Page 57 of Then and Now (The Edge of Retaliation 3)
I nod. “Okay.”
“Callie and Tanner are on their way. Have you heard anything?”
I shake my head. “No, but it looked bad. It sounded bad. Everything was just horrible. They rushed him off, at one point I don’t think he was breathing. I don’t know if he’s going to make it, Tatum. I honestly don’t know.”
He pulls me in for a hug again. “We’re goin’ to get through this. All of us.”
Are we, though?
How much more can we possibly take?
“Jo?”
I turn and see Callie rushing down the halls, her hair still wet and unbrushed from a shower, her eyes red and puffy. I let Tatum go and hurry toward her, throwing my arms around her when she gets to me. Tanner keeps walking after squeezing me on the shoulder and starts talking to Tatum.
“Are you okay?” I say, pulling back and looking at her.
“Have they told you anything?”
I shake my head. “Sorry, honey, no. He’s in surgery, that’s all I know.”
Callie nods, her eyes just … broken. Empty. Dead. “Has anyone called his girlfriend, Raven?”
“I have,” Tatum says, “she is upset and getting the next flight out.”
Callie nods, whispering a thanks.
“I’ll go and get some coffee,” Tanner says, disappearing down the hall.
We find a set of seats and sit down. I take Callie’s hand, and squeeze tightly. She squeezes back. We sit in silence for a good long time, none of us saying anything. Tanner brings back coffee, but nobody drinks it, we all just hang onto our cups, staring at the bland cream wall in front of us for what seems like hours.
Maybe it is hours. Who knows.
Finally, a nurse comes out and calls Ethan’s name. Callie stands, rushing over. “Are you family?” she asks.
“Yes,” Callie lies.
“Ethan isn’t doing well. He’s lost a lot of blood and the bullets caused a great deal of damage. They’re still working on him, but I have to tell you, right now it’s hit and miss. He has a lot of internal bleeding …”
Callie makes a pained sound and cups her chest, like her heart is just going to launch out.
“Thanks,” Tatum says to the nurse. “Keep us updated.”
The nurse nods, looking like it’s killing her to have to deliver such horrible news. I can only imagine how hard it is on them, even worse for the doctor who has to come out and tell someone their family member or loved one has died. That would be the hardest thing in the world to do. It really would.
“There is a more comfortable waiting room just around the corner, if you like. I’ll keep you updated as I hear.”
Tatum nods and thanks her, and then I turn to Callie and help her up, my heart breaking with every single tear that rolls down her cheek. Tanner takes her hand, and we lead her to the waiting room, finding a comfortable chair and sitting down.
Then, I think we all start praying.
At least, I know that’s what I do.
CALLIE FALLS ASLEEP after another couple of hours, her head slumped down onto Tanner’s shoulder. He doesn’t seem to mind, and occasionally, his fingers run over her hand that has rested on his knee. He’s stepping up for her, which is really something else. He doesn’t have to, after everything, but he is and that’s special.
Alarick walks into the hospital just around midnight and Tatum and I both stand, desperate to see what he has to say. I’m keeping everything crossed that he has found something, because this has gotten to a point if we don’t do something soon, we could all end up losing our lives. Simple as that.
None of us want that.
We all want this to be over.
“How is he?” Alarick asks, his eyes swinging to me.
“He’s still in surgery, they’re saying there is a good chance he won’t make it.”
“Sorry to hear that,” he murmurs, and then looks to Tatum. “Got a location.”
Oh, thank god.
“You do?” I ask, before Tatum can answer.
“Yeah, found an old house they’re hidin’ out at. They’ve got watch, clearly expectin’ us. You want us to go in, finish this, or are you goin’ to come with us?”
Tatum doesn’t even flinch when he says, “We’re coming.”
Tanner nods. “Yeah, we’re fuckin’ coming.”
What?
Wait?
This club is offering to go and end this for us, without any more lives being taken, and these two men still want to go in and risk everything? The bikers do this, hell, it’s what they do. They have manpower, and they have ways to make people disappear without suspicion. Why in the ever-loving hell would they want to join in?
“Wait, you want to go?” I ask, turning and looking at Tatum.
“Yeah, my brother is in there. I’m not goin’ to sit here while they go and do the hard work.”
“But they know what they’re doing. You could die,” I whisper, and then look to Tanner. “If she loses you too …”
