Chapter 25 Blue
Blood seeps between my fingers as I press against Vapor’s wound, but it doesn’t stop. It’s relentless, like the flow of the Mississippi River coursing through New Orleans. If he doesn’t get help immediately, he’s going to die.
“Ice!” I scream, my voice cracking with desperation. “Call 911! He’s bleeding out!”
“Got it,” Ice answers, his usual calm demeanor replaced by urgency. He quickly dials then explains that a man has been stabbed and is losing blood fast. He gives them our location on the sidewalk behind the church.
Bones, Diablo, and Tank appear beside us, their faces etched with concern as the sound of gunshots still rings out from inside the church. The wail of police sirens fills the air, bringing with them the hope of help or maybe just more chaos.
“Vapor, don’t you dare die on me,” I plead, tears streaming down my face. “I love you, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life. My father’s dead… We’re free now.” I can’t believe that the words have left my lips, but they feel right. “You have to hang on until the paramedics get here.”
The distant sound of an ambulance siren grows louder. Relief washes over me as it comes into view. Ice waves frantically until they see us. The paramedics jump out, barking orders at one another as they take over. They work furiously to control the bleeding, loading Vapor onto a stretcher and then into the ambulance.
“Let her in,” Ice orders, and without waiting for permission, I clamber into the ambulance. I’m ready to fight if they try to kick me out, but thankfully, they’re too focused on Vapor to worry about me.
As the ambulance doors close, I catch a glimpse of a police officer checking my father’s pulse. He shakes his head, and I realize that my father is truly dead. But instead of feeling grief, all I feel is pity. His obsession with power cost him his life.
“Please hold on, Vapor,” I whisper, reaching out to touch his hand as the ambulance speeds toward the hospital. “We have so much left to do together. An entire lifetime to live. Please don’t leave me now. Not after everything we’ve been through.”
The hospital looms before us like an ominous fortress, its cold exterior sending shivers down my spine. Nothing good ever happens here. I just hope they can save him, because if he dies, my heart will die with him.
As the ambulance screeches to a halt, a couple of male nurses rush out with urgency in their eyes. They work seamlessly with the paramedics, transferring Vapor’s limp form onto a gurney and pushing him through the sterile halls. A set of double doors marked “No Admittance” slams shut behind them, leaving me standing there, heart pounding in my chest.
“Ma’am, you’ll need to wait in the waiting room,” a nurse instructs me, her voice gentle but firm. “We’ll have someone come out and update you as soon as we know more.”
My legs feel like they’re made of lead as I make my way to the waiting room. The walls seem to close in on me, making it hard to breathe. I can’t bear the thought of sitting down, not when Vapor’s life hangs by a thread. Everyone around me looks somber and distraught, a reflection of my own turmoil.
Just as I’m about to crumble under the weight of my despair, Ice bursts into the waiting room. Bones, Fang, Diablo, and Tank follow closely behind, along with a dozen other men sporting Underground Vengeance MC cuts. I recognize many of them from inside the church. Their faces are etched with concern, mirroring my own.
“What’s going on with Vapor?” Ice asks, his silver-blue eyes searching mine for answers.
“Th-they took him back for surgery,” I stammer, feeling the tears brimming in my eyes once more. “I don’t know anything else yet.”
As if a dam has broken, I dissolve into sobs, completely overwhelmed by fear and grief. To my surprise, Ice pulls me into a comforting embrace, his strong arms providing a much-needed anchor. Bones, Fang, Diablo, and Tank gather around me as well, offering their support.
“Is there anything you need?” Fang asks earnestly. “Anything we can do?”
I shake my head, touched by their loyalty and concern. “No, but I’m so glad you’re all here with me.”
Ice gives me a reassuring squeeze before letting me go. “We wouldn’t be anywhere else, Blue. If you need anything at all, just say the word, and we’ll make it happen.”
The weight of the brotherhood surrounding me is comforting, like a warm blanket on a cold night. I glance around at the concerned faces of Vapor’s family—my family—and realize I’ve never felt this level of connection before.
“You really love him, don’t you?” I say softly to Bones, who nods solemnly.
“He’s our brother,” he replies, his voice low and steady. “Not by blood, but some bonds are stronger than that.” His eyes meet mine, conveying a depth of understanding that needs no words.
“I get it,” I murmur, my heart swelling with gratitude. “I feel the same way about him. Well, not the brother part.” I chuckle, unable to help it.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” Bones says. “Vape’s too stubborn to let something like a knife wound kill him. Nah. He’d want to go out in a blaze of glory. Nothing less than a gunfight would do.”
“He’s strong, but there was so much blood.”
“I know. But we can’t give up hope.”
“Never,” I agree.
Time stretches out before us like an endless highway, each minute passing like a mile marker on our shared journey. Diablo grows increasingly agitated, pacing back and forth like a caged tiger.
“Enough!” he finally snaps, storming over to the nurses’ station. “We need an update on Vapor!”
“Sir, as soon as I have any information, I’ll let you know,” the nurse replies, her tone firm but polite.
“Go talk to the surgeon right now!” Diablo demands, his impatience boiling over.
“Sir, if you don’t calm down, I will have security remove you from the premises,” the nurse warns, her eyes narrowing.
I step in, placing a hand on Diablo’s arm.
“We need you here,” I say quietly, giving him a meaningful look. Turning to the nurse, I plead silently, my gaze begging her for any shred of hope. She sighs, relenting under the pressure.
“Fine, I’ll go check on the surgeon,” she concedes, moving toward the double doors marked “No Admittance.” Just as she reaches for the handle, the doors swing open, revealing a surgeon covered in blood.
