The Hero

by Amelia Shea

  Gage pushed past the door to stand in front of them. He grabbed her cheeks, forcing her to turn his way. “Eyes up here, short stack.”

  She bobbed her head until it dropped back. Rourke glanced down at her. Fuck. Her dazed eyes rolled back in her head, and she became paler by the second.

  Gage shifted his eyes to Rourke. “We gotta get her outta here, man.”

  Rourke emerged from the bathroom with Macy snuggled against his chest. Her breathing sounded shallow, as though she was taking short puffs. Mack rushed down the hall and stopped when he saw her in Rourke’s arms. He inched forward, and his eyes widened in shock.

  “You need me to call for an ambulance?”

  Rourke glanced down, and the sight of her pale face with her lips changing to a sickly appearance had him struck with a deep fear. “Need you to pull the tapes from her at the bar. Someone fucking spiked her drink and I wanna know who.”

  The bar had surveillance, and he wanted it. Mack nodded and gestured behind Rourke. “Take the back, get her outta here, and I’ll check the cameras.”

  Rourke started out, flanked by Gage close on his left. He was mildly aware of Cheyenne arguing about going to the hospital. Trax would handle it. There couldn’t be documentation of anything if he was going to take care of it. He’d seen enough drug overdoses to know while she had definitely been slipped something, it wasn’t life-threatening.

  Right now, he just needed her back at the house.

  Chapter Nine

  She had been awake for only a few minutes. Thank God the yelling had stopped. Her head pounded like a bass drum at a metal concert. The only small reprieve was a soft, cool towel on her forehead. She woke up to soft hands gliding over her cheek, then the cloth.

  She pried her eyes open slowly. The dim light was a Godsend, and she flickered her lashes. A quick glance was enough to tell her she wasn’t in her own room. It was familiar, but not hers. Too much black.

  “Hey, sweets.”

  Macy angled her head as the small figure approached. Nadia smiled warmly and sat next to her on the edge of the bed.

  When Macy tried to speak, her voice croaked and a fiery pain shot through her throat. She clamped her lips closed and swallowed a painful breath.

  “Just relax, Mace.” She leaned across the table and grabbed a water bottle lifting it to her lips. It was de ja vu back to her childhood with her mom. It was the only calming feeling she had at the moment. Oddly enough it was shared by a club whore.

  Macy took a small sip, dropping her head back to the pillow and staring up at the ceiling. A certain dread wafted her stomach. She’d seen this exact view quite a few times. She whipped her head to Nadia.

  “Why am I in Rourke’s room?”

  Nadia widened her eyes and raised her brows. “Well, because if they had tried to put you anywhere else, he probably would have beat the shit out of everyone.” She smirked with intent to lighten the mood. She drew in a breath and glanced over her shoulder at the door. With a quick scan around the room, she realized they were alone.

  “Where is he? And Chey?”

  “Probably in separate corners.”

  “What?”

  “They’ve been at each other since he brought you back here. Chey wanted you to be taken to the hospital, and the guys refused. Let’s just say your girl was taking on the entire club.” Nadia forced an uncomfortable smile. “She may have threatened to call the cops and have Rourke arrested for kidnapping, and I’m pretty sure, she broke up with Trax four times in the last two hours.” She leaned closer. “I’m actually really impressed. Your girl has got a set on her. Even went up against Kase.”

  “Oh God, did she get banned from the club?”

  Nadia chuckled. “Twice, but her ass is still here.”

  Macy felt a wave of nausea. She swallowed hard in hopes of keeping anything down. From her cotton-mouth, she knew she had puked but couldn’t remember.

  “Ya want the basket?”

  “I got my own basket, huh?”

  “Yeah, Rourke set it up for you.” She glanced at Macy’s head, and her lips curled. “It seems he did his best to tie back your hair.”

  She reached up to her head, feeling the messy ball of hair tied in a hair tie. “Rourke did this?”

  She nodded and raised a brow. “Yeah. He was the one who was with you in the bathroom.”

  She slowly widened her eyes. “I puked in front of Rourke?”

