Rock Me Faster (Licks Of Leather Book 4)

by Jenna Jacob

  “Does my face look like hamburger?”

  He shook his head. “No, man. You got some cuts, but you’ll still turn all the ladies’ heads.” He smiled as he eyed me critically. “Going through that shower door had to sting.”

  “Like a bitch…I think. Everything’s kind of fuzzy right now.”

  I’d barely gotten the words out when two more firefighters appeared. Together, they lifted me up and started carrying me down the hall…well, the now sideways hall. It felt like I was in a carnival fun house, sans the fun.

  “What happened?”

  “A trash truck blew a red light.”

  “I hope NYPD gave him a ticket.”

  “They can’t. The guy didn’t make it.”

  Harmony. My heart sputtered and my gut clenched. Please, God, no. No. Don’t take her, too.

  Struggling to tamp down my panic, I stared Nate in the eye. “What about the others…the ones who were here on the bus. Is anybody—” I couldn’t push the word off my lips.

  “Dead? No.”

  Thank you, God… Thank you.

  “Then get your ass on that bus and find him.” Quinn’s voice floated over me and a low chuckle rumbled from my throat.

  Guess he missed his flight. Good, I wanted five minutes alone with the son of a bitch. Okay, well, not right now. I couldn’t even kick my own ass if I had to, but I’d deal with the prick soon.

  “We got him,” the guy supporting my left leg yelled, making my brain slam against my skull.

  A second later, strobes of blue and red assaulted my eyes. I slid my lids shut as the darkness called to me again, but I fought against it.

  I knew the minute I was out of the bus. Instead of diesel fuel, the familiar, unique scent of New York filled my senses.

  “Oh, Jesus.” I heard Quinn whisper woefully as the firemen eased me onto a gurney.

  Squinting against the colorful strobes, I turned toward the sound of his voice. Quinn’s face was ghostly white and etched with worry.

  “Where’s Harmony? I need to see her.”

  “They transported her to Presbyterian a few minutes ago.”

  “Is she all right?” Unable to harness the panic exploding inside me, I sat up and sent him a pleading stare.

  “I-I don’t know. They took everybody there. I stayed behind. I wasn’t leaving until they found you and brought you out.”

  “Take me there,” I barked, grabbing the arm of the EMT beside me. “Now.”

  “Easy, Mr. Walker,” the man replied. “We need to check you out and remove some of the glass embedded in your skin before transporting you.”

  Glass? I looked down and saw dozens of shards sticking out of my arms. Blood was oozing everywhere.

  “Then do it,” I barked. “I have to see her.”

  Long, interminable minutes later, I arrived at the ER. But the doctors and nurses refused to tell me anything about Harmony’s condition or how the others were doing. As they painstakingly pulled glass from my arms, neck, and face, I was ready to commit murder.

  Quinn hurried into the room, flashing his phone in the doctor’s face…showing him the medical release form that Harmony had signed when she’d accepted his job. Ava had emailed it to him after contacting Bodhi and booking him a flight to New York.

  “Tell him what he wants to know,” Quinn barked.

  The doctor scowled at my agent’s demand and started typing on his tablet. “She suffered a dislocated knee, a few broken ribs.”

  “How many ribs?”

  “The X-ray showed two…possibly three. They’re prepping her now for surgery.”

  “For what? What other injuries does she have?” I demanded.

  “She has a compound fracture of the ulna. The orthopedic surgeon Mr. MacKinnon requested will probably use some plates and screws to reattach her bones, but she’ll be just fine.”

  Plates and screws? Christ, they were going to cut her open and shove an erector set inside her.

  “Let me out of here. I need to see her, now,” I barked.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Walker, I’m sure she’s already in surgery.”

  “Quinn,” I implored.

  “I’ll go find out.” He nodded grimly and hurried out the door.

  It seemed an eternity before he returned and confirmed the doctor’s words, but Quinn assured me that Sofia—who was with the others in the OR waiting room—would text him with any updates.

  The nurses finally plucked out all the glass and started stitching me up, while the doctor concluded that I had a mild concussion. Declining pain meds, for obvious reasons, I swallowed down some aspirin before they bandaged me up like a mummy. I was climbing the fucking walls before they handed me a stack of discharge papers and let me leave the medical prison cell.

