Page 22 of Broken Deeds MC: Second Generation #12

A soft sound comes from somewhere across the room. Maybe the corner or behind the wall? I’m not sure. I meet Pax’s gaze and my old man jerks his chin, indicating I should leave. I stomp in the direction of the door and let it fall shut behind me.

It feels as if I’m leaving my heart behind. I can hardly breathe when I try to listen and picture what goes on inside the room. Down the hall are voices of other teams scanning rooms. I pull my phone out, ready to call Archer if necessary.

Panic hits me when there’s a loud crashing noise followed by gunshots. There’s no need to call Archer because others are running into the hallway in my direction. I try to open the door, but it’s blocked. There are only a few inches of movement and not enough to glance into the room.

The dust flowing through the air, though? I think the ceiling collapsed. It’s the only explanation why the door is stuck.

“Pax,” I bellow.

Nothing.

“Move, let me try,” Veloz rumbles.

Thorsten is right behind him. “Together, come on.”

I step aside and watch how both men slam their shoulder against the door. There’s minimum movement and I try to remember the room. Is there a window? Can we enter the room from the outside?

The panic inside me skyrockets while Thorsten and Veloz finally stumble into the room. Whatever was holding the door gave way, but the second they step inside is when another loud crashing sound covers everything in dust.

“What the fuck happened?” Archer grunts from behind me.

I move forward, gun still in my hand when I try to see through the dust and rubble.

The ceiling partly came down and it looks like the wall collapsed with it.

Someone is crawling out from under a large chunk of drywall.

Blood is dripping down one leg, and it’s then I realize it’s pants neither Macsen or Pax were wearing.

“Move real slow and show your damn hands,” I snap.

Veloz and Thorsten are flanking me as Archer steps into the room. There are now four guns aimed at Della’s head. She doesn’t even seem to care because she fucking smiles.

“Only interested in my hands?” Della taunts. “One might think all these actions and manpower are for more than just showing you my hands.”

“Cut the bullshit, woman,” Thorsten grits. “Hands. Now.”

She smirks and my heart jolts when I catch a flash of silver when she moves her arm. Time can last for a breath, a heartbeat, a split second to think or to make a decision. Instead of thinking I squeeze the trigger.

The sound of gunfire is loud as I watch Della’s body jerk from impact. It’s not just me shooting I realize when her body keeps jerking before she crumbles to the floor. Veloz rushes forward and kicks away the knife she was holding.

He squats down and places his fingers against her neck. “Dead.”

“Pax,” I shout while I stare at the pile of rubble.

Shoving my gun back in the holster, I rush forward and try to shove the drywall, concrete blocks, and whatever is piled up away.

“Careful,” Archer grunts and grabs my arm.

I yank it from his grip and snarl, “My old man is under there, and so is Macsen. Help me instead of holding me back.”

Archer steps in front of me and I’m about to kick his ass, but the sight of Thorsten and Veloz moving forward to dig through rubble stops me.

“Think instead of act,” Archer states, his voice soft while his face has a fierce look. “Pax will kick my ass if you get hurt saving him. Besides, part of the ceiling and a wall collapsed and we don’t know if the other walls are stable.”

“EMTs are here,” Bee states, completely out of breath. “Are you ready for them to come in?”

“We have one out from underneath the rubble,” Veloz says and I glance full of hope around Archer.

I swallow hard when the body of Macsen enters my gaze. He’s slowly moving to free his legs, but the EMTs rushing inside the room order him to stop and stay still.

“He’s not conscious,” Thorsten grunts and this time I rush around Archer to get to Pax.

My feet are frozen to the floor when I see his lifeless body.

“No,” I whisper. “Fuck no.”

One of the EMTs is already checking on him when Thorsten is suddenly blocking my view. “Give them some space to work, Lyla. Come on, let’s wait in the hallway.”

It’s as if someone is grabbing my heart in his hand and is slowly tightening its grip. I can’t get my feet to work, my brain to function, or my lungs to process the air I’m gulping down.

Thorsten is trying to gently push me to get me to move. My mind is suddenly freed from the lockdown it was in due to shock. There’s no way I want to live without Pax. Not when our lives have barely started.

“Get your fucking hands off me, Thorsten,” I grit. “My old man needs me and I’m not about to hide out of sight. You move to the hallway yourself if you can’t deal with it, that’ll clear up the space they need to help him get to the damn hospital faster, asshole.”

The corner of Thorsten’s mouth twitches. “Pax is lucky to have a strong old lady.”

“Move,” Archer says.

Thorsten and I step back to let the stretchers enter the room for both Macsen and Pax. Without words I follow them out of the building and am allowed to ride in the ambulance with Pax. My nerves are shot when we finally arrive at the hospital.

I have to stay behind while they rush Pax off behind doors I’m not allowed to enter.

An arm slides around my shoulder and at the same time I hear my mother say, “We’re here, sweetie.”

I’ve reached my breaking point and let myself sag against her while tears fall down my cheeks. My mother slowly rocks me back and forth as I feel my father right behind me, placing a kiss on the top of my head.

“He’s a strong and healthy fucker, Lyla,” my father tells me. “Don’t give up on him yet. Besides, he needs to live long enough for me to kick his ass for knocking up my baby girl.”

“Sico,” my mother snaps and I feel her body jerk, knowing for sure she just smacked my father on the back of his head.

I pull back and rub my eyes to get rid of the blurry vision.

Both my brothers, Lee and Briggs, are flanking my father.

Behind them I notice most of the Areion Fury members with their old ladies, along with a lot of Broken Deeds brothers.

The new faces crowding the room must be from Wisely Dicey and it’s then it hits me how tight and strong this large brotherhood is.

It doesn’t matter what connection lies underneath, blood or not; we’re a unity who will always have one another’s back.

My voice lacks the strength I’m surrounded with when I tell them all, “He has a head injury and still hasn’t regained consciousness.”

Some hang their heads, faces going grim, and I feel new tears and devastation hitting me hard.

Until Lee suddenly breaches my space. “You saw me take a bullet to the head, sis. I might still not be the same after all these months, but I’m still here, aren’t I?”

I can only let the fresh tears stain my cheeks, and my brother’s leather cut, as he pulls me close.