  “Girl, you puked on Rourke.” She giggled. “And yourself before you guys got here. He carried you in, washed you up, changed you, and he…”

  Macy closed her eyes and held up her hand. “I’ve heard enough, oh hell…”

  Macy opened her eyes when she felt Nadia’s hand intertwine with hers.

  “Stop,” she whispered. “What happened to you last night could have been so much worse than puking, okay? You got nothing to be embarrassed about. Hell, I would have let ya puke on me.”

  Macy snorted.

  “Who do you want me to get? Chey or Rourke?”

  She contemplated that for a moment, but the door flew open.

  “Thank fuck.” Gage shoved his phone in his pocket and came to stand by her bed.

  He smiled. It had been a long time since she’d seen his smile aimed in her direction. Ever since the fight with Rourke, Gage’s only reaction to her were snide comments and looks of disgust.

  “Looking a helluva lot better there, short stack.”

  She swallowed and winced at the sharp pain stabbing in her throat. “If you say so.”

  He chuckled. “Ya looked like something outta The Exorcist when we brought ya back here.”

  She jerked her head to him and immediately regretted the motion. A wave of nausea flushed through her stomach. She drew in a deep breath. “Oh God.”

  “Relax, Macy.” A warm hand swiped across Macy’s cheek in a soothing motion. Nadia was shooting daggers at Gage from across the bed. “Gage, go.”

  He blinked and glanced down at Macy then up to Nadia. “What the…”

  “Go,” she snapped and scowled. “Don’t give me that look. When I’m naked, ass up in your bed, I’ll follow your orders, but when I’m in charge of a girl who’s clearly been through hell and back, I give the orders. Now, go.”

  Macy shifted her gaze to Gage. His lips turned up, and he nodded. “All right. Gonna remember this, Nad.” He winked and turned around, heading for the door. Macy waited until he exited before turning to Nadia.

  “Does that work on Kase too?” Macy said which made Nadia laugh.

  “Girl, even I don’t have the balls to try that shit with Kase.”

  Macy smiled, settling into her bed. Rourke’s bed.

  *

  “I didn’t know doctors still made house calls?” Macy snorted then froze with a thought popping in her head. She glanced over at the doctor. “You are a real doctor, right?”

  He chuckled. “Board certified for forty years.”

  Macy drew in a breath and settled into the pillows propped up at the headboard. She was feeling better, but not entirely herself. The doctor, who the club apparently had on payroll, said it would take a few days.

  She lay quietly and peered around the room without making eye contact. Rourke’s room was at full capacity with occupants though everyone remained silent. Was this necessary? Where was her patient and doctor privacy?

  “You need lots of rest,” the doctor said, gaining her attention. “I’ll write you a prescription, but I can’t stress enough, you need to rest and stay hydrated. Understand?”

  Macy nodded and felt a tight squeeze on her hand.

  Cheyenne sat on the edge of her bed, holding her hand. It was strange to watch her friend fret over her like she was made of glass, so breakable. She was half expecting her to fall apart with hearing about what happened.

  “You don’t remember anything?”

  “Not really. I remember him picking me up.” Her eyes darted to Rourke then averted them quickly. The man stood guard at the door, throwing h
er the death glare every time their eyes met. It was hard to believe this was the same man who held back her hair when she puked and cleaned her up. He wasn’t showing any signs of caring or protectiveness, just anger and harsh scowls.

  Cheyenne rubbed her thumb over her fingers. “Anything else?”

  “Then dinner and the bar, but it gets fuzzy, and I draw a blank.” She turned to the doctor. “Is that normal?”

  “Unfortunately, yes, it’s very common.”

  “He must have slipped something into your drink.” Cheyenne gulped.

  Oh God. She heard enough stories about being roofied, but to actually be a victim hit her hard. How could she have let this happen?

  “Shit, I’m usually more careful, but he seemed like such a nice guy.” She paused and then mumbled, “I mean, at first.”

  “A fucking Maserati doesn’t make him a good guy,” Rourke barked from the door. It was the first thing he’d said since he walked into the room fifteen minutes ago. His anger radiated through the room.

  She ignored him. He needed to go away and take the other guys with him.