  When Quinn was finally able to lead me to the surgical waiting room, I got my first look at my battered, bruised, and bandaged family.

  Burk was sporting a funky buzz cut and twelve stitches on the side of his head. A Velcro boot was wrapped around his right foot to support the strained ligaments in his ankle.

  Sofia’s right arm was in a sling, tucked against her chest, and she had a nasty scrape on her shoulder.

  Ozzy had a black eye, split lip, and six stitches on his cheek.

  An ice pack was strapped to Mia’s knee. She had a split lip, as well, and a nasty bruise on her chin.

  The gash in Syd’s left hand was wrapped in a thick white bandage.

  A white mesh cast adorned Darren’s right arm. Thankfully, his was a clean break.

  Mick’s left foot was covered with the same material, only in black, and a pair of crutches were resting across his lap.

  Duke’s entire right arm was wrapped in bandages, and he had several stitches along the edge of his jaw.

  We all looked like we’d been in a fucking war. Well, everyone but Kenny. The lucky prick, who’d been buckled in his seat, didn’t have a scratch on him. But I could see in his eyes that he was in as much pain—probably more—than the rest of us…the pain of guilt.

  Clearly, Harmony had taken the brunt of the injuries, and I was out of my mind with worry and fear.

  “You picked one hell of a time to take a shower, bro.” Syd smiled sadly.

  “Oh, Ross. Jesus…look at you.” Sofia cringed.

  “It’s just a flesh wound,” I quipped and immediately sobered. “Any word on Harmony?”

  “None yet. We’re still waiting,” Burk said grimly.

  “Did any of you see her or talk to her before they took her in for surgery?”

  “We all did, brother,” Darren assured.

  “And?”

  “She was out of her mind worried about you. Kept begging us to wheel her bed up to the ER so she could see you.”

  “I tried everything in my power to get down here to her…” My voice cracked and tears stung my eyes. I whirled around so they couldn’t see me struggling to find control.

  Sofia quietly eased up beside me and gently placed her hand on my arm. “She’s going to be okay. Try to stay strong for her. And if you can’t, then just lean on us.”

  “Aw, sweet cheeks,” I croaked as the dam burst and tears slid down my cheeks.

  Sofia silently wrapped her uninjured arm around me and stroked my back as my fear of losing Harmony ripped me to shreds. My band brothers instantly surrounded me and held me up as I crumbled.

  “She’s not Lily,” Burk whispered softly against my ear so that only I could hear him. “Harmony is alive. She’s not leaving you or this world, brother. You’re not to blame for the wreck. And though you’ve beaten yourself up all these years, you weren’t ever to blame for the other. Let her go, man. It’s time you let her go.”

  It was, but could I survive the aftermath?

  A howl of anguish ripped from my chest.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Ross

  Feeling drained and hollow, I wiped my eyes and slowly pulled myself together.

  “Sorry,” I murmured. “I didn’t mean to… Maybe th
e shock of the wreck and being in the hospital again—”

  “We don’t care about the why. It doesn’t matter because we love you, man. Love the good, bad, and all the pain you still carry inside you.” Deep understanding stamped Syd’s somber face.

  I’d never seen such a profound level of seriousness in him before. Suddenly I realized I was staring into the eyes of a kindred spirit. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that hiding beneath every joke, one-liner, and smart-assed quip was a mountain of pain, guilt, and regret.

  I wrapped a bandaged hand around his neck and gingerly leaned my bandaged, stitched-up forehead to his. “And I’m a lucky, grateful son of a bitch for it, my brother.”

  Tears glistened in Syd’s eyes as a crooked smile tugged a corner of his mouth. “Can Daddy kiss you now?”

  “Only if Daddy wants to have his balls kicked to the back of his throat.”

  “Daddy’s gonna pass on that,” he said with a laugh and clapped me on the back.

  “Sharp family?” a woman called.

  Heart in my throat, I whipped around and marched straight toward the fifty-something nurse.

  “Yes.” The word rolled off my tongue without an ounce of hesitation.

