Page 4

The fireworks were a big hit, and everyone seemed to enjoy them. I was heading inside the clubhouse to use the bathroom when I heard Dimitri yelling for help. When I spotted him, he was coming toward me with a woman in his arms. I hurried over to him, and automatically, I went into doctor mode.

When I asked him what was wrong, he explained where he’d found her, that she had collapsed, and that he didn’t believe she’d been a guest. I began to ponder who she was.

It had been an unconscious thing to tell him to give her to me to carry.

However, as soon as I touched her, this sensation came over me.

It was as if my body recognized her, although from what I could see in the shadows we were in, I hadn’t seen her before.

Even sweaty and grimy, she was beautiful and impossible to forget.

Sending him off to find Agony, Dare, or Eliana, I couldn’t stop asking if she could hear me, and what her name was. Maybe her name would jog my memory.

“Blythe,” she whispered.

More cognizance whipped throughout my body. My body tingled with it. I glanced down at her face. We were approaching brighter lights.

“Blythe, my name is Bones. You’re at the Pagan Souls MC compound. You’re safe, Lovely.”

Instead of her replying to my assurance, tears slid down her cheeks.

And then we hit the light, and I faltered.

What I thought was dirt on her face in the shadows wasn’t.

It was bruises. Scanning her body, which was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, revealed dark smudges on her arms and legs.

I had no doubt they were bruises as well.

Fury hit me. Who the hell had beaten this woman?

Why? I picked up my pace even more. If she had been beaten, there was no telling how hurt she might be.

I needed to get her undressed and examined.

She could have internal injuries, maybe even life-threatening internal bleeding. I held her closer.

Entering the clubhouse, I found that the common area wasn’t empty. There were several people in there, including a few brothers. When they saw me, the smiles on their faces died away, and they came barreling over to me.

“What happened? Who is she?” Hulk, our enforcer, asked.

Next to him, frowning and examining Blythe, were Cyclone and Pyro.

“I don’t know. I need to get her to my office.”

“Got your keys handy?” Pyro asked.

“I’ll hold her for you,” Hulk offered.

I didn’t want to let him. Luckily, my keys were in my side cut pocket, not my jeans.

“Right outer side pocket of my cut,” I told Pyro.

He retrieved them in moments, then ran off. Hulk and Cyclone stayed with me. Blythe hadn’t said a word or opened her eyes. There were still tears leaking out of them. Hulk scowled when he saw her face, then ran his gaze down her body.

“Someone beat the hell outta this poor woman. You don’t know her?”

“No, and Dimitri is the one who found her. He doesn’t think she’s a guest. He found her near the gate. I sent him to get Agony, Dare, or Eliana. She said her name is Blythe.”

“Hmm, Blythe, Blythe, I don’t recall hearing her name, and I sure would’ve remembered if I ever saw her,” Hulk muttered. Cyclone nodded his head in agreement. There was male appreciation in Hulk’s tone and on both their faces. I didn’t like it. I scowled at them.

By then, we’d made it to my office. The door was open, and Pyro was standing there waiting for us.

He moved to make space for me to get into the room.

I took her straight to the examination table.

I laid her down gently on it, but I was reluctant to let go of her.

What the hell was wrong with me? After a few moments of them watching me expectantly, I let go and eased back upright.

There was the sound of footsteps and a murmur of voices coming down the hallway. I was about to tell Pyro to close the door when Agony filled the doorway. Tucked under his arm was Eliana. When they entered the room, Dare came in behind them with Joli. I guess Dimitri thought he’d send them all.

“What do we have here, Bones? Dimitri said he found a woman, and she collapsed on him,” Agony said softly. He usually had a booming voice, but he was showing consideration for our mystery guest.

“I just got her in here. I haven’t had time to check her over. Eliana, would you assist me?” She nodded. “Please get me a sheet and something to put her in. Her name is Blythe. She told me that much.”

As Eliana moved around, getting what I needed, I saw Dare and Agony studying Blythe. “Fuck, someone beat her. If it were anyone here, they’d better run for the hills because when I get my hands on them, they’ll wish they were dead,” Agony hissed.

In the harsh light, her bruises stood out starkly. On top of it, she and her clothes were smeared with dirt. I saw bloody scrapes on her legs. I lifted her clenched hand. She flinched and kept her hand squeezed closed.

“Blythe, can you hear me? Lovely, I need you to open your eyes and let me see your hands,” I told her compassionately. When she didn’t respond, I tried again.

“Blythe, can you hear me? I need you to open your eyes and hands.”

Everyone was quiet. I was about to tell the rest to leave, except for Agony and Dare.

I wouldn’t kick them out unless I had to.

As officers, they could demand to stay unless I was doing a physical examination.

In that situation, I could and would order everyone to get out.

Slowly, her hands relaxed. I lifted them, turned them, and pressed her fingers open. I hissed. My eyes met Eliana’s.

Blythe’s palms were torn up. I wasn’t sure from what. Maybe falling. However, it was the bruising on the outer edge of her hands and knuckles that told a bigger story, one I could read and so could Eliana. Those were from hitting someone to get away. Her arms were covered in dirt.

“Eliana, I need a wet wipe, please.”

She went to get a package of them from the cabinet. She handed me a couple. “Blythe, you’ll feel cold on your arms. I’m just cleaning them.”

As I rubbed, and the dirt came off, I noted there were bruises on her forearms. Those were defensive ones as well. She’d tried to protect herself. I tossed the dirty wipes into the nearby trash can.

“Agony, would you, Joli, and the other guys step outside? We need to do a physical exam on her.” I asked nicely, but they knew it wasn’t a request.

“Absolutely. Just let us know when we can return. It’ll just be me and Dare.

I need to know what we’re dealing with. Hulk, Pyro, and Cyclone will make sure no one leaves before we know what happened,” Agony replied gruffly.

He wanted to be sure no one who was a guest here had done this to her. I nodded. They slipped out of the room.

Wanting to put her at ease, even if she wouldn’t speak to us or open her eyes, we both began to chatter.

“Blythe, how rude of me. I forgot to make introductions. This beautiful lady with me is Eliana. She’s the wife of Agony, who just left.

He’s the president of this club, which means he’s the big man in charge.

You know I’m Bones. Eliana is a nurse practitioner, and I’m a doctor.

We need to check you over. I need to know if you have injuries we can’t care for here.

I promise we’ll go slowly and take it as easily as we can.

If you want us to stop, just hold up your hands. ”

I’d put on gloves, and so did Eliana. Eliana spoke to her as we covered our patient with a sheet for now.

“Blythe, I love your name, by the way. If there’s any place we touch that hurts, we need you to tell us if it hurts too much for you to handle.

I know it probably feels better to keep your eyes closed and not allow the outside world in, but I can promise that we’re good people, and all we want to do is help you. ”

I was about to start with a basic palpation of her extremities and torso over her clothes first, and then we’d proceed to remove her clothes to do a visual inspection.

I touched her face. Her eyelids slowly rose.

I found myself staring into eyes the color of bronze.

They were incredible and matched her hair.

Thick, dark lashes surrounded them, making her eyes stand out.