Road to Passion (14 page)

She nodded while Booker went back
to the bedroom. Dropping her head onto her arm on the island, Darien groaned
and then shot off the stool and to the sink, vomiting uncontrollably into it.

“Shit!” Mack hissed, and rushed
to her. “Dare?”

“I’m dizzy,” she said, and passed
out.

Mack caught her, cradling her
head gently. “Fuck! Book!” he bellowed as he settled Darien on the sofa.

Booker rushed into the room and
headed straight for Darien.

“He fuckin’ did somethin’ to her
head,” Mack said, and grabbed his keys. “I’m takin’ her to emergency.”

“Go. I got this,” Booker said.

“Thanks.” Mack lifted Darien
gently and carried her to the car, buckling her in, his heart racing in fear.
He probably should have called an ambulance, but he knew he could get her there
faster and he wasn’t willing to risk the ambulance being delayed.

She started to come around just
as Mack parked and rushed to her side of the car. He yanked the door open and
unbuckled her, wrapping an arm around her waist and lifting her out.

“Sick,” she warned and he moved
her to a grassy area where she promptly threw up again. “Oh, God, my head
hurts.”

“I know, baby. We’re at the
hospital.”

“I think I hit my head.”

“Yeah, you’re bleeding. You don’t
remember me telling you?” he asked.

“Huh-uh,” she whispered.

“Give me your weight and we’ll
get you inside.”

She slid her arm over his
shoulders and leaned against him. “Mack?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m dizzy again.”

“You pass out, I got you.”

“I’m not going to pass out,” she
said. “I’m just not feeling well.”

“Do you remember the fucker
hittin’ you in the head?”

She shook her head and then
whimpered. “I think it happened when I fell. He hit me in the face and I fell
backwards.”

“Fuck!” he whispered, guided her
into the emergency area.

“Mack?” a voice called just as
they entered the lobby.

He looked up to see a somewhat
familiar face. Macey, he thought her name was.

“Hey. Booker called,” she said.
“I’m Macey Stone. My husband and I live in Booker and Dani’s building.”

“Right,” Mack said. “You’ve been
to a couple get-togethers.”

“Yes. Let’s get Darien inside.
I’ll grab a wheelchair. You can fill out the paperwork while we look her over.”

“Thanks.”

Mack was impressed by how quickly
Macey got Darien checked in, seen by a doctor (who happened to be her
brother-in-law) and had her in a bed to await a cat scan. He knew it was
because she had pull as an ER nurse, and it was their good luck that all this
shit happened on a day she was working. Darien had required six stitches, which
Mack found impossible to deal with, so she forced him out of the room.

Mack trusted that his brothers
would take care of everything else so he could concentrate on Darien. The
doctor had given her something for the pain and the nausea and she was resting
comfortably for now, however, she wasn’t allowed to sleep. He paced the room as
his mind raced in worry.

“Mack?”

“Yeah, baby?” He sat at the edge
of her bed.

“I’m really tired.”

“I know. But you need to stay
awake.”

“I get it, but if you keep pacing,
I’m gonna get dizzier because I can’t close my eyes.”

He lifted her palm to his lips
and kissed gently. “Sorry.”

“I’m okay, honey.” She smiled and
squeezed his hand. “I’m just going to have a hell of a headache for a little
while.”

Mack grimaced. “We’re gonna
figure this out. It won’t touch you again.”

She nodded. “I’m supposed to be
moving in less than a week.”

“Yeah. We’ll take care of that
too.” He ran a thumb across her fingers. “I’m gonna have Knight go through and
sort out cameras and a decent security system.”

“I can do that.”

“Maybe, but he’s gonna do it.”

Darien rolled her eyes and
grimaced at the action.

Mack shook his head. “No
disrespecting your man. It’ll hurt your head.”

She let out a quiet giggle.
“You’re taking advantage of my current situation, Logan. You’ll change your
tune when I’m better.”

“Yeah?”

Darien nodded. “You like it when
I’m disrespectful.”

“Yeah, I guess I do.” He leaned
down and kissed her cheek gently. “How’s your lip?”

“Fine. Nothing hurts right now.”
She yawned. “I’m just tired.”

“Darien?” Pauley rushed into the
room and to her bed. “Ohmigod, what happened?” She glared at Mack. “And what
the hell are you doing here?”

“How did you find out I was
here?” Darien asked.

“Booker showed up at the
apartment. What’s going on?”

“It’s a long story,” Darien said.

“Why’s Mack here, Dare?”

“That’s also a long story.”

“Can you give us a minute?”
Pauley glared at Mack. “Alone?”

Mack hesitated, but Darien
squeezed his hand and smiled. “It’s okay, honey.”

“Don’t fall asleep.”

“I won’t,” Darien promised.

He nodded, leaning down to kiss
her gently, before leaving the room.

I
WATCHED MACK leave and focused back on
Pauley. “He didn’t cheat.”

Pauley sighed. “I know. Kim told
me.”

“Kim has a big mouth.”

