2-Donovan

"Fuck."

The second I open my eyes, my heart throbs in my ears, but I barely hear it because my mind is clouded with fear.

Shorty.

The call about her mom.

Hospital with Carter and Javi.

A new threat.

Gunshots.

"Where is she?" I demand as I glance around the room until I see Ash sitting beside me.

"D, thank God." He exhales a sigh of relief. "I'm going to get Mom and Dad."

He lifts himself from the chair, but I grab his wrist. "Wait, where's Shorty?" I cough, trying to calm my racing heart.

Fuck, that hurt.

Ash gives me a solemn look, and all the air rushes from my lungs.

No. No, no, no!

"No, it's nothing like that; she's ok," Ash quickly responds when he must notice the panicky look on my face.

"Sh-she is?"

"Yeah, she is." He gives me a smile.

Thank God. I tip my head back and stare up at the ceiling. This could've gone in a different direction, but I'm relieved Shorty is alive and safe.

"I'll be back. I'm going to get Mom and Dad." As soon as Ash leaves the room, my mind wanders to Shorty, wondering why she's not here with me.

Was Ash lying? Did something happen to her?

Or her mom?

My heart rate picks up the longer she isn't by my side.

My door opens, revealing Mom, Dad, Ash, and the doctor.

"Oh, thank God!" Mom cries, rushing over to me. She grabs my face and kisses my cheek.

"I'm ok, Mom," I choke out, trying to sound brave, but I feel like I'm minutes away from a heart attack.

I need to see Shorty.

"How are you feeling, Donovan?" the doctor asks as he checks my vitals.

"Like someone took a bat to my head," I groan through the pain.

"On a scale of one to ten, how is your pain level?"

"Twelve," I mutter.

He nods. "I'll have the nurse come in and administer some pain medication. I'll be back to check on you later. Try and get some rest."

"Wait. I have to stay overnight?"

"It's just a precaution after a head injury," he reassures me. The doctor gives my parents a nod and walks out of the room.

"Sweetheart, I was so worried." Mom's eyes look puffy, as if she's been crying for days.

Wait…

"How long have I been here?" I ask.

"Two days," Dad says with a heavy exhale.

"Two days? I've been out for two days?" My eyes widen, and he nods in confirmation.

"I need to see Shorty." I steady my breathing to calm the panic that's beginning to spiral out of control.

"Please," I plead. "I need to see her."

My dad walks over to me and grabs my hand.

"Son, she's been through so much."

My heart stops beating for a moment. "What do you mean? She's ok, right?"

"She's ok, Donnie." Javi steps into the room without knocking.

"And you are?" my dad asks with apprehension.

"I'm Javier, FBI agent." Javi flashes his badge to my parents.

"FBI?" Mom asks, bewildered. "Why is the FBI here?" She turns to Dad as if he'll have an answer, but he shakes his head and shrugs.

"They're after Shorty, aren't they?"

I'm not stupid. When he told us she was in danger, I knew this war would not end anytime soon, even with Christian behind bars and Hector buried six feet underground.

"Who's after her?" Mom's eyes bounce between Javi and me like a ping pong ball. "Would someone tell me what is going on?"

"Sweetheart, let's be calm about this," Dad assures Mom by running his hands up and down her back.

"Don't, Charles. If our sons are in danger, we have every right to know what the hell is going on. "Your sons are not in danger, Mrs. Du Pont," Javi says as he tucks his badge into his pocket.

"Fine." Mom crosses her arms across her chest. "Then care to explain why Sadie is in danger?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't share that information with you," Javi explains, much to Mom's disdain based on the expression she gives him.

"Oh, really? You don't think that the child growing in her belly is any of my concern?"

Shit.

Javi snaps his attention to me with a look of fury. "She's pregnant?" I don't think he realized he was walking closer to me until Ash comes to stand between us.

"Hey, back off, man," Ash warns.

"I suggest you back off before I remove you from this room," Javi threatens.

"Excuse me, but you seem to know Sadie personally," Dad says in a calm tone trying to diffuse the situation.

"Mom, Dad, Javi is Sadie's half-brother," I explain.

Ash looks over his shoulder at me with a what the fuck look.

Before Mom and Dad can react, Javi interjects. "I need to speak with Donovan alone."

"I don't—" Mom starts to say, but I interrupt her.

"It's ok. I need to talk to him anyway."

Mom looks torn as she stares at me, but she nods when I smile to let her know I got this.

"Come on, let's go get some coffee," Dad says as he leads Mom out the door with one hand on her lower back. He turns to me and nods.

"You've got some explaining to do, D," Ash says in a playful tone, but I catch the hurt behind his words that comes from him being unaware of Shorty's half-brother.

"Stay," I tell Ash. "I didn't know about Javi until after we were being shot at." I want to put his mind at ease and tell him what I know, but it isn't my place. It is Shorty's story to tell, not mine.

Ash nods in understanding and leans against the wall.

"Where's Shorty?" I ask.

Javi sighs and pulls a chair up beside me. He leans back and rubs his hands down his face. "She's ok, but she went to see her mom after you were brought here."Yeah, I figured as much.

"Her mom knows about Josiah."

Shit.

"How is she?" I ask, trying to hold in my emotions.

"How do you think?"

"Where is she?" Ash asks.

I swallow the lump in my throat that comes with the fear of losing her again after all the progress she has made since Josiah died.

"She went to the waiting room to call her grandmother." Javi appears to take notice of the panicky look on my face and he rushes to say, "There are three officers with her. She's never alone. The entire hospital has a cop stationed at each entrance and exit, outside your room, and outside her mother's. No harm will come to her," he promises. I believe him. Since I met him, I've sensed the same protective bother vibe that Josiah had toward Shorty.

"I wanted to talk to you about her safety." Javi turns to me and then Ash. "These men after her will not stop until she's dead."

My breathing picks up at his revelation.

Ash straightens, body tense.

"I can't look after her 24/7. You have to promise me you will do everything possible to protect her when I can't," Javi says, a warmness to his voice that borders on loving.

"You have my word. I would die for her."

"Same here." Ash responds with determination.

Javi nods at the truth at our statements.

"Did you find out who shot at us?" I ask as I reach for the water pitcher.

"It was the Romano brothers. We have them on the security camera. They weren't trying to hide their faces; it was as if they wanted us to know it was them. Like a warning."

"What type of warning?" I take a sip of water.

"That this is the beginning of the end." If this was a movie, the ominous music after they find out who the killer is would play.

"So. You got her pregnant?" he says in a disapproving tone, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Ash grunts in amusement.

"Yes, but it wasn't planned," I say defensively.

It's a sad ass excuse, but it's the only one I've got. Whether she's pregnant or not, I will protect her with my life. I know my way around a gun and I am not afraid to pull the trigger if needed.

"Jesus." He sighs and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I need to keep her safe. I need her to stay alive." He looks at me with a torn expression. "I won't fail her."