Page 18 of Spider
Slider led Luciana around the other side of the bar.She stopped in front of me and gripped my hand.Tears trickled down her cheeks and she looked fucking terrified as she held onto me.I felt like an asshole for scaring her like this.Maybe Dread was right and I needed to slow the fuck down.I fought to not only stay awake but to not squeeze Luciana’s hand as Dread started the process of stitching me back together.It felt like hours passed before he’d finished my back and sutured both sides of my shoulder.
“We’re never getting all that blood out of the bar,” Shooter said.
Luciana turned to him and let loose with rapid fire Spanish that I couldn’t follow.Shooter’s eyes went wide and he took a step back, his hands up.
“Sorry.I have no idea what you just said, but I’m sorry.Obviously I’m being an insensitive asshole or something.”
“He could have died,” Luciana said, “and you’re worried about a stupid bar?”
“Not dead, darlin’,” I said, then coughed, which just made everything hurt even more.
Teller grabbed a bottle of water from the mini fridge and passed it to Luciana.She helped me sip at the cold liquid.As much as I wasn’t looking forward to moving, I was more than ready to get off the damn hard wood surface that was digging into my bones.I was too old for this shit.Hell, I’d been too old for this shit since I was forty.I was just too stubborn to back down.
“We need to lay him in the backseat of the SUV.He’ll need help getting into his house,” Dread said.
“I’ll go,” Teller said.
“I would, but I don’t want to scare your wife,” Fox said.
“Just help him,” Luciana said.“Don’t worry about me.”
I braced myself for the pain as they lifted me and carried my ass out to the SUV.Luciana had already climbed inside and they eased me down, but I worried about crushing her with my upper body across her thighs.She didn’t seem to care about my weight but ran her fingers through my hair, her gaze full of concern and a bit of fear.
“I’m fine,” I told her.“Just need some rest and I’ll be good as new.It’s not the first time I’ve been shot.”
“It better be the last,” she said, then her cheeks flushed.
Shooter chuckled.“Spoken like a true wife.We’ll have you home in a moment, Pres.Teller’s going to drive you, and the rest of us will follow.”
Luciana held onto me as the SUV slowly headed toward our house.Funny.That was the first time I’d thought of the place as ours.When we came to a stop and Teller got out, I was both relieved and dreaded being moved again.I knew I had to be covering Luciana in my blood, but she didn’t seem to care.Well, she cared I was bleeding, but I didn’t think she minded that it was getting on her clothes and skin.The back door opened on Luciana’s side.
“I’ll go in and get the bed ready if that’s all right,” Teller said.
“Yes,” Luciana said.“Maybe something to clean him off?He can’t be comfortable with the blood drying on his skin.A warm wet cloth?”
Teller nodded and I closed my eyes a moment.I felt Luciana’s light touch as she brushed her fingers over my cheeks, down my beard, and then smoothed my hair back.Her hand trembled and I knew she was scared.I felt like an asshole for doing this to her, and for what?More money?I wasn’t ready to step down as President, but maybe I could delegate more tasks, not take point quite as often.She needed me, and the kid in her belly would too.
A shadow fell across me and I opened my eyes to see Bear leaning into the vehicle.A glance in the other direction showed Shooter and Fox opening the door with grim looks.Teller came back with the cloth Luciana had requested and she wiped down the front of me, but Fox had to help turn me so she could reach my back.I felt like a fucking infant and hated this shit.
“I’m not dead, you dumbasses.I can get out of the car.”
“Sure you can, Pres,” Fox said with a smirk.“But we’re going to help just the same.”
Despite their words, I did my best to get out of the SUV on my own, then staggered my way into the house with Fox supporting my weight.Luciana was within sight the entire time and rushed ahead of us.She smoothed the sheets on the bed and plumped my pillow like I was an invalid or something.I wasn’t going to say anything, though, not since she seemed to feel the need to do something to help.Fox helped me sit on the edge of the bed, then Luciana knelt at my feet and removed my boots.I eased my legs up on the bed and leaned back against the pillows.
“Everyone out.My wife will let you know if I stop breathing.”
“Not funny,” Fox muttered, but he walked out along with the others.Teller hung back, hovering in the doorway.
“What’s up, kid?”I asked.
“Maybe I should stay close?In case you need something?”he asked, his gaze skirting to Luciana, then back to me.
I looked at the woman now kneeling on the bed next to me.She didn’t seem overly concerned about Teller in the house.Maybe getting shot wasn’t such a bad thing after all, if it meant she’d finally trust the men in my club.
“Let him stay,” Luciana said, her accent thicker than usual.It was a clue to just how worried she was right then.
“All right.You can stay, Teller, but not in this damn room.”
