Page 23 of Dylan's Dad

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The cabin finally comes into view, a beacon of hope in the midst of this darkness. I pull the van to a screeching halt, my hands trembling as I shut off the engine. My bike roars in behind us, Monk joining us at the cabin. We are home.

With a burst of adrenaline, I rush to the passenger side of the van and pull open the door. Doc is already there, his medical bag slung over his shoulder. I carefully lift Lola's limp body into my arms and carry her inside.

The warmth of the cabin embraces us as we cross the threshold. I lay Lola gently on the couch, feeling a mix of fear and determination coursing through my veins.

Doc wastes no time, swiftly unwrapping his medical supplies and examining Lola's wounds with a grave focus. As he cleans and stitched her gunshot wound, I sit on the edge of the couch, my eyes fixated on Lola's pale face. The stinging scent of antiseptic filling the air, mixing with the tension that hangs heavy in the room. I cling to her hand like it is a lifeline.

Every stitch Doc makes feels like a punch to my gut, a painful reminder of how close I had come to losing her. But I can't allow myself to dwell on that now. My focus needs to be on getting her through this, on being there for her every step of the way.

Doc finishes stitching up the gunshot wound, his hands gentle yet efficient. He looks up at me with a reassuring smile. "She's going to be just fine, Reaper. She's a strong one, your girl."

I nod, grateful for his expertise but still unable to fully let go of my worry. I reach out and take Lola's hand in mine, intertwining our fingers. Her skin is cool against mine, evidence of the trauma she has endured.

Doc has begun the tedious task of cleaning and debriding the superficial wounds she likely got from jumping out of a moving car. Further proof of just how strong my girl is.

While Doc carefully tends to Lola's wounds, I can't help but replay the events in my mind. The sheer audacity of that bastard to lay his hands on her ignites a fury within me, a rage that threatens to consume me entirely.

He will pay for everything he has done to her. No one hurts my girl and gets away with it. My hands itch with the urge to inflict the kinda pain that would feel like a lifetime to Dylan. I can't wait to pay him a little visit in the cave. I will flay the skin from his body or maybe I will break every single bone in his body.

But first, I need to focus on Lola's recovery. I lean in closer, my voice barely above a whisper. "Hang in there, baby. You're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you."

Lola stirs slightly, her eyelids fluttering open ever so slightly. I hold my breath, waiting eagerly for her beautiful eyes to meet mine. Time seems to stand still as she blinks a few times, her gaze searching until it finally locked onto mine. Relief washes over me as a weak smile tugs at the corners of her lips.

"Reaper," she whispers, her voice barely audible. "You found me."

Tears well up in my eyes as I cupped her cheek, my thumb gently wiping away the trace of a tear that escaped. "I'll always find you, Lola. No matter what."

She squeezes my hand weakly, her touch grounding me in reality. "I knew you would come for me."

Doc finishes bandaging her wounds and steps back, giving us a moment alone. I lean in closer, pressing my forehead against hers, our breaths mingling.

"I love you, Lola," I say, my voice filled with a raw vulnerability I have never shown before. "I've loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. You're mine, and I want to be yours."

A soft gasp escaped her lips, and she blinked back at me, her eyes filling with tears. A single tear slips free, running down her cheek, and I brushed it away with the pad of my thumb. "I love you too, Reaper."

I capture her lips with mine in a gentle yet passionate kiss, pouring every ounce of my love into it. I pull away far sooner than I would like to but she is injured. “Let me take you to bed, its far more comfortable than the couch." I cautiously scoop her into my arms and carry her upstairs to our bed.

As I carefully lay Lola down on the bed, her body nestled against the soft sheets, a mix of worry and desire coursed through me. Her once vibrant and fearless spirit has been temporarily dimmed by the events that led us here, but I am determined to bring back that spark.

I sit on the edge of the bed, running my fingers through her tousled hair as I study her delicate features. The bruises and cuts marring her once flawless skin, reminders of the pain she has endured. But beneath it all, I can still see the fire in her eyes, flickering with a determination that refuses to be extinguished.

Leaning down, I press a gentle kiss to her forehead, my lips lingering against her warm skin. "Rest now, Little Flower," I whispered softly. "I'll never let anyone hurt you ever again."

Lola's eyes flutter closed as exhaustion takes over, and I watch over her protectively as her breathing evens out. The room is cast in the dim light of the moonlight coming through the window. The bedroom door silently cracks open and Stallion peers in, locking eyes with me he jerks his head to the side. I know we need to talk but I am reluctant to leave her side. Pressing a soft kiss to her forehead I quietly move across the room to the door, looking over my shoulder before closing the door behind me.

“How is she?” he asks. I grunt with a shrug. “You know I hate to pull you away from her right now but the guys are downstairs. We are all worried about her, regardless of your relationship she has become our family,too.”

“Thank you, Brother. I know she will love hearing that when she wakes up. I think it’s past time for this conversation, though.” I clap him on the shoulder and guide him down the hall to the stairs. At the top landing I can see all of my brothers gathered in the living room below with the exception of Ray. “Any news on Ray?”

“He is still in surgery but it’s not looking good.”

“Fuck!” Dragging my hand down my face, I move past Stallion and head down the stairs to join the guys. “I want to thank you guys for everything you have done for me and for Lola. Doc said she should make a full recovery. She is a fighter and she is the strongest person I know. Honestly, she didn’t even need to be rescued, she saved herself. So, I need to say something that is probably pretty obvious to most of you already. I am officially claiming her as my ol’ lady.” The room erupts in whistles and cheers causing me to whipped my head toward the stairs while quieting them down.

“Bout damn time.” Keyes exclaims. “If you would have kept dragging your feet I might have needed to make a move.” He grins.

“Do you have a death wish?” I growl. He smirks and I know he’s just pushing my buttons but I’m actually considering kicking the shit out of him. “There is something else I would like brought up for discussion and that’s Ray. He has been a great prospect and he was shot protecting my girl. Instead of trying to get help for himself, he was more concerned about Lola and saving her. I would like to propose patching him in as a full member, he has more than earned it. So let’s take a vote. All those in favor raise your hands.” Not a single one left there hand down and just like that our family is getting bigger. “Last I heard he is still in surgery but when he is out and awake I think we should take a trip to see him and give him the good news.” I grin out at my brothers. Ray will pull through, I won’t let myself think anything else right now.

After that most of the guys take their leave except the core group. Stallion, Sin, Monk, Doc, and Keyes linger behind. “You guys don’t have to stay. You can head home and get some sleep.”