Zero

“Okay.”

“You can beat yourself up, or you can brush this shit off and deal with the now rather than the then, got it?” Tiny asked.

“Yeah, I got it.”

“Good. Stop being a pu**y and go work.”

Zero headed to the door.

“Next time you want to f**k your woman, do so away from the pantry. Watching your ugly ass is not a sight I’m going to forget easily. It’s there.”

Laughing, Zero left the room, feeling happier than he had in a long time. Tiny didn’t hold him responsible, and knowing that helped him to deal with what he had done. He stood outside watching Prue with the children. Making his way toward his bike, he started working. He pulled the bike away from the others in the center of the compound near the gate. The gate was not open, but Zero wasn’t afraid.

He set to work, listening to the sounds of the children laughing. Life was good. Working on his bike he could pretend for several minutes that nothing was wrong. Every time he looked at the closed gate he was reminded of the danger that surrounded them.

“Angel, no!” Lash shouting the two words drew Zero up. He turned in time to see Angel standing in front of him, looking panicked. In the next second gun shots rang out.

Eyes widening he watched Angel jerk and fall.

Pain burst through his body as two shots filled him. Collapsing to the floor he fell in a way where he saw Angel. Her eyes were closed as she lay on the ground. The gate was opened as men ran out following.

Screams, shouts, cries rent the air.

Zero stared at Angel’s face. Was she breathing? From where he lay he saw she’d taken three in the back.

“Take him, get him away from here,” Lash said, dropping down beside Angel. “Baby, what the f**k did you do?”

The pain and anguish inside Lash were easy to hear.

“Zero, oh no, someone call an ambulance, quickly,” Prue said. She rolled him over, and he looked up at her. “You can’t die. Do you hear me? You can’t die.”

“Angel, f**king answer me,” Lash said, shouting.

He heard sirens coming. They had to get here to save Angel.

“I love you,” he said, looking up at Prue. Her beautiful face was a sight to behold. Reaching up, he touched her cheek and frowned. His fingers were covered in blood.

“No, you’re not going to die on me. You can’t. I’ll be all alone. I love you, Zero.” She dropped her head to his. “You promised me.”

Fuck, he needed to fight.

If Angel was dead, Lash would never survive it. He couldn’t believe the other woman had stepped in front of him. She’d taken a bullet.

Sending prayers, he hoped she survived.

****

Prue sat in the ambulance with Zero as they made their way to the hospital. Angel was with Lash in the other. Glancing out of the window she saw Tiny and the club was following. From what she heard the other man had organized for the prospects to stay in the clubhouse with the women.

Zero had passed out, but she held his hand tightly. When the ambulance came to a stop, she stayed out of the way, watching them take the cart inside.

Screams, yells, and the sound of destruction were coming from inside the hospital. Angel and Lash had arrived a few minutes before.

Entering the hospital she saw two security guards were slumped against the wall. Nurses were trying to reason with Lash. The cold fury on his face was clear to see.

“Sir, you’ve got to let us do our job.”

“No, she’s my f**king wife. I go with her.” Lash picked up a chair and threw it against the reception. People moved out of the way. Prue stayed well back knowing she was no match against Lash’s strength.

Tiny ran into the hospital followed by Nash and Killer. All three men grabbed Lash as the other man fought.

“You need to stand down,” Tiny said.

“No, she was shot three f**king times. Three times in the back, Tiny. I need to be in there with her.”

“Lash, you’re not a doctor. You can’t do anything to help her. You’re useless. How can you help when she needs a professional to take care of her wounds?” Nash asked.

None of their words were getting through. Lash was breaking apart, shattering before their eyes. His woman was hurt, and there was nothing he could do.

Tears filled Prue’s eyes at the pain.

The men hadn’t secured his feet. Lash kicked his brother in the nuts, and Nash fell. Next Killer was thrown off easily. Tiny held on tight while the other men scrambled to help. A doctor walked into the room holding a syringe. Placing a hand to her lips, she watched as he got close. While Lash was fighting, the doctor approached from behind and struck Lash. The other man tore away, ready to do damage.

Prue stayed still as Lash suddenly slumped on the ground calling Angel’s name. When he was out, Tiny and the others helped him onto a bed, and they wheeled him out.

“Fuck, this is bad,” Nash said.

She followed the men outside as Tiny cursed, kicking over his bike.

This was not good when Tiny lost his mind. It had to be Alan. He was the only one who could attack them like this.

“Lash will not come back from this if he loses Angel,” Nash said.

“I know.”

Biting her lip, she tucked some hair behind her ear seeing Zero’s blood on her hands. Fuck, when did she have his blood on her hands?

“She wasn’t moving, Tiny. Three bullets to the back, this is something she might not be coming back from.” Killer spoke up this time.

“I need to call Devil.”

Prue left them alone and went to the bathroom to try to clean the blood of her hands. She felt sick to her stomach at the sight of blood. Tears filled her eyes as she entered the bathroom, and she let them go. Staring in the mirror she saw them run down her cheeks. Soaping her hands, she placed them under the hot water trying to wash away the blood.

Over and over she scrubbed her hands.

The bathroom door opened, and Nash stood looking in. “We were worried about you,” Nash said.

“I’m washing blood off my hands. Zero’s blood.” She bit her lip, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand.

“He’s still in surgery.”

“I know. I didn’t imagine it would be quick.” She scrubbed her hands, trying her best to remove all evidence of Zero’s blood. Alan had won. This was going to ruin the club if either Zero or Angel died.

“Hey, don’t start losing it yet. We’re all still fighting here.”

“How can you be so calm?” she asked, drying her hands on some towel. “Your brother’s wife is in surgery. She was shot in the back three times by a maniac trying to ruin Zero. We’re in the hospital again. Tell me how you’re calm?”