Page 78 of Xander

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Trash.

Disgrace.

Unwanted.

Unlovable.

But I fought through it.

For her.

Because she needed me.

Throughout the night, I kept waking her up and giving her small sips of Gatorade.

Sadly, she also vomited four more times.

And in the morning, she seemed better.

She was able to keep down some toast.

After she swallowed her last bite, she asked, “What happened?”

“Shooting at the clubhouse. Grimm, Kettle, and Doc, both made it.” I told her.

She gasped, “What?”

I nodded, “Yeah. I got a graze. Doc took three bullets to his back. Grimm has one on his left forearm and in his right leg. Kettle has two in his right thigh. Sadly, we lost Gavel.”

Tears hit her eyes, and she whispered, “I’m so sorry, Xander.”

I lifted my chin.

Then I asked, “Feel up to heading to the clubhouse?”

She nodded, “Yeah, just let me shower. I must look terrible.”

I shook my head, “Couldn’t look terrible even if you tried.”

She smiled at me, but it wasn’t that shining smile I’ve come to crave.

I’d get it back.

Then, after she had her shower and gotten dressed, we headed out of her apartment building.

Hand in hand.

“I’ll follow,” I told her, but I had missed the way her shoulders had dropped as she continued walking past my bike.

And it would seem I had missed a lot of things.

***

We made it to the clubhouse, and I parked my bike. Then, I made my way over to Nola and tried to help her out of her car, but she waved her hand at me.

That stung.

She stepped around me and headed inside the clubhouse while I followed.

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