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He must have drifted off, because the next thing he knew someone was gently nudging his shoulder.

“Wake up, man. You need to go.” Jax sounded urgent.

Viper came awake all at once. “What is it?”

“My parents will be here any minute.”

He didn’t see the big deal, but then he realized he was in bed with Lyric lying halfway on top of him.

He gently rolled Lyric to her side and slipped out from under her.

She woke up, reaching for him. “Hey. Where are you going?”

He leaned down and kissed her softly. “I have to go, Angel. Your mom and dad are on their way up. And I can’t have people knowing we’re together.”

She gave him a pouty face, then said, “Okay. Call me later.”

“I will.” He took a step away, then turned back to her, meeting her sleepy gaze. “I love you.”

She smiled so big and bright his heart felt fluttery in his chest. The feeling surprised and delighted him.

“I love you, too.”

Jax looked from him to his sister, then back again. “Then, why are you leaving?”

“Because if I stay, I put her life and mine in jeopardy.” Every word held the frustration and anger building inside him, though he tried to contain it. “All I want is to be with her, but I can’t. Not right now. Not the way I want to be.”

“If you’re married—”

“It’s not that. It’s the MC. That’s all I can say.” He stared at Lyric. “Are you feeling better?” The bruises looked worse in the soft morning light.

“Yes. Go. I’m fine.”

He rushed back to her, kissed her quickly, then went to the door, found the corridor empty except forone nurse at the workstation typing in notes, and made his getaway.

He had things to do today. Plans to make to take down Maria and the others in the club helping her. He couldn’t wait to be done but knew this was the most dangerous part of the job when he exposed himself for who he really was after he’d deceived so many dangerous people.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Lyric’s parents vetoed her going back to her place and drove her out to the ranch after she was discharged from the hospital. She’d showered and changed into the clean clothes she kept in her old room because she often needed to change after working at the ranch with the horses.

Today, though, her mom kept following Lyric around to see that she really was all right. And Lyric had to admit, being pampered by her mom wasn’t at all bad. Sitting in the kitchen, her mom at the stove flipping pancakes, country music playing like it always was, Lyric sipped hot chocolate with whipped cream because her mom thought she needed a treat.

What she needed was some peace, like the kind she found last night with M holding her while she slept. She wanted time to process what had happened with Rick, with Mindy and Tim, and whoever had tried to run her over. Right now, none of it seemed real.

She wondered how Mindy and the kids were doing, too.

“Lyric!” Her mother hardly ever raised her voice, which meant Lyric had been locked in her head long enough to get such a reaction from her mom.

She focused on her mom’s concerned eyes. “Sorry. What?”

“Eat. You’ll feel better.”

Lyric stared down at her plate filled with two stacked pancakes and a mound of fluffy scrambled eggs. The smell was divine, and her empty stomach rumbled. The rest of her ached. She felt like one big, throbbing bruise, her joints stiff.

Her mom sang along to the ballad playing and sipped her coffee. It felt like so many unremarkable but cherished days of her childhood.

Lyric dug into the food, knowing her mother would give her that time before she said what was on her mind.