  “Are you her…husband?”

  “No, I’m…” My mind went completely blank. Friend? No, too casual. Boyfriend? Too clinical. Lover? If it hadn’t been for that fucking trash truck, I would be by now.

  “She’s freelancing for me…for us…I mean, for the band,” Quinn interjected, stepping in beside me as he whipped out his cell phone and handed it to the nurse. “Her father is on a plane from Kentucky as we speak, but I have this.”

  I held my breath as the nurse read the document on Quinn’s phone. With a subtle nod she handed the device back to him. “If you’ll come with me, Mr. MacKinnon, I’ll be happy to fill you in on Miss Sharp’s condition.”

  “No,” I barked. “Tell us here…now.”

  The nurse arched her brows as a look of confrontation stormed across her face.

  “She can’t,” Quinn replied. “Breathe, man. I’ll get the info.”

  Biting back a snarl, I clenched my teeth, ignoring the pain throbbing in my brain.

  “Sorry, Miss.” Quinn smiled weakly, as he led her a couple feet away. Thankfully, I was still able to hear their conversation. “Miss Sharp hasn’t been with us long, but she’s earned a place in the hearts of our little family.”

  “Very well,” the nurse replied. “Miss Sharp is out of surgery and in recovery. The doctor was able to repair her arm. Her knee has been reset and fitted with a brace to keep it immobilized. There’s nothing we can do for her fractured ribs, but rest and limited movement will help them heal. Once she’s released, she’ll need to follow up with her primary care physician, who’ll need to set her up with a physical therapist.”

  “When will she be released?” Quinn asked.

  “Definitely not tonight. Maybe tomorrow or Sunday. Depending on how the doctor on duty thinks she’s doing.”

  Crawling out of my skin, I ate up the distance between Quinn and the nurse “Can I see her now?”

  “We’d rather her not have any visitors until she’s taken up to a room—”

  “Let me rephrase that. I have to see her now,” I ground out, squaring my shoulders and narrowing my eyes. “Or do I need to speak directly to her surgeon?”

  “She’s still sedated. Miss Sharp won’t even know you’re—”

  “Find her surgeon. Bring him to me,” I said in a low, impatient growl.

  “Let him go back, ma’am,” Sofia pleaded. “We’ve been through quite an ordeal tonight. Ross didn’t get to see his girl before she went into surgery. They’ve been together for a very long time.”

  When I’d first met the copper-haired drill sergeant, I’d prayed we guys in the band would find a way to make her quit. But she and Burk had captured one another’s hearts, and right now, she’d captured mine. I wanted to lift her up in my arms, hug her tight, and kiss her lying lips.

  The nurse turned to me. “I’m sorry, I-I didn’t realize you two were…”

  “A couple? Yes. Yes, we are,” I lied, achingly aware that I wished it were the truth.

  “If you’ll follow me.”

  Mouthing a thank you to Sofia—who flashed me a wide grin and a wink—I followed the nurse to the recovery room. When I noticed several nurses scurrying around and only two bays where the curtains weren’t drawn, I understood why it had taken so long for us to get word about Harmony. Yet I wondered why we’d been the only ones in the waiting room. They’d no doubt put us in a separate area to keep from being recognized and hounded. When the nurse paused and pulled back one of the curtains, I held my breath and stepped around her. The sight of tubes and wires attached to Harmony’s pale, fragile body, now broken and bruised, made me want to howl. Still, she was the most beautiful woman on the planet.

  “Oh, princess,” I moaned, moving in close alongside the bed.

  Heart in my throat, I bent and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. As the curtain behind me closed, a tear slid down my cheek. I stroked her soft hair and brushed a feather-soft kiss across her lips, savoring the breath spilling from her nose and warming my mouth.

  Though my brain knew she was alive, seeing and feeling the life inside her sent a tsunami of relief through my system.

  “I was so scared…so fucking terrified that I was going to lose you, too.”

  “Ross.” She breathed my name as if making a wish.

  “I’m here, princess. I’m right here. Open your eyes. Come on, Harmony, open those pretty blue eyes and look at me.”

  “Ross,” she whispered again, brows softly furrowing.

