Thunder (Hell's Handlers MC 10)

“Here, come sit. They’ll call us as soon as she’s back from the MRI.” He guided her to a plastic chair in the back of the waiting area where a few people sat. Then he took a seat and drew her onto his lap.

She should refuse, get up and claim her own chair, but his warmth and strength felt incredible seeping into her anxiety ridden body. “How could I have forgotten that? I didn’t even think of it when Tex told me she’d had a seizure. I went straight to the worst-case scenario.”

Thunder rested his chin on her shoulder. “It was a huge shock, Mak. It’s okay for you to have freaked out. You’ve got to learn to cut yourself some slack.”

And he didn’t even know the information came only seconds after learning her father and husband were nosing around. If she had her way, he wouldn’t find out until they were long gone. Otherwise, he’d insist on getting the club involved and she couldn’t face the possibility of one of them being harmed.

As she sat there staring at the door to the patient care area, Mak’s entire body began to shake. “W-what’s h-happening?” she asked as she clenched her fists to stem the quiver.

“It’s adrenalin, baby. Put your head on my shoulder, close your eyes, and try to relax. I promise I’ll let you know the very second someone comes through that door.”

It was then she realized she trusted him with her life and the lives of her children. Still trembling, she did as he requested and rested her head against his bulging shoulder. “Thank you,” she whispered though what she wanted to say was three words that would make leaving impossible.

“Always,” he whispered back. “I will always be here for you.”

If only that could be true.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

KARA’S PHYSICIAN INSISTED on keeping her in the hospital overnight for observation. The news had seemed to distress Makenna almost as much as finding out her sister had had a seizure at the birthday party. Thunder sat in the corner of the hospital room watching her fret and work to convince the doctor she didn’t need to stay.

Her reasoning hadn’t worked, and Kara would be a Blount Memorial Hospital guest for the evening.

The moment Lee said Kara was in the hospital, Thunder knew what a terrible mistake he’d made walking out of the house that afternoon. Emotion had been running high, which was never the right time for life-altering decisions. He should have stayed and fought for her, fought for them. He hadn’t just wanted to be at the hospital for Makenna, he’d needed to be there with every cell in his body. The thought of her at the hospital, stressed, scared, and without him by her side was unimaginable.

Somewhere around two hours after they arrived, Mak hit a wall. Her movements grew sluggish, her eyes heavy, and her anxiety increased tenfold. He’d have thought seeing how well Kara was doing would appease Mak, but she only grew more agitated by the minute. The woman needed to rest, and she needed it yesterday before she broke down.

For the past twenty minutes, Lee had been sending him imploring glances, but for what reason, Thunder had no idea.

Finally, the eighteen-year-old said. “Mak, you need to go home. I’ll stay with Kara tonight. You can come back in the morning to pick us up.”

“What?” She snapped to attention staring at her brother as though he’d asked her to dance naked on the hospital bed. “No! I’m not leaving. And you should go stay at Copper’s.”

“What?” Lee laughed. “Why the hell would I do that?”

When Mak flicked a glance his way then returned her attention to Lee, he frowned. Was there something she didn’t want him knowing? Sure, they’d technically broken up earlier that day—Christ, it seemed like months ago—but the way he saw it, that was over.

Soon as he got Mak alone, he’d be rectifying the situation. Her reasons for breaking up were bullshit, as were his reasons for going apeshit about her marriage. His past hit him full in the face as soon as she’d said she was still married. Of course, her situation wasn’t anything like he’d seen in the past, but he’d let the discovery fuck with his head and lost it before the rational side of his brain kicked in. He’d get on his knees and apologize until she forgave him. Then it was just convincing her he loved her and refused to let her break up with him. He’d take her to see Copper. If anyone could do it, the prez could convince her the club could handle her family and keep Mak and the kids safe.

Simple.

Or it would be, if his woman wasn’t so damn stubborn.

“So you don’t have to be alone. There’s no way I’m leaving.”

Exhausted from an afternoon of being poked and prodded, Kara slept just a few feet away. It seemed as though a marching band could parade through, and it wouldn’t wake the fatigued girl—poor kiddo. The doctor said she might experience extreme fatigue for a few days. According to the neurologist, it’d been a whopper of a seizure.