He stared at it blankly for a second before taking it, wiping the blood from his cheek.
“Where is he?” Viper finally asked, tossing the rag onto the bar before he turned to stare at Train and Shade.
“I’ll take you to him.” Train nodded toward the hallway.
Viper stepped around the mess he had created, following Train down the hallway. At the door, Train knocked, and Dr. Price immediately opened it, looking out at the grim-faced men who filled the hallway.
“I’ve sedated him. Stud warned me what to expect, so I already set up the IV. Viper, I need to get him to the hospital to seek the best way to treat him. I can only give you a few minutes before I call the ambulance.”
Viper nodded as Dr. Price moved away, letting him enter. Train and Shade followed him inside the small room where Gavin was lying on the bed, eyes closed.
Viper fell to his knees by his brother’s side, tears streaking down his cheeks as he stared at him. Carefully making sure he didn’t touch the IV, he pulled his younger brother into his arms.
“Gavin … Baby brother.” Viper’s hoarse voice had The Last Riders fighting back their own tears. “What have they done to you?”
Gavin’s lashes rose, amber eyes staring uncomprehendingly up at Viper. He started struggling against his hold.
“Just kill me. I’d rather be dead than go back there.”
“He doesn’t recognize us.” Train came to stand behind Viper, placing a hand on his shoulder.
“Gavin … don’t,” Viper pleaded when Gavin still tried to get away from his touch. “It’s me, Loker.”
“Loker, I’m sorry…”
Viper held him tighter. “I’m the one sorry, I didn’t know…” His choked voice prevented from getting any further words out.
Train felt Killyama move near him. She gave a brief squeeze to his arm in compassion, aware of how devastated he was at watching Gavin’s inability to recognize them.
“I sent Calder to get Winter and Ton when you told Stud that Viper was on his way. They’re here.”
Train turned to see Winter and Ton in the doorway as The Last Riders moved out of the way, letting them inside. From Ton’s ravaged expression, he had only just been told his son was alive.
“Gavin …” He came to the other side of the bed, crouching down next to him. “Gavin!”
“Dad?” Gavin turned in Ton’s direction.
Viper stood. Overwhelmed, he held his arms open to Winter, who flew into them, sobbing.
“My brother—”
“I know, Viper, I know.”
Winter and Viper watched as the missing part of their family became whole again.
Crying, Ton pulled Gavin toward him. He stiffened, but let his father hold him.
“Don’t let them take me back!” he cried.
“I won’t, son.” Ton rocked the man like he was a child.
Gavin didn’t respond. He couldn’t. He had passed out.
“Viper, the ambulance is here,” Dr. Price interrupted as he helped Gavin lie back down. “You and Ton can ride in the ambulance with him.”
They returned to the clubroom to let the EMT have enough room to get the stretcher inside. The broken furniture had been removed to a corner of the room by the brothers who were looking as anxious as Ton and Viper.
Winter held Viper’s hand as they watched the EMTs wheel the gurney down the hallway.
When the men parted, Train could see shock and horror on their faces as they silently watched the gurney being wheeled by. The man who had left their clubhouse one sunny day filled with joy and excitement about going to Treepoint had ended up being unrecognizable to them.
Gavin made no movement or sound until he passed Killyama. Then he reached his hand out, making the EMTs stop.
“Any woman who lets me sleep on her shoulder, smelling like I did, deserves a dozen roses.”
A grin tugged up at the corner of her lips. “It wasn’t so bad once I got the window down.”
“Do me a favor?” He waited until Killyama nodded. “There’s a girl—Ton has her name. Call her for me. Tell her I’m …” Gavin started shaking but managed to finish asking for his favor. “Tell her where I am, and that I need her.”
Killyama lifted her eyes to Train’s, and his heart twisted in regret that the woman who Gavin had left behind was no longer waiting.
“Dude, that’s one call that would be better coming from Ton. You don’t want to make me jealous, do you?” She placed a tender hand on his. “Get some rest and feel better.” With that, she stepped away, letting The Last Riders fall in behind him.
The ambulance’s lights cast a glow over the parking lot as Gavin was loaded inside.
“What are we going to tell him?” Train asked Shade as they stood, waiting until everyone pulled out. It wasn’t the first time the two had stood alone when a mission was over.
The adrenaline was gone, and in its place was a soul-wrenching discovery that the life Gavin had hoped to live was gone. The casket that had buried on that hillside might not be him, but the soul of the man he used to be wouldn’t be coming back.