  Suddenly, the curtain whipped open. I spun, ready to rail that I hadn’t even been with Harmony for two minutes, as a pretty young blonde entered the cubicle. I wiped my eyes and scowled when the woman pressed a hand to her heart and grinned.

  “I thought they were messing with me.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Sorry. I’m Courtney Joel. I’m the orthopedic surgeon who patched Harmony back up.”

  “You’re the doctor who performed the surgery?”

  “Yeah. I’m older and smarter than I look,” she teased.

  “I didn’t mean… I wasn’t implying you weren’t smart.”

  “Oh, my gosh. I-I’m making a fool of myself. I’m sorry, it’s just… I can’t believe I’m standing here talking to Ross Walker. I’ve been a huge fan of Licks since I was in college. I’m fangirling like crazy inside right now.”

  “Don’t please. I’m just a…person.”

  “You don’t understand.” Courtney smirked. “I’m an animal freak. I will rescue any critter that needs a home. My husband thinks I’m crazy, but he still loves me, thank god. Anyway, I have a husky named Burk because she loves to sing…okay, she howls, but I call it singing. Ozzy is my Persian cat who loves playing the piano app on my tablet. Then I have a parakeet I named Darren because he loves to pluck at his cage with his beak. I also have a spazzy leopard gecko named Syd, who loves to run around in his cage like Syd does on stage. And a fluffy Angora bunny named…Ross.”

  “I’m a fluffy bunny?” I asked, totally insulted.

  “Yes. The rabbit is huge. He weighs six and a half pounds, and when he stomps his foot, he reminds me of you banging your bass. But based on the bandages you’re wearing, I don’t think you’re going to be playing the drums for a while.” Courtney cringed. “Did you get tossed into the blender or something?”

  “Felt like it. After splintering the bathroom door to toothpicks, I went through the glass shower enclosure.”

  “Oh, ouch.”

  “Yeah. If I have the choice, I’d rather not do that again.” I stared down at Harmony as visions of her flying through the air spooled through my brain like a nightmare. Guilt sliced through me. “I should have held on to her tighter.”

  “Why? So, she could go through both doors with you?” the doctor challenged.

 
My stomach twisted. I hadn’t thought of that.

  “Broken arm, ribs, and a sore knee is plenty for her. But Harmony is going to be fine. In fact, I’m here to check her out one more time before we move her to the Orthopedic floor. They have a room ready for her now.”

  “I can go with her when they move her, right?”

  “Sure, but it’ll cost you an autograph.” She handed me a pen and held out an arm of her lab coat.

  “When you’re done checking on Harmony, go out to the waiting room and tell the others I said to sign your coat.”

  “I will do that.” She grinned excitedly. Then as if flipping some internal switch, the doctor went from happy and carefree to serious and professional.

  I stepped back to give her room to check Harmony over. I wasn’t ready to see the injuries to her body yet. Didn’t want to fall apart again in case Harmony might be able to hear me in her drug-induced sleep. I wanted to be strong for her. Strong enough to help heal her bones the way she’d begun healing my heart.

  It was nearly three thirty in the morning as I sat in a chair beside Harmony’s bed in her private room. The others who’d held vigil in the waiting room had come and offered words of support, encouragement, and love, but Harmony slept right through them.

  Burk tried to convince me to return to the hotel, but I refused. I wasn’t leaving Harmony’s side until she opened her eyes and looked at me again…said my name in that sweet southern drawl. A strange longing to see her mountain crept through my brain. I knew what the big cities of Kentucky looked like. I’d seen the mountains from the highways, but I’d never trekked up to the top of any to see the world from Harmony’s eyes.

  I wanted her to wake up, was desperate for the drugs to bleed from her system.

  Maybe it was lack of sleep, my endless worry about Harmony, or the residual trauma of the accident, but a crazy idea flashed in my head. Lifting my cell phone from my back pocket—that had miraculously survived my double-door demolition ordeal still intact—I pulled up the old Elvis song she’d been singing on her terrace, just last night.

  Keeping the volume down on both my phone and my voice, I started singing to her, hoping to draw her mind from the sweet oblivion, and back to the real world.