Page 52 of Powerless
"My brother's like a cockroach," Noelle told me. "Impossible to kill. He's on the wanted lists for at least five surrounding territories. Don't worry, Mari. He'll turn up."
"I hope you're right," I told her.
She gave my shoulder another affectionate squeeze before rubbing the top of my back. "Come on, medic. We've got a long night ahead of us."
She was right. I had to put aside my worries for the man I desperately didn't want to lose. I had to do my job, to focus on the ones who needed me right then and there.
Nineteen
MARIPOSA
The chaos of the battle’s aftermath continued inside the Steel Demons' gates but this time, I was in my element.
Everyone who needed immediate medical attention piled into the clubhouse conference room, where the lights were brightest and people could sit on the tables or chairs as they waited for me.
Those who had stayed home brought water and light snacks to those of us who'd been out in the field. I told Noelle to grab bandages, antibacterial soap, and rubbing alcohol, and clean up people with the minor injuries like road rash. Others helped by keeping pressure on more serious wounds. Meanwhile, I worked from most severe injuries to least. For those in the most pain, I stuck them with local anesthesia and moved on to do something else while waiting for it to kick in. Tessa waddled in just as Big G let out a loud whimper from my syringe.
"Tessie!" he cried out when he saw her. "Baby!"
"Hey, Tess," I gave her a tight smile as I wiped down the skin surrounding the bullet wound. "I'd hug you, but you know..."
She laughed at the sight of my scrubs, already covered with blood even though I quickly changed them from the road. "I'll stay out of your way. We'll reunite later, but I just wanted to see you." She rubbed her husband's back. "And you, I guess."
"Baby, stay with me?" he begged.
"You probably shouldn't stay in here," I warned her. "There are a lot of open wounds here and potential breeding grounds for infection. If you come in contact with anything, it could pose a risk to the baby."
"She's my wife!" Big G yelled. "She stays with me, medic."
"God, shut up," Tessa smacked him. "Don't yell at Mari. She knows more than you." Her eyes lifted to me with a protective hand on her belly. "I'll be in the kitchen, helping with food."
"Tell them lots of vegetables," I said to her. "Especially dark, leafy greens. And hearty soups with bone broth. This lot is going to be out of commission for a while and they'll need good food to recover."
"I'm so glad our boys are in your care," Tessa smiled as she turned to leave. "It's good to have you back, Mari."
I extracted the bullet from Big G's calf and stitched him up without much incident. He apparently didn't have much to say to me without someone else paying attention. I gave him his recovery instructions, then moved on to Jandro who I anesthetized earlier.
"How you holding up?" he asked, leaning over the conference table with his back to me so I could reach his shoulder.
"Better than all of you," I snapped on a pair of fresh gloves and carefully examined his wound.
"We'd be so fucked if it weren't for you," he murmured.
"I dunno. I have a feeling this isn't the first time you've all been in a gunfight."
"Far from it. See that scar on my other shoulder?"
I shined my light on it briefly. "Jesus. The surgeon carved you up."
"Yeah. We used to pile the injured into a truck, drive thirty minutes north to a clinic and pray it would still be open. Then had to threaten the medics at gunpoint to treat us."
"Jesus," I muttered again, not feeling particularly chatty as I worked.
"We paid them in food and basic supplies. But yeah, we've lost a few good Demons over the years. It's part of MC life, but Reaper's been determined to have our own medic. And holy fuck I'm glad we have you,Mariposita."
The sentiment was sweet but my work mindset refused to break. I had so much more to do. Flirting with him could wait, but the mention of Reaper's name brought a fresh ache in my chest.
"Has anyone seen him yet?"
