Page 15 of Georgie (Sons of Hell MC #10)

Georgie

“You’ve been acting like a bear with a sore tooth lately,” my brother Frankie muttered, as King greeted the Russian Bratva, their heavy laughter filling the room.

I didn’t want to be here. I wasn’t in the mood to be nice to people, and I sure as hell wasn’t ready to babysit Cameron and his miniature goon squad, who, by the way, had already made a declaration of war, much to King’s annoyance.

Not that I thought the Russians minded, or the little shit for that matter. In fact, the big Russian in the middle actually thought it was funny.

Nope. My mind was elsewhere.

It had been three days since Josie told me she only wanted to be friends, and I walked away.

I told myself I wouldn’t force her, that I wouldn’t pile on more trouble.

But the truth, a bitter pill, was that I was terrified.

Terrified of losing her entirely, of the gaping hole her absence would leave in my life.

Call me crazy, but giving her space felt like I was slowly watching her drift away. And the worst part? My annoying shadow for the next few days whispered that maybe, just maybe, she wanted me to fight for her. But what did a seven-year-old know?

Still, the thought gnawed at me.

Now, my choice to back off felt less like a noble act of selflessness and more like cowardly surrender.

What if Carnage was right? What if Josie was testing me?

What if she really wanted me? More importantly, what if she wanted me to fight for her?

It wasn’t like anyone fought for her in the past, right?

What if she needed me to fight for her, to prove to her how much she truly meant to me?

And what if, in my desperate attempt to avoid hurting her, I had inflicted a far deeper wound by my silence?

“You wanna tell me what the hell is wrong?”

“Josie wants to stay friends.”

“Thought you claimed her?”

“I did,” I muttered as I watched Banks hug his brother, Aleksandr.

“Never pegged you to walk away from someone you wanted.”

“Not gonna force her to be with me, Frank. She either wants me or she doesn’t.”

“Granny know?”

I nodded. “She isn’t happy, but she respects my decision.”

“And the Emily issue?”

Shrugging, I muttered, “Bitch cornered me at the clinic yesterday and made a big scene after I asked her for a paternity test.”

“She gonna comply?”

“Said she would. She’s supposed to show up at the hospital later today to get the test done.”

“How long before you get the results?”

“Depends on the lab. Can take anywhere between one to eight weeks for the results.”

“That’s bullshit. I’ll call Granny and see where the hospital sends the tests. Maybe I can light a fire under someone’s ass,” Frankie said, as I felt my phone vibrating. Reaching for it, I groaned.

It was the hospital.

“Tell King duty calls.”

“Go. I’ll keep an eye on my little buddy.” Frank’s voice held a surprising gentleness.

“Thanks, Frankie,” I said, slapping my brother on the back as I ducked out of the crowded room, the joyous celebration fading into a distant, muted hum as thoughts of Josie weighed heavily on my heart.

Walking out of the elevator at Rosewood Memorial Hospital, I headed for the third-floor nurses’ station to retrieve a medical chart when I heard a familiar voice.

“George!”

Turning, I smiled when I saw Jasper, Josie’s son, running toward me as Josie’s cousin, Romeo, lazily followed behind. Laying the chart on the desk, I barely had time to react before Jasper ran into my legs, hugging them.

“Whoa,” I muttered, reaching down to hug the young boy.

“Are you okay, George?”

Confused, I kneeled before him. “Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

“’Cause Uncle Rome told Grandpa you stuck your foot up your ass, and that’s why mom has been crying.”

Narrowing my eyes, I looked up at the man standing behind Jasper, who looked unrepentant, smiling like a loon, and I sneered, “Is that so?”

“So, you’re not hurt?”

“No, buddy, I’m not hurt.” I slowly stood. “But your uncle Rome is about to be. You want to tell me what the hell is going on?”

Leaning against the nurses’ station, the fucker winked at one of the nurses, who blushed beet red, scurrying away, giggling like a little girl, before he turned his attention on me. “Just speaking the truth, Doc.”

“Why was Josephine crying?”

“You should know. You are the one who made her cry.”

“If this is about the other day, I am only doing what she wanted.”

“You know, for a guy who’s supposed to be a genius, you sure can be clueless.”

“Not a genius. That’s my brother Frankie.

” I groaned and ran my hand through my hair, as a mix of emotions washed over me.

“Look, I’ll admit I might have misread the situation, but Josie and I have been really good friends for a long time.

I care about her, deeply. But I also respect her wishes.

If she wants to keep things platonic, who am I to argue? ”

Romeo’s smirk widened, and he took a step closer, lowering his voice. “Let me let you in on a little secret, Doc. Women, they don’t always say what they mean. Especially not a woman like Josie, who’s been hurt and let down time and time again. Sometimes, you gotta read between the lines.”