“Vapor is stable but in critical condition,” she begins, her voice tired but steady. “We found the artery that was cut. He’s lucky he didn’t bleed to death. He required several blood transfusions.”
“Take my blood,” Fang interjects, stepping forward. “I’m a match for Vapor.”
“Thank you,” the surgeon replies, “but we’ve already performed the necessary transfusions. We’re always looking for more donors though.” She retrieves a pamphlet from the nurses’ station and hands it to Fang. “Here’s information on how to donate.”
“Can I see him?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
“You can visit him in a couple more hours. Right now, we need to make sure his condition remains stable.”
My heart sinks, but at least he’s in good hands. I’ve got the support of my new family, which makes the delay a little less painful, so for now, I’ll have to be patient.
I sit in the waiting room, my eyes closed but my mind racing. The steady hum of fluorescent lights above is barely noticeable over the pounding of my own heart. I’m terrified and exhausted, but sleep is impossible.
“Hey, Blue,” a deep voice breaks the silence as someone takes a seat beside me. The smell of French fries wafts through the air, assaulting my senses and making my stomach rumble involuntarily. Opening my eyes, I find Tank sitting next to me, offering a greasy bag filled with a cheeseburger and fries. “You should eat something,” he urges gently.
I shake my head, feeling numb. “I’m not hungry.”
Bones walks over to us, his brows furrowed with concern. “When Vapor wakes up, he’ll need you to be strong for him. You should eat.”
His words resonate within me, and I realize he’s right. I hesitantly accept the bag from Tank, my hands shaking slightly. The first bite of the cheeseburger tastes like heaven, and I can’t help but devour the rest of it along with the fries. It seems my body was hungrier than my mind wanted to admit.
As I finish eating, the surgeon emerges from behind the double doors wearing clean scrubs. She motions for me to come over. I stand, my heart pounding even faster now. All the men in the MC rise simultaneously, their faces etched with anxiety.
“He seems stable. He can have a visitor now, but only one person can go back,” the surgeon says firmly, raising her finger to emphasize her point.
I glance around at the sea of concerned faces, but they all sit back down without protest.
Ice looks at me reassuringly. “Go on, we’ll be here waiting for your update.”
With a deep breath, I follow the surgeon through the sterile halls of the ICU. The incessant beeping machines and the antiseptic smell create an unsettling atmosphere. I can’t stand hospitals, and this one isn’t any better.
The surgeon stops outside a room and tells me it’s Vapor’s. “He’s stable and should wake up soon. But don’t do anything to excite him. He needs to rest.”
“Of course,” I reply softly, my heart aching with love and worry for him.
I step into the room. My breath catches in my throat at the sight of Vapor. He’s hooked up to an array of machines with IVs inserted into his hands. Pale and battered, he looks like hell—but he’s alive. Relief washes over me as I pull up a chair next to his bed, taking his hand carefully in mine.
“I’m here, and I love you,” I tell him, my voice choked with emotion. “I won’t leave until I know you’re going to be okay.”
Vapor’s eyes crack open, and he gazes at me with a mixture of love and gratitude that makes my heart swell.
“Water?” he rasps.
I nod and rush to the door to ask a passing nurse for water. She returns with ice chips, explaining that he can have these for now, and once the doctor approves it, she will bring a cup of water.
As I feed Vapor the ice chips, I watch him savor each one. I wish I could give him water, but I’m not going to defy the doctor’s orders.
When the cup is empty, Vapor studies my face. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I assure him.
“Is your father…?”
“Dead,” I confirm, swallowing hard. “You shot him. And I’m grateful. I know that sounds terrible, but after what he put me through…”
“It’s perfectly normal to be relieved.”
“Now I’m truly free. We’re free.” Tears roll down my cheeks as I whisper, “I love you.”
“Love you too, babe,” Vapor says, his voice weak but steady. “When I’m feeling better, I wanna marry you. But you’re gonna need a new dress.” A hint of amusement flickers in his eyes as he glances at my tattered wedding gown.
I laugh, realizing I hadn’t even thought about changing out of the ruined dress. “I guess I can’t walk down the aisle looking like this.”
“No. I want to see you in that pink dress you liked, if that’s what you still want. Sounded kinda sexy.” His eyes glitter with mischief.
“As long as I get to be with you for the rest of my life, I don’t care what I wear,” I reply, my heart swelling with emotion.
“Then you’ll be my old lady forever,” he says, a small smile playing on his lips.
“Until I’m truly old and gray,” I agree, laughing softly. He looks so relieved and happy that my chest tightens with love for him.
“Even when you’re old and gray, you’ll always be the only woman for me,” he promises.
“I feel the same way about you, old man.” I lean in and gently press my lips against his, mindful of his fragile state. “Get some rest,” I whisper before pulling away. “I need to go update the others, but I’ll be right back.”
“Who’s waiting for you?” he asks.
“No one’s waiting for me. They’re all here for you. The waiting room is packed with men from the motorcycle club. Everyone’s there,” I tell him, feeling gratitude for their overwhelming support.
“Nah, babe. They’re there for you too.”
“I know,” I say, beaming at him. “And I couldn’t ask for anything more. I’ve never been a part of a supportive, loyal, and loving family before. But I am now.”
“Yes, you are.”
Squeezing his hand one last time, I leave the room to update my newfound family on Vapor’s condition. Despite the circumstances, my heart’s lighter than it’s ever been. I’ve finally found everything. I’ve never felt so loved.