking died? “He’s not sure who did it.
He’s already got men out searching the area, and his driver is bringing him back here.
I’m warning you because there’s a lot of blood, Elaina. ”
“Is he going to be okay?” I croaked.
Miguel sighed. “I believe so. He’s coherent, and he’s applying pressure to the wound. I’ll know more once he gets here, which shouldn’t be long.”
He stood and quickly headed down the hall the chapel was down. He roughly knocked on the door, and a moment later, I heard it open, and Joey snapped, “What?”
“Going to need assistance,” Miguel told him.
“Alejandro was shot. Not sure how bad it is. He downplays every fucking injury he gets.” His voice was low, so I didn’t think I was supposed to hear, but I did anyway.
My throat closed up, and I swiped at my cheeks as my tears spilled down my cheeks, hoping I could make them disappear.
But I was so afraid of something happening to Alejandro.
He’d given me freedom. Given me my life back. And I was coming to care for him.
But I also knew without a doubt that this was all my father’s doing. Miguel would never say it out loud, but we all knew this was my fault. All because Alejandro felt like I needed rescuing.
My father never played by the rules. It would have never mattered how much money Alejandro paid him. My father was going to always try to drag me back.
I could never be free from him.
“Fuck,” Joey swore. “I’ll get the medical bag. You better hope this is something we can fix here.”
“If not, I’ll drive his stupid ass to the hospital myself,” Miguel promised.
They emerged from the hall, and Joey’s eyes found mine.
His angry expression fell the moment he saw the tears pouring down my cheeks.
His medical bag forgotten, he quickly ate up the distance between us, then crouched in front of me.
I sobbed when his calloused palms cupped my damp cheeks.
His eyes bore into mine. “He’s going to be okay, sweet girl,” he promised.
“A man like Alejandro doesn’t go down easily.
” Leaning in, he pressed his lips to my forehead, and I choked on a sob.
“Wipe those tears and go clean your face. If Alejandro sees you like this, he won’t let us help him.
I need you to pull yourself together.” He leaned back and brushed his thumbs beneath my eyes. “Okay?”
Sniffling, I nodded. He offered me a soft smile that had my heart flipping in my chest. “Good girl. You’re so strong and brave, sweet girl.” He stood, then grabbed my hands, pulling me up gently from the couch. “Go on now. Alejandro has enough to worry about without panicking over your tears.”
Nodding, I quickly headed to my room. By the time I emerged after cleaning my face, my red eyes the only sign I’d been crying, Joey was laying out gauze, alcohol, tweezers, and needle and thread on a silver tray.
Ink was standing near, talking to him in low tones.
Miguel was missing, but I assumed he was either in his room or waiting outside for Alejandro.
Feeling my gaze on him, Joey lifted his head, and a proud smile tilted his lips just the tiniest bit. “There she is.” My heart skipped a beat in my chest at the pride in his voice. He beckoned me over. “You can help by handing me and Ink supplies as we need them. Think you can do that?”
I nodded. “Whatever I can do to help.” And I meant that. These men were going above and beyond to protect me and make me a free woman. The least I could do was something like this when one of them got injured.
Joey leaned in and pressed his lips to the shell of my ear. A flush stained my cheeks, and I ducked my head, nervously tucking my blonde curls behind my ear. “This will be enough, sweet girl.”