  Cheyenne turned her head. “Stop being a jerk. It could happen to anyone.”

  Rourke snorted and stepped forward. “Never happened at the club. We don’t do shit like that. She fucking let her guard down and this is where it got her.”

  Macy gasped. “You’re saying it’s my fault…that I let it happen.”

  “Fuck yeah, that’s what I’m saying.”

  If he was trying to hurt her, he was succeeding.

  “I suppose if I had gotten raped, I would have gotten what I deserved, is that what you’re saying, asshole?” She adjusted her position and sat up. She cringed at the ache in her bones.

  His jaw tightened once she mentioned being raped.

  “I’m just sayin’ you should have known better.”

  Her mouth fell open. She couldn’t believe what this jerk was saying. How dare he accuse her. She was the victim here. She grasped the sheets in her hands and squeezed to the point of a biting pain in her knuckles. Any remorse she may have had for puking on him was completely gone. Asshole.

  Cheyenne jumped up. “Get out!”

  All three men and Macy herself jerked back at the demand.

  “I’m not going anywhere. This is my fucking room.”

  Chey stalked toward him with Trax rushing between her and Rourke. “Then I’m taking her home, and I will call the cops.” She whipped her head to Trax. “I’ll do it if he doesn’t leave. There’s no way I’m gonna stand by and watch him berate her after what she’s been through.”

  While Macy appreciated Cheyenne having her back, she’d had enough of everyone in the room. The accusations and yelling were too much to take. Her head throbbed, and all she wanted was for everyone to shut up and leave.

  Macy settled back against the cool mattress and turned to the doctor who was watching the scene play out. He seemed just as unsettled as she felt. In fact, he appeared irritated. She leaned closer.

  “Hey, Doc,” she whispered.

  He glanced over and bent his knees, angling closer to her.

  “You’re here for me, right?”

  He smiled softly. “Yes.”

  She swallowed a breath and nodded. “Then please make ’em go away.”

  He glanced over his shoulder before turning back to her. “Which ones?”

  She glanced up at the ceiling and sighed. “All of them.”

  She’d had enough of the fighting, and back and forth between Chey and Rourke. If they wanted to continue, she didn’t want to have to hear them. She was holding her own guilt about not seeing Bryant’s true colors, and the last thing she needed was a verbal reminder from Rourke.

  The doctor swiped the hair from her forehead and nodded before turning to the door. “Everyone out.”

  Macy felt a small tinge of guilt when she heard Cheyenne protest but left the reasoning to the doctor.

  “She needs rest, sweetheart. All this fighting isn’t helping her.” Macy watched the doctor turn toward the door where Rourke stood. “All of you, out.”

  Rourke glanced down at her with his signature scowl. She could read the fury flashing over his face. Trax grasped his arm and lightly pushed him toward the door. She was prepared for him to protest, but he didn’t. Gage appeared slightly relieved as he followed behind them.

  “She needs me,” Cheyenne snapped at the doctor and Macy bit back her smile. Her best friend would not go quietly.

  Nadia stepped up, wrapping her arm around Cheyenne’s shoulder and guiding her toward the door. “She needs rest and quiet, Chey. And so do you. Dobbs is out of town, use his room. You’ve been up all night, go get some sleep, or maybe get something to eat. Come back in an hour or two, okay, sweetie?” Thank you, Nadia.

  Cheyenne glanced over to Macy. “Okay. I’ll be down the hall if ya need me.”

  Macy nodded and she left.

  She expected Nadia and the doctor to leave, but both remained until the door closed. The doctor turned with a stern scowl, staring down at Macy.

  “I’ve seen this happen too many times to count.” He walked over to her staring at her from the foot of the bed. “And I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty. It is never the victim’s fault. Do you understand me?”

  Macy felt tears pool in her lids and gave him a sharp nod. She needed to hear that, with doubt fluttering her thoughts. How could she have let this happen?

  “I’ve known Rourke for a very long time.” He paused. “He’s a smart man, but he was wrong, and if I had to guess, he’s regretting his words.”

