Page 75 of Crow's Haven
“You trust her?”
The question punches the air out of me. Not because I doubt her. Hell no. But because trust doesn’t change the risks. Doesn’t erase the way things can go sideways in the blink of an eye. I almost lost her once before because I didn’t give her a chance to explain. I can’t lose her again. If anything happens and she doesn’t come back, I don’t know how I can explain that to my boys.
Dutch is still looking at me waiting on an answer. “With my life,” I say, my voice certain.
“Good,” Haze says simply. “Then trust her with hers too.”
Easier said than done.
Tank slaps the counter, breaking the tension. “Man, you need distraction. Pool?”
Dutch smirks. “Nah, Crow’s shit at pool. I want an actual challenge.”
“Bullshit,” I shoot back, glad for the spark of competition. “You still owe me from last time.”
“That’s ‘cause you cheated.”
“Cheated? Or just played better?”
We end up around the pool table anyway, cues in hand, the low thud of balls breaking filling the room. I’m not focused, not really, but it’s enough to keep me from spiraling. Dutch tries to shark me, throwing out half-assed smack talk, but I sink a couple clean shots just to shut him up.
Between turns, the talk drifts. Club business, gossip about the town, who patched in recently, who’s running late on dues. It’s background noise, familiar, steady. My phone burns a hole in my pocket the whole damn time, but I keep it there, waiting.
Smoke and Siege are holed away in Siege’s small office. No doubt strategizing in case anything goes wrong. Siege with our response, and Smoke covering any legal fallout. He assured me that the cops had dropped the charges on Sharon, and she was no longer a person of interest. But until she’s back in my arms again I ain’t resting.
Every laugh feels too loud. Every silence too sharp. I catch myself glancing towards the door like I can will our Prez or Smoke to walk through it, bringing news. Good news.
Time stretches. Another game starts. I choose coffee over beer wanting to be ready to ride out to my woman if she needs me.
Then I hear it.
My name.
“Crow.”
Smoke’s voice draws me out to the hallway, quiet but urgent.
I’m already moving before I even process it, cue clattering against the table as I drop it. The others go silent behind me, their jokes dying mid-sentence.
Smoke’s standing there, phone in hand, face tight.
“Crow,” he says again, lower this time. “Just got a call from Agent Harper. They hit the hospital. Sharon’s good—helped them find the missing IV bags. Harper said she’s free to go and told us someone should come pick her up at Twin Rivers Medical Center.”
Relief floods me, quickly chased by a fresh surge of anxiety. “I’m going right now.”
I don’t waste a second, grabbing my cut and racing out to my bike, roaring into the night, images of all the worst-case scenarios spinning through my head. My heart pounds, each mile stretching on forever until I finally see the lights of Twin Rivers ahead.
Chapter 25
Sharon
We step out into the hallway and head back to the ward. Chaotic sounds from the nursing station get louder. Suddenly, I see my old colleague, Carla. Her expression flickers from surprise to guilt.
My eyes narrow on her. “You knew?”
Carla whispers, voice cracking. “How could I know the IV bags were poisoned?”
I straighten, voice steady. “Nobody said they were poisoned. Where did you get that idea?”