“Kim was protecting her friend,”
Pauley countered. “And she wouldn’t give me any other information other than he
didn’t cheat. I sure as hell didn’t know anything about you two getting back
together until I walked in just now. You’re totally freaking me out.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I kind of surprised
him last night when I broke into his house... well, I didn’t break in, I used a
key, but he wasn’t expecting me.”

“And this?” She waved her hand
around the room.

“Some guy broke into his house
and I walked in on him. He didn’t like it.”

“Are you okay?”

I nodded. “I had to get a few
stitches and I have a concussion, but I’ll be fine. They’re probably releasing
me in a few hours. I just have to have a little scan to make sure there’s no
damage.”

“Ohmigod, Dare, that’s not good.”

“Did Booker tell you he wants us
at the compound for a little while?”

Pauley nodded.

“Are you okay with that?” I
asked.

She shrugged. “We’re already
packed up and it’s a few days with a bunch of hot bikers, I’m fine with that,
but I’m more worried about the reason for it all. What have you gotten
yourself... us... into?”

I grimaced. “I have no idea.”

“Darien?” Macey walked into the
room with a wheelchair. “Are you ready for your scan?”

Mack followed the nurse in, a
worried expression on his face.

“Yes,” I said. “I don’t have to go
into a tube, right?”

“No.” She smiled. “Are you
claustrophobic?”

“Badly,” I admitted.

“It’s not an MRI, so you should
be fine.”

“I’ll go with you,” Mack said.

“That’s fine,” Macey said. “If
you want him there, Darien.”

I nodded. “That would be great.
Pauley, will you stay here?”

“Yeah, sissy.”

“Thanks.”

Macey and Mack helped me into the
wheelchair and we made our way down to radiology. Thankfully, the entire
process took less than twenty minutes and I was back in my room resting before
my head started pounding again. Mack’s hand covered mine and I opened my eyes.
I didn’t even realize I’d closed them.

“You in pain?” he asked.

I bit my lip with a grimace and
nodded.

“Okay. I’ll find the nurse.”

He left the room and Pauley
entered my line of sight. “Is it bad?”

“It’s not much fun,” I admitted.

Macey returned with a dose of
Dilaudid and an hour later I was cleared to go home and sleep. There was no
brain trauma, so I would feel back to normal in a couple of days.

“I’ll run home and grab the dog
and some clothes,” Pauley said. “The stuff you need right now’s in your
suitcase, right? Not in a box?”

“Yes,” I confirmed.

“No going home without a shadow,”
Mack countered, and pulled out his phone.

“Booker said he’d wait.”

“Book?” Mack spoke into his
phone. “You still here? Yeah. Thanks. We’ll meet you outside.” He hung up and
nodded. “Book’ll take you home.”

“Didn’t I just say that?” Pauley
grumbled.

“Don’t fight it, sissy,” I said.
“It won’t change anything and it’ll just drive you crazy.”

Pauley flipped Mack off (albeit,
behind his back because she wasn’t entirely stupid) and I stifled a giggle.

“I saw that,” Mack said, and I
laughed, gasping as the pain hit my head. Mack frowned and stroked my cheek.
“Babe.”

“I’m okay,” I rasped.

“Ready?” Macey asked, appearing
in the doorway.

“Very,” I said, and she helped me
back into the wheelchair.

Once in the car, Mack drove to
the compound, his face tight with worry, but saying nothing. I was too tired to
think, so I just closed my eyes and tried to forget about the pain making my
skull feel like it was going to implode.

The car came to a stop and Mack’s
hand covered mine. “We’re here.”

“It hurts to open my eyes,” I
admitted.

“You don’t have to open your
eyes.” I heard the door open and he closed it as quietly as he could, then the
breeze fluttered across my skin when he opened my door and unbuckled the belt.
“Arms around my neck, baby,” he directed. “You can keep your eyes closed. I’ve
got you.”

I did exactly as he suggested and
found myself lifted into his arms (like I weighed nothing) and carried into the
compound and up the stairs without opening my eyes. In fact, I didn’t open my
eyes again until it was dark outside and I was alone in Mack’s room... and I
was freezing. I realized I was freezing because I was pretty close to naked.
Mack had the good sense to leave my panties intact, but he’d removed everything
else. I heard a toilet flush, then the faucet started and I glanced toward the
bathroom door to see Mack slip back into the room.

“I’m awake,” I whispered.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been hit in the head
with a hammer.”

“Can you sit up, baby?” he asked,
and I pushed myself up. Mack handed me some pills and a bottled water and I
took the pain killers, then threw the covers off. “Careful.”

“I have to pee,” I said. “And I’m
freezing.”

“Sorry, baby, I had the window
open.” Mack slid his arm around my waist and lifted me off the bed. “You’ll be
warm soon enough.”

I shivered as he walked me into
the bathroom. He left me for a minute and returned with one of his sweatshirts,
sliding it over my head while I sat on the toilet. “I feel like I should be
embarrassed,” I said.

“Are you?”

“Nope.”

