Dauntless (Sons of Templar MC 5)

“These are my favorite jeans,” I moaned. “Where’s my shoe?”

He frowned at me.

Before he could say anything, Gage crouched beside him, his usually emotionless face showing a twinge of something.

Concern, maybe.

Or, more unsettling, fear.

“She okay?” he clipped, his eyes running over my body much in the same way Gabriel’s had.

“I lost my shoe,” I answered before Gabriel could.

His jaw was hard as he turned to Gage. “I think she’s got a concussion,” he said, gathering me gently in his arms.

Everything spun as I was lifted and could view the carnage. “Rosie,” I said, my voice panicked. “Lucy, are they okay?”

Gage nodded. “Banged up, but Cade’s got Rosie and Keltan tore away with Lucy to the hospital before we could fuckin’ blink.”

My heart dropped. “Hospital?” I repeated, my mouth full of ash.

He nodded again, his face grim. “She’ll be fine. Broken wrist, most likely.”

He moved with us as men ran with guns out and sirens sounded in the distance.

Gage regarded me. “Could have been worse. Much worse. If it weren’t for you.”

Gabriel’s arms tightened around me.

“How’d you know?” Gage continued, his voice flat, not accusing, not curious, not anything.

Gabriel’s head whipped to his friend. “Jesus, brother. You save the interrogation for when my woman isn’t fuckin’ bleeding from a head wound,” he growled.

Gage didn’t react to the rage, just nodded. “Not blamin’ her,” he clarified.

We made it into the club room which was full of people. There was no party in sight. It was a strange mix of chaos and stillness. Gwen and Amy’s eyes bulged at the sight of me, and Lily jumped from Asher’s side.

“Oh my God, oh my God,” she chanted. “Bex? Are you okay? Please tell me you’re okay.”

I nodded, still confused and unable to properly grasp the thoughts bouncing around in my brain. The motion hurt, a lot. “I’m fine,” I said slowly, slurring my words slightly. “My jeans aren’t.” I wiggled my toe. “And I don’t know where my shoe is.”

“Jesus,” Gabriel gritted through clenched teeth. “Someone find Becky’s fuckin’ shoe,” he ordered to no one in particular.

Then he set me down on the sofa, which a few people were crowded around.

A dazed-looking Rosie was sitting in a chair, Cade crouched in front of her, his jaw hard and his hand on her neck.

Her eyes focused on me, and then they widened. “Bex,” she said, trying to get up. Cade stopped her and she glared at him. “You’re bleeding. That is not cool, dude. Not cool.”

“I know,” I agreed. “And I ripped my jeans.”

“Bummer.” She frowned down at her feet. “I think I may have ruined your boots.”

I shrugged. “No big. I needed a new pair anyway.”

“Can we stop talkin’ about fuckin’ clothes and let me fuckin’ look at your head wound?” Gabriel roared, making me jump.

“Ouch,” I muttered, putting my hand to my head.

His face softened immediately. “Shit, sorry, baby. Just let me look, okay?”

I met his eyes, saw what a tenuous hold he had on his rage. “Okay,” I agreed.

A hard-faced Brock handed Gabriel what looked like a first aid box.

“You okay, darlin’?” he asked, his voice soft.

“I—”

Gabriel’s head snapped up. “If you say anythin’ about your fuckin’ shoe or jeans again, I’ll lose it,” he growled.

I scowled at him, then smiled at Brock. “I’m fine.”

He leaned in and squeezed my arm. “Happy to hear. Though that head makes me think otherwise.”

His hand was gone as quickly as it was there, but I still shivered at the contact. Gabriel didn’t miss it and he glared at Brock.

“Sorry, bro,” Brock muttered. “We’re gonna have cops crawling this place….” he trailed off as the sound of sirens intensified and flashing lights illuminated the windows. “Right about now.”

“Yeah, well, let them come. We’ve got nothin’ to hide and as much as I loathe Crawford’s little visits, maybe we can make the boys in blue work for our taxes and fuck around while we find who did this,” Cade muttered from his spot in front of Rosie.

She blanched at his words. One in particular, I thought.

She tried to get up again. “I’ve got to go,” she exclaimed suddenly.

Cade stopped her once more. “Are you fuckin’ insane?” He paused. “No, wait, I already know the answer to that question. But you were almost just fuckin’ blown up, kid. You’re not goin’ anywhere.”

Her eyes flared in panic, flickering to the windows. “I’m fine. My eyebrows bore the brunt of it, but nothing a spa day can’t fix. Now I’ve really got to go. I think I left my straightener on.” She struggled against her brother.

There was a commotion at the door and the hunky cop stepped through, his eyes scanning the room until they settled on Rosie.

She stopped struggling.

His government-issue boots pointed in her direction and didn’t stop until he reached our little huddle. Cade immediately stood in front of his sister, going toe to toe with the hot cop I knew as Luke.