Chapter 27

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

LEAH

" S houldn't they be baack by now?" I hear my words slur.

Wow, I need to slow down.

Whatever Nova is pouring is strong. I'm not a big drinker, but the shots taste so damn good.

"What aare these agaain?" I raise the shot glass and narrow my eyes to focus on them.

The two glasses merge into one, and I grin.

"Washington Apples," He doesn't even look buzzed.

"How come you two aren't drunk?" I point at both of him and he chuckles.

"Oh man, Nova! You got the Prez's old lady drunk." Someone calls down the bar.

"I, young lady, do not drink when on duty. My job tonight was to entertain and make sure everyone had a fun, safe time." He swings a towel over his shoulders, and I admire the way the veins in his forearms bulge.

"My eyes are up here, ma'am." He smirked as he poured me a glass of water.

"Drink that. To answer your early question, yes. They should have been, but it's nasty out there, and knowing our Prez and my brother, they stopped to help others. I wouldn't worry." I nod and slip off the stool, landing on my ass hard.

"Ouch!" I get rushed by the people closest to me to help me up.

"I'm ok! See," I jump up and bang my head on the underside of the bar.

"AH, fuck. That's gonna bruise." Cowboy helps me to the couch, and GLitch puts an ice pack on my head.

"You, Darling, are cut off. Christ, how am I gonna explain that." Cowboy groans, and the noise in the clubhouse suddenly seems way too loud.

"Turn down the world," I bat my arm in the air, looking for the off button to the buzzing in my ears.

"Skull!" Cowboy calls out, and I slam my hands over my ears.

"SHHHHHH!" Glitch chuckles, making the couch we're both sitting on rock like a boat, and my stomach flips.

"No moving," I groan as I belch and throw up over the side of the couch.

"FUCK!" Someone calls out as I continue to get sick.

"Alright, lassy, off to bed with ya. You just need to sleep it off." I'm lifted into someone's arms, and I hiss, trying not to puke on them when they start moving.

"Put me down, Mountain." I gripe and push away the feel of the wrong arms.

"Not Fabien. Not Kai," I say as I slam my hand on a bald head.

"Aye, you're men will be here soon, I'm sure. Let's take a look at your head. You stay right here and do not move." I stick my tongue out as I'm placed on a soft bed.

"Hot," I take off the sweatpants I borrowed and pull the shirt down to cover my ass.

"Leah," I hear banging, but my eyes feel way too heavy.

"Open the door, lass!" Why is Skull asking me to open it?

I sit up slowly, holding my brain in my head, and crack my eye just in time to see Charlotte smash a pillow into my face.

My air is cut off immediately as I try to fight it, and she is off me. I get a good kick at her stomach, and she flies off me, slamming into the dresser.

"SKULL!" I scream as Charlotte swings the lamp at my head.

I'm not fast enough to block her.

The pain is instant. I fall to the ground and blink a few times. I see the door burst open in slow motion from the view under the bedframe. I reach my hand out as I watch Skull's lips move with his hands up, but I don't hear a word.

I touch my brow and bring the wet fingers in front of my eyes.

Red.

I'm lying in my own blood. I try to sit, but something is holding me on the floor. No, not something.

Someone.

My hair is yanked back, causing me to silently scream as something cold is placed at my throat.

My head tilts to an unnatural angle as I try to comprehend what is going on around me. The doorway is filled with people who look like they are yelling at whoever is holding me up.

I try to turn my head to see, but a sharp pain freezes.

A loud whooshing fills my head, and then suddenly, the noise in the room comes crashing in.

"Charlotte, stop! You don't want to hurt her anymore. I think she already had a slight concussion. Please put her down and let me help her." Skull is talking very slowly while people in the hallway behind him are shouting.

"MOVE!" Fabien screams, and my heart skips a beat.

Skull moves to the side, and then he's there.

Soaking wet, looking like he fought Poseidon himself to get back to me. He's shirtless and approaching us like a gun is being pointed at him.

"Baby, you ok?" My head is pulled further back, and now I can no longer see him.

"Easy with that knife, Charlotte. She's already bleeding enough. Put it down, and let's talk." His voice seems to be getting close, but all I can see is the light on the ceiling.

"No! This bitch doesn't get to live the life that should have been mine! You're my family, not hers."

It's at that moment that I close my eyes, never expecting them to reopen. My body can no longer stay upright, and I sag right before I pass out.

The last words I hear are not the ones anyone wishes for.

"PLEASE GOD NO!"