Mack chuckled and kissed my nose.
“Good.”

“Probably the drugs.”

“It’s because you trust me.”

I cocked my head. “It is?”

He grinned. “Yep.”

“It’s the drugs.”

He laughed. “I’m gonna close the
window. Move slow, baby.”

“Okay, butthead.” I finished up
in the bathroom and he helped me back into bed, pulling me against him gently.

“How’s your head?”

“It’s a little better,” I said,
and yawned.

“Good.” He kissed my forehead.
“’Night Pid.”

“’Night, butthead.”

* * *

I woke again to
an empty bed. This time it was light outside and there was a note on the
nightstand.
Pid, Take the pills and text me
.

I smiled and did as he ordered
(he was bossy even in written form), then I headed to the bathroom. I really
wanted a shower, but couldn’t get my stitches wet yet, which just grossed me
out, so I turned on the water and scooped my hair on top of my head.

“Dare?” Mack pushed into the
bathroom with a frown. “What are you doin’?”

“Taking a shower.”

“You’re not supposed to get your
head wet.”

“I know that. I’ll be careful.”

“Darien. Sometimes, I feel like I
should put you over my knee.” He forced me to sit on the toilet lid, naked as
the day I was born, and he adjusted the water.

“Over your knee sounds like fun.”

“Fuck me, baby. Don’t say shit
like that when I can’t do anything about it.”

I giggled. “You better do
something about it sooner than later.”

Mack glanced at me, then pulled
his T-shirt off. “Come on... in you go.”

He helped me stand on shaky legs
and I slid my hand down his chest and under the waistband of his jeans. “Mmm, I
love going in.”

Mack hissed and pulled my hand
away. “God damn, Darien, you’re impossible to resist.”

“Then don’t.”

He cupped my face and I leaned
into him, chest to chest. “Darien, you’re reacting to the drugs. It’s making
you horny, which is good to know, so I know what to watch for, but I’m not
gonna do anything to hurt you more. Do me a favor and try to resist the urge,
yeah? I promise, I’ll make it worth your while as soon as you’re well.”

I licked my lips and pouted.
“You’re no fun, Logan.”

“I know, honey. I’m sorry.” He
kissed me gently and then helped me into the shower.

I managed about four minutes
before I felt totally loopy. Mack helped me rinse off then was extraordinarily
gentle as he dried me and put me back to bed. I think I was asleep before he
was even done drying me, but couldn’t be sure.

I slept on and off until the next
morning, waking early pressed up against Mack. My head was markedly better and
I rolled over so I could snuggle closer to my man.

“Hey,” he whispered, and gave me
a gentle squeeze.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake
you.” I kissed his throat and then his chest. He smelled like him and the body
wash he used. Delicious.

“You can wake me anytime, baby.”
He gave me a gentle squeeze. “How’s your head?”

“Much better.”

“Doc wants you back tomorrow to
check the stitches.”

I nodded against his chest. “’K.”

His hand slid under the
sweatshirt I was wearing and settled on my waist. I gasped and sat up... a
little too fast. “Ouch.”

“Damn it, Darien.” Mack sat up as
well and took my arm. “You need to go slow.”

“Where’s Barney?” I asked, and
tried to climb off the bed.

“He’s in with Pauley.” Mack held
tight so I couldn’t move. “He’s being cared for by pretty much everyone in the
club. I think he may be the unofficial mascot.”

“Well, I should probably take
care of him now.”

“Dare,” he said quietly, and
tugged me onto his chest gently. “We’re gonna rest a bit before we do anything.
You need to take some meds and see where you’re at once you do.”

“I don’t want to sleep anymore.”

“You can take some Tylenol now
and then see if you need something harder later.”

I sighed. “Okay.”

“Okay,” he mimicked, and kissed
my temple. “Right now, though, I’m gonna hold you for a minute.”

“Can we do more than cuddle?”

“No.”

I huffed and sat up. “I’ll take
the Tylenol now.”

Mack laughed and shook his head.
“Worse than a man, baby.” He climbed off the bed and I watched him walk to the
bathroom. He was naked, damn it, and he was gorgeous.

I dragged Mack’s sweatshirt off
and grimaced as it rubbed against my stitches. I closed my eyes and tried to
calm my way out of the ache. Gah! I didn’t want to still be in pain. It was
seriously cutting into my sex life.

Mack walked out of the bathroom
with a bottle of Tylenol and stalled. “Babe.”

I opened my eyes and scowled. “I
wanted to prove you wrong, but I can’t. It hurts too much.”

He gave me a gentle smile. “I
think you should take the oxy.”

“I really don’t want to be all
loopy. It’s not nearly as bad as it was.”

“Okay. We’ll start with these
then.” He handed me the Tylenol and I grabbed the water next to the bed.
“Hungry?”

I nodded. “Starving.”

“Get dressed and we’ll see what
we’ve got in the kitchen.”

“And find Barney.”

“And we’ll find Barney.” He
leaned down and kissed me gently and I headed to the bathroom.