As I stood there, processing Romeo’s words, a nurse walked by, shooting me a sympathetic glance. I felt like a fish out of water, floundering in the complex currents of human emotion.

“So, what am I supposed to do? I can’t just declare my undying love for her if she doesn’t feel the same.”

“No, but you can show her. Actions speak louder than words, Doc.”

Watching as Romeo walked away, I stood there trying to make heads or tails of what he said.

How in the hell was I supposed to show Josie how I felt?

It wasn’t like I was good at feelings and shit.

And besides, didn’t I spend the morning showing her?

Three times to be exact!

What more could the woman want? Okay, so the vibrator incident was a bit much, but I apologized for that. In my defense, my day went tits up and I forgot. Could have happened to anyone, right?

Grabbing Trip’s chart from the nurses’ station, I headed for his room and tried not to think about Josie, which was impossible considering she was all I’d been able to think about lately. Somehow, my relationship with my best friend morphed into something more.

Not that I was complaining.

But like most things in my life, the second my life looked like I was about to get everything I wanted... BAAM!

The universe stepped in and said, ‘not today, asshole! ’

I should have known.

For as long as I could remember, every time my life was looking up, shit happened.

Get accepted to baseball summer camp... parents die.

Work all summer to buy my first car... a jackass comes out of nowhere and totals it.

Getting ready to leave for Georgetown University.

.. Frankie gives me the chicken pox. Get engaged and start my medical practice with my best friend.

.. best friend fucks my fiancée on my desk. And now this shit with Josie.

I finally get the chance to have something wonderful, and her ex shows up, my ex decides to parade around town with a kid that ain’t mine, King orders me to babysit Carnage, and the wedding of the century is in a few weeks, but sure... I’ll try to prove to Josie that I love her.

“Seems to me you need a wingman.”

Looking up from the chair I was sitting in, I smiled.

“Seriously, Doc, I feel fine.”

“I understand that, Trip, but there are tests that need to be run. You’ve been in a coma for a while now. You suffered massive head trauma. I need to be sure everything works properly.”

“Well, that’s one test you will fail.” Lacey smirked, sitting next to her brother, listening.

The second Trip woke up and spoke, all my problems faded as I concentrated on my patient. It was easy for me to disengage myself from my personal life to take care of someone else.

Some say that’s what made me a good doctor.

I wasn’t so sure.

Yeah, I was good at what I did work wise; it was everything else I sucked at.

“When can I get out of here, Doc?” Trip asked. “I’m starving. I could really use a big fat juicy burger from Mel’s place. Lace, call Mel and tell him I’m hungry. I want the works.”

Lacey looked at me as I lightly shook my head and offered, “How about I call down to the cafeteria and see if they can rustle something up for you? Nothing solid. Maybe some chicken soup.”

“I’d rather starve,” Trip groaned, then looked around the room and asked, “Where is everyone? Thought they’d be here holding a candlelight vigil.”

“King is hosting guests at the clubhouse,” I informed as Lacey added, “I’ve called Banks. He said he’s on his way.”

“Hold the phone.” Trip frowned as I noted something in his chart. “Doc, you said I’ve been in a coma for a while.”

“That’s right,” I muttered, noting the time.

“How long is a while?”

Closing his chart, I placed it on the rolling table next to his bed before I pulled up a chair and sat down. “Trip, what is the last thing you remember?”

“We were heading home from New York. We’d just finished delivering Hell’s Breath to several clubs up and down the east coast. I remember riding the I-81 interstate and seeing the sign for Roanoke.

I was happy because we were only a few hours from home.

I wanted a shower and my bed. Then nothing. Why can’t I remember anything?”

“Because you were in a massive pile-up. A semi driver fell asleep at the wheel, causing a major accident. From my understanding, a car swerved trying to avoid the accident and hit you. Your bike hit the car, and you flew several feet before landing in the median. If it weren’t for Banks and Hawk’s quick thinking, you would have died. ”

Lacey sniffed. “It was a really bad, Calvin. Several people died, including several kids who were on a field trip that day.”

“How long?” he asked.

“Because you were not wearing a helmet, you suffered a major brain trauma, and that’s not including your other injuries.

You flatlined three times before Claudia and I could get you into surgery.

We had to call in a neuro-specialist. Even then, you were touch and go for a while.

You’ve had seven surgeries since your accident. ”

“Not gonna ask again, Doc,” Trip whispered. “How long have I been out of it?”

“Ten months,” I admitted just as the door flew open and in walked Banks, along with his brother Aleksandr.

“HOLY SHIT!” Banks smiled. “You’re awake!”