  Nadia moved closer. “I’m not making excuses for him, Mace, he’s just really angry because of what happened, and he’s taking it out on you. It’s complete bullshit, but it’s misplaced. If you could have seen him with before, taking care of you, you’d understand.”

  Rourke took care of me?

  ****

  Rourke backed out of the room, not because Trax was pushing him, but realization struck. He let his anger for the situation get out of hand, turning on Macy. He handled it all wrong.

  “What the fuck, man?” Trax said, releasing him when Rourke pushed his hands away. He turned from the impending group and drove his hand over his head in frustration.

  “Seriously, Rourke. That bullshit was like straight out of a handbook. What not to say to woman. You trying to piss her off?” Gage asked.

  He had nothing to say. He couldn’t rebuke it, they were right. Fuck, he was an asshole. The second the words left his mouth, regret struck.

  His whole body had been a mass of tense fury and rage since he walked into the bar and saw her on the bathroom floor. All he wanted was to have her safe, close, and protected. He needed her near him, but as soon as she was settled in his room, she was left in Nadia’s care. He should have demanded to stay with her, but at the time Cheyenne was raising hell in the clubhouse. As the hours passed, he grew increasingly frustrated. He just wanted to be with her. He was a time bomb on the brink of exploding. Then he did. At Macy.

  “You need to leave,” Cheyenne said, inching forward. He usually scared most people with his size and attitude. Cheyenne had been cautious of him from the day they’d met. All her fear was gone, and she was pissed.

  “My club? You’re telling me to get outta my fucking clubhouse?” He raised his brows.

  “Hey Chey, know you’re upset but reign that shit in,” Gage said with a sharp edge to his tone. “Or it’s your ass that’s leaving.”

  She had managed to piss off every member of the club with the exception of Trax during her tirade when they refused to take Macy to the hospital. Rourke understood where her anger stemmed from, but she continued to grate on his last nerve. It seemed she’d done the same with Gage.

  Trax bumped his chest into Gage, sending him slamming into the wall. “You reign your shit in, Gage, before I beat the piss outta you.”

  Gage laughed. “Like to see you fucking try, dick.”

  Just fucking great.
This was a motherfucking shit show. Brother pitted against brother. Rourke stepped in between Trax and Gage, but his stare was aimed at Cheyenne.

  “I’ll back off, but I’m not leaving.”

  It should have appeased her, but once she glanced up, all the fire came back to her eyes. It was coming from a good place, her loyalty to Macy. He could understand it. Hell, he appreciated it. He was willing to compromise.

  “Yes, you are.”

  Gage snorted from behind him, and Rourke shook his head. God, this woman didn’t know when to shut the fuck up.

  His brows narrowed. “Watch yourself, Chey. You don’t lead me around my balls. It may work with Trax but don’t fucking try it with me.”

  Trax groaned. “Not helping the situation, brother.”

  He was prepared for her to yell, even possibly strike him. He was not prepared for what she delivered. “She liked you, Rourke. I’ve known her more than half my life.” Her eyes welled. “You don’t know her like I do. Men have let her down her entire life. But you, she saw something in you. Wanted something with you. And what do you do? Kick her when she’s at her lowest. Fuck you, Rourke,” she shouted. A tear slipped down her cheek, and he inhaled deeply. “Nothing that happened is her fault. Not how she was dressed or for going on a date with a guy she thought was nice. She didn’t do anything wrong. The only thing she’s guilty of is trusting that a man would act like a real man.”

  Trax rested his hand on her back, and she quickly wiped away the tears which had escaped. She turned away, walking down the hall and entered Dobbs’ room. In true pissed off woman fashion, she slammed the door behind her.

  Every single word Cheyenne unleashed on him ran through his mind. Not only was it a shock, it was also gut-wrenching. She saw something in you. Wanted something with you. He had no clue Macy saw him as anything more than a good time. Now, with Cheyenne’s admission, he realized how much damage he’d done when he opened his mouth earlier.

  Trax grabbed his shoulder and squeezed. “Go get a beer, just give her time,” Trax said.

  Time? Time for what? For Macy to dwell and hate on him more? He scowled at his brother. It was futile. He’d done this. He nodded, and Trax walked back to Dobbs’ room.