BEAR

Earlier...

My people surround me until dawn. I'm given clean clothes and take a shower in a hospital room. Afterward, my minor wounds are treated. By midnight, the Hills Chapter has rolled into town and circled the hospital. Caveman is in an especially surly mood since he doesn't get to kill anyone.

"It's early," Aunt Fred tells her brother. "Be patient. Anything could happen."

Meanwhile, Siobhan receives hugs from everyone. She checks on Sync when he's out of surgery. I know she wants to see Natasha, but the Syndicate has closed ranks around the injured Kovak children.

Roman's in bad shape, having taken several bullets to the chest. Petra has broken bones. I'm not at all clear how the hell the sisters got out of the SUV if she was so busted up.

There's no one to ask since I can't get to Natasha. Dozing in an ER bed, I often wake up and throw punches at imaginary threats.

Just after dawn, Noble visits me. He closes the door behind him, clearly wanting to talk about private shit.

"We got the men to talk," he says in a quiet voice.

"Of course you did."

The club long ago stopped physically torturing people for information. Aunt Fred's brother Torque came up with the idea of blitzing out fuckers with drugs. People get very compliant when they're wasted. Sure, they sometimes dream up crazy shit while high, but their tongues certainly get looser.

"The men were pros. Once we got hold of them, they knew they were doomed," Noble says and fixes the blanket over me. I immediately kick it off, refusing to be treated like a kid. Noble grins at my stubbornness. "They gave up their employer."

"Who hired them?"

When Noble shakes his head as if in disbelief, I expect him to say the Brennan family was behind the attack.

"Brandon Arany."

"Who?"

"Petra's soon-to-be ex-husband."

My brain's worn out, both from stress and a lack of sleep. Maybe that's why I can't figure out what Noble's saying.

Later, after I get breakfast, I remember how the bus changed courses at the last moment. I figured the driver miscounted the vehicles. He was so close to slamming into Viktor's SUV. Except changing courses and hitting the fifth SUV wasn't an accident. Anyone near the hotel would have been able to see which vehicle Petra was taking home.

I don't know why a man like Brandon Arany would go to such lengths to kill his wife. Natasha rarely mentions Petra's ex. She just seems happy to have her sister home.

With the Arany crime family in the mix, the Kovak Syndicate will handle the issue themselves. This isn't a Banta City battle but something more personal. If Brandon was smart, he'd be on a plane to a faraway country with new ID papers. Living in hiding forever seems better than whatever Viktor will do if he gets his hands on the asshole who came so close to killing three of his children.

Arriving at Sync's room, I find Kiera and Deirdre taking turns feeding him Jello.

"It's so good," Deirdre tells her dad when he doesn't want another bite.

"Then, you eat it, baby," Sync says, sounding exhausted. "I think I'm done."

Kiera's face crumbles as she begins crying. Sync cuddles his daughters closer and promises he'll eat all the Jello when they get home tomorrow. The twins look at me when I stand at the end of the bed. I see accusations in their little eyes. Or maybe I'm suffering from fatigue and guilt.

"Your uncle looks to be starving, girls," Sync says and smiles at me.

The twins hug their father for a little longer before climbing off his bed and hurrying to where I settle in a chair. As much as I don't want Jello, I play along to avoid more tears.

Natasha is down the hall from this room. The entire floor is filled with security. Two prospects sit outside Sync's room. Natasha, Petra, and Roman are on the other end of the unit. Though the nurses are clearly weirded out by all the armed men, no one dares say shit.

After the girls fill me up with Jello, I watch videos from a few days ago of the kids on their playset. Natasha looks at me with such affection in those images.

"Bear O'Malley," Leon says from the doorway, startling me.

For the first time, I realize the youngest Kovak son didn't survive last night unscathed. His face reveals cuts and a darkening black eye.

"You can visit my sister," Leon says when I just stare at him. "But first, you must speak with my father."

I look past Leon and spot Katja moving from one room to another. Up on my feet, I glance at Sync to see if he understands why I need to ditch him.

"I'm in good hands," Sync says while snuggling with the girls who keep checking his bandaged arm and leg.

Leaving my brother, I want to ignore Leon and Viktor and head straight toward Natasha. Even though I know she's alive, I don't feel it in my heart. My negative nature insists she died overnight, and everyone's keeping secrets from me.

Leon escorts me to an empty hospital room where Viktor stands near the windows. The older man waves the tips of his fingers at me to come closer.

I'm not normally intimidated by Viktor Kovak. The man is smaller and older. I feel like I could break him in my big hands. Of course, his death would sentence me to the Eternal Tranquility Funeral Home.

Without a doubt, Viktor Kovak holds more sway in my life these days. If he sours on me, he might call off the engagement. Natasha wouldn't disobey her family after they saved the kids, freed her from Andrew, and welcomed her back home. If Viktor doesn't want me around, I'll lose Natasha for good.

That's why I'm more edgy around the Kovak family than usual. Viktor doesn't help by wearing his dead-eyed stare as I enter. Leon stands at the closed door and reveals nothing in his expression.

"I gave Jeffrey Arany several options on how to eliminate his brother. He's chosen to lock Brandon in a trunk and sink it in their back lake. I've agreed to be satisfied with this gesture."

"No offense, but why are you telling me?"

"I want to know if you're satisfied by this gesture?"

Shrugging, I consider Natasha in the next room. If I agree with her father, I'll be able to see her quicker.

"Sure. Dead is dead."

Viktor nods and slides his hands into his pockets. "This Arany situation is unpleasant beyond the lost lives and injuries. I think it would be best for Petra to never know she shared a bed with a man capable of creating last night's carnage," Viktor says, and his voice holds an icy edge. "She should never look at her children and know their blood is mixed with such a flawed lineage. Do you understand?"

I nearly don't get his meaning. I'm long past fucking tired. The pain medication they gave me in the ER has got my head fuzzy. Fortunately, I keep my mouth shut until my brain stumbles upon his meaning.

"Natasha wouldn't want to know, and I have no reason to tell Petra."

Viktor nods. "You were injured last night."

"I'm fine."

"Weakness invites more violence. This is why the wedding won't be postponed. Even if Natasha needs to be carried down the aisle, she's getting married."

"Good."

Viktor's cold, blue eyes reveal amusement. Though I don't know why he finds my reaction funny, maybe the reason will be clearer if I ever get a nap.

Once Viktor gets what he wants, Leon leads me to his sleeping sister's room. Time passes as I watch her rest. Natasha's battered face is pale, and I'm certain she'll never wakeup.

Eventually, her eyes open as she nearly tears out her IV. Natasha's completely out of it. She tells me at one point how she got hurt skydiving.

Holding her hand, I can't believe the doctors are willing to let her go home. They even have her under a special blanket to help her body regulate heat.

"We have doctors and nurses at the mansion," Maks explains when I voice my concern as the hospital nurse replaces Natasha's IV with one better suited for traveling.

I glance at Leon at the door. Last night, these men revealed what hides under their cold outer shell. I saw fear and love in their expressions. Heard them sound hopeful and full of despair. They were real people.

Today, the brothers have returned to acting like robots. I understand why they behave this way. I've long made clear how Natasha holds my heart in her hands. If anyone ever wants to fuck with me, they'll know exactly who to hurt.

I can't change how I operate. I run hot and temperamental. That's the kind of kid I was back when no one loved me. It's who I am as I cradle Natasha against my body and wait to travel to Thibeaux Mansion. It'll be me when I'm old and looking death in the face.