Page 2 of Roman

“The hell is going on?” I ask swinging the door open.

“Shit, you couldn’t spare second for a pair of shorts?” Show glares at me.

“Sounded urgent. What is going on that you two are pounding on my damn door at the crack of fucking dawn?” and it is the fucking crack of it. The sun isn’t even up yet.

“It’s Brood, brother. He’s being rushed to the hospital. Thinking it’s a heart attack.” Damn it. I’m moving so fast I don’t even think about what clothes I’m throwing on. They could be clean but most likely they aren’t. Who the fuck cares?

“How long ago?” Storming down the halls I shove my arms through my cut, doing my best to pull it into place.

“Hour, at the most. He should be there by now. Been on the phone with Jordyn but you know how the reception is in the five mile stretch right before town.” Yeah, the dead zone we usually call it. “She should be calling back any minute now.” I nod in response and step outside. The cold bite of the early morning hits me in the face and for a split second, I think about taking the truck. Only it won’t get me there as fast as my bike.

“I know you got shit going on with Cammy and the baby being just brought home–” I start to tell Show he can hang back but he stops me mid-sentence.

“Riding with you VP. No question about it,” Show tells me as he straddles his bike too. Just yesterday him and his wife Cammy brought their second baby daughter home from the hospital. “Cam understands.”

I nod and am about to start up my bike when Sage comes from around the side of the clubhouse. “I’m coming too,” he declares swinging his leg over his bike.

“Hold down the fort Poe. You’re in charge of shit. We’ll keep you posted.” I call out to the kid and bring my bike to life with a deafening roar. Revving the motor, I back up out of my spot then angle the bike out of the lot. The vibrations roll through me from head to toe as I gun it the fuck out of there and toward the hospital where they better be saving my president’s life, ‘cause, selfish as it sounds, I can’t fucking lose him.

* * *

The smackand crash of something shattering against the wall brings a smile to my face the closer we get to Brood’s room. His booming voice only makes things that much better. “I said it wasn’t a fucking heart attack. I’m fine,” he complains as another crash comes. “Where the fuck is my wife?”

“Sir please if you could just sit down.” A woman— who isn’t his wife I might add— tries to talk down the brooding bastard. She is having absolutely no luck either, if what I see when I walk into the hospital room is any indication. The president of the Hell’s Riders MC is standing there in a hospital gown hanging halfway off him. Luckily, he has on his jeans.

“Jesus brother. Pissy much?” I ask drawing his attention away from the poor fucking nurse who clearly would rather be anywhere but here in this room. “How about you sit down so they can get done what they need to get done. Trust me brother, I think they want you out of here too,” I say the last part while looking the dark-haired nurse up and down, giving her a wink when she looks my way. I don’t miss the slight blush my wink brings to her face. Yep. That is how it always starts. One look at my damn pretty face and they will do whatever I say. Every woman reacts the same way to me. Well except for one woman. Not that I will let myself think about her.

“Where is Jordyn?” Brood barks.

“Hell if I know brother. I just got here. Could hear you yelling like a bitch from all the way outside.” I get closer, nodding at the bed for him to sit down. Reluctantly and with a glare directed at me he does. Huffing the whole time.

“She left to go call the kids. Kas is taking care of them,” he tells me settling onto the bed with his legs up. The nurse wearily comes closer, slowly rolling a machine toward him.

“I need to place these on your chest,” she tells him in nearly a whisper.

“Do what you need to do sweetness. He’ll behave. Right Pres?” Brood grunts and rips off the hospital gown that was barely on him anyway. “How come the kids didn’t come? Their daddy is in the hospital. Wouldn’t they want to be here?”

“They were still sleeping and got school today. I didn’t want to worry them,” he lets out a breath. “Couldn’t be a fucking heart attack,” he mumbles.

“You are getting on in age brother. Heart attack wouldn’t be too far off.”

“Fuck you asshole I’m only fifty-five andyouain’ttoo far offyourself,” he snaps at me. “Just a lot of shit going on. Probably stress.” The last part is said in a mumble I barely hear. I don’t get to question it because Jordyn is walking through the door. The young girl I remember from fourteen years ago, the tiny ass little thing that showed up in our small town, has grown up over the years. Having three kids since they were married her skinny scrap of a body filled out in the most delectable ways and as usual, I find myself a little envious of my pres for having such a knockout of a woman. Today though she looks tired as hell and a little paler than normal.

“Hey. Kas said he got the kids to school okay.” She goes to her husband’s side and touches his arm, the action visibly calms the man.

“Good. Don’t want them missing school,” he grumbles then looks at me. “You can go home too. No reason for you to be here,” he waves me off.

“We ain’t going nowhere.”

“We?”

“Sage and Show are both here. Poe is handling things at the clubhouse if need be. If the guys can’t figure out how to run the shop with us gone, they shouldn’t even be there in the first place,” I quip and pull up a seat. That is when the nurse flicks the machine on.

“I am going to need you to sit completely still for this,” she tells Brood.

“And what is this?” he gestures to the little sticky things she placed on his chest and side. They have wires attached to them and hook right to the machine.

“It’s called an ECG. We need to measure the electric activity of your heart. To see if it is working properly.” He nods then waves his hand for her to proceed. She presses a button and the machine makes a noise for a moment then she shuts it off. “All done.” She gives a faint smile and starts taking off the stickers one by one. We are all quiet as she runs the test. It’s only when she leaves that Jordyn speaks.

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