Page 13 of Love Me Back
“I turned Thunder around, and I heard a whisper.”
“A whisper?” Addie asked.
“A bullet,” King declared.
I nodded. “Then another hit the ground at Thunder’s feet, and he reared. I was caught off guard, and I slipped off his back. I must have hit my head, ’cause everything went black until I woke up here.”
“When I found you, I thought you were fucking dead.” Tyson’s voice was harsh with emotion. We were a close family. Losing any one of us would devastate the rest of the family. “Thunder didn’t leave your side. I won’t let Carson shoot him. Most horses would have run. But he stayed to protect you.” He smiled then. “Though I did think I would have to shoot him to get near you.”
“He’s smart; he knew I needed help.” My eyes caught on Tyson’s hand as it rubbed my leg. I couldn’t feel anything. If I hadn’t been watching him, I never would have known he was touching me.
“So someone shot at you?” King asked. “Did you see them?”
“No. I couldn’t see anything.”
“I’ll have Nav go through the Death Dog members and see ifany of them are snipers. I can’t tell you how sorry I am. I don’t know how they knew Banshee and Aspen were there.”
“We don’t know it had anything to do with the club,” Tyson pointed out.
“You have any other enemies?” King asked, looking at my baby brother.
“Why do you assume it’s the other club?” Addie asked.
King inhaled slowly. I could see his anger rising as he glared at my brother, who refused to look his president in the eye. Carson and I would corner him later when we were alone and find out what the fuck he did to piss off King.
“What did the doctor say?” Hudson asked. He was always the one who got straight to the point. He didn’t sugarcoat things, and he didn’t beat around the bush.
“My head is fine; I have a mild concussion.”
“But...?” Carson hedged.
“But when I fell, I must have landed on something. There is significant swelling in my lower back.”
“What does that mean?” Addie asked. Her voice was quiet. A whisper, as if afraid to hear the answer. I reached over and held her hand.
“I can’t feel my legs.”
“You’re paralyzed?” Emerson asked. He was the one who always asked the obvious questions. He had no filter and let every thought he had slip between his lips without thinking about the repercussions.
“That’s why you made her leave,” Carson grumbled.
“She doesn’t need to be here. She’s made it clear she doesn’t want to be a part of my life. It’s time I let go of the fantasy.”
“Bullshit.”
I glared at Carson. “It’s done.”
“You’re not a fucking martyr.”
“What makes you think she wouldn’t run anyway? She doesn’t want to be with him. He should have given up months ago.”
“You’re an asshole, Ty,” Addie snarled, her arms crossed overher chest. She liked Jessie. She’d told me on more than one occasion I needed to step it up and stop playing games.
I liked her too. In fact, I loved her. I loved her enough not to saddle her with a cripple. I was useless without my legs. Hell, I didn’t know how I would even reach high enough to brush my fucking horse, let alone ride him.
“Is it permanent?” King asked. He was watching quietly as my brothers and sister squawked at each other.
“He doesn’t know. The doctor said, until the swelling goes down, we won’t know if the damage is permanent.”
