ZERO(The Skulls, 6)(56)

Over and over she scrubbed her hands.

The bathroom door opened, and Nash stood looking in. “We were worried about you,” Nash said.

“I’m washing blood off my hands. Zero’s blood.” She bit her lip, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand.

“He’s still in surgery.”

“I know. I didn’t imagine it would be quick.” She scrubbed her hands, trying her best to remove all evidence of Zero’s blood. Alan had won. This was going to ruin the club if either Zero or Angel died.

“Hey, don’t start losing it yet. We’re all still fighting here.”

“How can you be so calm?” she asked, drying her hands on some towel. “Your brother’s wife is in surgery. She was shot in the back three times by a maniac trying to ruin Zero. We’re in the hospital again. Tell me how you’re calm?”

“The battle is not over. Angel is in the hospital, and she went into that hospital room alive. Zero doesn’t have life threatening wounds. He will come out of this alive. The time for panicking is not now. My brother needs me to be strong.” Nash stepped into the bathroom. The tears were falling thick and fast down her cheeks.

“I saw it. I saw the car drive past. The bullets and I saw them hit Angel. They waited for her to fall before aiming for Zero. None of them had any intention of stopping.” She sobbed the words out as Nash wrapped his arms around her.

“He’s going to get through this. Zero is strong. Stronger than any of us realize,” Nash said.

“I can’t handle him dying on me.”

“No one is dying,” Tiny said, standing in the room. “Devil is calling me back. I need you to stay out here, Prue, and keep an eye on Lash and get word to me on Angel and Zero. Can you do that?”

She nodded. “Yes, I can do that.”

“Good, we need you. The club needs you.”

Stepping away from Nash, she followed Tiny out of the bathroom toward the waiting area. Taking a seat on one of the chairs, she watched the clear doors. Not long ago Zero had been waiting to hear news about her. Now their roles were reversed as she watched the doors like a mad woman. Lash would be out for a few hours. She hoped they had news by the time he woke up.

Killer sat beside her, groaning as he did. “I spend more time sitting on my ass in this fucking hospital than I do anything else.”

She smiled, even though she didn’t know what there was to be happy about.

“I know you’re freaking out over what’s happening and don’t want to know anything other than if Zero and Angel are going to be all right,” he said.

Turning toward him, she waited for him to finish.

“What I’m saying is I’ve been here a lot. I was here with Kelsey when she tried to kill herself and other times. Fuck, this doesn’t sound good at all.”

“Why don’t you just make your point?” she said, shaking.

“We’ve been to hell and back again, and yet we’re still here. Kelsey is my wife, and she’s pregnant with our first child. We’re all surviving.”

“What if this will be the one time they don’t?” she asked.

“I don’t allow myself to think or feel that way. Once you let the bad in, you can’t think of the good.” He tapped her hand. “Try to think positive about everything that is happening here.”

She nodded, watching him leave. Tiny was on the phone, and she watched him talking. Tears were streaking down his face.

After a couple of hours the doctor came out to tell her news. She listened, as did The Skulls as they were told Zero was fine. The bullets were easy to remove, and he’d be on his feet within the next forty-eight hours. Prue was thankful.

Angel was not doing as well. One of the bullets was next to her spine. Extracting the bullet with precision took time. Any wrong move and she might never walk again. Two of the bullets had been removed, and they didn’t know the extent of the damage. They were taking tests and observing the damage during surgery.

Prue sent up a prayer for the sweet woman. Alan was going to die, and she was going to make sure he hurt and would watch him die before she left his dead body. Running a hand down her face, she left the reception to go and see Lash.

He lay on the bed, which looked like it was going to collapse from his weight. The pain on his face was clear even in sleep.

Prue walked up to his bed side. She took his hand and couldn’t find the strength to smile.

“I’m sorry.”

The words were filled with much feeling, but she knew it didn’t matter to him what she said. If Angel didn’t make it out of this hospital alive, Lash would do everything in his power to hurt the one responsible.