I tossed my keys to Nate. “Drive,” Ibarked.
“Follow that van!” I yelled out my window as we sped to the hospital withCassidy.
I ripped my shirt off, holding it to her side. It was soaked with blood within seconds. “You’re going to be all right, baby. Just stay withme.”
Her eye fluttered as she mumbled, “Was I reallyshot?”
“Baby, you’re going to be fine. The docs are going to fix you rightup.”
The tires screeched as we pulled up to the front entrance of the emergencydepartment.
I bolted through the doors, shouting, “Please help! My wife has beenshot.”
* * *
“Thanks,Fletch. I appreciate it. Feel free to put Annie to sleep in the guest room and y’all can sleep in our room. I’ll call you when I know more.” I hung up the phone, shoving it back into mypocket.
I paced in the waiting room, my white undershirt still covered in Cassidy’s blood. Nate sat in a chair off to the side, his head in his hands. Silently, Raine and Scarlett sat in chairs crying while Ryder and Bear joined the club at the barn to try to get to the bottom of the cause of the shooting. Cassidy had already been in surgery for an hour, which left like years at thatpoint.
“Ryan, I have to tell you something.” Nate’s tear-filled eyes met mine as I walked over tohim.
“What is it?” I tried to stay calm, but panic was already takingover.
“I think I know who those guys were. They were after me.” He started sobbing into his hands again. “I fucked up, man. I really fuckedup.”
Grabbing him by the throat, I pulled him to his feet. “What the fuck did you do?” I shouted into his face, spit flying all over his redcheeks.
“I really fucked up,” heblubbered.
“I need more information than that,” I demanded gruffly, tightening my grip on histhroat.
Raine jumped up next to me. “Ryan, you need to try to calm down for Cass’s sake. We don’t need to cause a scene in the middle of thehospital.”
I knew Ryder’s queen was right, but I didn’t care. If Nate was the reason why Cassidy had a bullet wound in her side, I was not going to calm the fuckdown.
“He needs to answer me,” I barked at her and she backed away. She knew better than to stand in the way when menfought.
“They’re the thugs my dealer uses for back payment. It’s who Cass saw the other day at the house. I owe a lot of money to the wrongpeople.”
“Fucking asshole,” Scarlett muttered and I agreed withher.
His confession made me see red. I punched him square in the jaw, letting him drop to the floor at my feet. Both women gasped but didn’t make a move to helphim.
“Who are they?” I growled, pulling my phone out of mypocket.
“Some of the Renegades. I’ve been buying from them this entire time. I never really got clean.” He was on his knees, holding hischeek.
“I need a name.” I started to dialBuck.
“Darvey is the guy I’ve been buyingfrom.”
I knew the scumbag well. He was supposed to be an ally of the Unacceptables, not dealing to their familymembers.
Buck answered on the first ring. “Yeah?”
“Darvey has been dealing to Cassie’s fucking brother this whole damn time. They’re behind thisshit.”
“We lost the van, but I know where their safe house is,” Buck replied. “Want me to handleit?”